Sydney Waldron
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Sydney (also Sidney) was the son of George William Pepper, later Waldron, and his wife Hannah (née Lees). His father George William Pepper was born in Loughborough, Leicestershire, in 1867 (reg. Pepper), the son of William Waldron, a basket maker, and Mary Ann Pepper who were married in 1870. William Waldron died in 1887 and his widow married secondly Edwin Maltby in 1898. Although George was recorded as Waldron on the 1881 Census, when he was living with his parents in Loughborough, his marriage in 1890 to Hannah Lees (b. Castle Donington abt. 1871) was registered in the surname Pepper. He and Hannah had ten children, two of whom died young. The births of their eight surviving children were registered in the surname Pepper: Archibald William b. Castle Donington 1890, Stella Elizabeth b. 1891 (reg. 1892 J/F/M) and Ethel Maud (Maud) b. 1893 who were both born in Ashby de la Zouch, and Sydney Walter b. 1897, Harold b. 1899, Elsie b. 1901, Clarice b. 1903 and George Alec (Alec) birth registered 1908 (J/F/M) who were all born in Bulwell, Nottingham. George, a basket maker, and Hannah, with their son Archibald, were living in Ashby de la Zouch in 1891; they were recorded on the census as 'Pepper.' However, by the time of the 1901 and 1911 census the family was using the surname Waldron (1901 misspelled as Waldrom). George and Hannah, now working from home as a stocking chevener, and their five children - Archibald, Stella, Maud, Sydney (4) and Harold were living at 32 China Street, Bulwell. By 1911 the family had moved to 10 Jennison Street, Bulwell. George was employed as a basket maker at the Blind Institution basket works. The 1911 Census included a section for information about a person's long-term or permanent infirmities and as George did not complete this section it can be assumed that he was a sighted employee, possibly an instructor. All eight children were still living at home: Archie a fireman with the Great Central Railway, Stella and Maud who were carriage straighteners in the lace industry, Sydney a wedger at a pottery works, Harold, Elsie, and Clarice who were school age and Alec (3). Hannah Waldron died in September 1937 (reg. Annie Waldron). As well as her son Sydney, her daughter Ethel Maud predeceased her (d. 1928). The widowed George William, a basket maker foreman, was still living at 10 Jennison Street in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled. Also in the home were his two unmarried daughters Stella, a hosiery latch needle straightener, and Clarice whose occupation was given as unpaid domestic duties. Clarice died in 1949, her older sister, Elsie Hall (m. Frank Hall 1928) had died in 1941. George William Waldron died in 1956. A notice of Sydney's death in the local paper in 1918 included the name of his brother Harold, and that he was serving in France. Harold's service details have not yet been traced but he survived the war (d. 1959).
The 9th (Service) Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry was formed at Pontefract in September 1914 as part of Kitchener’s Third Army. It came under command of 64th Brigade, 21st Division and landed in France in September 1915. Sydney served in France after 1915. He was killed in action on 22 April 1918. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium (Panel 108 to 111). He qualified for the British War Medal and Victory Medal. CWGC - History of Tyne Cot Memorial (extract): The Memorial to the Missing is on the boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, 9km from the town of Ieper (Ypres). 'The Tyne Cot Memorial is one of four memorials to the missing in Belgian Flanders which cover the area known as the Ypres Salient. Broadly speaking, the Salient stretched from Langemarck in the north to the northern edge in Ploegsteert Wood in the south, but it varied in area and shape throughout the war. The Salient was formed during the First Battle of Ypres in October and November 1914, when a small British Expeditionary Force succeeded in securing the town before the onset of winter, pushing the German forces back to the Passchendaele Ridge. The Second Battle of Ypres began in April 1915 when the Germans released poison gas into the Allied lines north of Ypres. This was the first time gas had been used by either side and the violence of the attack forced an Allied withdrawal and a shortening of the line of defence. There was little more significant activity on this front until 1917, when in the Third Battle of Ypres an offensive was mounted by Commonwealth forces to divert German attention from a weakened French front further south. The initial attempt in June to dislodge the Germans from the Messines Ridge was a complete success, but the main assault north-eastward, which began at the end of July, quickly became a dogged struggle against determined opposition and the rapidly deteriorating weather. The campaign finally came to a close in November with the capture of Passchendaele. The German offensive of March 1918 met with some initial success, but was eventually checked and repulsed in a combined effort by the Allies in September.' (www.cwgc.org)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 3 June 1918: ‘Waldron. Killed in action 22nd April, Pte S Waldron aged 21. When alone in sorrow bitter tears flow, there stealeth a dream of the sweet long ago, unknown to the world he stands by our sides, and whispers, dear loved one, death cannot divide. Only good-night till we meet again. From his broken-hearted father and mother, brother Harold in France, little brothers and sister.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 3 June 1918: ‘Waldron. Killed in action 22nd April, Pte S Waldron. A loving brother, true and kind, a beautiful memory left behind. From his sorrowing brother and sister, Arch and Maggie, and nephew Willie.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 3 June 1918: ‘Waldron. Killed in action 22nd April, Pte S Waldron. Sleep on, dear brother, and take thy rest, they miss you most who loved you best. From his sorrowing sisters Stella, Maud, Elsie and Clarice.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) 'In memoriam' notices, Nottingham Evening Post, 22 April 1919: “WALDRON. – In ever loving memory of our dear son, Pte. S. Waldron, who fell in action April 22nd, 1918. Oh, what would we give, dear loved one, to clasp your hand and bid you welcome home; but angels in their tender care are guarding our loved one sleeping there. – Loving father, mother, and sister Dolly (Bulwell). “WALDRON. – In ever-loving memory of our dear brother, who fell in action April 22nd, 1918. His cheerful ways and smiling face are pleasant to recall, he had a kindly word for each and died beloved by all. – From his brothers Arch and Harold, sister-in-law Maggie, and nephew Willie (Ashern). “WALDRON. – In ever-loving memory of our dear brother, Pte. S. Waldron, who fell in action April 22nd, 1918. In our aching hearts there was only one prayer – that you could return safe home again, dear loved on, our lives to share, it's so lonely without you, dear brother, here. – Loving sisters Stella, Maud, Elsie, Clarice, and little brothers (Bulwell).” Above courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918.
