Author Topic: Private Peter Black  (Read 6997 times)

Offline MonicaL

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Re: Private Peter Black
« Reply #9 on: Monday 27 August 12 19:48 BST (UK) »
Adding as background to Private Peter Black...

The memorial's design was entrusted to Edinburgh architect Sir Robert Lorimer. He decided Black was 'unsuitable for a Roll of Honour' and claimed a number of bereaved parents had refused to submit the names of their sons for commemoration if he was included.

It was a lie. Mr Van Emden said: 'There was vociferous objection and the townsfolk threatened to wreck the memorial.' It was no idle threat, as two former soldiers, with the unlikely names of John Spark and James Squib, stole explosives from a local quarry and warned they would blow up the cenotaph if the demands of the community were ignored.

Everyone in the town had known and liked the gentle Black, who suffered from a mild mental illness.

Spark said later that Black should never have been sent to the Front.

In fact, the 'deserter' fought at the battles of Neuve Chapelle, Aubers Ridge and Loos before he disappeared on the eve of the Somme.

In a letter to the local paper, one bereaved mother wrote: 'If his name is omitted, then they may as well leave my laddie's off, too.'

A public meeting in the town in May 1922 was attended by 300 people, whose campaign forced the memorial committee to resign.

When the memorial was unveiled four months later, it bore the name of Black, whose body lies in the Trois Arbres Cemetery in the French town of Steenwerck. He was eventually pardoned in 2006.

Mr Van Emden said: 'The dispute between those in public office and former servicemen was never better illustrated.'
Census information Crown Copyright, www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline Cramond Brig

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Re: Private Peter Black
« Reply #10 on: Monday 27 August 12 23:44 BST (UK) »
Thank you, Monica and ev.

Alistair

Offline gc01

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Re: Private Peter Black
« Reply #11 on: Monday 06 May 13 16:59 BST (UK) »
Hi,

Peter Black was my Great Great Uncle, my grandmother who passed away did a television interview regarding him when they were trying to get him a pardon (he was her uncle).

I will help you with any questions any way I can.

Offline Cramond Brig

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Re: Private Peter Black
« Reply #12 on: Monday 06 May 13 17:10 BST (UK) »
Peter Black was my Great Great Uncle, my grandmother who passed away did a television interview regarding him when they were trying to get him a pardon (he was her uncle).

I will help you with any questions any way I can.

Thanks for responding. If you could start by confirming who his parents were, his father's occupation and their address. When Peter was born, where he was educated and his employment before enlisting. And really any other information that will fill out the story.

There seemed to be a lot of support for him and a feeling that a great injustice had been done.

I look forward to hearing from you.


Offline MonicaL

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Re: Private Peter Black
« Reply #13 on: Monday 06 May 13 18:42 BST (UK) »
Hi gc01 and Alistair

gc01,welcome to RootsChat  :)

Alistair, I was watching the 'uplifting' Sunday "The Village" on BBC, and because of your work here on RC on these young men, the minute 'Joe' didn't show up back at barracks...I knew what was going to happen  :'( I thought of you with your work of trying to archive their real lives and details....

Monica
Census information Crown Copyright, www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline Cramond Brig

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Re: Private Peter Black
« Reply #14 on: Monday 06 May 13 19:06 BST (UK) »
Alistair, I was watching the 'uplifting' Sunday "The Village" on BBC, and because of your work here on RC on these young men, the minute 'Joe' didn't show up back at barracks...I knew what was going to happen  :'( I thought of you with your work of trying to archive their real lives and details....

Monica

Hi Monica

Some of the real life stories seem more fictional than fiction.

Alistair

Offline MonicaL

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Re: Private Peter Black
« Reply #15 on: Monday 06 May 13 19:18 BST (UK) »
I am sure they are....that is what is so sad about it all.

Monica
Census information Crown Copyright, www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline IMBER

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Re: Private Peter Black
« Reply #16 on: Tuesday 07 May 13 10:03 BST (UK) »
Truly sad. Lest We Forget.

Imber
Skewis (Wales and Scotland), Ayers (Maidenhead, Berkshire), Hildreth (Berkshire)

Offline DennyDescendant

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Re: Private Peter Black
« Reply #17 on: Thursday 30 January 14 15:17 GMT (UK) »
Peter Black was my Great Great Uncle, my grandmother who passed away did a television interview regarding him when they were trying to get him a pardon (he was her uncle).

I will help you with any questions any way I can.

Thanks for responding. If you could start by confirming who his parents were, his father's occupation and their address. When Peter was born, where he was educated and his employment before enlisting. And really any other information that will fill out the story.

There seemed to be a lot of support for him and a feeling that a great injustice had been done.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Did you get this info Cramond Brig?

There's quite a bit about Blacks story in the Newport & Wormit War Memorial book, nothing on his family oddly.

A look at the 1911 census shows the only Peter Black of about the right age in Fife in 1911 resided at Newport on Tay aged 16, he was born in St Andrews and was still at school.

His family were all born in different parts of Fife, his mother Mary aged 46 born at Kemback, two younger brothers Andrew 12 and James 7 born in St Andrews and Flisk.
His father was on another page so didn't see his info.
Black - Whitburn, Shotts, Airdrie
Robertson - Kilsyth, Denny, Govan
Russell - Lanarkshire
Hynd - Shotts
Miller - Fossoway & Tullibole
McGibbon - Argyleshire
Johnston - Kilarrow, Argyll
Garrett - Middlesex, London, Glasgow
Brown - Rothesay
Simpson - Leslie, Fife