TOPIC:

This post is inspired by one of Neville Constantine’s recent Christmas related postings.

The package below immediately attracted my attention because the recipient lived in Dugdale Street, Birmingham which is very near to the border with Smethwick.



Neville was able to discern other valuable information by close examination of the package and wrote as follows:

“The wood used may have come from one of the packing cases used to ship the chocolate boxes out to South Africa. Stencilled letters on the bottom spell out "---- -O -- DISTRIB---- TO THE T----", which almost certainly once read "TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE TROOPS".
“It was made by 2417 Sapper Thomas Henry BEARDMORE, 17th Field Company, Royal Engineers, and was addressed to his mother Emma Beardmore: "Mrs BEARDMORE, 19 Dugdale St, Dudley Road, Birmingham, England". Postmark dated April 26th 1900.
“The details of the sender and contents of the box can be seen by holding the partially detached Customs Declaration Form up to a strong light: ‘box chocolate / 2417 T. Beardmore / 17 C... Natal’.
“The value of the contents is given as £2 0s 0d.”

My investigation of the life and times of THOMAS HENRY BEARDMORE has unearthed two dozen documents relating to his life and that is without either his Boer or WW1 attestation papers and service records which I can only assume were stored together and consumed by the WW2 fire. The Regimental Number 2417 was to stay with him throughout his long and meritorious military career.

My first port of call was the 1901 census which showed the Beardmore family still living at 19 Dugdale Street and confirmed his mother was called Emma (aged 46) and showed that his father was called William (46) and he had three younger siblings Alfred (17), Elsie (14) & Hiram (13). William’s birthplace was given as “Stafford” but Emma and the children were all born in Birmingham. Further investigation showed Emma started out life as Emma Capewell and she married William in St John’s Church, Ladywood on 30th June 1878. In 1901 William worked as an “Iron Boiler Puncher” and Alfred was an apprentice Electrical Engineer. As you would expect Thomas Henry was not at home.

Thomas Henry’s birth was registered in Birmingham in Q3 1880 and the 1939 Register provided an exact date of birth as 26th July 1880. He was christened on 5th September 1880 in Ladywood, Birmingham and his parents gave their address as 204 Icknield Port Road, Birmingham. So, Thomas Henry made his first census appearance at 8 months old in the 1881 census return for a “back to back” in Ruston Street, Ladywood, Birmingham. We already have three addresses for young Henry Thomas to have lived at and the baptism records of his siblings and the 1891 census add two more – this does seem to have been a feature of his parent’s life with constant moves but always in the adjoining Winson Green & Ladywood areas of Birmingham.

At ty the time of the 1891 census the Beardmore family had moved very close to Smethwick to the Birmingham end of Heath Street, the other end lay in Smethwick. This census return correctly gives Thomas Henry’s age as 10 and shows he had another sibling, William junior who was two years younger than him.- what happened to William junior who was also absent for the 1901 census is not apparent.

So we now need to move on to Thomas Henry’s military career, with no attestation papers and service records to guide us. His appearance, as Sapper 2417, on the medal rolls of 17th Field Company, Royal Engineers tells us what unit he served in and if anybody knows anything about the involvement of this unit in the Boer War I would be very pleased to hear. The QSA medal roll was compiled at Standerton on 18th July 1901 and the KSA medal roll on 29th November 1902 at Aldershot. There are no useful comments against his name in the right hand column to tell us what happened next and this is perhaps significant. But his involvement in the Boer War was not slight as shown by the award of the KSA with both clasps and the six clasps attached to his QSA – Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, Relief of Ladysmith, Tugela Heights & Laing’s Nek.

However, one very useful document dated 6th December 1916 has survived:



So we now know Thomas Henry enlisted in the Royal Engineers a year before the Boer War started, aged 18 years and 2 months on 18th October 1898. During his 18 years of blemish free service he had risen through the ranks to substantive Corporal and acting Sergeant. We can infer, as the document is stamped “Boulogne”, that during WW1 he served in France and presumably on the Western Front.

Not directly related to our man but of interest: 1051 Walter Diamond was also a Boer War veteran and appears on the medal rolls of the Royal Engineers’ Telegraphy Department – the Royal Corps of Signals was not formed until after WW1 and until then, like my paternal grandfather in WW1, signallers served in the Royal Engineers. 2596 William Slater was on home service throughout the Boer War. Along with Thomas Henry, both survived WW1.

But I have missed out the 1911 Census. First his parents, William & Emma, yes they had moved again, but not very far, to 2 back of 78 Tudor Street. Tudor Street lies the other side from Dugdale Street of the small Molliett Street Park. William’s occupation was given as “Boiler Maker” and against Emma’s name was 32 years of marriage, 8 children born alive of whom 5 were still alive and 3 had perished – was William junior one of those who had perished?

It took me some time to find Thomas Henry on the 1911 census and I have to confess to receiving some help from the creator of a, otherwise inadequate, public family tree on Ancestry. By 1911 Thomas Henry was even father away from home than South Africa. He was residing in Wellington Barracks in Hong Kong along with 242 other members of the Royal Engineers. His rank was given as Second Corporal which was a peculiarity of the Royal Engineers regarding a Lance Corporal. I think they may have been involved in the construction of a battery on Mt Davis but don’t quote me on that.

2417 Thomas Henry appears on 1919 & 1920 Medal Rolls for the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal & Victory Medal and all give his rank as Sergeant. They also show that he disembarked in France on 13th March 1915.

Again Thomas Henry and his parents are findable on the 1921 census. First his parents – yes they had moved again but hardly any distance to 82 Tudor Street. They had two lodgers one of whom had been lodging with them in 1911. William now aged 65 would have had less than a mile to walk to work, albeit all up hill – for the 1921 census workers had to name their employers. William worked a “Puncher of Iron & Steel” for “Thomas Piggott & Co Ltd” of Western Road, Birmingham. When the Dudley road leaves Dugdale Street behind it inexorably climbs gradually uphill toward the very centre of Birmingham. As it nears its end its steepens and becomes Spring Hill, at the point of steepening Western Road leads off to the north. In 1890 Thomas Piggott & Sons Ltd advertised themselves as the makers of "Colonial Machinery”.



Both William and Emma were to pass away in the 1920’s but before Emma passed away another Emma had entered the scene. You might think that we could now be starting on the home run for 40 year old Thomas Henry – forget it, he lived to celebrate his 89th birthday.

So, where was Thomas Henry living on the 16th June 1921? Note the 1921 census was held several months later than all the previous censuses because of industrial unrest! Mind you, many of the people I have looked at on the 1921 census are listed as being “out of work”.

The answer to the above question is 2/7 Moreton Street, Birmingham which sounds like a back to back. Moreton Street is about a mile and a half from Tudor Street and on the edge of the Jewellery Quarter. The householder is a 79 year old spinster, Miss A Clark – with an “e” according to the enumerator but without one according to Thomas Henry who filled out the form on her behalf. He also claimed the “A” stood for Amplis – a new one on me! Thomas Henry and his alleged wife Emma and seventeen years his junior, were her “lodgers”. Thomas worked as a “mailing clerk (postage)” for “Shell Mex Ltd (spirit dealers)” in their offices in County Chambers, Corporation Street, Birmingham – Corporation Street was and still is one of the main streets making up the city centre and Thomas Henry would have had a similar length walk to work as going to see his parents but in the opposite direction.

You will have noted the “alleged” and I pleased to be able to report that Thomas Henry made an honest woman of Emma Emily Burtenshaw (born in Wimbledon where her father was a bricklayer) the following year. One does have to question whether Thomas Henry had committed a civil crime in the way he had completed the census form – perhaps the only misdemeanour of his life. However, the location of the marriage is a surprise because they got married in Leicester. In 1925 their first daughter, Betty, arrived and in 1928 their second daughter, Sylvia. Both their births were registered in Leicester.

We now need to move to the port of Liverpool on 13th March 1931 to wave goodbye to Thomas Henry (aged 50), Emma (33), Betty (5) & Sylvia (3) as they set forth on the Canadian Pacific “Duchess of Richmond” bound for Saint John, Nova Scotia via Belfast & Greenock. They travelled third class and Thomas Henry gave his occupation as “Fitter & Turner”. They all gave their last address in the UK as 360 Humberstone Lane, Thurmston, Leicester and stated they intended to make Canada their future permanent residence.

Relax we do not need to move to Canada to see Thomas Henry complete the last 40 years of his life but just need to be back at Liverpool on 23rd August 1931 to welcome them back aboard the White Star Line “Doric”. Again they travelled third class but now stated the UK was to be their future intended place of residence. They were not required to give a Canadian address but gave their future home in the UK as 72 Dads Lane, Moseley, Birmingham. All I can say is that today moving from Moreton Street to Dads Lane would be something of a step up – whether that would have pertained in 1931 is difficult to say as Dads Lane now consists of between the war semis. On the return journey Thomas Henry was still a “Fitter” but Emma had become Emily. All four had celebrated a birthday during their four months stay in Canada. What went wrong in Canada? I have no idea and as they made the decision to return no later than August it could not have been the onset of the Canadian winter – I spent Christmas 1996 in Vancouver and that was bad enough and I discovered Whistler Mountain at -25C was not the place to be without even more layers of clothing.

Moving on to the 1939 Register – Thomas Henry and Emma were living at 3 Medwin Grove, Short Heath, Birmingham. As you will learn, Thomas Henry was still living at 3 Medwin Grove, a cul-de-sac, in 1951 and in the intervening period his wife Emma had passed away despite being 17 years his junior and his eldest daughter, Betty had married a John Marriott.

Anybody still with me? – I hope so because the best bit is to come. Yes I know you are all thinking Smethwick has been on the Christmas sherry and has got more than one Thomas Henry Beardmore mixed up. Well I was beginning to think that, until I belatedly did a newspaper search – I put in his full name and expected zero hits but got six. The first five were all another Thomas Henry Beardmore which was just as well as one involved a divorce from a lady called Daisy and another involved a misdemeanour more serious than alleging you were married on a census return. The sixth was gold dust and confirms much of the above narrative, it appeared in the Birmingham Weekly Mercury of 30th September 1951.



Hopefully the script underneath is readable but here it is again:

Mrs Betty Marriott congratulates her father, 72-year-old Mr. Thomas Henry Beardmore, on receiving the Meritorious Service Medal after waiting for over 32 years.
“Brummie” Beardmore left the Royal Engineers just after the first World War. He had 21 years of service life behind him – and a clean record sheet – so he applied for the M.S.M.
Why did he have to wait 32 years? The awards, carrying a £10 annuity, are limited and only death creates a vacancy in the ranks of the recipients.
Still working and walking eight miles a day to and from his job. Mr. Beardmore can claim a proud civilian record too. He has never been late.
“retire?” he said when I put the suggestion to him at his home, 3 Medwin Grove, short Hreath, Birmingham, yesterday. “Retire? Not likely. I did once, seven years ago, and hated it.”

So quite an array of medals, from left to right as you look at it: QSAM with six clasps, KSAM with two clasps, Pip, Squeak, Wilfrid and his Silver Good Conduct/Long Service Medal more or less hidden by Betty holding up his M.S.M.

Looking up the members of the 17th Field Company on this list finds him listed with his QSAM (6 clasps) & KSA (2 clasps) and underneath “Medals Extant”. I presume that means they have, in the not too distant past, been up for sale – anybody possess them?

I have found a transcribed record of the death of Thomas Henry Beardmore which is confirmed as him as it included the correct date of birth. It states his death was registered in July 1970 in Birmingham. As his birthday was the 26th July this means he probably died a matter of days before his 90th birthday. Rest in Peace Thomas Henry.

Couple of postscripts – I would like to posthumously make him a Smethwickian – in his youth he must have been taken shopping up Cape Hill, Smethwick – did he like me 60 years later stand in Wrensons’ besides his mother, eyes agog at all the goods on the shelves behind the counter (in those days you were served rather helped yourself), despising girls when you with your mates, but rather hoping the young lady serving your mother would favour you with a smile. Without a doubt he must also have breathed in the fumes emanating from Mitchells & Butlers Brewery at the bottom of Cape Hill and just inside Smethwick.


Finally returning to the start - was the box of chocolates actually a birthday present for his mother to whom it was addressed alone? As Neville points out the package was postmarked 26th April 1900 – his mother’s birth was registered in Birmingham Q2 1854 and she was baptised 21st May 1854.

Absolutely finally – thanks go to Neville for inspiring me to go on this journey which included South Africa, Hong Kong & Canada and much more.

Thank you David, this is fantastic..!!
A superb piece of research, and without extant service records an amazing achievement.

Only yesterday I knew practically nothing about Thomas Henry Beardmore .... now I even have a photograph of him.

Neville

The Transvaal War Album, 1900, p. 261

17th Field Company at Durban.

We have here a picture of a company of Royal Engineers, which has done excellent service with Sir Redvers Buller, just landed from the transport at Durban. It was engaged on the Tugela, and suffered in conducting its operations under fire. Nowhere in South Africa have the Engineers done better service than in the operations in and about Ladysmith. They have been continually employed in assisting the gunners by preparing the positions to be taken up, and in the digging of shelter trenches, besides all the work which has fallen to them at the camps. At Frere they built a bridge alongside that which the Boers had so thoroughly wrecked, and they found a great deal of work in repairing the railway line. In the picture the men are seen drawn up and wearing the khaki which is universal in South Africa. At home their uniform consists of red tunics, or serge frocks in undress and marching order, with collar and facings of blue, braided with yellow, dark blue trousers with red stripes, and infantry helmets.





Also a photograph of the 17th Company taken in India in the 1880's, when engaged in pontoon work. This image is taken from my Great Grandfather's album which covers his early military career in India and South Africa.




..

This is probably a long shot. Whilst researching I came across this article for Thomas Henry BEARDMORE. Toward the end of this article it was mentioned that one of the six Thomas Henry’s had divorced a lady called Daisy ( I believe these are my great grandparents). I wondered if the writer of this article had any further information or would be able to help.

My great grandfather was a Thomas Henry BEARDMORE Srgt Royal Engineers his date of birth was 1880 and from Warwickshire. He was married to a Daisy Tampsett/Tompsett and I have had great trouble trying to find anything on him, his RE history / location.

Any information would be greatly appreciated and welcomed for my aging mother his granddaughter.

Thank you in anticipation,

Suzanne Hall

Suzanne - I have sent you a private message. If you are logged in you will be able to see where you need to click to read it - up and to the right. It should have a "1" against it. Regards, David.

Another message sent so it should now say 2 unless you have already read the first one.