Samuel Winters Bilbie
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Samuel was the youngest son of William Bilbie and his wife Emily, also known as Emma (née Shelton). His father William was born in Cropwell Bishop, Nottinghamshire, in about 1853, and his mother Emily was born in Stoke Bardolph, Nottinghamshire, in 1853 (bap. Gedling All Hallows June 1853), the daughter of Alfred and Sarah Shelton (née Morris). William and Emily were married at Sneinton St Matthias in May 1877 and had eight children, two of whom died before 1911: William Albert b. 1878, Harriet Agnes b. 1879 d. 1899, Ernest b. 1882 d. 1882, Lily b. 1883, Annie Maud b. 1885, Arthur b. 1887, Samuel Winters b. 1890 and Lavinia b. 1893. The eldest child, William, was born in Nottingham but his siblings were born in Carlton. Their parents later adopted a child, John Fisher (b. abt 1892). William, a bricklayer, his wife and three children, William, Harriet and Ernest, were living at 135 Beck Street, Carlton in 1881. Ernest died the following year before his first birthday. They had moved to 291 Beck Street by 1891 where they were living with their six children, Willliam, Harriet, Lily, Annie, Arthur and Samuel. Lavinia, their youngest child, was born two years later. William's wife was named Emma on this census and continued to use this first name on subsequent census. The 1901 Census recorded William, his wife at 137 Beck Street, Carlton. Their six surviving children - Harriet had died two years previously aged 20 - were in the home on the night of the census: William a plumber, Lily a blouse machinist, Annie a cotton winder, Arthur an errand boy and Samuel and Lavinia who were school age. William and Emma were living at Forester Grove, Carlton, by 1911. Also in the home on the night of the census were Arthur, a bricklayer (railway), Samuel an engine cleaner, Lavinia, a lace mender and the adopted son John Fisher (13) a fishmonger's errand boy. Their married daughter, Lily Straw and her daughter Lily (b. 1907), were also in the home. Lily's husband, Albert Straw (m. 1902), a builder's labourer, was one of five building workers registered at a boarding house in Skegness, Lincolnshire, so given that subsequent records show them living together this was probably a temporary separation for employment reasons. William Albert had married Sarah Ann Steel at Carlton parish church in 1901 and they were living on South Street, South Normanton, Derbyshire, with their two young children, Fred and Elsie. Annie Maud had married William Peet, a mechanic (general engineering), in 1910 and they were living at 2 Albert Avenue, Carlton, along with William's sister, Elizabeth Mary Peet; both she and Annie were working as tailoresses. Emma Bilbie died in October 1911 (buried Carlton Cemetery). Her husband William survived her by 22 years, he died aged 80 in February 1933 (see 'Extra information'). According to a notice of Samuel's death in the local paper, his two brothers and adopted brother, John Fisher, also served in the war. William Albert was called up in August 1916 at the age of 39 and was posted to the West Yorkshire Regiment (58207) on 15 August but then posted to the Durham Light Infantry on the 22nd. In April 1917 he was transferred to the 7th Labour Battalion (194807) and on 30 June to the Labour Centre at Ripon. By September 1917 he was with No. 34 Works Company. He was demobilized in February 1919 transferring to Class 'Z' Army Reserve, and was demobilized to 17 South Street, South Normanton. It is likely that he served in the UK throughout the war.
8th Bn. Yorkshire Regiment. Formerly East Yorkshire Regiment (17548) Samuel Bilbie enlisted at Nottingham. Samuel was killed in action on 27 October 1918 in Italy, probably during Passage of the Piave (23 October-4 November 1918) in the final Battle of Vittorio-Veneto (see below). He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Giavera Memorial which is within Giavera British Cemetery. CWGC - History of the Giavera Memorial and Giavera British Cemetery: 'The Italians entered the war on the Allied side, declaring war on Austria, in May 1915. Commonwealth forces were at the Italian front between November 1917 and November 1918. On 4 December 1917, the X1th and XIVth Corps relieved the Italians on the Montello sector of the Piave front, with the French on their left. The Montello sector acted as a hinge to the whole Italian line, joining that portion facing north from Mount Tomba to Lake Garda with the defensive line of the River Piave covering Venice, which was held by the Third Italian Army. The Commonwealth troops on the sector were not involved in any large operations, but they carried out continuous patrol work across the River Piave, as well as much successful counter battery work. In January 1918, an additional sector of the defence on the right was taken over by the Commonwealth troops ... In March 1918, the Commonwealth troops on the Montello sector were relieved. Three Divisions (7th, 48th and 23rd) took over the Asiago sector in the mountains north of Vicenza, and two Divisions (5th and 41st) were despatched to France. In October, the 7th and 23rd Divisions were withdrawn from the Asiago Plateau to take over the northern portion of the X1th Italian Corps front from Salletuol to Palazzon, on the River Piave. These Divisions took a prominent part in the Passage of the Piave (23 October-4 November 1918) during the final Battle of Vittorio-Veneto. On 4 November the Armistice came into effect, and active hostilities ceased. Men who died in defending the Piave from December 1917, to March, 1918, and those who fell on the west of the river during the Passage of the Piave, are buried in this cemetery ... The Giavera Memorial commemorates more than 150 members of the Commonwealth forces who died in Italy in 1917 and 1918 and whose places of burial are unknown.' (www.cwgc.org)
CWGC Additional information: 'Son of William and Emma Bilbie, of 6, Garden City, Carlton, Notts.' The Beeston Gazette and Echo published in each edition a Roll of Honour for Carlton, Colwick, Netherfield and Gedling Districts, which listed those serving and those lost. Editions in 1916 included the name ‘Bilby (sic) S. East Yorkshire Light Infantry.' Nottingham Evening Post, 'Roll of Honour,' 14 November 1918: 'Bilbie. Killed in action in Italy, October 27th, Lance Corporal Sam Bilbie, brother of Mrs Peet [Annie Maud], Albert Avenue, Carlton Hill. Father, sisters Lill [Lily], Annie, Vie [Lavinia], brothers Bill [William], Arthur and Jack [John Fisher] (all serving).' (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post 'In memoriam', 27 October 1919: 'BILBIE. – In loving memory of my dear brother, Lance-Cpl. Sam Bilbie, killed in Italy October 27th, 1918. To memory ever dear. Sorrowing sister Nance and husband [Annie & William Peet], Albert-avenue, Carlton-hill.' Nottingham Evening Post, 'In memoriam,' 27 October 1920: 'BILBIE. – In fondest memory of Lance-Cpl. Sam Bilbie, killed in Italy October 27th, 1918. Silent sorrow, ever lasting love. Sister Nance and husband, Albert-terrace, Carlton-hill.' Above courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918 Registers of Soldiers' Effects: His father William was his legatee. West Bridgford Times & Echo, ‘Deaths.’ 3 March 1933: ‘Bilbie. On February 25, at Garden City, Carlton, William Bilbie aged 80 years.’ (www.britishnewspaperachive.co.uk) West Bridgford Times & Echo, 3 March 1933: ‘Fatal Collapse. The death occurred suddenly, last Thursday, of Mr William Bilbie, aged 80, of 119 Greenwood-road, Colwick. Mr Bilbie was talking outside his house to his son-in-law (Mr Arthur Strickson) [husband of Lavinia], when he had a sudden seizure and collapsed. As Mr Bilbie had recently been under medical attention for heart trouble, the district coroner decided that an inquest was not necessary.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
