Blackmore: Remembering ... Bertie Millbank

Bertie Millbank, a victim of the First World War, was the subject of an earlier blog entry (http://blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/2008/12/blackmore-notes-and-queries-1-bertie.html). Our correspondent in Paris, Joe Ryan, has been in contact again. Thanks.

Received
13 January 2010

Andrew

I promised you photos of the grave when I, finally, got a digital camera. Well, it happened and here are the photos.

I show the grave itself, plus its "context". 8th Commonwealth grave along from the left. You'll see how close it is to "La Grande Arche" in the Défense business district. Basically, its a large civil & military cemetery with offices all round.

I took photos yesterday lunchtime.

Regards,

Joe


Replied
17 January 2010

Dear Joe

Thank you for your kindness in sending over photographs of Bertie Millbank’s grave. I am, with others, trying to establish of definitive list of men from Blackmore (either born or resident in the parish) who died in the First World War. Interest in the village has been rekindled by plans by the Parish Council to clean and restore the War Memorial on The Green. Bertie Millbank’s name does not appear on the Memorial because he was not resident here during the time of the Great War. There are no proposals to add his name either because our group’s recommendation to councillors would be to restore the monument to its former glory and not tinker with history. I am proposing publication of all our findings on the Internet (extending the coverage already on http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/). Bertie Millbank will be one of the first pages to be completed and will include your photographs. Thank you.

I visited the Essex Record Office yesterday in a quest to establish proven links of those names found and their association with Blackmore in Essex. So I can now tell you (hot off the press!) that Bertie Millbank was indeed born in Blackmore.

He was baptised on 13th February 1887 (born 13/1/1887), according to Blackmore’s Baptism Register. His parents were William, a labourer, and Emma [ERO D/P 266/1/11].

In the 1891 census we find the family living at Hay Green, Blackmore.
William. Head. 39. Agricultural Labourer
Emma. Wife. 40.
Arthur. Son. 18. Agricultural Labourer
Frederick. Son. 16. Agricultural Labourer
William. Son. 14. Agricultural Labourer
Herbert. Son. 12. Agricultural Labourer
Walter. Son. 10. Scholar
Ernest. Son. 8. Scholar
Bertie. Son. 4. Scholar
Eliza Clare. Daughter. 2
Harry. Son. 4mo.

His name also appears in the ‘Sunday School Admission Register’ as Bertie Millbank. No age is recorded other than ‘7yrs’ [ERO D/P 266/28].

Many thanks for your interest in this Essex man. If I find any more information I will pass it on.

Regards

Andrew