Thomas's Story.
EARLY LIFE
Thomas Heapy Hulme was born in Macclesfield in 1896, the son of Sarah Jane Hulme, a cotton weaver. In 1901, four-year-old Thomas was living at 58 Buxton Road with his widowed grandmother Sarah A Hulme, aunt Harriet Ann and uncle John Charles Dean, mother, and eleven-year-old sister Lily. Thomas was baptised at St Paul's Church on 6 July 1904.
By 1911 Thomas and his mother had moved house and were boarders at 75 Bank Street, Macclesfield living with Thomas Heapy, a silk dyer. Like his mother, Thomas was employed as a cotton weaver.
MILITARY SERVICE
Thomas joined the local 7th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment in December 1914 and served in Egypt, transferring with the battalion to France in 1918.
The death of Private Thomas Hulme was reported in the Macclesfield Times on 1 November 1918:
PRIVATE THOMAS HULME, Cheshire Regt, son of Mrs Hulme, 75 Bank Street, Macclesfield, was killed on October 15 in France. Twenty-two years of age, Pte Hulme enlisted in December 1914 in the Territorials and was drafted to Egypt. He was transferred to France a few months ago. Pte Hulme was educated at St Paul's School, and attended St Peter's Sunday School and Church. He was a member of St Peter's boy scouts. Before enlistment he was employed at the Lower Heys Mill. Pte Hulme was a friend of Corporal Jepson who has also fallen on the battlefield.
COMMEMORATION
Private Thomas Hulme is buried in Grave Ref. XX. D. 9. in the Hooge Crater Cemetery at Ypres, Belgium. His mother asked for the inscription “WE MISS HIM MOST / WHO LOVED HIM BEST / FONDLY REMEMBERED / BY HIS MOTHER” to be added to his headstone.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission holds casualty details for Private Thomas Hulme, and he is listed on the Imperial War Museum’s Lives of the First World War website.
In Macclesfield, Private Thomas Hulme is commemorated on the Park Green, Town Hall, St Michael's Church and St Peter’s Church war memorials.
SOURCES
GRO (England & Wales) Index: Births
Cheshire Parish Baptism Registers: St Paul’s Church, Macclesfield
Census (England & Wales): 1901, 1911
Lives of the First World War website
Commonwealth War Graves Commission website
Macclesfield Times: 1 and 22 November 1918
Research by Rosie Rowley, Congleton.