Thomas George Hall

Thomas George was the son Frederick William and Eliza Harriett Hall (née Hames). His father was born in Northampton in about 1863 and his mother was born in Tamworth, Staffordshire, in 1864. They were married at Clay Cross St Michael, Derbyshire, in 1885 and had ten children of whom nine survived infancy or childhood: Sydney Joseph b. 1886 bap. Clay Cross June 1886 and Alexandrina Maud b. 1890 who were both born in Clay Cross, Derbyshire, and seven children born in Sutton in Ashfield, five of whom were baptised at St Mary Magdalene; Frederick William b. 1890 bap. 1892; Thomas George b. 7 October 1892 bap. 28 October 1892; John Manges b. May 1894 bap. July 1894; Leonard Reuben b. July 1896 bap. August 1896; Cyril Charles Baden Powell b. May 1900 bap. June 1900; Samuel William H b. 1902 and Harold Arthur b. 1904. Frederick, a journeyman confectioner, and his wife were living on Welbeck Street, Sutton in Ashfield, in 1891 but had moved to Outram Street by 1894 when their son John was baptised and then to 84 Stoney Street by 1896 when Leonard was baptised. The family was still living at 84 Stoney Street in 1901: Frederick, now a coal miner hewer, Eliza, Sidney, Maud, Frederick, Thomas, John, Leonard and Baden Powell. Also in the household was Eliza's widowed father, Joseph Holmes a machine minder, and a boarder, Charles Pegg, a coal pit shunter. Frederick and Eliza's sons Samuel and Harold were born in 1902 and 1904 respectively. Frederick and his wife Eliza Harriett were living apart by 1911. Frederick was living at 84 Stoney Street with five of their sons: Thomas and John, who were both colliers, Baden, Samuel and Harold. Also in the household was his housekeeper Martha May Barlow (41, single) and her daughter May Barlow (7). Eliza Harriett and her son Sydney, a coal miner filler, were living at 21 Roseberry Avenue, West Bridgford, Nottingham, where she was housekeeper to Henry Walton (57 b. Sutton in Ashfield) a warp hand, who was married. Alexandrina Maud had married John Thomas Price in 1908 and in 1911 they and their daughter Eliza Harriet (5m) were living at 44 Stoney Street, Sutton in Ashfield. Frederick jnr. was probably working as a farm labourer in Edwinstowe, Nottinghamshire, in the employ of Thomas Hollingworth, farmer, and Leonard, a colliery pony driver, may have been a patient at George Street hospital, Mansfield Woodhouse. Frederick snr. may have died in 1919 (reg. Mansfield). The CWGC record gave Eliza Harriet's surname as 'Walton', address 190 Rolleston Drive, Lenton, Nottingham, and she and Henry Walton are recorded at the same address on the 1921 Electoral Register. Thomas' brother, John, joined the Royal Navy on 24 August 1917 (Hostilities only engagement) as a Stoker 2nd Class but was discharged (invalided) on 24 January 1918 (Victory II). Their brother Leonard Reuben may have served during the war in the Mercantile Marine.

He was a miner (ganger) in 1911.

The 7th (Service) Battalion Leicestershire Regiment was raised at Leicester in September 1914 as part of Kitchener's Second New Army. In April 1915 the Battalion transferred from the 15th (Scottish) Division to 110th Brigade (The Leicester Tigers), 37th Division, and served in France from 29 July 1915. On 7 July 1916 the 110th Brigade transferred to the 21st Division. The Division saw action in the Battles of the Somme, including the Battle of Bazentin, 14-17 July 1916, when the 7th Bn Leicestershire Regiment attacked from Mametz Wood into Basentin le Petit Wood. Thomas George Hall enlisted on 31st August 1914 at Nottingham, giving his age as 21 yrs and 61 days, occupation collier. Thomas was posted to the Leicestershire Regiment and landed in France on 29th July 1915. He was appointed unpaid lance corporal on 21 September 1915 and lance corporal (paid) on 25th February 1916. Thomas was killed in action on 14th July 1916 and is buried at Flatiron Copse Cemetery, Mametz, Somme, France (grave ref. XI.J.2). He qualified for the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. CWGC - History of Flatiron Copse Cemetery (extract): 'Flatiron Copse was the name given by the army to a small plantation a little to the east of Mametz Wood. The ground was taken by the 3rd and 7th Divisions on 14 July 1916 and an advanced dressing station was established at the copse. The cemetery was begun later that month and it remained in use until April 1917. Two further burials were made in August 1918 and after the Armistice more than 1,100 graves were brought in from the neighbouring battlefields and from smaller cemeteries [listed].' (www.cwgc.org) It is not clear whether Thomas's grave was one of those brought into the cemetery after the Armistice or if this is his original grave.

CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'Gone but not forgotten' CWGC: 'Son of Mrs. E. H. Walton, of 190, Rolleston Drive, Lenton, Nottingham.' Registers of Soldiers' Effects: his mother was his sole legatee. Thomas named his parents, Fred (sic) and Eliza Hall, and brothers Baden and William, all of 9 Havelock(?) Street, Sutton in Ashfield, as his next of kin when he enlisted in 1914. The address was amended to 84 Stoney Street, Sutton in Ashfield, which had been his father's address at the time of the 1911 Census. His army service record survives and shows his mother Eliza Harriett Hall submitted army form G5080 (naming a soldiers' living blood relatives) which she submitted on 10th May 1919, and in which she gives only her own details, 'E H Hall 190 Rolleston Drive, Park Road, Lenton.' Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, 14 July 1917: ‘Hall. In loving memory of Lce-Corpl. Thomas George Hall, Leicesters, killed in action July 14th, 1916. Too dearly loved to be forgotten. Silently mourned. Sorrowing mother, sister.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)