Author Archives: Sarsfield Blog

Memorial to the Pals Battalions

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A new memorial to the brave Liverpool men who formed the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th Pals Battalions of the King’s (Liverpool) Regiment

Before World War I, the British Army had relied on professional soldiers to fight for king and country. But from the outset, Lord Kitchener, Secretary of State for War, believed that the way to victory lay in superior manpower. He began a massive recruitment campaign and one of the most successful contributions came from Liverpool. At Edward Stanley, the Earl of Derby’s suggestion, men were encouraged to volunteer alongside their friends and work colleagues, their ‘pals’.

Liverpool Pals on St George's Plateau

Liverpool Pals on St George’s Plateau

Liverpool set the example for the rest of the country. Within a few days of Lord Derby’s proposal, thousands of men had enlisted at St George’s Hall alongside friends, colleagues and workmates. The overwhelming response saw the creation of four new battalions: the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th.

The newly formed Pals Battalions swelled the ranks of the King’s Regiment (Liverpool), which itself had a proud history as one of the British Army’s oldest infantry regiments, founded in 1685. In recognition of Lord Derby’s role, the Pals volunteers wore an Eagle and Child cap badge, his family crest, rather than the King’s Regiment’s usual White Horse of Hanover.

Training was tough – equipment was scarce, and much time was spent digging on Lord Derby’s estate in preparation for the trench warfare was to come. In early November 1915, all four Liverpool Pals Battalions were sent to France. They acquitted themselves well, for example playing a significant role in the Battle of the Somme in 1916. But it came at a price. Over 200 Liverpudlians were killed on the first day in the capture of Montauban – one of the very few victories on a day which saw the British Army lose 19,240 soldiers in total. Five hundred more Liverpool Pals died in a subsequent failed attack in the village of Guillemont.

In all, the Liverpool Pals Battalions suffered more than 2,800 casualties during the course of the Great War. However, wherever these men fought, they maintained their reputation for bravery, toughness and camaraderie in the face of the enemy.

The tragedy of Pals Battalions was that, although men served with friends and colleagues, they also died alongside them, leaving home towns and cities decimated and devastated. By January 1916, conscription had been introduced instead; and many Pals Battalions, struck by such heavy losses, were amalgamated into other regiments.

But Liverpool’s brave men were among the last to be stood down at the end of the war, just as they had been among the first to step forward and fight for peace.

To commemorate the day when thousands of Liverpool workers volunteered to fight for the freedom of their fellow men, a 30ft bronze memorial frieze created by Tom Murphy will be unveiled at Lime Street Station on 31 August 2014. The memorial to the Pals Battalions has been commissioned by the Liverpool Pals Memorial Fund. We look forward to seeing this special monument to commemorate some of Liverpool’s bravest and finest sons.

Louise McTigue is a freelance writer and researcher, writing on behalf of Sarsfield Memorials.

Captain William Thomas Turner

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A few weeks ago, we wrote about the sinking of RMS Lusitania, one of the worst casualties of WWI in which 1,198 people lost their lives.

Capt William Turner

Capt William Turner

Captain William Thomas Turner was her commander when she sank, torpedoed by a German submarine. This was just one incident in a life full of adventure and bravery, but one that haunted him until his death.

Born in Clarence Street, Everton in 1856, Will Turner followed in his father’s footsteps, embarking on a life at sea as a cabin boy at the age of just eight. When the barque he was on was wrecked in a gale off the coast of Ireland, he refused all offers of help and swam to shore himself. Over the coming years, he would escape further disasters, including being swept overboard, shipwrecks and yellow fever, but never lost his boyhood dream of becoming a ship’s captain.

He became known for acts of bravery, putting himself at risk to save others in danger, and won various accolades throughout his career from the Humane Society and the government for his role in the Boer War.

Finally in 1903, he achieved his goal, becoming captain of Cunard’s ship, the Aleppo. While he was loved by the men who served under him, Cunard often didn’t know what to make of him. His bosses respected his ability, but disapproved of his gruff and dismissive way with the passengers. For instance, he often refused to carry out the custom of dining with them at the Captain’s table. Oddly, though, this only seemed to endear him to the travelling public even more and they actively asked to sail with him! He built a reputation for the fastest sailings, with the quickest turnarounds at ports, too.

Will first took command of the Lusitania in 1907, and then after promotions to captaincy of the Mauretania and Aquitania, resumed his command over the doomed vessel in April 1915 after her previous captain had retired due to nervous exhaustion from the constant threat from German U-boats. Less than a month later, RMS Lusitania, with Captain Will Turner at her helm, fell victim to German submarine U-20. A significant factor in her terrifyingly fast sinking was thought to be the substantial cargo of munitions she was secretly carrying in support of the war effort. Another element was the fact that the Admiralty had seen fit to withdraw Lusitania’s escort ship, HMS Juno, despite being aware of the German presence in the area.

Memorial to Capt William Turner, Rake Lane Cemetery, Wallasey

Memorial to Capt William Turner, Rake Lane Cemetery, Wallasey

Reluctant to accept responsibility, the Admiralty openly and loudly blamed Turner, even going so far as to say he was in the pay of the Germans and had sabotaged his own ship. Although he was later cleared of guilt by the Mersey Inquiry and Mayer hearings, and awarded the OBE in 1918 for his war efforts, controversy dogged him even in retirement. Hounded by the press after Churchill repeated the allegations against him in his memoirs, he sadly died almost a recluse, bitter and still living in the shadow of the disaster, in 1933. He is buried in Rake Lane Cemetery in Wallasey.

 

 

Louise McTigue is a freelance writer and researcher, writing on behalf of Sarsfield Memorials.

First World War Memorial Roll of Honour of Liverpool’s Military War Dead

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Hall of Remembrance, Town Hall, Liverpool

Hall of Remembrance, Town Hall, Liverpool

There are many memorials to those who died during the Great War. One of the most notable ones in Liverpool is the First World War Memorial Roll of Honour of Liverpool’s Military War Dead. This is located in the Hall of Remembrance at Liverpool Town Hall in the city centre.

The original list was started during the war itself, when the names of locals who had been killed in combat were posted in a window overlooking Exchange Flags. As relatives were notified of their lost loved ones, they queued to add their names to ensure they were remembered for their sacrifice. Many served as members of The King’s Regiment (Liverpool), although there are also men with local connections who died in service in the armed forces of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and beyond.

The roll now stands at well over 13,000 names, all of which have been added to a searchable database here.

Among the names listed are many of Liverpool’s brave VC winners, such as:

  • Captain Noel Chavasse, the only man to be awarded the VC twice in WWI and who died from wounds sustained on the battlefield while rescuing wounded comrades at Passchendaele;
  • Lieutenant Edward Felix Baxter of the Royal Engineers, The King’s (Liverpool) Regiment, a former Isle of Man TT rider who lost his life at Arras, but not before he had won a VC for cutting barbed wire in front of German trenches for two nights running and leading a raiding party on the third; and
  • Sergeant Thomas Neely, who won a posthumous VC for rushing several enemy machine gun positions, single-handedly killing or capturing their operators and silencing their fire. He was killed four days later in the field while advancing on German positions at Rumilly.

Sadly, the list is by no means complete. Because entry onto it depended on relatives making the notification, there are of course many who have been missed, for various reasons However, year on year, people continue to add their ancestors’ names, making it a living memorial to those who died so that we could live in peace. This year alone, at least a further 37 names have been added as keen historians and genealogists discover more about their forefathers and seek to get them recognised for paying the ultimate sacrifice.

You can have the name of your relative added by applying to the Town Hall with evidence of his connection with Liverpool.

Louise McTigue is a freelance writer and researcher, writing on behalf of Sarsfield Memorials.

Remembering the Great War (1914 – 1918)

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The Sinking of RMS Lusitania, a Disaster for Liverpool

As we arrive at the centenary of the outbreak of the Great War (1914-1918), our blogs for the next few weeks focuses on some of the defining moments for Liverpool during those terrible years.

RMS Lusitania arriving in New York on her maiden voyage

RMS Lusitania arriving in New York on her maiden voyage

With Liverpool’s status as a leading UK port, it’s inevitable that many of her tragedies during war as well as peace-time involve the sea. One such event was the sinking of the steamship RMS Lusitania, a British ocean liner owned and operated by Cunard. At the time of her launch in 1906, Lusitania took the prize as the fastest and most luxurious ship in the world; and she sailed regularly between Liverpool and New York, until the fateful day of 7 May 1915, when she was torpedoed by German submarine U-20 off the coast of Ireland.

Struck in the hull, this magnificent, proud ship sank within just 18 minutes with a massive loss of life. Of the 1,198 people known to have died that day, 785 were civilian passengers and 413 were crew. Poignantly for Liverpool, many of the crew came from close-knit Irish communities living in the north of the city. In fact, recent research has shown that altogether, around 600 people aboard had links with Liverpool, the Wirral and the wider region that is now Merseyside.

Significantly in terms of the course of WWI, 128 of the deceased passengers were US citizens, which had a dramatic effect on America’s view of Germany. Although not a direct result of the Lusitania’s sinking, it was a contributory factor to the United States joining the Allies against Germany in 1917 – which in turn was a decisive moment in the eventual Allied victory over the Central Powers of Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Many victims of the disaster were buried in mass graves in the Old Church Cemetery, Queenstown, Ireland, not far from the site of the wreck.  

Among the memorials in Liverpool to those who lost their lives in this impressive ship’s sinking, an annual memorial service takes place each year in front of a salvaged propeller from this tragic ship, held by the Merseyside Maritime Museum on the dockside between the Museum itself and the Museum of Liverpool. Next year, of course, will see the 100th anniversary of the catastrophe. There is also a memorial constructed in glass in St James’ Church, Mill Lane, West Derby in Liverpool.

Louise McTigue is a freelance researcher and writer, writing on behalf of Sarsfield Memorials Liverpool.

Memorial of Sir William Mitchell Banks

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Memorial to a surgeon who played a leading role in the foundation of the University of Liverpool

Sir William Mitchell Banks MemorialSir William was the son of a lawyer, born in 1842 and educated in Edinburgh. He showed great promise in his early career in medicine and later spent some time in Paraguay, where he saw something of the Paraguayan War (1864-1870).

He first came to Liverpool in around 1869, in the role of Assistant to a famed surgeon of the time, Mr E R Bickersteth. Joining the staff of the Infirmary School of Medicine, he worked hard with his colleagues to improve standards so that it could compete with other medical schools on a national basis. From then on, he took a leading role in advancing higher education in Liverpool, leading to the formation of University College in 1882 and finally the establishment of the University of Liverpool in 1903.

As well as his many administrative duties and achievements, he was also active as a renowned surgeon until just a few years before his death. One of the things he is most remembered for is being an early advocate of the removal of the axillary glands as well as breast tissue in breast cancer patients, in order to prevent undetected growths spreading. This treatment certainly had its critics at the time, and yet it is still carried out today, known as a modified radical mastectomy.

His obituary in the British Medical Journal notes that, as well as being successful in his professional life, he was also an engaging speaker and popular with his colleagues, students and patients alike. Not only that but he enjoyed keeping busy in his free time: he was an active climber, golfer, angler, cyclist, musician and collector, and lavish in his hospitality too!

Detail from Sir William Mitchell Banks Memorial, Smithdown Road Cemetery

Detail from Sir William Mitchell Banks Memorial, Smithdown Road Cemetery

Sir William died suddenly in Aix-la-Chapelle in August 1904 while travelling with his son to Homburg to seek medical treatment for the angina he had been suffering from. He is buried in Smithdown Road Cemetery with his wife and two sons, Frederick (who died before him in 1890) and Reginald, who was also knighted for his own civic duties. His wife Elizabeth, the daughter of a Liverpool merchant, survived him, dying in 1939 at the ripe old age of 92.

Louise McTigue is a freelance writer and researcher, writing on behalf of Sarsfield Memorials.

Memorials to Mary Lawson and Francis Beaumont

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A Tale of Romance and Tragedy: A Popular Actress and her RAF husband

Mary Lawson, from a 1930s publicity postcard

Mary Lawson, from a 1930s publicity postcard

Mary Lawson was a highly popular and sought-after stage and screen actress in the 1920s and 30s. From working class roots from County Durham, she made her first appearance singing for wounded soldiers during WWI at the age of five. She honed her acting and dancing abilities during her teenage years in Durham and beyond, eventually being talent spotted by Gracie Fields. Her career then went from strength to strength and she appeared in films with names such as Vivien Leigh and Bud Flanagan.

But she was to be remembered almost as much for her romantic affairs as for her acting ability. A series of high profile engagements ensued, including a spell as the fiancée of Fred Perry, at that time the world’s leading tennis player. Intense media attention and his desire to live in America made her call off the engagement.

She met her future husband, Francis William Lionel Collings Beaumont, on the set of the film Toilers of the Sea, set on the island of Sark. Francis, heir to the Seigneur of Sark, was already married with a son, but fell in love with Mary and divorce followed. Mary and Francis married in 1938 in London. It appears the marriage frowned upon by his mother, who spoke fondly of his first wife but failed to mention Mary at all in her memoirs.

After the outbreak of WWII, Sark was occupied by the Germans. Frances joined the Royal Air Force, rising to the rank of Flight Lieutenant. Having been granted a week’s leave in 1941, he and Mary were reunited and travelled with friends and family to spend a week in Liverpool, apparently staying in Toxteth. Unfortunately, their stay coincided with some of the heaviest bombing Liverpool suffered by the Luftwaffe in May of that year. On 3rd May, the air raid sirens went off, prompting Mary’s sister and others from their party to take shelter. Mary and Francis remained in their room, perhaps seeking a few moments alone together before he returned to active service. The house they were staying in was hit and both were killed. Their friends and family, who had sought the safety of the air raid shelter, all survived.

Francis Beaumont War Grave, Kirkdale Cemetery

Francis Beaumont War Grave, Kirkdale Cemetery, Liverpool

Mary and Francis were buried in Kirkdale Cemetery, Liverpool, but only Francis has a headstone to remember him. Mary’s memorial is in the Civilian War Dead Roll of Honour, located near St. George’s Chapel in Westminster Abbey, London and in the films that survive her.

 

 

 

 

 

Louise McTigue is a freelance writer and researcher, writing on behalf of Sarsfield Memorials.

Liverpool memorials: Alfred G Rowe

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Memorial to a well-travelled man who lost his life in the Titanic disaster

Albert G Rowe - Family Memorial - Inscription

Albert G Rowe – Family Memorial – Inscription

Alfred G Rowe was born in Peru, one of John James and Agnes Rowe’s seven children. His father was a successful merchant involved in trading and shipping between Liverpool and Chile. Alfred was brought up in England, but had certainly inherited his family’s wanderlust. After two years in the family business and education at the Royal Agricultural College in Gloucestershire, he moved to Donley County, Texas and with the princely sum of £500, started a ranch with two of his brothers, Vincent and Bernard.

As a rancher, Alfred flourished and got on well with the cowboys he employed, who thought him an honest man of high business principles. He also contributed greatly to the Texas community he lived in and even chose to become a US citizen while living there. In 1901, he married Constance Ethel Kingsley (a cousin of the priest and novelist Charles Kingsley who wrote The Water Babies) and by 1910, the family had moved back to England. However, Alfred returned to Texas to visit his ranch a couple of times a year.

For his last trip, he booked passage in first class accommodation on the brand new passenger liner, the Titanic, embarking at Southampton on Wednesday, 10 April. But he wasn’t impressed with the mighty ship – four days into the journey, he wrote to his wife, saying the ship was “too big” and “a positive danger” after a near-miss with the SS New York. The letter was posted in Queenstown, Ireland, the last port of call before it set off for New York, and only reached his poor wife after news of his death.

Albert G Rowe Family Memorial, Smithdown Road Cemetery

Albert G Rowe Family Memorial, Smithdown Road Cemetery

Accounts report that when the Titanic began to sink, Alfred refused a place in a life raft, declaring himself a strong swimmer. He made it as far as a floating hunk of ice, but died of hypothermia before his body could be recovered by the cable ship, the Mackay-Bennett. He was buried at Smithdown Road Cemetery on Tuesday 14 May, 1912 and an impressive family memorial marks the spot. His heartbroken wife gave birth to their fourth surviving child five months later and named him after his father. She eventually sold the Texas ranch to one of his hired cowboys, whose heirs still own parcels of the original land today.

 

 

Louise McTigue is a freelance writer and researcher, writing on behalf of Sarsfield Memorials.

Liverpool shipowner Sir Percy Elly Bates, 4th Baronet

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12 May 1879 – 16 October 1946

Sir Percy Elly Bates - Portrait

Sir Percy Elly Bates – Portrait

Percy Bates was the second son of Edward Percy Bates and grandson of Sir Edward Bates, 1st Baronet and a Conservative Member of Parliament. He dedicated much of his life to ship-building and in his role as Chairman of the Cunard-White Star Lines in later life, his policies were credited with leading towards the construction of some of the most famous passenger ships in history, including the original Queen Mary I and Queen Elizabeth I vessels.

Percy was born in Wavertree, Liverpool in 1879 and was first apprenticed to William Johnston & Co, a Liverpool shipbuilder; later joining the family firm Edward Bates & Sons after the death of his father in 1899. He became 4th Baronet after his elder brother, Edward Bertram Bates, died of enteric fever in India in 1903 and in 1910, he took up a role as a director of Cunard. When the First World War broke out, his experience suited him for service in the Transport Department of the Admiralty and he later rose to become Director of Commercial Services with responsibility for shipping civilian supplies in the newly-formed Ministry of Shipping. He was knighted for his services in 1920.

Percy served as High Sheriff and Justice of the Peace in Cheshire. But it wasn’t all work: he was also interested in literature and was an occasional member of The Inklings, the Oxford literary society which boasted JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis amongst its membership.

His only son, Edward Percy Bates, served as a pilot officer in the RAF in WWII and was killed on New Year’s Day 1945 while flying over Germany. His war grave is in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery in Germany.

Sir Percy Elly Bates' Grave, Childwall Churchyard, Liverpool

Sir Percy Elly Bates’ Grave, Childwall Churchyard, Liverpool

Sir Percy died a year later. After suffering a heart attack while in his office on 14 October 1946, he died at home on 16th October, the day he was supposed to have attended the launch and maiden voyage of his ship, The Queen Elizabeth. He is buried in Childwall Churchyard, Liverpool.

 

Louise McTigue is a freelance writer and researcher, writing on behalf of Sarsfield Memorials.

Sir William Watson, Liverpool Poet

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2 August 1858 – 13 August 1935

Sir William Watson

Sir William Watson

William Watson was the youngest of three sons of a master grocer. Born in Burley, Yorkshire, he moved to Liverpool with his family at an early age and grew up there. His early interest was in Romantic poetry but his first volume met with little critical acclaim. He came to national attention with the publication in 1891 of his work Wordsworth’s Grave, a tribute to William Wordsworth’s memory.

For this and his other work, he was tipped to be named Poet Laureate, but suffered a breakdown in 1892 and the role was given to another poet, whom Watson and many others felt was far inferior. Though he regained his reputation over the next few years, his poetry became progressively more political in nature, criticising government foreign policy with intensely anti-Boer War poems, for example. As a result, he was again passed over for the role of Poet Laureate, this time for being seen to be ‘politically unsuitable’.

Nevertheless, he continued to compose poems prolifically and in 1917, he was awarded a knighthood, in part for his poem in praise of David Lloyd George and partly for his support of the Great War effort. However, once the war ended, he was largely overlooked in favour of new, younger, more modern writers.

Sir William Watson Memorial

Sir William Watson Headstone, photography by Mick Ryan

Sir William grew increasingly pessimistic and despondent about his lack of popularity. When he died in a nursing home in Sussex in 1935, his famed had dipped to a point where many were surprised to find that he had still been alive. His wife, 27 years younger than him, was subsequently forced to enter domestic service to make ends meet. He was buried in the family tomb in Childwall Churchyard.

Louise McTigue is a freelance writer and researcher, writing on behalf of Sarsfield Memorials.

Sir Henry Wade Deacon

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1852 – 1932, Widnes Scientist, Industrialist and Public Figure

Sir Henry Wade Deacon, Widnes scientist, industrialist and public figure

Sir Henry Wade Deacon, Widnes scientist, industrialist and public figure

Sir Henry Wade Deacon was a son of Henry Deacon, a major industrialist and one of the first entrepreneurs to establish chemical works in Widnes. Henry Deacon counted Michael Faraday, one of the most influential scientists in history, as one of his family friends and he himself filed a large number of patents for discoveries in alkali manufacture and presented a number of papers to distinguished learned societies. He also played a significant part in public life in Widnes.

One of Henry Deacon’s seven sons and four daughters, Sir Henry followed in his father’s footsteps. He had a strong interest in science and education and was a prominent figure in Widnes and the wider area, acting as a Justice of the Peace and Pro-Chancellor of the University of Liverpool from 1930 to 1932. He also served on what’s now Lancashire County Council and in July 1912, was presented with the Freedom of the Borough of Widnes for his extensive work in the educational field.

Sir Henry Wade Deacon - Memorial

Sir Henry Wade Deacon – Memorial

In 1931, the local grammar school opened its main building opposite Victoria Park in Widnes and named it Wade Deacon Grammar School in recognition of his work for many years as chairman of the Local Education Committee. Now Wade Deacon High School, it traces its history back to 1507, when the original grammar school was founded by Bishop William Smyth. In the 21st century, the school’s focus on science and technology continues Widnes’ long tradition as a major chemical town.

Louise McTigue is a freelance writer and researcher, writing on behalf of Sarsfield Memorials.