HARRY FOERS - A SCHOOLTEACHER FROM CROOKES, SHEFFIELD

The 1911 Census showing Harry living at home with his parents Joseph and Elizabeth and younger brother Wilfred. Her had an older sister Eliza born 1876 and a younger brother George born 1879 but they were not living with the family at the time.

A few months later Harry married Alice Alberta Shemeld (Surname First name(s) Mother/Age District Vol Page Marriages Sep 1911 Foers Henry Sheffield 9c 1000 Shemeld Alice A Sheffield 9c 1000). 

The following year Alice gave birth to a son Harold Surname First name(s) Mother/Age District  Volume Page Births Dec 1912 Foers        Harold        Sheneld          Ecclesall B.  9c          783 

But Harold died in March 1915 at the couples home in Bates Street, Crookes Sheffield aged just two and a half.

Sheffield Daily Independent 26th March 1915

The next two forms relate to Harry's war service. Harry was 37 years and 7 months old when he joined the Royal Field Artillery on 25th May 1916, 

He was not de-moblised until March 1919. He suffered a disability resulting from his war service but his claim for an award was rejected out have hand. There were "no grounds for an award"

But his service in the war left him in poor health. Harry died in May 1922 and is buried with his son Harold in Sheffield's Crookes Cemetery. At the time of his death he was just 44 years of age. 

HENRY FOERS

FOERS, Harrold (Son of Henry, age 2). Died at 66 Bate Street; Buried on March 27, 1915 in Consecrated ground; Grave Number 1974, Section DD of Crookes Cemetery, Sheffield.

FOERS, Henry (School teacher, age 44). Died at 66 Bates Street; Buried on May 4, 1922 in Consecrated ground; Grave Number 1974, Section DD of Crookes Cemetery, Sheffield.

Nine moths later this report appeared in the Sheffield Daily Independent dated 15th February 1923 under the title A WAR VICTIM - SCHOOL'S TRIBUTE TO SHEFFIELD TEACHER

"His experiences in France were responsible for his long illness and death." A forgotten casualty of the Great War. Many servicemen like Harry do not appear on war memorials and rolls of honour as they died after the war was over. But Harry is remembered by a plaque on the wall of St Stephens Church Fawcett Street Sheffield, a church that he attended prior to his early death.

I would of course be interested to know if the photograph of Harry that was unveiled at the School is still in place, or failing that, does it still even exist. He surely deserves to be remembered for his marvelous attributes that were outlined at the ceremony to mark his life.

As an aside, in 2021 I was leafing through an old copy of The Flowing Stream, the journal of the Sheffield and District Family History Society. The edition was from the Winter of 1993 and contained the following passage

The next edition in the Spring of 1994 had a reply

Westways School Crookes Sheffield

Alice was left a widow with a young son to bring up. Leonard Foers was born on 28th April 1917. He was just four years old when his dad died. 

The mother and son remained in Sheffield for there is an entry in the 1939 National Register that shows Alice and her son Leonard living at 31 Bents Green Road. From the entry it looks as though Alice's retired parents were also in the household. Leonard's occupation is listed a "representative

From the BMD Registers it looks as though Leonard married a Lorna B Crooks in 1950

Surname First name(s) Spouse District Vol Page 
Marriages Sep 1950 
Crookes Lorna B Foers Sheffield 2d 693 
Foers Leonard Crookes Sheffield 2d 693 

and they had two children whilst still living in Sheffield

Alice was to remain a widow for the next 56 years. She died in Devon in 1978 at the age of 94. (Deaths Mar 1978  - FOERS ALICE ALBERTA 9MR1884 EXETER Volume 21 Page1090)

Her son Leonard died on 3rd April 1990 at Ottery St Mary in Devon age 72

Sources

UK Census

Sheffield Indexers

Sheffield Daily Independent dated 15th February 1923

Sheffield Soldiers of World War 1

Ancestry

The Flowing Stream, the journal of the Sheffield and District Family History Society - Winer 1993 Spring 1994

Notes

Baptism - Foers, Henry (of 81 Bramwell St, born 1878-04-08).
Baptised May 1, 1878, by R.Douglas at St Stephens, Netherthorpe.
Parents name(s) are Elizabeth & Joseph (Joiner).
Note: Sponsor: :Page No 23 :Reg No 182

Birth of Brother George Foers(1880–) 1880 • Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Residence 1881 • Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom
Birth of Brother Wilfred Foers(1891–1975)
15 Aug 1891 • Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, UNITED KINGDOM
Residence 1891 • Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Residence 02 Apr 1911 • Ecclesall, Yorkshire-West Riding, England, UNITED KINGDOM Age: 32; Marital Status: Single; Relation to Head of House: Son
Birth of Son Harold Foers(1912–1915) 1912 • Ecclesall Bierlow, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom
Death of Son Harold Foers(1912–1915) 1915 • Ecclesall Bierlow, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom
Birth of Son Leonard Foers(1917–1990) 28 Apr 1917 • Ecclesall Bierlow, Yorkshire,
Death 1 May 1922 • Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom