Photo : © Jean Atkinson
Medal Index Card
Photo : © Jean Atkinson Wilfrid with Elizabeth
Wilfrid was the son of John Taylor Chadwick (born 1842) and Mary Marr (born 1848) who married on the 28th May 1866 at St. Mary, St. Denys and St. George’s Parish Church in Manchester. On their marriage certificate the couple gave their address as Stockport Road, and John was employed as a Book Keeper.
In July 1867 the couple are living at 43, Haddon Street, Beswick, Manchester, and father John’s occupation is given as Clerk (Their son was baptised at St. Peter’s Square Presbyterian (Scotch Church) in Manchester).
In the 1871 Census John and Mary can be found in Chorlton on Medlock, Manchester, with their young family. In the next Census of 1881 their address is 7, Cracroft Terrace, Kingston upon Hull and father John is employed as a Ship Builder’s Clerk. There is also a lodger living with the family called John Walker.
Following the family through the Census returns, in 1891 the Chadwicks are still living in Kingston upon Hull, but are now residing at 12, Barnsley Street. Wilfrid is the youngest child at this time, and is now 2 years old.
In 1901 the family have moved and are living in Gateshead at 19, Clarke Street. Wilfrid is now 12 years old and his father John is employed as an assistant Draughtsman. John Walker still remains with the family, after several years residing as their lodger.
The 1911 Census has a requirement to state the number of children born to the present marriage and the number of children still living. John and Mary have declared a family of 13 children, which sadly includes 2 who have not survived. Those identified throughout the Census returns are John, Isabel, Sarah, David, Edith, Bertha, William, Frederick, Alfred, Jessie, Wilfrid and Florrie.
A Thomas Walker Chadwick appears in the 1901 Census as John and Mary’s son, age 1 year. In the following Census of 1911 he appears as a "relative" age 11 years. Taking into consideration the couple’s age in 1900 when Thomas was born, it is unlikely he was their son and could possibly have been their grandson. We believe he was Sarah's son. John Taylor and Mary Chadwick daughter.
By 1911 however, Wilfrid was no longer living at home with his family. He married his first wife Florence Marshall McClarence in Gateshead in 1908 and they are to be found living at 62, Wylam Street in Gateshead with their baby daughter Mary Ellen at this time.
Wilfrid is working as a Fish Merchant and Florence as an Assistant. Interestingly, there is a Frederick T. Chadwick who is listed in the Gateshead Business Directory for this period as a fishmonger although it is not known if the two were connected.
Daughter Elizabeth Evelyn was born in 1913, prior to Wilfrid starting his employment with the North East Railways on the 13th July 1914.
Another daughter, Lily Isabella, was born in 1918 but sadly died the following year in 1919.
Wilfrid can be found next in the absent voters list in Gateshead (there was a general election in 1918, and men in the armed forces who were away from home were named on Absent Voters Lists). His address is given as 16, Trinity Street, Gateshead. There are also 2 other soldiers listed for this address.
One of those soldiers, Daniel McNally of the 15th Durham Light Infantry, was consequently killed on the 31st March 1918, age 26. He was the husband of Josephine E. McNally, of 16 Trinity Street, Gateshead.
There are several addresses listed for Wilfrid:
18/11/1935, 152 Grace Street, Newcastle
15/11/1941, 141 Dinsdale Road, Sandyford
01/08/1942. 25 Ebor Street, Heaton, Newcastle.
His work addresses are as follows:
13/01/1941 – Heaton
11/09/1941 – Walker Gate
03/03/1945 – Scotswood
These would have been the locations of where he was working when employed on the railways. At Heaton, there was the Engine Workshop, which still services trains today.
Although no attestation papers survive for Wilfrid, there are military documents available for his brother Alfred. Alfred had enlisted into the Coldstream Guards on the 10th May 1904, service number 5546 at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and arrived at the London Barracks on the 12th May 1904. Age 20 years 11 months, he was of good physical development although there was some scarring to his right knee and right shin. Brown hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion, 5 feet 9 5/8ths of an inch high, 140lbs, Alfred gave his religion as C of E and his trade as a Coppersmith.
He attested into the 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards, at Caterham, and was posted into the 1st Battalion on the 11th September 1906. He originally signed up for 3 years with the colours and 9 years with the reserves. Whilst with the Battalion he learned to swim.
Also at Caterham, he was in hospital between the 20th August 1904 to the 24th suffering from a sore throat. When War broke out he re-enlisted at Gateshead as he by this time was in the reserve, and had been since the 10th May 1908. He was found to be unfit and was discharged on the 7th August 1914.
In 1914, Alfred’s next of kin is given as his father John Taylor Chadwick (69, Dinsdale Road, Newcastle) and he also lists his elder brothers as John, David and Frederick and his younger brother Wilfrid. Unfortunately due to ill health Alfred is found unfit for military service in 1914, due to gastritis and general debility. He was discharged as permanently unfit for service at home or abroad.
In 1914 Alfred was residing at 141, Dinsdale Road, Newcastle.
Wilfrid enlisted in to the 17th Battalion Pioneer, Northumberland Fusiliers on the 21st October 1914. With the service number 17/1079. The book A Record of the 17th and 32nd Battalions Northumberland Fusiliers 1914-1918 by Lieutenant Colonel Shakespear, shows Wilfrid's name on page 23. He was in 'A' Company.
[Those soldiers who embarked with the Battalion have the letter ‘E’ in the remarks column. Wilfrid’s name does not have this, which confirms he was not one of the original recruits and joined at a later date. It is not known if he volunteered or was conscripted as unfortunately no attestation papers survive for Wilfrid.
[Conscription was introduced via the Military Service Act, which came into force in March 1916. This was for single men aged 18 to 41 and was extended in May 1916 to include married men].
The 17th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers was raised in Hull, in September 1914 by the North Eastern Railway (NER) and was based at King George’s Dock. At the start of the war many employees had been eager to join up, and within a few days over 2,000 men from the North Eastern Railway had enlisted in the army and navy. The General Manager at the NER (wanting to hold the railway men together) approached the War Office about raising a unit composed of skilled railwaymen who would serve the transport needs of the Army. Initially he was told the Royal Engineers fulfilled this role - many NER men had indeed joined the Engineers - but undeterred he arranged for the NER to raise, equip and train a complete battalion, which was originally designated the 17th Service Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers.
The management had issued a circular on the 8th September 1914 calling on all those who wanted to serve together to complete and return their request for approximately 1100 men for the Battalion. This resulted in an almost immediate response from nearly 3000 men and recruiting started on the 14th September. The Company made several promises in its circular:
1. Full salary or standard rate of pay will be paid to the end of the current pay period.
2. Adequate provision will be made for wife and family during absence.
3. Special arrangements will be made for rendering assistance to the relatives of single men who are dependant upon them.
4. Each man’s position or another position apx. equivalent in maximum salary or standard wage will be kept open for him on his return.
5. Each man’s contributions to superannuation and pension funds will be paid by the company.
6. Families occupying company’s houses will be allowed to remain in occupation wherever possible, and, if they have to be moved, the company will aid in finding a house and in removal, if necessary.
By 1st October the whole Battalion was assembled at their quarters.
In January 1915 they became a Pioneer Battalion, which was defined by the War Office as “to fight as infantry, and in addition to provide organised and intelligent labour for engineering operations.” making use of their expertise as railway troops. It was at this time that the title of the Battalion was altered to The 17th Northumberland Fusiliers (N.E.R.) (Pioneers).
In June it was attached to the 96th Brigade - one of the brigades of the 32nd Division, which was preparing for foreign service and between the 19th and 23rd November the entire division was transported to France, embarking on the Empress Queen to Le Havre.
The next six months were spent around Albert, Bouzincourt and Meaulte in the Somme sector.
[Of the 18,340 men from the North Eastern Railway Company who served in the Great War, 2,236 died on active service and over 16,000 men returned home.As promised by the company at the outbreak of war, men returned to their previous jobs and light work posts were found for over 500 men who were partially incapacitated by war injuries. Although most of the injured men accepted these offers, a small number did decline the light work post offered to them]
Wilfrid survived the war, and John Ashton Chadwick was born on the 20th August 1920 at 85, Chandless Street, Gateshead. (John Ashton Chadwick died in 2001, and the death was registered in the district of Bodmin, Cornwall).
Records from the National Archives show that Wilfrid and Florence divorced in 1923: Divorce Court File 973. Appellant: Wilfrid Chadwick Respondent: Florence Marshall Chadwick, Co-respondent: John Thomas Hastie. Type: Husband’s petition for divorce
There are two births registered in 1924 (24th June) to Florence Marshall Chadwick: Peter James Chadwick Mother’s maiden name McClarence, Volume 10a Page 1822, Gateshead, Durham Peter James Watson, Mother’s maiden name McClarence, Volume 10a Page 1822, Gateshead, Durham.
If the parents' surnames recorded at the time of registration are not the same, the birth will be recorded in the indexes under both the mother's and the father's surname, this is known as a dual registration.Although there will be two entries in the GRO indexes, there will be only one entry of birth which will record the child's surname given at the time the birth was registered and therefore only one certificate can be issued.
Wilfrid remarried in 1924 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Mabel Johnson (born, 10th April 1888) and their daughter Dorothy was born on the 23rd August 1929. The family can be found in the 1939 register living in 152 Grace Street, (Byker) Newcastle and Wilfrid is working as a Railway Carriage Examiner.
Florence Marshall Chadwick (nee McClarence) remarried in Gateshead in 1927 to Peter Watson, and they can be found in the 1939 register living at 17, Cross Street, Gateshead. Peter James Watson married Mary Ann Chapman Denham in 1943, and he died in 2012 in Gateshead.
He was demobilized on the 17th March 1919, at Ripon classed A1.
On the 16th June 1955 Wilfrid Chadwick died from heart failure, age 66. His death was registered in Newcastle.
Research by Jean Atkinson/James Pasby
Acknowledgments and thanks to Julie Mellon
