Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Lancelot Swindle Lennie, one of 8 children of whom only 6 survived, was the 5th born of 6 sons. His father William Windlow Lennie was born at Gosforth, a suburb of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, where he was married, February 3rd 1881, to Margaret Jane Henderson, native of Whitburn, County Durham, born October 6th 1856. The couple moved in with William’s parents, brass founder John Lennie and his wife Elizabeth, at Garden Street, Coxlodge, Gosforth. Elizabeth and Margaret were milliners, William worked as a coal miner. June 30th 1881 their son William was born, 2 years later they had moved to County Durham. James Henderson was born at Gateshead in 1883 and after their return to Northumberland, Philip Stanger 1885 at Gosforth, Robert Windle 1887 and Phoebe Elizabeth 1890, at Benwell, both suburbs of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. In 1891 they were living at 33, Handysides (Buildings), William was employed at the ordnance works as a driller, William Jnr (9), James (7) and Phoebe (5) were scholars. Their family grew with the birth of Lancelot Swindle 1894 and Thomas, November 24th 1896. Sadly, Phoebe Lennie died in 1902 aged 13 years, in 1911 Lancelot was one of 2 brothers still living at home, aged 17, he and Thomas (14) were employed as drivers below ground at the colliery, their father as a hewer, also in the household, consisting of 3 rooms at 19, Beaumont Terrace, Westerhope, Northumberland, were 2 boarders, coal miners William Davidson (24), single, and widower William Cousins (49).
When Britain declared war with Germany, new battalions were raised and the Territorial Forces were mobilised. Lancelot Swindle Lennie was one of the first to volunteer, enlisting at Newburn, assigned as Private 811 to the 4th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, he was posted to the Tyne defences. The Territorials were split into two lines during November 1914, the 1st Line for men willing to serve overseas, the 2nd Line for those unable or unwilling to serve overseas. Private Lennie departed to France as part of the 1/4th Battalion Northumberland Fusilier, April 20th 1915. The division landed in France and having made its way to Belgium, without any nursery training or trench familiarisation was sent into the front line during the 2nd Battle of Ypres, April 22nd-May 25th 1915. The Germans had attacked using poison gas in the run up to the Battle of St. Julien, April 24th-May 5th, during which the 149th Brigade including the 1/4th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, was part of the British counterattack. Battle concluded they were redesignated as the 149th Brigade, 50th (Northumbrian) Division and returned to France.
Private 811 Lancelot Swindle Lennie was killed in action, October 3rd 1915 whilst in the area of Houplines, a village in Allied hands but very close to the front line. The village originally contained four Commonwealth cemeteries and several military graves in the communal cemetery. Post war these burials were regrouped into two cemeteries. Private 811 Lancelot Swindle Lennie Northumberland Fusiliers was laid to rest within Ferme Buterne Cemetery, Nord, Pas de Calais, France, memorial D. 6. The cemetery was initially used by the 6th Division between January-October 1915. He was 20 years of age and single.
His parents and extended family had already been devastated by the news, a week earlier, that his brother, Lance Corporal John Henderson Lennie had also been killed in action, September 25th 1915, who sadly unlike his brother has no known grave.
As per Lancelot’s will all monies owed to him from the Army were received by his mother as sole legitimate also his awards of the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to her at 27, Agnes Maria Street, Coxlodge, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland.
The loss of her sons may well have attributed to Margaret Jane Lennie nee Henderson’s demise, aged 54 years in 1919, district of Castle Ward, Northumberland, William Windlow Lennie died aged 82 years in 1937, district of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Morpeth Herald 22/10/1915 has a brief obituary:-
Mrs Lennie, of 27, Agnes Maria Street, Coxlodge, has two sons killed in France – 6168, Lance-Corporal J. Lennie, of the 2nd Leicester Regiment, on September 25th 1915 and 811 Private L.S. Lennie 4th N.F. 0ctober 3 1915.
Lancelot Swindale Lennie is remembered at Gosforth on G21.22
