Re: Locating the Grave of Thomas Barber

[JNMU]

Hi,

I am trying to locate the grave of my Great Great Grandfather Thomas Barber (born about 1856), in the hamlet of Wilson, Leics and lived at No 45 Castle Street, Melbourne, South Derbyshire, (which I believe is now a Dental Surgery). I think he died between 1916 to 1918. He was a Market Gardener's Labourer, (married to Sarah, born at Breedon) and had 10 children. Two of his children, Archibald and Harold served as Pte's in the North Staffordshire Regiment and were both killed in action during WW1 and are remembered on the Melbourne War Memorial and at Arras in France.

I will be visiting Melbourne next month and would dearly like to pay my respects and see where at least three generations of my family came from, my Great Grandad John and my Grandad, John Henry Barber).

I also plan for a second visit on Remembrance Sunday this year to lay a wreath, in memory of my two Great Uncles, Archie and Harold.

Kind Regards

Jeremy Upton

[saddles]

There is a Thomas & Sarah buried at Dore, Christ Church, Derbyshire:
Sarah aged 66 in 1915 and a Thomas aged 53 in 1904, maybe worth
considering it is them!

[JNMU]

Hi,
Thank you for your post. Both my Great Great Grandparents were listed on the 1911 census, so I don't think it is them. On the 1911 Census, Thomas was listed as being 59 yrs (born 1852 not 1856 as previously stated) and Sarah aged 55, born 1856. I also believe that there was another family of Barber's living in Castle St at the time, more than likely they were related. I suspect I have relations still living in Melbourne and surrounding areas, but have yet to track them down.

[Annette7]

Thomas and Sarah don't seem to be hot on ages as they got older!

From what I can see, Thomas married Sarah Ann King in 1880.   In 1881 (as Tom) he states bc.1859 and in 1871 (with parents Thomas and Emma) he is again shown bc.1859.   Sarah bc.1860 in 1881.

This looks like her death entry:

Sarah A. Barber     bc.1861  died Mar.qtr.1940 Shardlow regn. district

Are you assuming that Thomas died by 1918 because Archibald's CWGC entry just states his mother?   It doesn't necessarily mean his father was dead and there is certainly no death entry for a Thomas Barber 1916-1918 that would fit him.

Archibald may simply have just put his mother as his next of kin, rather than both parents.

The only likely death entry for Thomas (and this based on his average 'given' birthdate on later census i.e. 1856) is this one:

Thomas Barber    bc.1856   died Dec.quarter 1933   Shardlow.

Annette
 

[JNMU]

Hi Annette,

Apologies for the delay in replying. Thank you for your kind assistance and indeed I did make an assumption on Archibald's CWGC entry regarding Thomas which in hindsight was an error on my part. In the meantime I have been looking into my two Great Uncles:

Pte Harold Barber - 202028, 1st/5th Bn., North Staffordshire Regiment who died on 01 July 1917 Age 26

and

Pte Archibald Barber - 47439, 2nd/6th Bn., North Staffordshire Regiment who died on 21 March 1918 Age 29

I have had some information back from a researcher at the Staffordshire museum in Litchfield. Following further research, I have discovered two more Barber's, one of which William, who was also born in Melbourne circa 1891 and was also killed in action during WW1 and coincidentally also lived in Castle Street according to the 1911 Census. William's details are:

Pte William Barber, 330864, 15th Bn., Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) who died on 22 March 1918 Age 27

I am now trying really hard to substantiate if William was one of my ancestors, but struggling to find a connection other than they lived in the same street in Melbourne and share the same surname, (1911 Census). There is also a 4th Barber, (203631, C. Barber) born in Melbourne, who was listed as missing in the Derby Daily Telegraph, 19 Nov 1917 and as wounded the following day in the Derby Daily Telegraph, 20 Nov 1917 edition. It might be that C. Barber survived WW1 as he is not listed in the 81 men who are remembered on the WW1 Melbourne Roll of Honour.

Kind regards

Jeremy