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Messages - StocktonBobLeeds

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1
Travelling People / Re: Anyone Looking For Cunningham And Swales In Yorks?
« on: Saturday 03 November 12 16:15 GMT (UK)  »


Yes he had a son also called John Cunningham.

A daughter died soon after birth, so your looking for son Johns offspring.

Try at a guess www / search HULL MAIL, VC Winners Son Dies In?

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Travelling People / Re: Anyone Looking For Cunningham And Swales In Yorks?
« on: Saturday 03 November 12 14:09 GMT (UK)  »

PRIVATE JOHN CUNNINGHAM VC. HULL.       

FOR THE HULL LIBRARY PHOTO.  Please see //  http://www.hullcc.gov.uk/museumcollections/collections/storydetail.php?irn=193&master=199

**** No 12/21 Pte John Cunningham VC 12th (S) Btn. East Yorkshire Regt.

The date was November 13, 1916. In the muddy hell that was the front line trenches of France Pte Cunningham became a hero.
The official citation published in the London Gazette, would record that he received the highest award for "for most conspicuous bravery and resource during operations."
The citation took up the story "... Pte Cunningham proceeded with a bombing section up a communication trench. Much opposition was encountered and the rest of the section became casualties.
"Collecting all the bombs from the casualties, this gallant soldier went on alone. Having expended all his bombs, he then returned for a fresh supply and again proceeded to the communication trench, where he met a party of ten of the enemy. These he killed and cleared the trench up to the enemy line.
"His conduct throughout the day was magnificent."
The narrative of that day in records of the 12th Battalion gives a more detailed insight into the horror of trench warfare...
"The trenches had been so blown about that it was impossible to make them really defensive. The Germans counter-attacked in force, twice during the day from the left, but were annihilated by our Lewis guns.
"The whole day was spent in fighting small parties, bombers and snipers.
"In the evening as there was a danger of being surrounded, it was decided to withdraw, the last party retiring about 8.45pm."

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Travelling People / Re: Anyone Looking For Cunningham And Swales In Yorks?
« on: Saturday 03 November 12 14:02 GMT (UK)  »
CUNNINGHAM,VC. 

A brave feat, he attacked 10 WW1 German troops single handedly and killed all 10.
All VC awards are posted on the internet with a citation record, see below for citation.

In the 1940 period my father used to say (this is hearsay and may not be correct) John came back to Hull a VC hero, bought a horse and cart, painted on the back of it Cunninham VC, Metal dealer, Hull. and went out tatting. He had a habit of getting drunk whilst in  charge of an horse and cart but he would not be arrested because ' after all he was a VC'.

Firms loved dealing with him as the VC carried a lot of weight in 1918 -1938, as it does today. I think he died quiet young, There's a school he attended of Holderness Road, Hull, which contains a plaque for him as 'one of the old Boys and a VC Winner'.  See Wiki ; quote as follows.

*John Cunningham VC (28 June 1897 – 21 February 1941) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. John was born in Swains Yard off Manley Street, Scunthorpe and was the eldest son of Charles and Mary Cunningham. Cunningham was 19 years old, and a private in the 12th (Service) Battalion, (the Hull Sportsmen's Pals battalion), The East Yorkshire Regiment, 31st Division during the First World War, at the Battle of the Somme, when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.  On 13 November 1916, the opening day of the Battle of the Ancre (the final offensive of the Battle of the Somme), attacking from opposite Hebuterne the 31st Division was to seize the German trenches and form a defensive flank north of Serre. After the enemy's front line had been captured, Private Cunningham went with a bombing section up a communication trench where much opposition was met and all the rest of the section were either killed or wounded. Collecting all the bombs from the casualties Private Cunningham went on alone and when he had used up all the bombs he had he returned for a fresh supply and again went up the communication trench where he met a party of 10 Germans. He killed all 10 and cleared the trench up to the new line.
His Victoria Cross is displayed at York Regimental Museum, England.
John was married to Eva Harrison in Jun 1917 at Hull and had two children, Annie who died in infancy and John who was born in 1920 at Hull. John Cunningham died 20 February 1941 at 5 Beaufort Terrace Campbell Street Hull aged 43 years and his funeral took place in Hull on 24 February 1941, John is buried in grave No: 17509, compartment No; 180 at the Western Cemetery Hull.

** Pathe New are selling a vidoo of him with his family for £30.00 'see Pathe wwwsite.

** Hull Victoria Cross Winners Memorial             (Photos of memorial)

Private John Cunningham VC
2nd Lieutenant John Harrison VC MC
Boatswain John Sheppard VC CGM
Sergeant William Bernard Traynor VC

EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT / SEE . HULLS PALS /

The Hull Pals won two Victoria Crosses in the First World War. They were awarded to Pte John Cunningham of the Hull Sportsmen battalion on the 13th November 1916 for his heroic actions in the Battle of the Somme and 2nd Lt. John Harrison of the Hull Tradesmen in Oppy, France on the 3 May 1917. 2nd Lt. John Harrison was tragically killed in the assault that led to his award. His wife Lillian was presented with his Victoria Cross at Buckingham Palace by King George V in 1918.

4
Armed Forces / Re: Did the army recognise 'adopted' Children 1915??
« on: Friday 14 September 12 02:34 BST (UK)  »
Hi,
I've sent off for the birth certificate to see if that sheds any light on who she is because no one in the family knows anything about it that's why I wondered if she was there for the night. But then she is listed as adopted daughter age 6, in 1911 I wasn't sure what that meant fully. Her surname doesn't match anyone in the family
Hayley

In those days there was a lot of unofficial adoptions and in poor areas babies were bought and sold. It occasionally happened that a man whose wife [or partner] had died in childbirth passed the baby to someone better able to mind it and the loan became with the passage of time an unofficial adoption, with usually a childless couple involved, posing as an aunt and uncle. I would hazard a guess that when people sorted 'these things' out for themselves they did a better job of it than modern day Social Services. I had an uncle who was sold and bought for £5-00 as a baby, and no one thought it unusual. This was in Middlesbrough, which is one of those say-no-more- towns-where nothing that happened surprised anyone.

5
Derbyshire Lookup Requests / Re: Joshua Oldfield birth
« on: Friday 14 September 12 02:10 BST (UK)  »
I read years ago about the workers strikes and the unhappy industrial times of Nottingham Lace and Glove makers, its worth a Amazon search to find the book or book to discover what their lot was. Nottingham was quite a pioneering centre in work grievances and strikes.  It links with Stoke on Trent in this respect. I loved Nottingham, it was a city above all others and ranked with Edinburgh, Norwich and York. Alas it's no more for reasons better left unsaid. Arnold and Mansfield are past their sell by date for the same reasons. The biography of Jesse Boot, of Boots chemist fame adds more to the knowledge pot.

As for children as we all know families of 5-6-7-8-9-10 children were common, and I had brothers and sister 15 - 20 years older than myself. 

6
Travelling People / Re: Anyone Looking For Cunningham And Swales In Yorks?
« on: Wednesday 16 May 12 21:18 BST (UK)  »
There was a traveller / hawker / gyspy / called Cunningham from Hull, who won the VC in 1917, during the Great War of 1914- 1918 [RIP]  Look up VC winners, there all listed on Google. My lot were the Wilson's from Stockton, Darlington and York, they seemed to roam from York to Kirbymoorside, and from York via Thirsk to Stockton and Darlington. This was during the 1850 to 1900 period. They would have all known each other as Market Weighton is not that far away from York.  Why they stopped at Kirbymoorside I don't know as there's now't there. Maybe they were heading for a week out at Whitby and it was a convenient halt for the horses, which was the half way point between York and Whitby.   

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Travelling People / Re: Anyone Looking For Cunningham And Swales In Yorks?
« on: Wednesday 22 February 12 22:28 GMT (UK)  »
Some readers on this site might find the Leeds Romany Travellers site for Leeds and Yorkshire interesting, its called the Leeds Travellers Exchange.   

8
Travelling People / Re: Anyone Looking For Cunningham And Swales In Yorks?
« on: Tuesday 21 February 12 22:05 GMT (UK)  »
Val,

Just a guess, I think James Harker was the father of Robert [Bob] Harker, whose 5- 6 sons mentioned I know by sight. South Bank is about 3 miles from Middlesbrough town centre, its bordered by a huge steelworks and the even larger ICI chemical works. A survey claimed it was the worst place in Britain to live  for pollution, dust and fumes.  The Harkers are full cousins to the Fosters / Adams of South Bank.                                                                                                               

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Travelling People / Re: Anyone Looking For Cunningham And Swales In Yorks?
« on: Tuesday 21 February 12 12:19 GMT (UK)  »
Hello Val,

When I see one of the Harkers I will have a word with him and get more details for you.  The winter is still upon us here and the farm machinary auctions don't commence properly until March.



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