Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
PD He was the adopted son of Wiiliam Brown, a Platelayer's Labourer, born 1850 in Stotfold, Bedfordshire and his wife Annie, who was blind, born 1843 in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire John Thomas was born in 1893 in Whitwick and lived with Elizabeth A. Haywood, an adopted daughter, born 1882 in Belton, Leicestershire and Wilfred C. Haywood, an adopted grand son, born 1901 in Whitwick, Leicestershire. In March 1901 the family home was at School Lane, Whitwick, Leicestershire. In April 1911 John was employed as an Eel Scourer and was residing as a boarder at Hawcliffe Road, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire. This was the family home of Jacob, Wakeling a Stationery Engineman, born 1856 in Mountsorrel, Leicestershire and his wife Annie, born 1877 in Griffydam, Leicestershire, their children were Charles, born 1891 in Mountsorrel, Leicestershire, Frederick, Jacob, born 1905 in Rothley, Leicestershire, Ivy Kathleen, born 1907 in Rothley, Leicestershire and Sidney Gerald, born 1910 in Rothley, Leicestershire. Later information records Annie Wakeling (formerly Bailey) as his mother, and Jacob Wakeling as his step-father. Other sources show his residence as Loughton, Essex.

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Son of Annie Wakeling (formerly Bailey), of 36, Loughborough Rd., Mountsorrel, Loughborough, and Jacob Wakeling (step-father).

Coalville Times article - Friday October 25th, 1918

LOCAL CASUALTIES

After having been reported missing for over 12 months, Private Thomas Bailey, of the Royal Scots Fusiliers, is now presumed to be dead. He was formerly a collier, and lived with his late grandfather at Drury Lane, Thringstone. His mother resides at Mountsorrel.

Research undertaken and submitted by Andy Murby 14/6/2018

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Coalville Times article - Friday August 8th, 1919

CLUB DINNER AND PROCESSION AT WHITWICK

MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR TEN MEMBERS KILLED IN THE WAR

The members of the Marquis of Hastings Lodge on Monday held a Memorial Procession and attended a memorial service at the Whitwick Parish Church in honour of the ten members of the Society who were killed in the war. The procession, accompanied by the Volunteer Corps, Thringstone Boy Scouts, and the Whitwick Holy Cross Band, paraded from the Society’s headquarters to the Vicarage, where they were joined by the Vicar and Choir in their robes. During the procession the Whitwick Society of Bellringers rang a Quarter Peal with bells muffled. Service was conducted in church by the Vicar, who preached an eloquent sermon from the text, “Greater love hath no man than this - that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

The Holy Cross Band accompanied the hymn “O God our help in ages past,” the “Dead March in Saul,” was played by the organist (Mr R. G. West) and Mr D. Martin played the “Last Post,” bringing to a close a most impressive service.

After service, the procession, accompanied by the Holy Cross Band, embarked on a “Victory Parade,” in honour of the members of the Society who joined the Forces, and who were spared to return home again. En route, the members paid a visit to Bro. Michael McCarthy (Senior Trustee) and there partook of refreshments. After parading the principal streets in Whitwick and Thringstone, the members returned to their headquarters and partook of a capital dinner, provided by Mr J. Massey, the proprieter.

After dinner, a high-class musical programme arranged by the Whitwick Quartette Party was given. Bro. M. McCarthy was in the chair, supported by the Vicar, Father O’Reilly and Mr J. W. Eagles.

The toasts of the King, and Ministers of all Christian Churches, were given from the chair and enthusiastically received. Musical honours were accorded the Rev. T. W. Walters and the Rev. M. J. O’Reilly on rising to reply.

Father O’Reilly unveiled the Society’s Roll of Honour, and paid an eloquent tribute to the deeds of valour of the Army and Navy, especially mentioning the three Military Medallists of the Society, Bros. R. Berrington, R. C. Whitmore and T. Bailey.

The chairman proposed the best thanks of the Society be accorded to Mr J. W. Eagles, for writing the Roll of Honour, free of cost, to the Society, and on rising to reply, Mr Eagles was accorded musical honours.

The toast of the Marquis of Hastings Lodge was submitted by Mr Eagles. The Secretary replying gave the history of the Society from 1872, showing how the Society had grown and flourished, observing that when Bro. Michael McCarthy joined in 1882, the membership was 17, and the capital under £5, whereas at the present time, the membership was 440 and the funds available, £3,300. The secretary mentioned that the turning point in the Society’s career, was undoubtedly due to the interest and business abilities that Bro. M. McCarthy brought to bear on the Society when he became a member.

Bro. Walter Waterfield, in proposing the vote of thanks to the chairman, said it was undoubtedly due to the fact that Bro. McCarthy being a member of the Society, that it had made such progress. The toast to the Host and Hostess, and the singing of the National Anthem, brought to a close, a day to be remembered by the Society.

Coalville Times article - Friday 2nd January 1920

WHITWICK FRIENDLY SOCIETY’S PROPOSED WAR MEMORIAL

TO TEN FALLEN MEMBERS

The Marquis of Hastings Friendly Society at Whitwick, of which Mr Walter Whitmore is secretary, have set out upon a worthy object. When war broke out they had 350 members, and of these, no less than 90 joined the Forces, of whom ten were killed in action. The members are now endeavouring to raise £100 as a memorial to these fallen brothers, the sum to be invested and the interest used for relieving needy cases.

Towards this object, a very successful whist drive and fancy dress dance were held in the Whitwick Holy Cross Schools, on Wednesday night, when there was a large attendance and many of the dancers wore excellent fancy dresses for which prizes were awarded. The Whitwick Holy Cross Band played for dancing, for which the M.C.’s were Messrs. J. H. McCarthy and B. Massey, and the prize-winners were:

Ladies: 1 Miss Darby, as an Italian peasant; 2 Mrs Roulstone, a gipsy.
Gents: 1 Mr B. Hutchby, a Chinaman; 2 Mr Haywood of Coalville, as “Ole Bill.”

The prizes were presented to the successful competitors by Canon O’Reilly. The M.C.’s for whist were Messrs. F. E. Needham, E. Commons and T. W. Hull, and several good prizes were awarded. It is interesting to note that four of the club’s members won the Military Medal, these being Thomas Bailey, Robert C. Whitmore, Robert Berrington and Samuel William Taylor. The two latter were killed in action.
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Coalville Times article - Friday May 21st, 1920

THRINGSTONE WAR MEMORIAL

UNVEILED BY COL. BOOTH AT THE PARISH CHURCH

A beautiful stained-glass window has been placed in St. Andrew’s Church, Thringstone, in memory of men from the parish who fell in the war, together with a brass tablet bearing all the names, and the unveiling was performed by Col. T. Booth at a special service last Sunday afternoon, when there was a crowded congregation, which included many relatives of the deceased soldiers.

The service was impressively conducted by the Vicar (the Rev. C. Shrewsbury) and opened with the singing of the hymn, “There is a Land of pure Delight.” Other hymns sung were, “O God our help in ages past,” “The Saints of God,” and “For all the Saints,” also the psalm, “The Lord is my Shepherd.”

The window, which faces the church entrance, depicts St. Alban, the first British martyr to die for the Christian faith, and inscribed, “Christ’s faithful soldier and servant unto his life’s end.”

The tablet by the side of the window bears the inscription, “To the greater glory of God, and in memory of the following who from this parish and congregation have given their lives for their country in the great war 1914 – 1919, this window is dedicated by the congregation and parishioners of St. Andrew’s.”

Here are 27 names, as follows:

1914
Pte. T. Jones, Durham Light Infantry.
1915
Pte. E. Hall, Leicestershire
Corp’l W. E. Moore, R.G.A.
Pte. I. Hall, Leicestershire
1916
Pte. E. Howe, Leicestershire
Sapper E. Robinson, Royal Engineers
Pte. L. Whitmore, Leicestershire
Pte. T. Squires, Leicestershire
Pte. M. Grainger, Leicestershire
1917
Pte. F. B. Bowler, Royal Dublin Fusiliers
Pte. R. Freeman, Leicestershire
Sapper H. Briers, Royal Engineers
A. J. Turner, telegraphist, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
Pte. J. Squires, Leicestershire
Pte. L. Haywood, Scottish Rifles
Corp’l W. Sykes, Leicestershire
Pte. T. Bailey, Royal Scots
1918
Corp’l J. Bancroft, Leicestershire
Rfn. G. W. W. Howe, Rifle Brigade
Pte. J. Gee, York and Lancaster
2nd Lieut. T. F. McCarthy, Loyal North Lancashire
Pte. S. R. Dring, Leicestershire
J. T. Fortnam, Able Seaman, Royal Naval Division
L.-Corp’l A. Griffin, Sherwood Foresters
Pte. J. Morley, Suffolk
Pte. H. Freeman, Leicestershire
Pte. H. Lakin, Leicestershire

At the foot appear the words: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

Having unveiled the memorial, Col. Booth proceeded to the other end of the church and from the chancel steps addressed the congregation as follows:

“My friends, I have been entrusted with the very solemn, but to me, the very proud duty, of coming here to address you, the members of this congregation on the subject of the memorial, that beautiful brass tablet which I have just had the honour to unveil, and I can assure you all that I am fully alive to the responsibility which that has involved upon me, and I am also very appreciative of the honour which it has imposed upon me. I am sure that as you heard those names read out, you could not fail to have been impressed, as I was, with the fact that these precious lives came from every class and from all ranks. What you may not have realised altogether is the width and scope of their sacrifice. I will try to explain what I mean. Reading out those names, I first find mention of men who went out at the start, in 1914, to help to stem the first wild onslaught of the Germans before we were ready; when everything was unprepared. Think of that. Then we pass on to other names of men who gave their lives in 1915, in those dull days in the trenches, when everything seemed dark, and when we appeared to be hammering our heads against a stone wall. Then I find more names in 1916, men who died in the great Battle of the Somme, which lasted for many weeks, but in which their services were rewarded by the first ray of hope which seemed to come to the nation. Then more names I find in 1917, men who took part in those hammering blows which we may regard as the period during which the war reached its height, when the storm seemed to be at its worst. Then in those terrible days in the early spring of 1918, I find more names, when the nation strained well-nigh to breaking point in her brave endeavour to stave off the last despairing effort of the Germans to overwhelm us on the soil of France. Lastly, and to me the most pathetic of all, are some few names of men who fell just as the dawn was breaking, a few days before the Armistice. Well, I have given a brief account of how those names covered that scope I spoke of at first. What then do we owe these men? I do not know whether you, or I, or anybody can yet appreciate the magnitude of that debt, but certain it is, we can never repay. What are we to do then – what must we do? Well, I think we must see to it that these men are never forgotten; that their names are never forgotten. This beautiful brass tablet and memorial window are the proof we intend to give that they shall not be forgotten. I think we must do more than this; we must see that we explain to the new generation that is coming on – explain to them what this tablet means; show them the names, and as they get older and more able to understand, explain to them what it stands for, what we really owe to these men; that we owe to them the peaceful possession of our houses, the freedom of the countryside to-day, the honour of our women and the safety of our little children. I think that is the duty for us in the future, and they will carry it on long after we are no more. Then, finally, I want to say a word to the members of this congregation who are relatives of the fallen. I know that nothing I can say is any real comfort; nothing that anybody can say is of any real comfort; but it may afford you some consolation to know that we, your fellow countrymen, are determined that the names of those beloved ones are not forgotten, and that brass tablet and window stand for all time as a witness to the noble and unselfish example of those brave souls, and I hope when you leave this church after this beautiful service, that you will feel as I do, and as all this congregation do I am sure, that their sacrifice has not been in vain.”

After the Benediction, the service closed with the singing of the National Anthem.

Research undertaken and submitted by Andy Murby 24/5/2019