John William Castle (1893 - 1922)
Whilst I was walking through Crookes Cemetery (Sheffield) I came across the grave of the CASTLE family.
On the weathered headstone was the inscription
IN LOVING MEMORY OF JOHN WILLIAM CASTLE
SERGT. OF THE ROYAL ENGINEERS WHO DIED OF DISEASE FROM WOUNDS AND EXPOSURE IN THE GREAT WAR DEC17 1922 AGE 29 YEARS
THEIR NAMES SHALL LIVE FOREVER AND EVER
AUSTIN CASTLE DIED JAN 2ND 1940 AGED 70
ALSO LOUISA CASTLE WIFE OF THE ABOVE AUSTIN DIED JAN 30 1955 AGED 85 YEARS
HILDA VICTORIA CASTLE DAUGHTER OF THE ABOVE DIED DEC 21 1989 AGED 92 YEARS
The Sheffield Indexers site has these burial records of the family
CASTLE, Austin (Retired, age 70). Died at 44 Croften Avenue; Buried on January 6, 1940 in Unconsecrated ground; Grave Number 4354, Section A of Crookes Cemetery, Sheffield. Plot Owner: of ~. Page No 344
CASTLE, Hilda Victoria (Retired, age 92). Died at ~; Buried on December 21, 1989 in Unconsecrated ground; Grave Number 4354, Section A of Crookes Cemetery, Sheffield. Plot Owner: of ~. Page No 156
CASTLE, John William (Joiner, age 29). Died at 44 Croften Avenue; Buried on December 21, 1922 in Unconsecrated ground; Grave Number 4354, Section A of Crookes Cemetery, Sheffield. Plot Owner: ~ ~ of ~. Page No 124
CASTLE, Louisa (Widow, age 85). Died at 44 Crofton Avenue; Buried on February 2, 1955 in Unconsecrated ground; Grave Number 4354, Section A of Crookes Cemetery, Sheffield.Plot Owner: of ~. Page No 232
I also checked the UK Census for 1901 and 1911 - the family lived at 150 South View Crescent in 1901 with Austin the head of the household being listed as a Traveller for an Iron Foundary. Both Austin and his wife Louisa came from Newark Nottinghamshire
150 South View Crescent Nether Edge Sheffield
Ten years later the family had moved across the city to Bickerton Road Wadsley Bridge Sheffield. Austin was still employed as a Traveller for an Iron Foundry but his son John William was an 18 year old Apprentice in the Joinery trade and also a Student at Technical School - Building Construction (Night Classes)
Bickerton Road Wadsley Bridge Sheffield
Name: John William Castle
Age in 1911: 18
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1893
Relation to Head: Son Gender: Male
Birth Place: York, Sheffield, England
Civil Parish: Ecclesfield County/Island: Yorkshire-West Riding Country: England
Street address: 24 Bickerton Road Wadsley Bridge Sheffield
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Apprentice To Joinery Trade Also Student At Technical School In Building
Construction Night Classes
Registration district: Wortley Registration District Number: 508 Sub-registration district: Ecclesfield
ED, institution, or vessel: 13 Piece: 27677
Household Members:
Name Age
Austin Castle 41
Louisa Castle 42
Hilda Victoria Castle 14
John William Castle 18
I have not been able to locate John's full service record in the Great War and so the only information I have is that he was a Sergt. in the Royal Engineers. His entitlement to medals does add a bit more information
Name: John W Castle
Military Year: 1914-1920
Rank: Sergeant
Medal Awarded: British War Medal and Victory Medal
Regiment or Corps: Royal Engineers
Regimental Number: 476039
Previous Units: R.E. (T) 669. Sgt., Royal Engineers. 476039.
His posting could have been anywhere. But we do know from the family that he died from "disease" that was the result of the wounds and exposure that he was subjected to in the Great War.
And this is the reason why I posted this article. People like John who served his country and survived the war tend to be forgotten. They do not appear on memorials and rolls of honour because they did not die. But many tens of thousands of serviceman and women received injuries and disabilities in the war that shortened their lives and led to premature deaths. And for the unlucky ones it meant that the last few years of their lives would be dogged by pain, discomfort and misery. From the information on the headstone this appears to have happened to John.
John's probate that was issued on 12th January 1923 and refers to a Beatrice Collis who is as far as I can ascertain no relation. And there is a bit of a mystery. The probate record refers to the address 24 Bickerton Road Wadsley Bridge that John was living in 1911. But the burial records refer to the address of 44 Crofton Avenue which is where his parents lived. The inference is that John needed constant care in the last days of his life. And John was the only son of Austin and Louisa. Their daughter Hilda appears not to have married - this is the record of her death in the Friary Fields Residential Home Newark Nottinghamshire
Name: Hilda Victoria Castle
Death Age: 92
Birth Date: 18 Jan 1897
Registration Date: Dec 1989 Registration district: Newark Inferred County: Nottinghamshire
Volume: 8 Page: 551
Name: Hilda Victoria Castle Death Date: 14 Dec 1989 Death Place: Newark Nottinghamshire
Probate Date: 21 Mar 1900 Registry: Leeds
And her death begs the question - who placed the wreath on the grave nearly one hundred years after his death?
If anyone can supply me with any further information please contact me
Sources
UK Census
Free BMD
This page was last updated on 04/04/18 06:38