The first World War began 28th July 1914 and ended 11th November 1918. More than 9 million combatants and 7 million civilians died.
Opened by the Prince of Wales in June 1923, The Hall of Memory was built to commemorate the 12,320 Birmingham citizens who died and the 35,000 who were wounded in the First World War. Inside is the First World War and Second World War Roll of Honour.
The battle on land was played out in trench warfare and poison gas became one of the most-feared and best-remembered horrors of the war. Tanks were first used in combat by the British in 1916, with only partial success. However, their effectiveness would grow as the war progressed.
At sea Britain began a naval blockade of Germany. The strategy proved effective, cutting off vital military and civilian supplies. German U-boats attempted to cut the supply lines between North America and Britain.The nature of submarine warfare meant that attacks often came without warning, giving the crews of the merchant ships little hope of survival.
In the skies Germany employed zeppelins for reconnaissance over the North Sea and Baltic and also for bombing raids over England and the Eastern Front.
In 1909 it was decided buildings at the University of Birmingham were to be used as a 520- bed hospital, should war mobilisation ever be needed. The first convoy of 120 casualties arrived on September 1st 1914. In October 1915 annexes were created in nearby schools. To avoid confusion with the area of Selly Oak, Selly Park annex was renamed as the Stirchley annexe. It had 225 beds, with tented accommodation in the gardens for a further 320 each.
As soon as troops were deployed overseas, Cadbury began producing ‘chocolate for the troops’. These gifts were distributed throughout the the war and in total 20,000 parcels were sent to the front, and to those who were wounded and recovering at home or in hospital. Each box was packaged up with the message, ‘a present to our friends at the front, from the workpeople at Cadbury’s Bournville’. Many of these workers would have been local women, required to join the work force as men were conscripted. During this time, Cadbury had disbanded their bar on the employment of married women, meaning wives, daughters and mothers of Stirchley fighting men may have played a part.
Conscription resulted in the calling up of nearly every physically fit man in Britain – six of ten million eligible. Of these, about 750,000 lost their lives and 1,700,000 were wounded. Of those soldiers that did return many suffered shell shock and even more kept silent about their experiences. Most deaths were to young unmarried men; however, 160,000 wives lost husbands and 300,000 children lost fathers.
Below are the names and addresses of Stirchley men who fell in the Great War:
J IRVING Son of Thomas and Alice Irving, of 1620, Breedon Hill, Stirchley, Birmingham.
LEONARD GEORGE CHISWELL Son of Joseph and Phoebe Ellen Chiswell, of 45, Ribblesdale Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
SIDNEY GEORGE JONES Son of Thomas Henry and Mary Ann Jones, of Bournville, Birmingham; husband of Elsie Violet Jones, of 14, Victoria Road, Stirchley, Birmingham.
FORRESTER GREEN Father of Eveline Violet Green, of 1228, Pershore Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
ARTHUR THOMAS Son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas, of 237, Cartland Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
HORACE WILLIAMS Son of C. and K. Williams, of 1319, Pershore Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
JOHN ROBERTS Husband of Martha Roberts, of 43, Victoria Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
WILLIAM WESLEY EDWARDS Son of Job and Florence Edwards, of 10, Ash Tree Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
BERNARD HAROLD PITCHER Son of Thomas and Ruth Pitcher, of 70, Charlotte Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham. His brother Carl Rudolph also fell.
THEODORE HEMMING Son of Mr. and Mrs. T. Hemming, of 22, Warren Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
HOWARD SILVANAS HAROLD HUGHES Son of Hugh Thomas and Ellen Hughes, of 2, Newland Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
CYRIL HARRY JOHNSON Husband of Mrs. C. M. Johnson, of 62, Beilly Rd., Fordhouse Lane, Stirchley, Birmingham.
ARTHUR JOHN DAFFIN Son of William and Amelia Elizabeth Daffin, of 3, Dorset Cottages, Ashtra Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
SYDNEY TWINE Son of Josiah and Amelia Twine, of Birmingham; husband of Laura Twine, of 1, Newlands Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
ARTHUR JAMES FRANKS Son of James Franks, of Stoke Heath, Bromsgrove, Worcs.; husband of Lily Maud Franks, of 9, Norton Terrace, Warren Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
BRAITHET EUSTACE SIVITER Son of Thomas and Beatrice Siviter, of 41, Lea House Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
A ARCULUS Son of Thomas and Ellen Arculus; husband of Frances Eliza Arculus, of 45, Bond St., Stirchley, Birmingham.
CHARLES HENRY BANKS Son of Mr. and Mrs. Hry. Banks, of Pershore Rd. South, Stirchley, Birmingham; husband of Mabel E. Banks, of 8, Second Avenue, Selly Park, Birmingham.
JOHN WINZER HUTT Son of John Jephcott Hutt and Sarah Ann Hutt, of 42, Maryvale Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
C ELDER Son of Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Elder, of 21, Dog Pool Lane, Stirchley, Birmingham.
PHILIP GOODRICK GENDERS Son of Samuel and Annie Genders, of 239, Ford House Lane, Stirchley, Birmingham. Native of Northfield, Birmingham.
STUART McKENZIE BLOOMFIELD Son of Thomas and Clementina Bloomfield, of 49, Bournville Lane, Stirchley, Birmingham.
FRANK HENRY TAYLOR Son of Francis and Susan Emily Taylor, of 119, Pershore Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham. Born at Bromsgrove, Worcs.
WILLIAM HENRY WESTON Son of George Weston, of 35, Windsor Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham. Born at King’s Norton, Worcs.
HARRY BARR Son of Benjamin and Mary Ann Barr, of Birmingham; husband of Ethel Elizabeth Barr, of 80, Newlands Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
GEORGE DAVIS Son of Mrs. Maria Davis, of 21, Regent St., Stirchley, Birmingham. Native of Bearley, Stratford-on-Avon.
ALBERT HERBERT MIDDLETON Son of Albert and Alice Middleton, of 1555, Pershore Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
C E DERRINGTON Son of Mrs. Fanny Derrington, Back of 1324, Pershore Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
J C H V MALLETT Son of George and Louisa Mallett, of Tavistock; husband of Eliza Mallett, of 38, Oxford St., Stirchley, Birmingham.
CYRIL FINLAY KITCHEN Son of Edward and Rosina Kitchen, of go, Brent Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham. Born at Leafield, Witney, Oxon.
CHARLES JESSE DAVIS WELLS Son of the late Charles and Emma Wells; husband of Ruth Wells, of 50, Twyning Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham. Born at Cheltenham.
F CARTER Son of the late John and Susannaha Carter, of Hawkridge, Berkshire; husband of Elsie Carter, of 173, Cartland Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
JAMES BOLSTRIDGE Husband of Emily Bolstridge, of 42, Ripple Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
WILLIAM TULK Son of Arthur and Liza Tulk; husband of Edith Annie Dale (formerly Tulk), of 2, Ashbrook Grove, Stirchley, Birmingham. Born at Yardley.
WALTER WARD Son of Herbert and Martha Ward, of 25, Rowheath Rd., Cotteridge, King’s Norton, Birmingham; husband of F. E. Ward, of 2, Plymouth Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
HARRY PALMER Son of Charlotte Palmer, of 10, Regent St., Stirchley, Birmingham.
H STANTON Son of Albert and Rose Stanton, of 45, Windsor Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham. Born at Selly Park, Birmingham.
JAMES DAVIS Son of William and Maria Davis, of 21, Regent St., Stirchley, Birmingham.
L QUIGLEY Son of Thomas and Louisa Quigley, of 72, Charlotte Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
ALBERT EDWARD BUDD Son of Mr. and Mrs. Budd, of 116, Umberslade Rd., Selly Oak, Birmingham; husband of Gertrude A. Budd, of 50, Mary Vale Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
JOHN HAROLD DOWNING Son of John H. and Clara Downing, of 305, High St., Stirchley, Birmingham.
ERNEST HANDSCOMB Son of Ernest C. Handscomb and Nellie Handscomb, of 50, Ribblesdale Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham. Native of Birmingham.
S STEPHENS Husband of Catherine Stephens, of 1079, Pershore Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
WILLIAM QUIGLEY Son of Thomas and Louisa Quigley, of 72, Charlotte Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
FREDRICK A. BOX Son of Jesse and Rosina A. Box, of 59, Dogpool Lane, Stirchley, Birmingham. Native of Ladywood, Birmingham.
F PULLIN Son of Alfred and Harriet Pullin, of King’s Heath; husband of Gertrude Pullin, of 21, Bond St., Stirchley, Birmingham.
A SODEN Son of Mrs. E. Soden, of 78, Oxford St., Stirchley, Birmingham, and the late Mr. Soden.
FREDERICK WILLIAM WELLS Son of Mr. T. D. Wells, of 5, Norton Terrace, Warren Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
DOUGLAS NOEL EUGENE MASON Son of Abishai and Elizabeth Mason, of 1322, Pershore Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
JOSEPH ARTHUR RICHARDS Son of James and Anne Richards, of 45, Cartland Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham. Native of Shustoke. Birmingham.
CARL RUDOLPH PITCHER Son of Thomas and Ruth Pitcher, of 70, Charlotte Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
DANIEL WESTON BOULTON Husband of Mary S. Godding (formerly Boulton), of 51, Windsor Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham. Native of Lechlade, Glos.
ARTHUR WALDRON PROVERBS Son of Thomas and Harriet Jane Proverbs, of 28, Oxford St., Stirchley, Birmingham.
FREDERICK THOMAS HUTCHINS Son of Thomas Hutchins; husband of Caroline Hutchins, of 54, Twyning Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham. Born at Reigate, Surrey.
W RICH Son of Sydney and Annie Rich; husband of Ethel Rich, of 2, Victoria Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
W T ATKINS Son of William and Clara Atkins, of 8, Lea House Road, Stirchley, Birmingham.
HAROLD FREDERICK GOUGH Husband of Lily Gough, of 48, Newlands Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
JOSEPH BAMFORD Son of Mrs. Elizabeth Carrington, of 30, Bewdley Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
MARK BOLSTRIDGE Son of Samuel and Clara Bolstridge, of 42, Ripple Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
THOMAS HENRY BALLER Son of Henry Baller, of 69, Leahouse Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham; husband of Florrie Pritchard (formerly Baller), of 15, Laurel Rd., Cotteridge, King’s Norton, Birmingham.
WALTER WATSON Son of Elizabeth Watson, of Dog Pool Mills, Ten Acres, Birmingham, and the late William Watson; husband of May Watson, of 5, Twyning Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
WILLIAM HENRY BAGLEY HOBBS Son of Mrs. L. Hobbs, of 85, Dog Pool Lane, Stirchley, Birmingham.
FRANCIS HENRY HARTLES Son of John and Ellen Hartles, of Warrens Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham; husband of Margaret Fountain (formerly Hartles), 91, Pontefract Rd., Barnsley, Yorks.
THOMAS RICHARD JEYNES Son of Thomas and Elizabeth Jeynes, of 3, Ivy Rd., Stirchley; husband of Alice Jeynes, of 9, Ivy Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
THOMAS PAYNE Son of the late Thomas and Jane Payne, of Woodgate, Quinton, Birmingham; husband of Lucy Florence Payne, of 30, Twyning Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
JAMES WILLIAM ROSE Son of William and Caroline Rose, of 1161, Pershore Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
THOMAS REYNOLDS Son of Mrs. Sarah Ann Reynolds, of 80, Windsor Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
ALFRED WILLIAM ERNEST SMITH Son of Mrs. R. E. Smith, of 242, Fordhouse Lane, Stirchley, Birmingham.
ELI NASH Son of Eli and Elizabeth Nash, of 55, Bournville Lane, Stirchley, Birmingham.
H P PITTAWAY Son of Mrs. Stoker (formerly Pittaway), of 21, Hunts Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
CYRIL SMITH Son of John and Rosina Smith, of 37, Twyning Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
GEORGE PERCY BOX Son of Jesse and Rose Box, of 54, Dogpool Lane, Stirchley, Birmingham; husband of Lily Box, of 57, Queen St., Sparkbrook, Birmingham.
HENRY ALFRED GOODMAN Son of Mrs. Goodman, of 9, Ivy Rd., Stirchley, Birmingham.
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Thank you for taking time to post the fallen list. It is nice to see them remembered. I am the great great niece of Leonard and William Quigley of 72 Charlotte road .Their brother Thomas my great grandfather was the only boy left to continue their family line. I have visited both in France and will make sure my children visit and remember them. Leonard was a Cadbury worker, but William had left for Australia and so he fought with the Anzacs. We are very proud of both of them and all who took part .
i knew mrs jones of victoria road.as i lived at 25,victoria rd.nice old lady she was.
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