Soldiers' Letters, Farnworth, 1917

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Englesea Brook Museum

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In 1917, Queen Street Primitive Methodist Church decided to mark their anniversary by arranging a ‘Soldiers’ Letters Service’. The minister at the time was L J Jackson and to keep in touch with the 66 boys from the church who were serving in the armed forces, J W Stockton was appointed as Soldiers’ Secretary. 

During the year, over 200 letters were sent to young men from the church who were serving as soldiers, and 150 replies were received. The church also sent 72 parcels, at a cost of £25 (only one failed to reach its destination). 150 visits were made to parents and families of soldiers.

At the time of the anniversary 32 soldiers were abroad, 3 were in hospital and 7 had been killed. At least one of those whose letters were read out was to be killed before the end of the war. Among those who died in 1918 were George Clare, who appears here as a handwritten addition to the list of 66 soldiers.

Soldiers Letters

The following soldiers’ have extracts from their letters published in the booklet produced by Queen Street in 1917.

Private Joe Allen, 2nd Northants, France
Private Joseph Johnson, RFA
Bandsman Sidney Baxendale, RGA, France
Private R Phythian, INL, France
Gunner John Beddows, RGA, France
Private Joseph W Yates, Cheshires, France
Private John Cook, EI, France
L Corps Sam B Clare, RAMC, France 
Private Albert Isherwood, ASC, France
Bomber William B Hardman, France (School Superintendent)
Pioneer William L Hardman, RE, France
Private George Evans, France
Private Thomas K Hardman, AVC, France (School Secretary)
Bomber Harold Hackney, RGA, France
Private Thomas Walsh, M’ters
Ordinary Seaman George Jones, HMS ‘Nessus’
Private T E Roscoe, LNL, Whitchurch
Ordinary Seaman Joe Kennerley, HMS ‘Vindictive’
Sapper Tom Marshall, RE, France
Private J Harry Partington, Welsh (Band of Hope Secretary)
Driver Joe Peers, RFA, Canadians, France
Driver Joseph Yates, RFA, Haviesbury Camp
Private John Southern, LF, France
Gunner Frank Baxendale, RGA, in Hospital at Liverpool
Private Wilfred Seddon, RAMC, Egypt
Private Ted Trow, LNL, France (Secretary Bible Reading & Prayer Union)
Driver Joseph Yates, Limerick, Ireland
Private John Openshaw, 17th TRB
Sapper Ernest Yates, RE, France (School Superintendent)
Private Thomas Tyldsley, TR
Private T Speakman, RAMC
Private James Yates, SRA
Sapper John Yates, RE
Driver John Howcroft, RFA
Gunner F O’Hara, RGA, France
Gunner William Melling, RFA