He enlisted in the army on the 7 Jan 1915 and he was discharged on account of disablement or ill-health on the 11 Mar 1918. He was awarded Silver War Badge No. 250015.
James Arthur Artingstall was born at Bristol on the 20 Jan 1891 to John Abraham Artingstall and Emily Gardner who were married at Bristol in 1884. He married Lily Woolfenden at the United Free Methodist Church, Manchester Rd, Denton, in 1910 and in 1911 he was resident with his wife and son, John Albert (4 months), on Tib St, Denton. By 1939 he was resident with his wife and family on Stockport Rd.
Nothing is known about the service of these brothers in the Royal Air Force but they were demobilised in 1919.
Charles Victor and Albert Bailey were born at Shipley, Yorkshire West Riding, in 1895 and 1896, respectively, to Freeman Bailey and Ellen Gatley Slater who were married at Bradford Cathedral (St Peter) on the 19 Sep 1894. In 1911 they were resident on Market St, Denton, employed as mechanics.
He died on the 3 May 1916, aged 19 years, and he is buried in the churchyard of Christ Church, Denton.
William Gregson Blackledge was born at Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester, in 1896 to the Revd Robert Thomas Blackledge MA and Ellen Dallas who were married at St Paul’s Church, Preston, in 1888.
In 1911 he was resident with his parents and siblings at the rectory on Windmill Ln, Denton, still at school, where his father was the rector of Christ Church on Manchester Rd. Later the family moved to Oaklands Rd, Swinton, Manchester. William was educated at Manchester Grammar School and he entered Manchester University in 1914 to study arts. In Oct 1915 he joined the University Officer Training Corps proceeding to Bristol on the 3 Mar 1916 as a member of “A” Company of the 3rd Officer Cadet Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment. Subsequently he was admitted to hospital in the Bristol area to be treated for enteric fever where died on the 3rd May 1916.
The Revd Captain Robert Dallas Blackledge MM, William’s brother and Curate of Christ Church, dedicated the Denton War Memorial at its unveiling on the 23 Jul 1921, supported by other members of the clergy.
He enlisted in the army on the 8 Mar 1915 and he was discharged on the 11 Oct 1918. He was awarded Silver War Badge No. B49163.
He died at home of chronic bronchitis, aggravated by active service, on the 21 Mar 1920, aged 26 years, and he is buried in Hyde Chapel Chapelyard, Knott Ln, Gee Cross, Hyde.
Ernest Booth was born at Denton in 1894 to Thomas Booth and Mary Ellen Sorton who were married at St Michael’s Church, Ashton-under-Lyne, in 1889. In 1911 he was resident with his widowed mother and siblings on Read St, Hyde, employed as an assistant at a fruiter and florist’s shop. He married Bertha Broadhurst at St Thomas’s Church, Hyde, in 1915 and his widow and three children, John (b.1915), Ernest (b.1917) and Arnold (b.1919) were resident on Francis St, Hyde.
Standing left, an unknown soldier of the South Lancashire Regiment.
Both were regular soldiers and this photo was taken prior to the outbreak of the Great War while they were serving in India. It was taken by N D Batra at Quetta.
In 1919 Albert Braddock was awarded a medal for his service on the North West Frontier of India.
As a former regular soldier he re-enlisted in the army at Liverpool and he entered the Theatre of War in France on the 20 May 1915. He died of wounds on the 7 Oct 1917, aged 38 years. He is buried in the Godewaersvelde British Cemetery, France. He was awarded the Military Medal and Bar for bravery in the field. During the interim he was resident at Denton, Lancashire, employed in the hatting industry, and he is commemorated on Denton War Memorial.
Thomas Callaghan was born at Leeds in 1880 to Thomas Callaghan and Catherine. He married Mary Ann McCormick at West Derby, Liverpool, in 1907 and in 1911 he was resident with his wife, widowed father-in-law, Christopher McCormick, and family on St John’s Rd, Waterloo, Liverpool. Here he was employed as green-grocer’s assistant in his father-in-law’s green-grocery business.
His brother, 2543 Private Edward Callaghan of the 1st Battalion, Manchester Regiment, died of his wounds in France on the 12 Jun 1915, aged 44 years. He is buried in La Gorgue Cemetery, France, and he is commemorated on Denton War Memorial.
He enlisted on the 4 Aug 1916 and at the time of his enlistment he was a labourer. He entered the Theatre of War in France on the 10 Jan 1917 as part of an Expeditionary Force. He was demobilised on the 25 Apr 1920.
Dennis Condon was born at Linton, Cambridgeshire, in 1884 to William Condon and Mary Ann Hobbs who were married at St James’s Church, Bermondsey, in 1865. He married Edith Johnson at Holy Trinity Church, Gee Cross, Hyde, on the 10 Sep 1907. Their son, Clarence, was born at Hyde in 1912. By 1919 they were resident on George St, Denton.
He enlisted in the army on the 2 Oct 1914 and he was discharged on the 26 Jun 1916 on account of being no longer physically fit for war service. He was awarded Silver War Badge No. 425289.
Samuel Fidler was born at Denton on the 23 Nov 1895 to Samuel Fidler and Elizabeth Ann Cree who were married at St Paul’s Church, Portwood, Stockport, in 1876. In 1911 he was resident with his widowed mother and siblings on Stockport Rd, Denton, employed as an apprentice boot maker. He married Ruby Hamer at St Mary’s Church, Haughton Green, Denton, in 1920.
He enlisted in the army on the 9 May 1916 and he was discharged on the 27 Jun 1918 on account of being no longer physically fit for war service. He was awarded Silver War Badge No. B85446.
John Henry Gallimore was born at Denton in 1889 to William Henry Gallimore and Alice Bailey who were married at Congleton, Cheshire, in 1884. In 1911 he was resident with his parents and siblings on Windmill Ln, Denton, employed in the hatting industry. He married Alice Walker at St Anne’s Church, Haughton, Denton, on the 16 May 1914 and they were resident on Seymour St, Denton.
He was killed in action on the 7 May 1917, aged 22 years, and he is buried in Templeux-le-Guerard British Cemetery, France.
James William Greenwood Howard was born at Ashton-under-Lyne in 1895 to Percy Howard and Amanda Greenwood who were married at St Peter’s Church, Ashton-under-Lyne, in 1890. In 1911 he was resident with his widowed mother and brother, Percy (18), on Robert St, Dukinfield, employed as an apprentice boiler maker at Joseph Adamson & Co Ltd of Hyde. His father died in 1911 and his mother married Thomas Verrall at St Mark’s Church, Dukinfield, in 1914.
His brother, 26113 Private Percy Howard of the 1st Battalion, Cheshire Regiment, died of wounds on the 4 Sep 1916, aged 23 years, and he is buried in Corbie Communal Cemetery Extension, France.
He was born at Denton in 1892 to John Kemp and Fanny Buckley who were married at Christ Church, Denton, in 1885. He survived the war although wounded in the thigh by a German sniper. He married Eva Burke at Christ Church in 1917 and was resident on Seymour St, Denton.
He was first posted to Egypt but his entry into the Theatre of War was on the 5 Jul 1915 and his Medal Card shows that this was the Gallipoli (Dardanelles) peninsular in Turkey. Following the allied withdrawal from Gallipoli at the end of 1915 he was posted to France.
At the beginning of 1917 Territorial soldiers were allocated new six-digit service numbers and his was 350735.
The War Diary of the 1/6th Battalion of the Manchester Regiment for Feb 1918 records that a draft of men was arriving from the 1/9th Battalion. It seems that the 1/9th and 2/9th were merged and this produced a surplus of men who were transferred to the 6th Battalion. It must have been around this time (Feb 1918) that Charles Edward Marlor was transferred from the 9th to the 2/6th Battalion of the Manchester Regiment.
He was serving with the 2/6th Battalion when he died. The circumstances are that the Allied Fifth Army, of which the Manchester Regiment was a part, was driven back across the former Somme battlefields during Mar and Apr 1918.
Surviving records concerning his death conflict. His Medal Card shows that he was killed in action between the 21 and 31 Mar 1918. In contrast to this, the Record of Soldiers who died in the Great War states that he died of wounds on the 26 Mar 1918. This conflicts with him having no known grave. This suggests two possibilities, the first being considered to be the most likely.
- He was killed in action, possibly on the 21 Mar 1918 when the German offensive began.
- He was wounded and taken to a dressing station where he was abandoned when the Allied Fifth Army was forced to retreat. When its position was overrun by the Germans he became a prisoner of war. While a prisoner, he died of his wounds and the Germans buried him without making records.
Charles Edward Marlor was born at Denton in 1878 to Edward Marlor and Catherine Corless who were married at Christ Church, Heaton Norris, Stockport, in 1864.
Nathan Marlor enlisted on the 7 Sep 1914 and he served in France where he entered the Theatre of War on the 8 Nov 1915. In Feb 1916 a gas shell affected his eyesight and on the 1 Jul 1916 he received gunshot wounds to his head and shoulder. After receiving hospital treatment in Lichfield he was posted back to France where he joined the 1/7th Battalion of the Manchester Regiment. He was then attached to the 126th Trench Mortar Brigade after which he joined the 1/10th Battalion where he received further injuries causing him to be transferred to the 8th Reserve Battalion and later to hospital for treatment. Finally, as a result of his injuries, he joined the 512th Home Service Company, Labour Corps, with 623821 as his new service number. He served in the Labour Corps for the remainder of the war and was discharged on the 26 Feb 1919.
Nathan Marlor was born at Denton in 1881 and he is the younger brother of the above Charles Edward Marlor.
In civilian life he was employed in the hatting industry and latterly as a lead worker at Oldham & Son Ltd, battery manufacturers.
He was born at Denton in 1884 and he is the youngest of the three Marlor brothers who served in the army during the war. He survived the war and married Annie Davies at St Mark’s Church, Dukinfield, in 1921. By the outbreak of war he was resident on Ashton Rd, Denton.
He was born at Denton in 1894 to Frank Marlor and Martha Harrison who were married at Ashton-under-Lyne in 1891. He is also the nephew of the above three Marlor brothers. He survived the war and married Ellen Brook at St Lawrence’s Church, Denton, in 1923. He was resident on Stockport Rd, Denton.
He was born at Atherton, Lancashire, on the 20 Sep 1890 to Richard Marsh and Dinah Price who were married at St Lawrence’s Church, Denton, in 1885.
In 1911 he was resident with his parents and siblings on Kynder St, Denton, employed as an apprentice in the hatting industry. He survived the war and he married Alice Marlor at Christ Church, Denton, in 1921. In 1939 he was resident with his wife, son, William Edward (b.3 Feb 1923, Denton) and sister-in-law, Kathleen Marlor, on Clare St, Denton, employed at Oldham & Son Ltd, battery manufacturers.
His brother, 34264 Corporal William Marsh of "D" Battery, 17th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, was killed in action by an exploding shell near Ypres, Belgium, on the 21 Jan 1918, aged 31 years,and he is buried in Oxford Rd Cemetery, Belgium.
William Marsh was born at Denton in 1886 and he married Ida Wood at Lincoln in 1909. The couple had a daughter, Ida Eugenia, who was born at Ancoats, Manchester, in 1911. In 1911 he was resident with his wife and daughter on Bradford Rd, Ancoats, employed as a clog sole maker. Following his death his widow and daughter moved to Eleanor Terrace, High St, Lincoln.
He was on active service in the Dardanelles but he died of injuries and disease in Malta on the 9 Jul 1915, aged 21 years. He is buried in Pieta Military Cemetery, Malta.
Fred Mottram was born at Hyde in 1894 to Henry Mottram and Elizabeth Clark who were married at St Mark’s Church, Bredbury, in 1888. In 1911 he was resident with his parents and siblings on Ward St, Hyde, employed as an assistant in a provision business.
His brother, 81011 Private George Harry Mottram of the 2nd Battalion, The King’s (Liverpool Regiment), formerly 35014 of the Cheshire Regiment, was killed in action on the 27 Feb 1917, aged 28 years. He is buried in Salonika (Lambet Rd) Military Cemetery, Greece.
He died on the 20 May 1915, aged 40 years, and he is buried in Chocques Military Cemetery, France. He was an army reservist who had fought in the Second Boer War.
He was resident on Two Trees Ln, Haughton Green, and he left his wife and two small children. He was employed as a miner at Denton Colliery.
He was killed in action on the 8 Jul 1917, aged 19 years, and he is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.
Alec Renshaw was born at Hyde on the 23 Oct 1897 to Joseph Renshaw and Margaret Ann Taylor who were married at St Michael’s Church, Mottram-in-Longdendale, in 1891. In 1911 he was resident with his parents and siblings on Stockport Rd, Denton, employed by his father as a plumber. Joseph Renshaw owned a plumbing business specialising in water and gas fitting.
He was wounded in action in Nov 1914 and he died 13 months and five days later in Netley Military Hospital (Royal Victoria Military Hospital) near Southampton on the 19 Dec 1915, aged 33 years.
He is buried in Denton Cemetery, Ref. B.137. He was awarded the 1914 Star (Mons Star) and Clasp. The bronze clasp (bar) was attached to the ribbon of the 1914 Star and it bore the inscription ‘5th Aug.-22nd Nov. 1914’. A silver rosette confirmed entitlement to this clasp when ribbons alone were worn. Recipients served under fire of the enemy in France and Belgium between the 5 Aug 1914 and midnight on the 22/23 Nov 1914.
Harold Percy Saxton was born at Eastwood, Nottinghamshire, in 1880/81 to John James Saxton and Lydia Poxon who were married at Basford in 1866. In 1911 he was resident with his parents, sister, Dorothy Agnes (32), and niece, Lydia Brooks (11), on Two Trees Ln, Denton, out of employment. When in employment he worked in the drawing office of the engineering firm of Kendal and Ghent at Gorton, Manchester.
He was killed in action on the 27 Jun 1916, aged 32 years, and he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.
David Saxton was born at Rainhill, Lancashire, in 1883/84 to John James Saxton and Lydia Poxon who were married at Basford in 1866. He married Bertha Reece at St John’s Church, Godley, Hyde, in 1905. In 1911 he was resident with his wife and son, David (5), on Grafton St, Hyde, employed as a labourer above ground at Denton Colliery on Stockport Rd. The couple had another two children, both born at Hyde, Hilda (1913) and Reuben (1916).
He is the brother of the above Private Harold Percy Saxton. A third brother, Gunner John William Saxton, a regular soldier, served in the Royal Artillery and he survived the war. He was born at Beeston, Nottinghamshire, in 1867 and he married Rhoda Coombes at Weymouth, Dorset, in 1891. In 1911 he was resident with his wife and family on Taylor St, Gorton, Manchester, employed as a pattern store keeper.
He was drowned in the North Sea near Aberdeen on the 8 Dec 1915, aged 33 years, and he is buried in Hyde Cemetery.
Elijah Stopford was born at Carbrook, Sheffield, in 1882 to John Stopford and Sarah Mayer who were married at St Paul’s Church, Portwood, Stockport, in 1870. In 1891 he was resident with his parents and siblings on Acre St, Denton. In 1901 he was at Gibraltar serving on the cruiser H.M.S. Pelorus as a member of the ship’s company with the rank of Stoker II. He married Maria Oldham at Ashton-under-Lyne in 1907 and the couple were resident on George St West, Hyde, and their son, Wilfred, was born at Hyde in 1913. In civilian life, he was employed at the Ashton Moss (or New Moss) Colliery, opposite the Snipe Inn on Manchester Rd, Audenshaw.
During Elijah Stopford’s 16 years of service in the Royal Navy it is recorded that he also served on H.M.S. Hogue, Lion, New Zealand, Orion and Tiger. Furthermore, the name on his cap commences H.M.S. YU and possibly this refers to H.M.S. Yucca which was a trawler requisitioned by the Admiralty for use as a mine sweeper.
H.M.S. Circe was built in 1892 as a torpedo boat and by the outbreak of the Great War she had been converted into a mine sweeper. She was one of five ships in the Alarm Class, the other four being Speedy, Hebe, Jason and Leda.
Edgar Wilks Thorp was born at Shipley, Yorkshire, in1879 to John Thorp and Lavinia Wilks who were married at Shipley, Yorkshire, in 1880. He married Ann Longson in the Chapel-en-le-Frith Registration District in 1905. In 1911 he was resident with his wife and family on Brierley Green, Bugsworth, High Peak, Derbyshire, employed at a brick and tile works.
From left to right, Edgar, Elizabeth Ann, Phyllis, Marion, John Joseph, Gladys, May, Leslie (in his mother's arms) and Ann, widow of Edgar Wilks Thorp.
He died of pneumonia on the 3 Nov 1918, aged 23 years, and he is buried in the Kantara War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt.
Fred Torkington was born at Denton in 1895 to Joseph Torkington and Mary Eliza Holt who were married at Ashton-under-Lyne, in 1889. In 1911 he was resident with his parents and siblings on Denton Rd, Audenshaw, employed in the hatting industry.
Aged 19 years, he enlisted at Leicester on the 12 Oct 1915 and on the 22 Oct 1915 he was posted to Belton Park, near Grantham, Lincolnshire, for basic training. During his service he was wounded but he recovered and was sent bank to the front.
George Norman Harris Watson was born at Clifton, Gloucestershire, on the 23 Aug 1896 to Thomas Harris Watson and Clare Mary Hensler who were married at Bristol in 1896. He married Lillian D Legge in the Leicester Registration District in 1925. In 1939 he was resident on Stephens Rd, Withington, Manchester, employed as a window display inspector.
Seated left, an unknown soldier of the 1/8th Battalion, Manchester Regiment.
Alexander Whitehead entered the Theatre of War in Egypt on the 25 Sep 1914 and he survived the war.
He was born at Bradford, Manchester, in 1897 to James Whitehead and Jane Whiteley who were married at St Silas’s Church, Ardwick, on the 9 May 1886. He married Harriet Lomas at Christ Church, Bradford-with-Beswick, on the 20 Dec 1919.
He was with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and he disembarked in France on the 30 Sep 1914. He was killed in action on the 25 Oct 1914, aged 19 years, and is buried in the Pont-du-Hem Military Cemetery, France. He was posthumously awarded the 1914 Star (Mons Star).
Russell Willis is the son of William Willis and Anne Maria Lightfoot of Dawlish Rd, Wallasey, Cheshire, and he was born at Denton on the 9 Nov 1894. William Willis was the headmaster of the Russell Scott Memorial School at Denton for many years.
On the 28 Oct 1914 his parents received the following telegram from the War Office:
'Deeply regret to report that 2nd Lieutenant R. Willis was killed on Oct 25th. Lord Kitchener expresses his deep sympathy.'
Since receipt of the telegram the family have received from the King and Queen at Buckingham Palace a message conveying their sympathy. Lieutenant Willis, who was very well-known at Denton, had a brilliant scholastic career. He was one of the youngest officers serving in the army, and also one of the youngest to attain the degree of BSc. He would have been 20 years of age on the 9 Nov, that is, on Monday next. He was born at Denton on the 9 Nov 1894. He received his early education at the Russell Scott Memorial School, Denton.
After enlisting in the army at Ashton-under-Lyne he was attached to “D” Company with the rank of Private in Jul 1914. He entered the Theatre of War at Gallipoli (Dardanelles) on the 9 May 1915. Shortly afterwards he was promoted to Lance Corporal and eventually to Corporal. By Mar 1916 he was dangerously ill at No. 17 Stationary Hospital, Port Tewfik (or Port Taurfiq now Suez Port), Egypt. Stationary hospitals were smaller than general hospitals and specialised in infectious diseases. He recovered from his illness and survived the war to be demobilised on the 13 Mar 1919.
Percy Woodruff was born at Hyde, Cheshire, on 1897 to Thomas Woodruff and Alice Cheetham who were married at St Paul’s Church, Portwood, Stockport, in 1889. In 1911 he was resident with his parents and siblings on Frederick St, Denton, employed as an errand boy in the hatting industry. Later the family moved to Tame St.
Back row, left to right: Robert Schofield Hopwood Woolfenden, Joseph Woolfenden and James Henry Woolfenden.
The Woolfenden family of Dane Bank, Denton, were associated with J Woolfenden & Co, Silk & Felt Hat Manufacturers.
PS/5969 Private Ronald Woolfenden MM of the 20th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers.
He is the son of Robert Schofield Hopwood Woolfenden and Lillie Bell. See below for further details.
PS/7907 Private Frank Woolfenden of the Royal Fusiliers.
He is the son of James Henry Woolfenden and Eva Salkeld and he survived the war.
8983 Private Edward Woolfenden of the Manchester Regiment who was transferred to the Royal Defence Corps with Service No. 89171.
He is the son of Joseph Woolfenden and Emma Taylor and he survived the war.
He was wounded in action on the 18 Aug 1916, aged 21 years, and he died at a casualty clearing station shortly after admission. He is buried in Daours Communal Cemetery Extension, France.
Ronald Woolfenden was born at Reddish, Lancashire, on the 31 Oct 1895 to Robert Schofield Hopwood Woolfenden, a solicitor, and Lillie Bell who were married at St Paul’s Church, Portwood, Stockport, in 1895. He was baptised at St Elisabeth’s Church, Reddish, on the 21 Nov 1895. He is the great grandson of Joseph Woolfenden who founded J Woolfenden & Co, hat manufacturers, at Dane Shot Bank, Windmill Ln, Denton.
He was resident with his parents at The Cottage, Reddish. He was educated at Stockport Grammar School and afterwards at Elmfield College, York. Articled to his father, he entered Manchester University in 1912 to study law. Here he joined the University and Public Schools Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers and trained with them for a year.
He entered the Theatre of War in France on the 14 Nov 1915 attached to the 251st Field Company, Royal Engineers. While serving with them he was awarded the Military Medal for conspicuous bravery when he rescued some sappers after an explosion in a tunnel they were digging. In the summer of 1916 he re-joined his own unit and took part in operations on the Somme where he was killed in action near Corbie-sur-Somme.
Nothing is known about his service in the Royal Air Force but he was demobilised in 1919.
He was born at Denton on the 14 Aug 1887 to Joseph Woolfenden and Emma Taylor who were married at Christ Church, Denton, on the 30 May 1885. In 1911 he was resident on Dane Bank, Denton, with his widowed grandfather, Elias Woolfenden, and three aunts, occupied as a hat manufacturer. He married Mary Leicester at Aspinal Wesleyan Chapel (aka Aspinal Methodist Church), Reddish Ln, Gorton, Manchester, in 1919 and they were resident on High Bank, Denton.
He was killed in action on the 9 Apr 1917, aged 29 years, the first day of the Battle of Arras and he is commemorated on the Vimy Memorial, France.
He had enlisted in the Canadian Army and Canadian troops fought in the Battle of Vimy Ridge, the most crucial offensive of the Battle of Arras, during which the Canadians suffered over 10,000 casualties.
Ellis Yates was born at Denton in 1887 to Abel Yates (1850-1891) and Eliza Ann Wood (1854- ) who were married at St Paul’s Church, Stalybridge, in 1873. In 1911 he and his brother Thomas were boarding with the Holt family on Seymour St, Denton, and both of them were employed in the hatting industry. At some point after 1911 he emigrated to Canada where he enlisted in the Canadian Army at the outbreak of war in 1914.