Soldiers from Littleborough who fell in June 1916

Private Albert Shaw

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Private Albert Shaw

Albert was born in Brighouse around 1873 but by 1891 Albert, by then Calico Weaver, his widowed mother and family were living at 112 Stubley Brow (Featherstall Road). Ernest later married and lived in Frances St, Hurstead.

Prior to going to America in 1896 he was employed at Messrs Clegg & Sons Shore Mills as a Weaver and attended the United Methodist Free Church.

When in America Albert was employed as an insurance agent on return to England in 1908 he kept employment in that business. He later went to Canada where he obtained was a hotel clerk.

In June 1915 he enlisted in the Canadian Army and on his CEF Attestation paper was stating native of Littleborough and his sister Clara as kin but he put his own address down as Brighouse, England. Pte Shaw returned to England in September 1915 and visited family members.

On Thursday 15 June 1916 Mrs Annis Shaw of Laneside, mother of 44 year old Private Albert Shaw, 153292, 43rd Bn Canadian Infantry (Manitoba Regiment) received official confirmation that he had been killed in action on the 6 June 1916 in the trenches at Sanctuary Wood.

His name is on the family grave in St Andrew’s Churchyard and his body is interred in Maple Copse Cemetery, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. This small cemetery was used by Advanced Dressing Stations and burials took place there before and after the Battle of Mount Sorrel (June 1916). However, during that engagement and in late fighting the graves were mainly obliterated.

Private Shaw left a widow and a daughter (Clara died 9 March 1941 aged 80 years). There is an Albert Shaw on the Littleborough Central School War Memorial (now relocated in Littleborough’s History Centre).

Private George Connolly

George was born in Littleborough in 1874 at the time of the 1881 Census he was living in Peel Street, Littleborough with his Irish parents Patrick and Mary and his brothers and sister. George married Lucy Wright in late 1892 and the 1901 Census shows them living at 26, Vickers Street, North Manchester with George employed as a Labourer for Pressman (Chemical). They had 5 children with their birthplaces indicating they moved around the area such that by 1911 they are recorded as living at 4 Overseers Passage, Wardle, Rochdale.

George was employed as a Hard Waste Spinner, Cotton. At some stage he remarried as his wife was residing at 12 Back Bradshaw Street, Rochdale.

George enlisted in Manchester around January 1915 when working in that city. 43 years old Private 20976 George Connolly, 22nd Bn Manchester Regiment (The 7th Manchester Pals) was killed in action in France on Wednesday 7 June 1916 being killed in action by a shell. His body was interred in Grave Number I. D. II, Bronfay Farm Military Cemetery, Bray-Sur-Somme, Somme, France.

The Rochdale Observer of 14 June 1916 noted that the news was conveyed in a letter to his wife from his commanding officer. It added that he had one daughter. Presumably this infers one daughter with his second wife. 3 days later the paper added that he had 6 children one of whom was in the navy and on the Barham during the recent battle in the North Sea and another is in the army. The In Memoriam column in the Rochdale Observer of 8 June 1918 included a sentiment from his little daughter Teresa.

Private James Holgrove

Born in Padiham, Lancs in 1883, he was a print labourer in a calico print works and in 1911 lived at 12-14-16 St Gile Street, Padiham, a model lodging house containing 47 lodgers. He later moved to Littleborough where, prior to enlisting, he was employed at the Clough Print Works.

Private Holgrove was a reservist at the outbreak of war and embarked for the front soon after.

In May 1915 he was gassed and returned home to England and whilst on leave in England he got married to Emily Hobbs (late Spring 1915).

Mrs Emily Holgrove, 1 Sally Street, Calderbrook, was officially informed that her 38 year old husband Private 1751 James Holgrove, 1st Bn Lancashire Fusiliers was killed in action on Saturday 11 June 1916 as a result of a bombardment on Saturday 10 June 1916 when his Battalion were in the trenches at Beaumont Hamel.

He is buried in Grave Number II A 16 Auchonvillers Military Cemetery, Somme, France. His name can be found on Littleborough Cenotaph and on St. James’s (Calderbrook) Church, Roll of Honour and War Memorial and his rank, name and date of death on the family grave in St James’s Churchyard.

Private Fred Ridings

Fred was born in Littleborough in 1886 and in 1891 he lived with his family at New Barn, Hollingworth Road, Littleborough. By 1901 the family had moved to 45 Back Hollingworth Road, Littleborough and Fred worked in a Cotton Card Room. In Autumn 1909, Fred married Ellen McHale and had a son later living at 2 Bamford Passage, Littleborough. By now he was a Cotton Weaver.

He enlisted on the 23 March 1915 (the St Barnabas Parish Magazine for October 1915 noted he had enlisted for King and Country) and prior to enlisting was employed as a Weaver at Shore Mills. His mother still lived on Hollingworth Road.

He went to the front on 27 June 1915 and some 12 months later, on May 19 June 1916, 30 year old Private 15945 Fred Ridings, 1st Bn Devonshire Regiment was killed in action in France whilst he was in the trenches north east of Arras near to the road to Bailleul – Sir Berthoult before Chantecler . He is buried in Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery, Souchez, Pas de Calais, France in Grave Number XVII. M. 15.

He left a widow (Ellen Ridings 30 Lane Side) and two sons 5 years and 3 years of age. His name is on Shore Mills War Memorial, St Barnabas Church War Memorial and on the Cenotaph in Littleborough.