Private James Garthwaite
James Garthwaite with his wife Elizabeth and children James Edward (Jimmy) and Annie. Photo kindly provided by family member Suzanne Dawson
Photo kindly provided by a great-grandson of James Garthwaite
James Garthwaite was baptised on 21st March 1879 in Hurst in Marrick, North Yorkshire which was a mining centre in the 19th century. His father was Thomas, a miner and mother was Eleanor (known as Ellen) Garthwaite nee Frankland.
The baptism of James Garthwaite
The family moved to Keighley when James was very young, as by the time of the 1881 census they lived at 40 Ingrow Lane. Thomas was 39 years old and working as a farm labourer, Ellen was 35. James was the youngest of their children, the older siblings being Elizabeth Ann (16), Ellen (14), Thomas (12) and John (10) who were all working as worsted spinners. There was also William (7) and Jane (4).
The Garthwaite shown on the 1881 census
By 1891 they had moved to 4 Lark Street in Haworth. Thomas was working as a wool picker. Elizabeth Ann, Thomas and William were still with the family and working as weavers in a worsted mill. John was a mechanic's apprentice. Jane and James were working as spinners in a worsted mill. They had been joined by more siblings - George (9), Frankland (6) and Leonard (3).
On 3rd June 1899 James married Elizabeth Heap. On their marriage record he is described as a labourer in a foundry and his father, Thomas as a fish restaurant keeper.
The marriage record of James Garthwaite and Elizabeth Heap
In 1901 James and Elizabeth lived at 2 Lot Street in Haworth, where James' occupation was machine moulder. They had a son, James Edward who was one year old. At number 1 Lot Street was Harry Heap and his wife and children, who I believe was Elizabeth's brother. At 39 Prince Street, which I believe is next door but one, was James' brother John with his wife Lily and children Mabel and Thomas.
The Garthwaite family on the 1901 census - note James' brother John next door but one, and I believe Elizabeth's brother in between them
By 1911 James and his growing family had moved to 4 Fife Street, at the other side of Prince Street. He was still working as a machine moulder in the washing machine industry, (later newspaper reports say he was employed by Mr. David Butterfield). He and Elizabeth had six children by then - James Edward was 11, Annie (9), Mary (7), Edna (4), Jack (2) and Ellen (10 months). They would later have a seventh child, Harold, in 1913.
The news announcement of James' death
Private James Garthwaite, number 300059, enlisted for the army in Skipton in 1915 and served in the 2/6th Duke of Wellington's Regiment. He served twice in France before being reported missing on 3rd May 1917. The war diaries for this battalion show them at Mory, near Arras. On 3rd May heavy losses were suffered - of other ranks there were 15 killed, 155 wounded and 88 missing, James being one of the missing. This would suggest heavy shelling that day. James has no known grave. He is commemorated on the Arras Memorial at Fauburg - D'Amiens Cemetery in Arras. His wife, Elizabeth was notified 11 months later that he was presumed killed on that day. James was 38 years old and left eight children.
Keighley News report of the death of James
The Memorial Plaque issued to Elizabeth following James' death. Photo kindly provided by family member Suzanne Dawson
Able Seaman James (Jimmy) Edward Garthwaite
James Edward Garthwaite. Photo kindly provided by family member Suzanne Dawson
The oldest of those children was his son James Edward, known by family as Jimmy. He was born on 22nd October 1899 and baptised on 20th October 1900 at St. Michael and All Angels Church in Haworth.
James Edward's baptism record
He joined the Royal Navy on 7th December 1915 at the age of 16. He initially served as a Boy on the HMS Powerful which was being used as a training ship, having previously been used as a landing ship during the Second Boer War. In June 1916 he was transferred to HMS Dido and in September 1916 to HMS Victory I. In December 1916 he served on HMS Odin and was promoted to Ordinary Seaman in May 1917, then Able Seaman in October 1917, still on HMS Odin. He then went back to HMS Victory I as Able Seaman before HMS Greenwich in 1919 and back to HMS Victory I briefly, before leaving the navy in February 1920.
James Edward Garthwaite's Royal Navy record
His great grandson has kindly sent photos of his notebook and a sailor figure that Jimmy kept in a tin from his time in the navy:
Jimmy Garthwaite's sailor figure
Jimmy Garthwaite's note book
Jimmy Garthwaite's note book
Jimmy returned to Haworth, living at 2 Fife Street. He married Pearl Vaughan in May 1923 and they moved to 2 Cliff Street, before later moving to 9 Changegate.
The marriage banns of James Edward Garthwaite and Pearl Vaughan
James Edward and Pearl Garthwaite nee Vaughan. Photo kindly provided by family member Suzanne Dawson
I don't believe they had any children. Sadly Pearl died at the young age of 35 on 3rd March 1934, I believe of tuberculosis.
Jimmy remarried in 1936 to May Deane nee Swinton and they had a son, Collin. At the time of the 1939 Register they lived at 2 Cliff Street and Jimmy's occupation was fish frier. Jimmy's great grandson recalls being told that he knew Harry Ramsden.
Jimmy and May Garthwaite shown on the 1939 Register. Their son 's details are redacted as per 'the 100 year rule'
Jimmy died at his home at 9 Park Street in Haworth in July 1973. I have not found a record of May's death.
Private Thomas (Tom) Garthwaite
Tom Garthwaite in the Keighley News
Jimmy had a cousin, Thomas Garthwaite. He was the son of James' brother John and Lily Garthwaite nee Thorpe. He was born on 28th December 1898 and baptised on 7th May 1899 at the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel in Haworth.
Thomas Garthwaite's baptism record
In 1901 John and Lily lived at 39 Prince Street which I believe may be next door but one to his brother James. John worked as a blacksmith. They had two children at this time, five year old Mabel and two year old Thomas. An older daughter, Ellen, had died at the age of 16 months in December 1894.
By 1911 they had moved to 12 Fife Street. Mabel and Thomas had been joined by George (nine) and Ellener (one). Another daughter, Ivy, had died aged five months in 1908. Both Mabel and Thomas were working as worsted spinners despite being only 15 and 12 years old respectively.
Before serving in World Ward I Thomas worked as a farrier for Mr W. Ackroyd in Wilsden. He initially served as a Private with the Durham Light Infantry, having joined up in April 1917 and going to France in March 1918, he later joined the 10th Worcestershire Regiment. He was taken prisoner on 10th April 1918 at Messines in Flanders, the Battle of Lys, (also known as the Lys Offensive, Fourth Battle of Ypres or Operation Georgette) took place at this time so it seems likely he was taken during the early days of this battle.
The German record of Thomas' capture
Thankfully Thomas survived this experience and was awarded the British War and Victory Medals.
Upon returning home, Thomas lived with his parents who by then had moved to Burn Heys Farm at Haworth Brow, (which I believe later became The Three Sisters Hotel and is now a care home). On 23rd December 1922 he married Rose Hannah Booth at Ingrow Parish Church and they lived at Whitehill Farm in Oakworth, where he was a dairy farmer. I don't believe they had any children.
The marriage record of Thomas Garthwaite and Rose Hannah Booth (her name had to be corrected as initially misspelled)
Thomas and Rose Garthwaite shown on the 1939 Register
Thomas died on 21st November 1975, having spent his final days living on Harehills Lane in Oldfield.
Sources:
1881 England Census
1891 England Census
1901 England Census
1911 England Census
1939 England and Wales Register
West Yorkshire, England, Electoral Registers, 1840-1962
England and Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915
North Yorkshire, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1921
West Yorkshire, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1910
West Yorkshire, Non-Conformist Records, 1646-1985
England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
England and Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915
England and Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005
West Yorkshire, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1813-1935
British Army World War I Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920
Royal Navy Register of Seaman's Services, 1848-1939
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919
findagrave.com
England and Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
England and Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995
Keighley News archives at Keighley Library
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