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Wales (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Wales => Glamorganshire => Topic started by: Dannemois on Tuesday 18 August 09 21:58 BST (UK)
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Seeking details on Henry Anthony Birrell.
This is the only HA Birrell found on freeBMD
Births Sep 1887
BIRRELL Henry Anthony Cardiff 11a 278
The only info I have is that he attended Repton School in Derbyshire in 1904 and was there the following two years. Not much to go on but I hope sufficient to locate him on the 1901 census. Enlisted Monmouthshire Regiment, raised to rank of 2nd Lt, killed 8 May 1915
Thanks in advance
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In 1901 he was a pupil at Stancliff Hall Preparatory School in Darley Derbyshire - aged 13 b Cardiff
RG13 Piece 3266 Folio 25 Page 7
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1891 for Chepstow
John Birrell 57 malster b Scotland
Jane 56 b Aberavon
William 22 married b Chepstow
Mary Jane 21 single ditto
Thomas 14 ditto
Henry Anthony 3 g/son b Cardiff
Sarah Harris 25 servant
Ada Wakely 19 servant
RG12 Piece 4336 Folio 4 Page 2
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Many thanks Carole, youv'e come up with more than I expected and it is much appreciated. Best Regards, Roy
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Hi Carole
I was wondering if you have the address where John Birrell was residing at in 1891. Seeing his occupation of maltster, I was thinking could he be running a pub?
Regards
Roy
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Looks like Silure Villa. Next address is Larkfield Lodge and previous looks like Hardrick Hill
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Goodness gracious me, that was quick, this service is better than first class postage. Thanks Carole, Roy
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Times May 28th 1923
Wills & Bequests – A War Memorial Near Ypres
Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Anthony Birrell-Anthony, V.D., J.P., of Glenthorne, Thame, Oxon., solicitor, lately commanding the 1st Battalion, Monmouthshire Regiment, who saw service in France and Belgium during the war, and who died on December 30, aged 62, left estate of the gross value of £72,715 with net personalty £22,309. The testator left:
Land at St. Jean, near Ypres, and a sum not exceeding £1,000, on trust, for a memorial to his only son , Henry Birrell-Anthony, and other officers and men of the 1st Monmouthshire Regiment who gave their lives for their country.
Times May 9th 1927
In Memoriam – On Active Service
Birrell Anthony – In honoured memory of 2nd Lieut. Henry Anthony Birrell Anthony, 1st Mons. Regt., who fell at Ypres, May 8, 1915, only child of the late Lieut.- Colonel Henry Anthony Birrell Anthony, 1/2nd Mons. Regt. J.P, V.D.
[Same notice placed every year until 1953]
2nd Lt H A Birrell-Anthony
1 Bn. Monmouthshire Regt.
Killed in action 8 May 1915. No known grave.
Remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Part Xlll(Index No MR 29)
Memorial: Oblong stone with CWGC pattern stone wall, 1km NW of Wieltje. Car access.
Maps: 51/2/28/1-2
Guardian: CWGC
Henry Anthony Birrell-Anthony, of Thame in Oxfordshire, was one of 13 officers and 382 other ranks who became casualties on that disastrous day for 1st Monmouths in the Second Battle of Ypres, 8 May 1915.
The British withdrawal in early May to shorten the line left 84th Brigade on the forward slopes of the Frezenberg Ridge under concentrated enemy fire with little artillery in support. Into the line on the night of 7th May, the 1st Monmouths found themselves exposed in battered and waterlogged trenches with little time to do anything about it before the German assault the next morning. The attack was fought off gallantly all along the line until 83rd Brigade on the right was forced to retire, increasing the pressure on the others. A desperate fight ensued with very heavy casualties. The Monmouths, with no right flank were soon partly surrounded. Called upon to surrender Captain Edwards cried "Surrender be Damned" and many years later this was to became the title of Les Hughes and John Dixon's Great War history of the battalion (Cwm Press 1995).
Colonel Robinson was killed trying to set up a defensive flank but the Monmouths fought on valiantly until late afternoon when eventually, they were forced back into their support trenches. Thus ended their part in the Battle of Frezenberg Ridge. The next day only three officers and 126 other ranks were fit for duty.
After the Battle most of the casualties were listed as missing and many were never found. Among them was 2nd Lt Birrell-Anthony, who in the fullness of time was remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.
Mary Annette Birrell-Anthony of Glenthorae, Thame, Oxon, who died on 17 April 1918 is believed to have been his mother but meanwhile his father, Lt Col Henry Birrell-Anthony (senior), was in command of 2/1 Monmouths, the reserve battalion providing replacements in the field. It seems that he later visited the battlefield, bought the piece of land where his son was believed to have fallen and intended to erect a memorial to him made of Monmouth stone.
For some reason Col. Birrell-Anthony changed his mind and decided to include all the officers and men of the 1 Bn. Monmouths who had died that day in his inscription. The memorial, which was adopted by the Regiment and is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, consists of a rectangular block of stone set in a small garden surrounded by a stone wall. The inscription is a little difficult to decipher on the local stone insisted upon by the authorities, but reads:
'IN MEMORY OF LIEUT. H A BIRRELL-ANTHONY AND THE OFFICERS OF THE 1st BATTALION THE MONMOUTHSHIRE REGIMENT WHO FELL AT THIS SPOT IN THE SECOND BATTLE OF YPRES ON THE 8th MAY 1915 AND THE NCOs AND RIFLEMEN WHO FELL AT THE SAME TIME.
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A few more notes that may help understanding the family background.
Western Mail 30th November 1883
Law Examination – Amongst the successful candidates at the last final law examinations are the names of …… Mr Henry Anthony Birrell, nephew of Mr Henry Anthony, brewer.
Henry Anthony & Co., were brewers at Castle Brewery
Henry Anthony died on 5th May 1889. He left in his will a) Great House Farm and in the parishes of Undy and Llanvihangel and all his other real estate in those parishes to his nephew Henry Anthony Birrell b) Henriew Farm in Llanbaddoc to his nephew John Sinclair Birrell c) Castle Brewery and all houses and attached property to be sold and a charge of £3,000 to his mother to be paid off. d) All residue in trust for his three sisters Miss Catherine Anthony, Mrs Margaret Davies and Mrs Jane Birrell equally.
In 1895 the Castle Brewery and sixteen licensed houses were sold by Henry Anthony & Co to W Hancock & Co for £32,000
It looks like solicitor Henry Anthony Birrell (and his family) adopted the name Henry Anthony Birrell-Anthony.
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Thank you Dave, I certainly didn't expect so much information and I'm over the moon with what you have sent. Many many thanks for your time and effort.
Kind Regards
Roy
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I think Henry might have attended Llandaff Cathedral School before he went to Stancliffe Hall. In 1899, The headmaster at Llandaff, Rev Ernest Owen, left to become headmaster at Stancliffe Hall, almost all the pupils apparently following him there - the school magazine of 1906 mentions ".... as nearly all of Mr Owen's boys went with him to Derbyshire [leaving only one boy remaining]"....
As Henry came from Cardiff, it does seem likely that he started out at the Cathedral School. Unfortunately, it isn't possible to check this at the school, as the surviving school register only begins in 1899, with the next headmaster.
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Thanks Louise
Interesting piece; kind regards, Roy
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He DID go to the Cathedral School, his name is apparently on the war memorial in Llandaff (will photograph his name for you on Thursday when I'm over there). They seem to have kept in touch with boys who went to Stancliffe Hall, as Ernest Owen, who also went there from Llandaff, is on the momorial too.
Here is the memorial, it is a beautiful work by the sculptor Sir William Goscombe John (and has already featured in Dr Who!)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/19396658@N00/1910107824
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/976539
The school doesn't forget them.
http://www.cathedral-school.co.uk/news/remebering-the-fallen.html
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Hi Louise
Thank you so much for a very interesting selection of photographs, I really enjoyed looking through them and I appreciate your time and effort.
Best Regards
Roy
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Here is his name on the war memorial on Llandaff Green
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Hi Louise
Thanks for the image, much appreciated.
Regards, Roy
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By chance I happened to find someone who was interested in the person above. I have the answer to the questions he/she asked but when I tried to reply i was taken through the whole registration procedure by which time the window containing the name of the enquirer had vanished so this is a request to him/her to contact me so I can pass on the information I have. I am new to Roots Chat and so far have not mastered it sufficiently to find 'lost' posts.
Derek Turner
Topics merged. ;)
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Hello Derek
I'm the guy who posted the original post. Can I help.
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The family moved to Ox/Bucks, lived at Long Crendon Bucks in 1901, moved to High St Thame Oxon by 1911. HA senior articled clerk in High Wycmbe before enlisting. HA senior commanded the reserve battalion f the Mnmouths. HA junior served in the 1st battalion of same regiment but was killed at Ypres in 1915. He appears on various war memorials in Thame. His mother died in 1918 and his father in 1922. As HA junior was the onlly childe this branch of the family died out. Visit the Thame Remembers website for more details
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Hello Derek
Thanks for the information.
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I should have added that HA senior almost certainly founded and endowed the Anthony Birrell Cup competition after WW1, probably in memory of his son and/or wife. I have not yet discovered exactly what this was, but definitely for something sporting, possibly an inter-school competition for schools in the local area. Amongst other things I am part-time archivist at Lord Williams's School Thame. I'm there tomorrow and if I find anything more about the competition I'll let you know.
Derek
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It was fascinating reading some of the information so kindly produced by others. I have lived in Silure Villa for the last 20 years and have always intrigued to learn more of the history of the house and previous owners. Whilst I knew of some of this, the detail was much appreciated. Of the more colorful history that I have learnt, during the 1960's/70's, the house also had a reputation as being a staging post for some of the girlfriends of the officers at nearby Beachly barracks. I only learnt this having bumped into a local verger who lived here as a married couple and lent the place an air of respectability!