Bilton and Bickerton are villages 4 and 5 miles respectivly North west of Tadcaster on the York to Wetherby road.
The WW1 Memorial dedicated in the grounds of St Helens Church Bilton to the men who gave their lives from the villages of Bilton and Bickerton.
This was unvailed on the 5th June 1920 by Colonal Jerome of Bilton Hall and dedicated by Reverend Canon Austin of York Minster.
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SERJEANT ARTHUR EDWIN CHAPMAN.
SERVICE NUMBER: 746278. UNIT: 116th Bn Manitoba Regiment Canadian Infantry.
BORN: Bilton nr Wetherby England. ENLISTED: Oshawa Ontario.
GAVE HIS LIFE: 13/09/1918. AGED: 28.
MEMORIAL: St Helens Church Bilton. Oshawa Memorial Canada.
CWGC States:
"Son of George and Jane Chapman, of Bilton Cottages, Bilton, York, England."
CEMETERY: Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension. GRAVE: IV. B.16.
Arthur was the son of George Born Tockwith 1857 and Jane Livsey Born Barlow 1858 they married in 1884.
Arthur was part of a large family and had brothers James Edmund Born Bilton 1888 Wilfred Born Moor Monkton 1896 and Harold Herbert Born Tockwith 1899 and sisters Bertha Born Bilton 1886, Elsie Born Tockwith 1900 and Mary Born Bilton 1892.
In 1901 Arthurs father was running the the Bay Horse Public House Tockwith nr York, if Arthurs father was a publican it would explain why the children were born in different areas of Yorkshire.
Arthur at some time in the early part of the century emigrated to Oshawa Canada and worked as a farmer.
On the 26th of October 1915 Arthur joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force he was unmarried and gave his next of kin as his mum Jane of Bilton England.
Arthur gave his date of birth as 20th December 1892 ( records show it was 1890 could that have been his christening) and was a Methodist by religion,.
Arthur was 5ft 3 inches tall with a fair complexion.
Arthurs signature on his attestation papers.
With special thanks to Marika Pirie of Toronto Ontario Canada for the above postcard and taking time to e-mail me.
The Oshawa Memorial Park in Oshawa Canada this picture is from the 1940s.
On the memorial is enscribed a C. Chapman we will presume this is Arthur as mistakes were often made and let us not forget Arthur was not married and names were usually given by close relatives, in Arthurs case they were back home in Yorkshire.
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RIFELMAN EDGAR INGRAM FRANKLIN.
SERVICE NUMBER: Z/1323. REGIMENT: Rifle Brigade.
BORN: Deighton. ENLISTED: Fulham Middlesex.
GAVE HIS LIFE: 13/05/1915. AGED: 20.
CEMETERY: Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial. PANEL: 46-48 and 50.
LOCAL MEMORIAL: St Helens Church Bilton.
Son of Charles Ingram Born Hurley Berkshire 1866 and Harriett Fisher Born Laxfield Suffolk they married at Kensington London in 1890.
Edgar had one brother Charles Leslie Born Beckenham Kent 1893.
YORKSHIRE HERALD JULY 14 1916.
"Pvt Edgar Franklin, Rifle Brigade Bilton, Wetherby, has been killed in action, and a memorial service has been held in Bilton Church."
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CORPORAL FRANCIS WILSON SKILBECK
SERVICE NUMBER: C/12172. UNIT/REGIMENT: 21 St Bn Kings Royal Rifle Corps.
BORN: Bilton. ENLISTED: York. RESIDENCE: Acomb Nr York.
GAVE HIS LIFE: 17/09/1916. AGED: 39.
CEMETERY: Thiepval Memorial. PANEL: 13A and 13B.
LOCAL MEMORIAL: St Helens Church Bilton.
CWGC Stares:
"Son of Richard and Mary Jane Skilbeck.
Husband of Alice Skilbeck, of Springfield, The Green, Acomb, Yorks."
In 1899 at Acomb, near York a Francis Wilson Skilbeck married a Fanny Jane Parker Alice.
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PRIVATE THOMAS GEORGE WALKER
SERVICE NUMBER: 33038. UNIT: 1/5th Bn West Yorkshire Regiment.
BORN: Tockwith. ENLISTED: Tockwith. RESIDENCE: Bilton.
GAVE HIS LIFE: 09/10/1917. AGED:
LOCAL MEMORIAL: None.
CEMETERY: Tyne Cot Memorial. PANEL: 42 to 47. and 162.
Although not remembered on the memorial according to records Thomas was a resident of Bilton when he enlisted and so i have placed him in this section.
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PRIVATE THOMAS BARNES.
SERVICE NUMBER: 15001. UNIT: 9th Bn West Yorkshire Regiment.
BORN: Bickerton. ENLISTED: Wetherby
GAVE HIS LIFE: 09/08/1915. AGED: 31.
CEMETERY: Helles Memorial. PANEL: 47 to 51.
LOCAL MEMORIAL: St Helens Church Bilton.
CWGC States:
"Son of Thomas and Kate Barnes, of Bickerton, Wetherby, Yorks."
Son of Thomas Born Bickerton 1833) and Catherine Moran Born York 1853 they married in 1875.
YORKSHIRE EVENING POST LEEDS SEPTEMBER 4th 1915
"News recieved of death of Pvt Thomas Barnes of Bickerton near Wetherby.
Barnes aged about 30years of age was previousley emploued at Ingmanthorpe as a painter."
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PRIVATE WILLIAM BARNES.
SERVICE NUMBER: 525190. UNIT: 7th Bn British Columbia Regiment Canadian Regiment.
BORN: Bickerton. ENLISTED: Canada. RESIDENCE: Canada.
GAVE HIS LIFE: 02/09/1918. AGED: 41.
LOCAL MEMORIAL: St Helens Church Bilton.
CWGC States:
"Son of George and Mary Barnes, of Bickerton, Wetherby, Yorks, England.
Husband of Maud Louisa Barnes, of Trail, British Columbia."
Son of George Born Bickerton 1838 and Mary Morley Born Copmanthorpe nr York 1839 who married at Copmanthorpe in 1861.
William had a brother George Born Bickerton 1872 and sisters Annie S. Born 1869 Elizabeth Born 1870 Eliza Born 1874 and Maria Born 1876 all born in Bickerton.
William was living and working in York in 1901 as a Railway Porter and emigrated to Canada after this date.
He joined up in Victoria British Columbia on the 24th February 1917, William gave his birthday as 21st November 1876 and was married to Maud Louisa his profession was as a smelterman.
His religion was Church of England.
At his medical on the 07th March 1917 William was described as being 5ft 7 1/2 inches tall with a dark complexion, brown eyes and greyish brown eyes.
GRAVE: A.17.
CEMETERY: Upton Wood Cemetery,Hendecourt-Les-Cagnicourt.
(Notice the mist to the left of the picture above the grave stones.
It was a clear overcast day when the picture was taken and there was nothing to deflect onto the lens !)
In the background is Upton Wood where the Canadians attacked from.
William lost his life attacking the Germans who were situated on the ridge at the front of the wood you can see in the above picture.
To the rear of the cemetery where the picture is taken from is Upton Wood which today still bears the scars of battle including trenches.
There is a danger sign as you approach the wood due to the explosives still in the ground.
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PRIVATE GEORGE PRECIOUS.
SERVICE NUMBER: 32/439. REGIMENT: Northumberland Fusiliers.
BORN: ENLISTED: Harrogate. RESIDENCE:
GAVE HIS LIFE: 08/11/1916. AGED:
CEMETERY: Thiepval Memorial. PANEL: 10B 11B AND 12B
LOCAL MEMORIAL: St Helens Church Bilton.
