THE UNUSUAL DEATH OF SECOND LIEUTENANT RISHWORTH - SEPTEMBER 1915
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has a record of the following officer who died whilst on active service
Name: RISHWORTH
Initials: H H
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Second Lieutenant
Regiment/Service: Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
Unit Text: 6th Bn.
Age: 22
Date of Death: 15/09/1915
Additional information: Son of Charles Frederick William and Mary Hannah
Rishworth, of Moorfield, High Utley, Keighley.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: M. New. 23.
Cemetery: KEIGHLEY (UTLEY) CEMETERY
According the Commission there are another 57 persons in the Cemetery who died in the service of their country, but none will have suffered such an unusual death as Second Lieutenant Herbert Rishworth.
In October 2009 I came across the following report in The Manchester Guardian dated 18th September 1915 which gave details of a Coroner's Inquest held in Sheffield the previous day.
I also went to the local archives in Sheffield and found a report in the Sheffield Daily Telegraph dated 17th September 1915
Totley Camp - Sheffield circa 1915
Whilst the circumstances of Herbert's death are undoubtedly tragic, natives of Sheffield and those who visit the city regularly will have a wry smile on the face. In recent years Sheffield has been labelled in many quarters as "Pothole City", a term that has to be said is well-deserved. The conditions of the roads and pavements in most parts of the city are in an appalling state after decades of neglect by successive city councils. It was surprising to find out that this seems to be a perennial problem - the roads in 1915 seem to be as bad as they are now. The "highway authorities" obviously ignored the jury's recommendation that they attend to the condition of the city's roadways!. To use modern parlance "lessons have not been learnt"
Notes
In October 2009, I located the family in the 1901 Census (GRO Ref RG 13/4077 Page22) - the address was Moorfield, High Utley, Keighley (the same address as listed on the Roll of Honour). His parents Charles Frederick William and Mary Hannah Rishworth were both 41 years old. He had two sisters Elsie aged 11, Jessie 10 and a brother Hugh age 7
The 1911 Census gives the following information
Name Charles Frederic William Rishworth
Relationship to Head of Household Head
Condition Married
Gender Male Age 51
Estimated Year of Birth 1860
Occupation Corn Miller
Employed Yes
Working at Home No
Place of Birth Yorkshire Keighley
Enumerator Information
Address Moorfield Greenhead Lane Keighley Parish Keighley Town Keighley
Type of Building Private House Number of Rooms Nine
Inhabited Yes
Reference RG14PN26089 RG78PN1508 RD492 SD2 ED25 SN194 Administrative County
Yorkshire (West Riding)
Registration District Keighley Registration Sub District Keighley Enumeration
District 25
Sources
The Manchester Guardian dated 18th September 1915
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
This page was last updated on 04/04/12 08:15