| Archive for nmfhssouthport.myfreeforum.org North Meols (Southport) Family History Society |
| ray green |
VC & Canadian forcesI have given up on Mary Ellen Rimmer for the time being and I have transferred to my paternal grandmother's family. Her father John Shilling married a widow Ann Brennan aged 33 at Salford on 12/9/ 1887. Ann's father was John Bearman and I know that Ann Bearman was born in Southport c1854. John Shilling died at 135 Boundary Street, Southport on 5/10/1905 and the death was registered by J Brennan, stepson who also lived at Boundary Street.you would think with names such as Bearman and Shilling it would be so easy and maybe for someone who knows what they are doing it would be! BTW when I saw John shilling's death cert that was the first I knew that my grandmother had step siblings despite me visiting almost every day as a kid. Why did the old folk play there cards so close to the chest? Are there any Shillings, Bearmans or Brennans with Southport connections who can provide details of Ann bearman's mother (John's wife) or indeed anything else to fill in the gaps. regards Ray Green |
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| Dotty |
HelloI love your avatar, what a splendid looking chap...may I ask who is it?Your family is unique and I'm sure you'll hear something from somebody soon. You've implied that you are new to the family history game. Have you joined the society yet as we have members who do free look-ups. Good hunting... Dotty  
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| bobg |
By 1914/15 the Bearmans & Shillings appeared to have disappered from the Southport area,including Banks & Formby. No one with these surnames are listed in the Seed's Southport & District Directory for those years. However there were four Brennans:
Brennan, Albert, motor driver, 3 Mill St Brennan, Jno., private tutor, 50 Alma Rd Brennan, J., coach ptr., (painter?), 10 Palmerston Rd Brennan John, motorman, 144 Cemetery Rd |
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| ray green |
My avatarSlightly embarrased for using that photo. I was doing some research about George Masters VC, who was a racing cyclist before the FWW, and I came across another VC born in Southport but who emigrated to Canada and won his VC while in the Canandian Army. That's his photo and I guess that explains the "Mounties" style hat. I seem to recall that he returned to lancashire but I can't remember his name.John Brennan of 144 Cemetery Road is definitely the son of Ann Bearman by her first marriage (thanks for that info). A move from Boundary Street to Cemetery Road, is that upwards mobility? just about I guess but at that rate it will be a long time before I find any relatives in Waterloo Road! |
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| SeaCopRimmer |
There is a grave to 'Masters, VC' in St Cuthbert's Churchyard; it is visited frequently by his family - if anybody is interested I can take a picture and get it posted? | ||
| Dotty |
OKThat would be grand seacop...Dotty
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| baxtersp |
I think this is the gravestone you mean
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| SeaCopRimmer |
That's the one - saved me a trip, ta 
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| bobg |
Re: My avatar
Ray, I have a list of all Canadian sevicemen who won the VC in WW1. If I sent it to you by pm do you think you might recognized the name? I warn you in advance that there are 63 of them 
Bob |
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| ray green |
Southport/Canadian war heroI think it is highly unlikely I would remember the name even if I saw it again. I think there is more chance that I could find the website again so I will start Googling. |
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| ray green |
The Other Southport VCArthur Richardson won his VC in 1900 at Wolve Spruit in the Boer War. Below is a little of his story.Arthur Richardson, who was born in Southport, England, on Sept. 23, 1872 was brought up in Liverpool. At age 21 he emigrated to Canada, and after working as a rancher joined the North West Mounted Police. At the outbreak of war he took a leave of absence and joined the Canadian Army. After the war he rejoined the Mounties until ill health forced him to retire. He was made constable of Indian Head, Sask., but poor health forced him to give that up as well. After that he became dependent upon the welfare of the townsfolk. In 1908, Richardson returned to Liverpool. Little is known or was heard of him until the Dec. 16, 1932 issue of the Liverpool Post and Mercury newspaper. In it was a story that described him as the “Shy VC” who worked as a “tramway ganger, cinema attendant and so on, unknown to his relatives (his wife reportedly died in 1910) who believed him to be dead.” Richardson apparently went into seclusion until 1924 when, the newspaper reported: “There was a happy reunion between the long lost VC and his mother and eldest brother.” Richardson later found employment as a foreman with the Edge-lane tram depot. Although he preferred the role of a recluse, ironically a namesake had been impersonating him in Scotland where he was widely feted and honoured wherever he went. The imposter even had the effrontery and gall to attend a garden party for VC holders hosted by the king at Buckingham Palace. His role as a fake went unrevealed until the real Arthur Richardson died in Millroad Hospital, Liverpool, and was buried with full military honours on Dec. 15, 1932. |
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| bobg |
Thanks for that Ray. A most interesting story. | ||
| Dotty |
Errrr....Did it name the imposter? |
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| bobg |
I think it is safe to say the namesake was named Arthur Richardson 
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| Dotty |
?So the imposter's name was really the same and he just pretended he was the famous one?I'm confused....and dotty! 
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| bobg |
It appears that is what happened. | ||
| ray green |
I suspect Arthur Richardson wasn't very famous at all in England as he was living in Canada and in the Canadian army when he won the VC. I wonder how famous George Masters VC was in the town? Was he ever invited to open the Flower Show or judge the "bathing belle" competion at the Open air baths? Probably not. | ||
| Dotty |
Funny you should ask...I know nowt about much but I bet that these heroes were the kind of men who wouldn't want to have attention drawn to themselves. That was prolly why the imposter was able to get away with it because tuther fella was keeping his head down...albeit in another country!Still, it was a good story and thanks for sharing it and promoting a dialogue on the forum...cos that's what it's for. Dotty (feeling full of spring...)     
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| Jane |
I wonder if there is anything in the local papers - but the trouble is when to look? | ||
| bobg |
My guess is that the local papers would not have reported the award of the VC since Arthur Richardson was serving in the Canadian Army and were not aware of the local connection. It also appears that he kept a low profile after his return to the UK and living in Liverpool. However it is possible that after the article in the Dec 16 1932 Liverpool Post & Mercury on his death the Southport papers may have picked up on the story.
This thread started as a casual question on ray green's avatar but now has a life of its own. Has the time come to take it out from the Bearman/Shilling heading and make it a separate topic? Just a thought. |
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| admin |
Hope I've done this right. I moved it into want to chat but left a shadow in the original place. I shall try and do a copy and paste later when I have the time and sort out which posts should be where. | ||
| bobg |
It has ended up where you wanted it to 
The presentation of the VC is another possibility for a newspaper account. Arthur Richardson's regiment was Lord Strathcona's Horse and the following quote is from their website www.strathconas.ca: quote Strathcona's Horse embarked at Cape Town on 20 January 1901 and on 14 February arrived in London where they were met for the first time by their patron, Lord Strathcona. They were accorded a Royal welcome and were presented their medals by King Edward VII personally. The sovereign also presented the Regiment with a King's Colour, an unique honour for mounted units of the British Empire. unquote The same source also gives the citation for the award of the VC On 5 July, 1900 at Wolver Spruit about fifteen miles north of Standerton, a party of Lord Strathcona's Horse, only 38 in number, came into contact and was engaged at close quarters, with a force of 80 of the enemy. When the order to retire was given, Sergeant Richardson rode back under heavy crossfire and picked up Cpl McArthur whose horse had been shot and who was wounded in two places and rode with him out of fire. At the time that this act of gallantry was performed, Sergeant Richardson was within 300 yards of the enemy, and was himself riding a wounded horse. |
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| Jane |
The only problem is if some of the posts are deleted on the original they get deleted on this one to. So sorry but they will have to stay for now. I might be able to sort it over the weekend when I have more time.
As for the local papers - something for me to investigate when I next go into the library |
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| ray green |
Was I right?When I used Arthur Richardson's photo as my avitar I did have concerns that I was being disrespectful to his memory but because he was so handsome in his "mounties" hat I brushed them aside. I feel, on balance, it has turned out rather well as local knowledge of this Southport VC has probably increased tenfold. It is also a reminder of how the Dominions came to our aid in the Boer war (or the second war of independence as the Afrikaners call it). 277 Canadian troops died in the war the majority from disease. |
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| Jane |
I was making notes for the library tomorrow - have to decide what to look for. Anyway I tried Googling George Masters VC and got quite a few references for Richard George Masters - is this the same man or someone else? | ||
| SeaCopRimmer |
I would think it is the same man, Jane; he only died relatively recently and his family visit his grave on a very regular basis. Next time we're at St Cuthbert's I'll take you to see it
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| bobg |
In an earlier post on this topic baxtersp had a picture of George Master's gravestone which gives his full name Richard George Masters. | ||
| Jane |
Ooops 
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