George Bartle

George was the son of Henry and Edith Mary Bartle (née Atkinson). His father Henry was born on 13 May 1865 at Kneesall, Nottinghamshire, the son of George and Dorothy Bartle. His father was a farmer and in 1871 the family was living in Kneesall at Park Farm (25 acres). His mother Edith Mary was born in Saxilby with Ingleby, Lincolnshire, on 2 September 1868, the daughter of John and Jane Atkinson, and baptised in the parish church on 18 October 1868. In 1871 John, a bailiff, and his family were living at Rectory House, Ingleby, but by 1881 they had moved to Ompton, Nottinghamshire, where John was farming 186 acres. Henry and Edith were married at Kneesall St Bartholomew on 20 August 1889 and had 14 children of whom three died in infancy or childhood. Eleven children have been traced through census records and birth registrations: Dorothy Jane b. Ompton birth registered 1890 (J/F/M, Jane Bartle); John Henry b. Bury Lancashire 16 January 1891 bap. Elton All Saints 20 February 1891; George b. Everton birth registered 1892 (J/F/M); Sarah Annie b. Everton 1893; Lucy Alice b. Everton 1894; Mary b. Ompton 1895; James Robert b. Ompton birth registered 1898 (J/F/M); William Lewin b. Ompton 4 September 1901; Elizabeth b. Ompton birth registered 1903 (J/F/M), Doris Edith birth registered 1904 (J/F/M) and Lewis b. Ompton 4 August 1905. Although their first child Dorothy Jane was born in Ompton in about 1890, their second child John Henry was born in Elton, Bury, Lancashire, and baptised there in February 1891. Henry's occupation was given as coachman on the baptismal register. However, he was not recorded in the family home on the census of 1891 when his wife and two children were living on Merton Street, Elton. Given Henry's occupation, he may have been 'on the road' on the night of the census and missed being counted. The family had returned to Nottinghamshire by 1892 when George was born at Everton, East Retford, as were his next two siblings, although by 1901 the famiy was living in Ompton, where Henry was working as a carter (general) on his own account. He and Edith now had seven children but only six were in the home on the night of the census: John, George (9), Sarah (8), Lucy (7), Mary (6) and James (3). Their eldest child, Dorothy Jane, was recorded living with her maternal grandparents, John and Jane Atkinson, also in Ompton. By 1911 Henry, now working as a bricklayer's labourer, and Edith were living in Wellow, Nottinghamshire. Only four of their eleven children were still living at home: James, William (9), Elizabeth (8) and Lewis (5). Of the four children known to have been born after 1901, it seems that one, Doris Edith, was adopted as there is a 1911 census record of a Doris Bartle (7), an 'adopted daughter', living in Sutton on Trent, Nottinghamshire, with Herbert Carpendale (45) a railway signalman and his wife Anna (44). The eldest daughter Dorothy was a servant in the household of Herbert Battye, a tailor, and his wife Minnie (b. Wellow Notts) in Holmfirth, Yorkshire. The eldest son John had joined the Royal Field Artillery in 1909 and in 1911 was serving as a driver with 136th Battery at Louisberg Barracks, Headingly. Sarah was a domestic servant at Gunthorpe, Nottinghamshire, in the household of William Widdowson, a market gardener, and his wife Phoebe. George was working as a horseman, one of three farm servants in the household of William Ward, a bailiff, and his wife at Inkersall Grange Farm, Rufford. At the time of George's death in 1917 his parents were living at 4 Kitchener Drive, Mansfield. In 1939 Henry, a retired colliery fitter (below ground) and his wife were living on Welbeck Street, Mansfield. Edith died in 1941 and Henry in 1943. Their sons John Henry and James Robert also served in the war. John Henry served continuously in the Royal Field Artillery (1021573) in which he had enlisted in Retford on 6 January 1909 at the age of 18. He re-enlisted on 6 June (date unknown) to serve to 31 March 1923. He served in France from 1914, being wounded on 26 August 1914. A newspaper report of George's death in 1917 recorded that John had been taken prisoner after being wounded, He was discharged from the army (date not given) to 9 Kitchener Drive, Mansfield. John had married Edith Amelia Goldsmith (b. 11 June 1893) in Mansfield on 3 January 1919 and they had a daughter, Betty Joan (b. 31 May 1919) and a second daughter, Iris, on 5 March 1922. In 1939 they were living in Mansfield with their daughter Iris; John was a builder's labourer. A record of another member of the hosuehold remains closed. John died in 1963. James Robert served with Highland Light Infantry (20036) and in 1917 when his brother George died he was serving in Mesopotamia. He later joined the RAF (332715 AC/2) although he was discharged on 16 February 1920 and may have been awarded a disability pension. He qualified for the British War Medal and Victory Medal.

In 1911 he was a horseman on a farm at Rufford on Lord Savile's estate. He had worked for the Rufford estate for about eight years before he enlisted.

Resident of Rufford. Enlisted Mansfield

George Bartle enlisted at Mansfield and served with the 1/6th battalion The Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire Regiment). He died of wounds at No. 3 Canadian General Hospital, Boulogne, on 13 May 1917 and is buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France (grave reference: IV.B.17). CWGC - History of Boulogne Eastern Cemetery (extract): 'Boulogne, was one of the three base ports most extensively used by the Commonwealth armies on the Western Front throughout the First World War. It was closed and cleared on the 27 August 1914 when the Allies were forced to fall back ahead of the German advance, but was opened again in October and from that month to the end of the war, Boulogne and Wimereux formed one of the chief hospital areas. Until June 1918, the dead from the hospitals at Boulogne itself were buried in the Cimetiere de L'Est, one of the town cemeteries, the Commonwealth graves forming a long, narrow strip along the right hand edge of the cemetery. In the spring of 1918, it was found that space was running short in the Eastern Cemetery in spite of repeated extensions to the south, and the site of the new cemetery at Terlincthun was chosen.'

a.k.a. "BARTLES". CWGC: ' Native of Ompton, Kneesall, Newark. Son of Henry and Edith Mary Bartle, of 4, Kitchener's Drive, Mansfield.' Mansfield Reporter, 25 May 1917: ‘Rufford. Soldiers’ Comforts’ Fund. Parcels have been despatched to the following … Pte G Bartle (1-6th Bn. North Staffs).’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Mansfield Reporter, 8 June 1917: ‘Died of Wounds. Mansfield Family’s Good Record. We regret to announce the death from wounds of George Bartle, of the 1/6th North Staffords, second son of Mr and Mrs H Bartle, of No. 4, Kitchener’s-drive. He died, so the official notice states, in the No. 3 Canadian General Hospital, Boulogne, on the 13th of May. The family has a wonderfully good record. The deceased was one of three brothers, and before joining the Army twelve months ago, he was for eight years employed on one of Lord Savile’s farms. His brother, Corporal Jack [John Henry] Bartle, of the RFA, is a prisoner of war in Germany, being captured when he was wounded. Another brother, the youngest, Jim [James Robert] Bartle, who was employed at Pleasley Hill before becoming a soldier, is in the Highland LI [Light Infantry] and is serving in Mesopotamia. He has been badly wounded. Mrs Bartle’s sister has four sons fighting, two of them having suffered from wounds. The following letter has been received by the deceased soldier’s Mother:- Dear Mrs Bartle – I am very sorry to learn that your son George has succumbed to his wounds, While in the line with his company he was hit by a piece of shell, and afterwards removed to hospital. While there it appears matters developed unfavourably, with the result that we have lost a good soldier, who kept duty before him at all times. He will be missed by all his friends and comrades, but it may be some consolation to know that nothing was left undone which could assist with your son’s recovery. Please accept the sympathy of myself and the other officers in the company in your bereavement. I am, yours sincerely, W Hogarth, Capt. OC A Company, 1/6th North Staffords.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)