This man is a candidate for addition to Keighley's Supplementary Volume under the proposal to add further names in 2024, the centenary of the original roll of honour.
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Supported by the National Lottery's Heritage Fund, our project intends to submit about 120 names for peer review to add them to the book which is kept at Keighley Library. The unveiling of the book with it's new names is planned for November 2024, 100 years after the unveiling of the original war memorial.
Chief Sick Berth Attendant, Wardmaster. Royal Naval Auxiliary Sick Berth Reserve. Service no. M.9432.
Chief Petty Officer Richard Harrison.
Early life:
Richard was born in Keighley on 10th February 1869. The son of George Harrison and Alice Wilcock Harrison née Hall.
He was baptised at St Andrew's Parish Church in Keighley a month later on 21st March.
The 1871 census shows that George aged 47, was a boot and shoe maker and Alice aged 44, was an Oat cake maker. They were living at 10, Providence Place in Eastwood, Keighley and they had four unmarried stepdaughter daughters who were Sarah Hall, 20; Catherine, 18; Elizabeth Ann Hall, 16; Adelaide, 16 and George and Alice's daughter Lydia, aged four.
They also had two boys, stepson Robinson Hall aged 14 and of course George's son Richard, was the baby of the family, aged just two. The four oldest girls and Robinson were all working in worsted textiles as either weavers or spinners.
By 1881 the family had moved along the road to number 19 Providence Place and several of the children had left home by now. The household consisted of George aged 53, Alice aged 54; Robinson Hall (stepson) a worsted warp dresser aged 23; Lydia a worsted weaver aged 14 and Richard aged 12, a scholar. Also living here were four boarders Eli Cole, Benjamin Walker, Edward Tretton and William Cromart, so it must have been quite a squeeze. Providence Place no longer exists but it was the first street on the left on Dalton Lane, directly across the road from what is now the modern Keighley College building.
Richard's father George died aged 63 on 12th December 1886 and is buried at Utley Cemetery in Keighley. His probate shows Alice received £241 19 shillings on 14th January 1887.
Richard must have been out of the country for the 1891 census as there is no record of him. He may have been in America at that time because he married Martha L. Leach in Methuen, Massachusetts on 22nd October 1890. They appear to have returned to the UK because by the 1901 census Richard had moved away from Keighley and was aged 32 and living with his wife Martha L. aged 33 at 34, Berkeley Street at Briefield, Clitheroe in Lancashire. He was employed as a cotton warp dresser.
They must have been settled there because they were still living at the same address in 1911 and they had three children who were Mabel aged six, born on 6th July 1904; Raymond aged four, born on 3rd December 1906; and Edith aged two, born on 6th September 1908. Richard was 42 and a still a warp dresser for a cotton manufacturer. Martha was 43 and looking after the family and home.
Richard was a member of the St. John Ambulance Brigade and was superintendent of the Brierfield Branch.
War service:
Richard joined the Royal Navy for a period of one year on 2nd August 1914 Service number M.9432. This was just before the declaration of war. He trained with the Royal Navy Auxiliary Sick Berth Reserve at HMS Pembroke II from 2nd August to 26th October. He was still in training at Chatham Hospital from 27th October and was a Reserve Wardmaster (Chief Sick Berth Attendant.) He died at Chatham Hospital of a duodenal ulcer on 21st May 1915. He was 46 years old. His children were only eleven, nine and seven years old.
Richard was buried with a private headstone in grave 293 of the 10th section at The Inghamite Chapel Cemetery at Wheatley Carr, Near Burnley in Lancashire. His widow Martha's address was still at 34, Berkeley Street Brierfield, Lancashire.
His grave inscription reads:
In Memory of Chief Petty Officer Richard Harrison of Brierfield, who died whilst serving his country with the Royal Naval Auxiliary Sick Berth Reserve, May 21st 1915. Aged 46 years. He Did His Duty.
Richard is remembered in perpetuity by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, along with 53 other war casualties buried at this churchyard.
Richard's funeral was reported in two local newspapers -
The Lancashire Daily Post, Tuesday 25th May, 1915, page 2:
BRIERFIELD AMBULANCE MAN'S FUNERAL.
The remains were interred at the Wheatley Lane burial ground this afternoon of the late Mr. Richard Harrison, superintendent of the Brierfield branch of the St. John Ambulance Association, whose death occured last Friday at Chatham, where he was serving with the Royal Naval Sick Berth Reserve.
Prior to the interment a short service was conducted at the Congregational Church, Briarfield, by the Rev. D. L. Nichol. The funeral was attended by members of the local ambulance division, several of whom acted as bearers, and also by a contingent of the Church Lads' Brigade, who subsequently sounded the "Last Post" over the grave. The floral tributes included wreaths from the Brierfield Ambulance Division and the staff at Chatham.
The Burnley News, Wednesday May 26, 1915:
BRIERFIELD AMBULANCE MAN'S FUNERAL.
Yesterday afternoon, the remains were interred at the Wheatley Lane burial ground, of the late Mr. Richard Harrison, superintendent of the Brierfield branch of the St. John Ambulance Association, whose death occured last Friday at Chatham, where he was serving with the Royal Naval Sick Berth Reserve.
The body was conveyed to Brierfield, arriving on Sunday morning, and was taken to deceased's residence at 34, Berley Street. The hearse containing the coffin, which was covered with the Union Jack and a number of wreaths left Berley-street at 2 o'clock, headed by the members of the local Ambulance Brigade, in charge of Sergeant T. E. Smith, and accompanied by Superintendent Lambert, of Bacup, Privates Clarkson and Crossley representing the Naval Sick Berth Section, Chatham, several ambulance men on short leave, and ex-Supt. Webster, Mr. Henry Taylor, and Mr. William Greenwood; Lance-Corporal Reynoldson, and Bugkers Kayley, Stockdale, and Hardisty, of the Church Lads' Brigade. Prior to going to Wheatley, a service was held in the Congregational Church, conducted by the Rev. D. L. Nichol, after which the procession was reformed.
The mourners were as follows:- 1st carriage, Mrs. Harrison, widow and the children, Mabel, Edith and Raymond; Mrs. West, sister, and Miss West. 2nd carriage, Mrs. Hudson, Mrs. Pickard, Mrs. Saunders Mr. John Hall; 3rd carriage, Mr. Hall, Mrs. Earnshaw, Mrs. Rowley.
The service at the graveside was conducted by Mr. R. Holt, after which the buglers sounded the last post.
Wreaths were sent by the Staff, Royal Naval Hospital, Chatham; anchor, St. John Ambulance and Nursing Sisters, Brierfield; Maltese cross, Mr. and Mrs. T. Veevers; wreath, neighbours and friends.
The bearers were Ambulance Privates, Clarkson, Crossley, J. Calvert, T. Eastwood, Sergt. T. E. Smith, and Corporal Holt.
Post war:
Martha and their three children received a Widows/Dependants Pension of 27 shillings per month beginning on 25th November 1915. Payments are shown as having been made until at least April 1917. The children's element was to be paid until 1920 for Mabel, 1922 for Robert and 1924 for Edith, each of which would have been on their 16th birthdays.
Information sources:
West Yorkshire, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1813-1935
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915
West Yorkshire, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1910
1871 England Census
1881 England Census
England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995
United States Marriages
1901 England Census
1911 England Census
Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services, 1848-1939
Royal Navy and Royal Marine War Graves Roll, 1914-1919
British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960
England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
UK, World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923
UK and Ireland, Find a Grave® Index, 1300s-Current
Find-a-grave.com
British Newspaper Archive.
