Wilfrid Lawson Glasgow, death on Hounslow Heath, 1904

[Smilingwillowb]

Thank you, Carole, rosie, Monica and scotmum. Fascinating reading! I found a record of him in the Army during the Boer War -
"Glasgow W L, 1119 Corporal. Paardeberg - Source: DCM recipients.  Royal Army Medical Corps."

The mention of the battle of Paardeberg indicates that he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his actions there.

I've sent a message to St Leonard's Church, asking if they know the location of the grave, but it's possible that he might not have had a gravestone, unless the Royal Army Medical Corps paid for one.

I noticed that William/Wilfrid's father's occupation was a "Temperance Lecturer," presumably one who travelled around, as he was away from home at the time of the 1901 census.

[scotmum]

I noticed that William/Wilfrid's father's occupation was a "Temperance Lecturer," presumably one who travelled around, as he was away from home at the time of the 1901 census.

Samuel's own death certificate used the term Temperance Agent, whilst his wife's noted him as having been a Traveller, so yes, it would seem his occupation likely had involved travelling around.

[scotmum]

William M P Glasgow ('Wilfrid') was born on 11th March 1876 in Belfast - it seems the Rev William Morley Punshon conducted the opening service for Carlisle Memorial Methodist Church in Belfast on 12th May 1876. In one newspaper he was described as

. with possibly single exception, the most popular lecturer in Great Britain   

, so had perhaps been heard by, and left an impression on, Samuel before then, for example at a lecture given by Punshon in the Ulster Hall in 1868, or similar.

[rosie17]

Hopefully they will be able to help with location of burial ..He did have a full military funeral according to the death notice in the Belfast Newsletter

Rosie

[Smilingwillowb]

Out of curiosity, I had a look to see if there was a Wilfrid Lawson who was sufficiently well-known to have his name used for William Morley Punshon Glasgow's new set of forenames, and I found Sir Wilfrid Lawson, a temperance campaigner, and president of the United Kingdom Alliance - "a temperance movement in the United Kingdom founded in 1853 in Manchester to work for the prohibition of the trade in alcohol in the United Kingdom." Did Samuel Glasgow, a temperance agent or lecturer, decide to re-name his son as Wilfrid Lawson after William Morley Punshon had died in April 1881?

[MonicaL]

If there is no stone or it is not confirmed, maybe consider contacting the CWGC? www.cwgc.org/our-work/

Monica

[MonicaL]

Just for additional details on the family, following the death of parents, Wilfrid's sisters Emily and Jane look to be living with married sister Adeliede and her husband www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Clifton/Clifton_Drive/144944/

Florence Alexander Glasgow married a Robert Patterson Shaw in 1903 https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1903/10221/5720617.pdf Widowed by 1911? www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Cromac/Bagot_Street/158365/

Samuel's occupation (from children's birth regs) in the 1870s is showing as Writing Clerk.

Monica

[Smilingwillowb]

If there is no stone or it is not confirmed, maybe consider contacting the CWGC? www.cwgc.org/our-work/

Monica

Unfortunately, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission doesn't look after Boer War soldiers' graves in the UK. On the CWGC website, regarding a cemetery in South Africa, it says "The CWGC is contracted to maintain the Anglo-Boer War graves here on behalf of the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence."

Pre-World War 1 graves of soldiers in the UK get no official support or care, and there's no record of most of them, so I've started to try to compile some sort of database of grave locations, when I can track them down.

[scotmum]

Not all graves recorded or photographed:

https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2304620/st-leonard-churchyard

There is an basic entry for Wilfrid, but as it was added yesterday,  it could be off the back of this thread:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/221322215/wilfrid-lawson-glasgow#source