sharing Solihull's local history
The 28th September is British Home Child Day in Canada. This is a day to remember those children sent to Canada from the children’s homes and charities in the United Kingdom between 1869 and 1948. Over 100,000 were sent to be indentured farm workers or domestics and we know of 17 British Home Children originally from the Solihull district (births in the Solihull registration district also included places such as Yardley and Acocks Green at the time).
Lieutenant Colonel Rowland John Beech died on 30th August 1919, aged 64, whilst Commander of the Warwickshire Yeomanry. He had served in France with the 36th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery during the First World War but was invalided home in 1918.
Major the Honourable Rupert Leigh died at Stoneleigh Abbey on 14th August 1919, aged 62. He served with the War Office general staff from 1915 until his death, having been a pupil at Sandhurst and a career officer with 15th (King’s) Hussars and the 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards.
Private Ernest Vivian Freeman, Royal Army Medical Corps, aged 22, died at 10pm on 19th July 1919 whilst serving with the 3rd British General Hospital in Iraq. The telgram sent to his mother gave his cause of death as influenza, although entries in his service record first indicated the cause of death as cholera, before stating influenza (acute septicaemic type)
He was born in Olton and baptised at St Margaret’s Church on 20th June 1897.
Private Wilfred Garner died of pneumonia on 28th June 1919 at 250 Highbridge Road, Boldmere, Sutton Coldfield, aged 20. He had served in the Army from 1915 until discharge on 20th March 1919.
Private George Harold Timms Poole, Royal Army Veterinary Corps, died on 27th June 1919 when he accidentally drowned whilst serving with the 4th Cavalry. He is commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial to the Missing. Researchers in Meriden have discovered that he was buried 150 yards south-west of Homs Railway Station, Syria, but the grave must have been lost, hence his commemoration on the Jerusalem Memorial.
On 21st June 1919 a Welcome Home Gala Day was held at Elmdon Park by cycling clubs from across Birmingham and Coventry. Organised by the Cyclists’ Touring Club, the National Cyclists’ Union and the Midland Cyclists’ Association, the event was to welcome home those with a cycling connection who had served in the war.
Driver Alfred Wild , Royal Army Service Corps, died in Nottinghamshire War Hospital, Radcliffe on Trent, on 12th June 1919, aged 29.
On 10th June 1949, Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery (1887-1976), 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, visited Solihull School, inspecting 250 cadets from the school’s Combined Cadet Force (CCF) and having lunch with the Headmaster and 15 senior cadets. “Monty’s” attendance at the school’s annual parade fulfilled a promise made to the school’s Headmaster, Mr Harry Butler Hitchens (1910-1963), ten months’ previously.
Sergeant Edward Arthur Irons, 9th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment (attached to the Supply and Transport Corps) died in India on 6th June 1919. He was the third of three brothers from Castle Bromwich to die as a result of service in the First World War.
Solihull Life 