NEW PROJECT

I thought I would start a new chapter on the Old Whittington one Place study website https://oldwhittingtonops.com/newspaper-reports/

As I was researching the men on the war memorial I was coming across all sorts different newspaper reports concerning Old Whittington. I thought I would try and share a few on here and also on the webpage.

Todays offering is a celebration of the Centenary of the 'Glorious revolution' from the Derbyshire Mercury 2nd October 1788. From the sounds of it quite a big celebration - the cost 1 guinea! Checking the currency convertor website one guinea in 1790 would be the equivalent of £80 now, so the celebrations would only be open to the wealthy of the area!

End of the Research!

I have now finished the task I set myself 18 months ago of filling out the lives of the fallen men on the two memorials, 89 in total, who served in WW1. To make them become more than just a name etched on the memorials. Hopefully you have found the stories interesting and the men have now become real people to everyone who has followed the page. The research has been in turn interesting, sad, thought provoking but ultimately I feel immense pride for what these men did. Ordinary working men who answered the call when the country needed their help.
Unfortunately there are five men I cannot trace. I can find the names but not sufficient enough evidence to connect them with Whittington.
They are:
Norman Dennison
Charles Fearn
William Fisher
John Short
George Sims

I have found a Wilfred Fisher from Johnson Street who won the Military Medal and died on 21.3.18. This may be the correct man and I will post his story on the webpage anyway.

If anyone has any information on these missing men or is descended from them then please get in touch.

All information on the sources used can be found at
https://oldwhittingtonops.com/source-information/

In future I will be updating the page with other information on different aspects of Whittington lives from the past and hope that you will continue to find the information interesting.

FREDERICK MITCHELL

I have just finished researching Fred Mitchell who died 30th May 1918 after serving from the start of the war in 1914.

Fred served with the Royal Engineers Waterways and Railways Troops.  I have to admit I had never heard of these troops before.  It was hard to pin point where in France Fred was serving but he would certainly have been involved in some heavy fighting.

John E GREEN

John Green died at Passchendaele on 12th October 1917, leaving a young wife and baby at Sheepbridge.  His story can be read at https://oldwhittingtonops.com/green-john-e/

He is one of the small number of men who are only remembered on the Brushes memorial.

John SMITH

I have just finished researching John Smith and my research can be read at https://oldwhittingtonops.com/smith-john/

I have to admit when I first read the name I did worry that I wouldn't be able to find the correct man, however, as sometimes happens, John turned out easier to trace than I expected.

I managed to contact a great niece of Johns which helped to confirm I was on the correct path.

Sadly I have not yet found a photo of John Smith, and if there are any other descendants of the Smith family who might have a photo or any other information then please get in touch.

Samuel WAINE

I have just finished researching the life of Samuel Waine. Sam came from Church Street and died on 2nd July 1918.
His story can be read at https://oldwhittingtonops.com/waine-sam/

William Arthur BELFITT

I have just finished researching William Arthur Belfitt and his story can be read at https://oldwhittingtonops.com/belfitt-wm-arthur/

This was a bit of a tricky one with still a few unconfirmed pieces of information. I have never researched a member of the RFC later the RAF and it was quite a learning curve for me, and I found some it very interesting and distracting!

I haven't found a picture of William as yet but will keep looking and if any descendants of the Belfitt family have any photos or information they would like to share then please get in touch.