Walter Gilman ELLERKER was born on this date in 1891. A little under two years later, his brother Herbert appeared. The boys were baptised together at the Ebenezer on Walter’s second birthday. On census night 1911. Herbert was one of 24 draper’s assistants boarding at an establishment in Hull, training for employment at Hammonds department store. His older brother was with their parents at home in Union Street, Filey – above the family grocer’s shop where Walter worked as an assistant.

When the war began, Herbert was already a “territorial” and was called to join the 1^st/4^th East Yorkshire Regiment. In early October 1915, he died at an advanced dressing station in Armentieres.

Dan Eaton tells us that Walter was less keen to fight. He was conscripted into the 16^th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers and sent to France. He died on 30 November 1917 from wounds received in the Third Battle of Passchendaele and, it seems, from further injuries sustained at the casualty clearance station. Dan Eaton tells the story…

[Walter’s father received a letter from a chaplain at the front]

I sent you a letter on November 30^th to tell you your son was wounded. I am very sorry to tell you that he passed away that same night, at 9.30pm. He wished me to say “Slightly wounded but getting on well. Don’t worry, I am being treated well.” This was in the morning and no further message was given. It is particularly hard lines that he and a few others should be wounded at the casualty clearing station [Author’s note: this would presumably be an artillery bombardment] in xxxxxx [censored place name]. We laid his body to rest in Mendingheim (sic) Military Cemetery.

CWGC: Herbert, Walter Gilman

Castle ROSS had no say in his baptism in the Anglican Church of Filey St Oswald’s but as an adult, he chose to be a Primitive Methodist minister. He has so far married only once on the Shared Tree, possibly because his second wife was airbrushed out of the family history. I tried to make some sense of the episode a while ago, with limited success. See The Two Husbands of Hannah Welburn.

William WHITTLE and Marian Rachael JENKINSON appear at least twice on the Shared Tree and have several duplicate IDs. William’s early death and Marian’s second marriage add to the burden of work for anyone wanting to make this couple presentable. A curious note on FG&C suggests the effort will be worthwhile. Kath writes (in full) –

1861; with mother, brother & grandparents in Muston. I am absolutely convinced that her grandfather was involved in a rescue off Newfoundland when he received a silver casket. I am also curious as to why an area of sea is called Whittle Bay?? Too much of a coincidence and aunt married a Whittles as well!!

1871; Marian & William lodgers in New Road Deptford London

1881; a widow with daughter Marian G Whittle aged 5yrs in Bradford & housekeeper for John Reddie an agent for magnetic appliances – (Compass or barometers perhaps?)  at 41 Horton Lane, Horton Bradford.

1891; with mother, stepfather entered as John Readie, not Reddy/Reddie, half-brother, Grandmother Marian entered as Mary Jenkinson in Spring Gardens, Bradford.

1901; widowed again. with son John in Bradford. She was an agent for magnetic balls? They lived at 3 Spring Gardens Bradford.

(Marian’s grandfather, “Captain William” is descended from the “first Filey Jenkinson”- William who married Mary CAPPLEMAN at Hornsea on 3 May 1748. See Chart E1 page 459 if you have Irene Allen and Andrew Todd’s book  Filey: Fishing Faith and Family Since 1800.)

John WILLIAMSON drowned in the Baltic Sea.

Maggie HETHERINGTON is remembered on the RYMER family stone which fell on its back in Filey churchyard some time ago.

The four children she had with James Porteus Rymer have not been put on the Shared Tree yet. Among them is Minnie Porteus Rymer (AP 1642 · marriage · 26 September) whose namesake aunt outlived her (AP 1402 · burial · 18 August).

Maggie’s husband wrote “Porteus” on his 1911 census form and if that was good enough for him…

The Rymer and Hetherington pedigrees are chalk and cheese. Go beyond Maggie’s Minto and Ogle families and enjoy the Shared Tree byways to Attila, the 70^th King of the Huns and beyond.  

Beach 179 · Filey Sands