Thomas's Story.
St. Mary’s R.o.H. records one lad named Gatley and he has the initial “T.” (Cheshirebmd records a Thomas Gatley born in the Weaverham District in the year 1898 and a Thomas Gatley born in Northwich in 1885. It is the 1898 lad we are following.)
1911 Census has a Gatley family living off the High St., Weaverham, Henry father is head of the family, aged 42, and a Chemical Labourer at the Alkali Works. He was born in Budworth; Laura, wife aged 39, born W/ham (Nee Shallcross). Children, Elizabeth, Thomas aged 13, Fred and Annie. (Henry and Laura were married at Christ Church, Barton in 1891, Laura was born 1871 Weaverham. Henry died 1953 N/wich and Laura died 1955 Northwich.)
B. M. & Co. “Roll of Honour” records a John Gatley in the post WW1 listings, they do not list a T. Gatley.
N.A.M.C. - records just two lads named Thomas Gatley, one lad with the Cheshire Regiment and one lad with the Royal Field Artillery. After finding Thomas’s family, as detailed below, the family have confirmed that their Thomas Gatley was with the R.F.A.; Royal Field Artillery Reg’t. No 1739, Gunner & Reg’t. No 735875, Gunner. Awarded British and Victory medals. Theatre of War and Date of Entry not addressed. Thomas’s medals carry the Reg’t No 1739.
Freebmd records two marriages in 1926 for lads named Thomas Gatley; The one of interest is the Thomas Gatley/Jessie S. Brown in Northwich, and the births of Doreen Gatley in 1927, Stuart H. Gatley in 1930 Northwich and Clariss M. Gatley in 1932 Northwich. Cheshirebmd records these births in the Weaverham District.
Clariss Beevers and Doreen Butterworth talking about their father, a soldier from WW1, in the Weaverham Historical Society’s booklet “An Oral History,” would appear to be talking about their father Thomas Gatley. A Doreen Gatley married Alfred Butterworth in 1950 at St. Mary’s Weaverham and Clariss Gatley married William Beevers in 1951. I worked with a Tom Beevers at Runcorn, he had family living in Weaverham near the Hanging Gate. Tom lived at Middlewich when we worked together.
Freebmd records the death of a Thomas Gatley in 1985 in Vale Royal. This records his date of birth as 7th March 1898. Cheshirebmd does not record this death.
With a little help from “Drinks and Bites at No 35” in Middlewich Tom Beevers was “found” and he was able to confirm his connection to Thomas Gatley and that his brother is custodian of Thomas’s two medals. Tom said that from discussions with the family in the past they are quite convinced that Thomas enlisted before he was 18 and went on to say that the story the family have is that after being chased around the table for doing such a thing, his father took him round to his local, saying if your old enough to sign up your old enough to have a pint. Tom understands that Thomas dealt with the horses in his regiment, one of which was shot away from underneath him. He also understands that Thomas was gassed and spent sometime in recovery at Dunham Massey before returning to his Regiment. Tom also said that they do have a photograph of Thomas in uniform, the photograph is of two lads Thomas Gatley and a lad named Shallcross. (Laura, mother of Thomas was a Shallcross.)
Met Peter, Tom’s brother and Tom’s mother, Clariss, they very kindly allowed me to borrow Thomas’s medals and his photograph, the photograph included a second lad who they understand was named Shallcross, both in uniform. I have also been allowed to borrow two postcard size photographs, one of Acton Villa football team c1913 and the second of Peace Celebrations 1919.
The WW1 photograph of Thomas with a lad thought to be a Shallcross has been followed up and a William Shallcross is likely to be that lad, one of three brothers who enlisted. William Shallcross had also enlisted with the R.F.A. You have that feeling that the lads enlisted together, Thomas has the Reg’t No 1739 and William has the Reg’t No 1749. Even the secondary numbers that had been allocated to the lads are close, Thomas No 735875 and William No 735884. William will be added to Cheshireroll in due course. The census data suggests both lads would be under age at enlisting.
Research Bob H.