Matthew 'Matty' Bartholomew in Army Uniform

Medal Index Card

Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail Thursday 31/05/1917

Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail Monday 03/05/1937

Matthew 'Matty' Bartholomew was born on the 31st March 1893 at 8 Clatyon Street, Throston, Hartlepool, one of eleven children, the eldest boy to Matthew Bartholomew, [born 1861 Elham, baptised 2nd April 1862 at St Mary's, died in May 1936], and his wife Mary Ellen [nee Evans] born 4th December 1872. Eight children survived but three died at an early age.

The children were Eleanor 'Elaine' born 1890, baptised 11th March 1891, Holy Trinity Church, died 1961, Edward George 'Ned' Bartholomew born 31st March 1896, Catherine Horsley, born 1894, Mary Ann, born 1898, John born 7th September 1899, [married in 1926, a Lilian Tyson, born 19th June 1902, in 1939 were residing at 10 Raby Street, he died 20th September 1941 at Stoke Manderville hospital, Bucks, of Pneumonia, he was in the Royal Navy Patrol Service, LT/JX. 179947, H.M. Patrol vessel Joseph, HMS Pembroke IV], William Horsley born 21st April 1903, Elizabeth Jane born 1906, Frank Salthouse born and died 1908, James Horsley born 1910 and Frank Septimus born about 1912 died 1988.

Matthew and Mary Ellen were married on the 11th October 1890 and were residing by this time at 7 Clayton Street, Throston, prior to this Matthew was residing at 54 Frederick Street, Throston.

Matthew juinior was educated at the West Hartlepool Throston Board Infant (Boys) school, where also his younger brother Edward George Bartholomew attended. He commenced school in October 1897, but left in August 1898. By 1901 Matthew was residing at 8, Clayton Street, Throston, Hartlepool, Durham, with another five children.

On Tuesday 5th February 1907, Matthew Bartholomew 8 Clayton Street and John James 4 Lilley Street were charged with having stolen a quantity of coal, value 1s 6d, the property of the North Eastern Railway from the Victoria Dack. Police Constable Moore of the NER Police took the youths in custody at 8.30am. He stated at the Hartlepool Sessions the same day, that the youths were throwing coal down the spouts. The Mayor [Councillor Pearson], who was presiding fined the youths 1s each. After, the Chief Constable had intimated that the two lads had been caught stealing timber in 1906.
Source : Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail Tuesday, 05/02/1907.

On the 27th April 1908, several charges of coal stealing were dealt with by Alderman R.H. Rowe and Mr C. I. Smyth at the Hartlepool Police Court. Defendants included Matthew Bartholomew, catcher 8 Clayton Street, Joseph Wren, Labourer at Keen's yard, John Joseph Hewitt, belper, 4 Princes Street, Davis Murray rivetter 51 Blandford Street and a James Marley labourer, Hermit Street. Matthew was remanded for 7 days with a view to his being admitted into a reformatory.
Source : Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail Monday 27/04/1908.

By 1911 Matthew junior was now residing at 54 Blandford Street, Throston with his eldest sister Eleanor at his grandparents house, Mr Jonathan 'Jack' Nicholson Salthouse and Mrs Catherine 'Kate' Salthouse. The rest of the family were residing at Trimdon Grange at 8 Thomas Street.

Matthew was employed as a Shipyard Labourer at the Furness Withy works together with his father.

On the 16th April 1913 Matthew Bartholomew and a Thomas Armstrong were charged by Hartlepool magistrates with having obstructed the footpath in Clayton Street by standing thereon. - Matthew had been previously convicted four times, and Armstrong on three occasions. both were fined 5s plus costs.
Source : Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail Wednesday, 16/04/1913.

On the 13th August 1913, three men including Matthew Bartholomew were charged with gaming with cards in a boat on the beach near the Town Wall. Police Constable Ray stated that on Sunday 10th August between 1. 25 to 1.35 pm, he saw three men with other youths playing 'Banker'. He caught Matthew with the cards in his hand and 7d in loose copper. Matthew was find 1s and costs of 9s.
Source :Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail Wednesday, 13/08/1913.

Matthew enlisted into the 3rd Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers in about September 1913, he was 5 feet 10 and a half inches tall, Fair complexion, Dark Blue eyes and was given the service number 3/8152. 3rd (Reserve) Battalion in August 1914 was at Newcastle on Tyne. A training unit, it remained in UK throughout the war. Moved to East Boldon in August 1914, then to Sunderland.

Matthew was transferred into the 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, and on the 11th November 1914 arrived in France, he was part of a draft of men who joined the battalion now located in reserve at dug outs east of Hooge Village. On the 15th February 1915, Matthew was wounded and was sent home on sick furlough to the UK in March 1915. He was attending the Military Hospital at Graham Street Hartlepool.

On the 1st April 1915, Matthew is now classed as a deserter.

On the 11th April 1916, Detective Holmes visited Matthew's address now 47 Lilly Street, Hartlepool, to collect his uniform from his mother. This consisted of a Military overcoat, trousers and cap. He had pointed out to Mary Ellen, that she should have returned the clothes to her son's commanding officer. The detective stated that the son had deserted from the Army and had now joined the Navy. [he enrolled on the 8th November 1915], Mary Ellen denied her son was a deserter, and said "he had come home from the front wounded and the clothes were not up to much". She did not know she had to return them, but she gave them up when asked for them. At the Hartlepool Sessions on Wednesday 19th April 1916, Mary Ellen Bartholomew was charged with having received army clothing. Detective Holmes in further evidence described the defendant as a "tough nut". A fine of 15s or seven days was imposed.
Source : Hartlepool Northern Daily MailWednesday, 19/04/1916.

On the 19th July 1916, at the Hartlepool Sessions, there was a charge against a woman named Mary E. Bartholomew, of 47 Lilly street, of obtaining money by false pretences. The magistrates were Alderman George Sivewright, Mr J. Davidson, Mr. R. T. Robson chaired by Alderman Mark Harrison. Mr. H. W. Bell appeared on behalf of the Public Prosecutor. Mary Ellen had made a dependant claim for war allowance for Matthew, and it was awarded at 14s a week. Matthew unfortunately never rejoined his army unit, but in November 1915 he joined the trawler section of the R.N.R., Mary Ellen was drawing this allowance whilst Matthew was at home. She continued to claim this money knowing that Matthew was in the Navy. On the 16th March 1915, the Reverend H.G. Cobb signed a declaration showing that she was dependant of her son. William Harvey was the pension officer who investigated and recommended the 14s award.

Mary Ellen collected the payments from Throston Post Office, on the 7th December 1915, 4th January 1916 and the 8th February 1916. The allowance was stopped on the 22nd February 1916. Mary Ellen in her defence, thought she had been doing wrong, and claimed that Miss Anderson Throston Post Mistress, was asked if she should take the money back.

She told Sergeant Holmes that she had done wrong and asked if she could repay it. When charged she replied This is through women being advised by women. Do you think they will allow me a little time to pay it back"

She thought it very hard when people who had sons fighting should be prosecuted like this. She was willing to pay back every halfpenny.

The Bench retired, and on their return, due to the seriousness of the case and her previous fine of 5s in April for receiving Army clothing, the least they could do was send her to Durham Jail for a month.

Matthew was now in the Royal Naval Reserve from the 8th November 1915 and was given the service number ST/2285 as a Trimmer. He was transferred into the Trawler Section from the 1st October 1916.

The RNR was generally confined to officers and men of deep sea merchantmen but in 1911 it was felt that there was a need to employ trawlers in wartime as minesweepers and patrol vessels. The Royal Naval Reserve Trawler Section - RNR(T) was set up to enrol the necessary personnel. Although abolished as a separate section of the RNR in 1921, the RNR(T) always remained quite distinct from the RNR proper, and employed fishermen. In both world wars a large number of trawlers were taken up by the Royal Navy complete with their crews, who were entered on a form T124 by which they engaged to serve in a named vessel for the duration of the war only. Fishermen on a T124 formed the bulk of the RNR(T) during the First World War.

Matthew was based on Trawlers during the War based at Sherness. From the 11th November 1915, Matthew was at Chatham, with the shore based Depot ship 'Pembroke' until the 17th January 1916 training to be a Trimmer. From the 27th November 1915 he is onboard the 'Actaeon' a Trawler, then various other trawlers as part of the Auxiliary Patrol mainly mine sweeping before being discharged on the 20th January 1919. He was residing at 4 Storey's Passage, Hartlepool.

On the 4th August 1919, he married Isabella Layfield, [born 10th December 1885], at the Holy Trinity church at Hartlepool. They resided then at 2 Storey's Passage Hartlepool. They had four children John Layfield Bartholomew, born 16th December 1922, [PJX 295984, Ordinary Seaman, HMS Victory III, S.S. Lady Hawkins], died 19th January 1942, Edward George, born 25th October 1925, [P/JX 523952. Able Seaman, died 28th March 1945 of Tuberculosis at Howbeck Hospital, West Hartlepool, buried in West View Cemetery], Matthew Bartholomew, born 1st March 1920, enlisted 1st July 1925, 764627 Royal Artillery Gunner, [he married Doris Carroll, born 16th April 1923], on the 1st August 1942, she worked as a Munitions worker, she died on the 20th October 1981, he died 18th October 1979, Hartlepool, buried at West View Road Cemetery and Isabella born 23rd November 1927.

In 1939 Mary Ellen Bartholomew was still residing at 47 Lilly Street as a widowed pensioner on her own.

Matthew Batholomew died on the 30th April at Hartlepool Hospital, the service was at St Hilda's Church on the 3rd May at 2.30pm. He was residing at Storeys Passage.

Footnote : Matthew Bartholomew has a Medal card for his 3 medals which he would have been entitled to, due to his desertion he forfeited these medals. However, his post naval service entitled him to only 2 medals, the Victory and War Medal. If he had not deserted he would have been entitled to the 1914 'Mons' star as well and two additional medals.

Matthew Bartholomew is remembered at Hartlepool on H115.66