CRICH PARISH

Crich, Fritchley, Whatstandwell, Bullbridge, Crich Carr, Coddington, Wheatcroft, Wakebridge

Ernest Gregory (1894–1918) ✞

Private

Photo courtesy Beatrice Phillips

 

Biography
Ernest was born in Matlock in 1894 and worked as a cab driver. His brother Ezra was also killed in the war, and is on the Matlock Roll of Honour.

In a Derbyshire Times newspaper report dated 16 June 1917, reporting his brother Ezra's death, it stated that Ernest was with the Transport Section in Ireland. It also noted that there were five Gregory brothers who were with the Colours: Ezra (South Staffs), Joseph Thomas (Terench Mortar Battery), Ernest (Transport Section) , William (South Staffs) and Charles Wilfred (Territorial Reserve).

Ernest was killed on 1st October 1918 and is buried at Anneux British Cemetery.

Ernest Gregory married Beatrice Murden in the March quarter of 1915 in the Belper reigistration district and lived at Crich Carr. They had two daughters: Doris (b.1915) and Connie (b.1916).

Ernest with wife Beatrice and daughters Doris and Connie taken in 1917

On a seat at Coddington overlooking the valley towards Holloway (one of the most beautiful views in England) is this plaque –

Photo courtesy Peter Patilla

The J.G. is believed to be John Gough, the E.G. is believed to be Ernest Gregory both of whom areon the Roll of Honour.

Newspaper Report

Belper News 15 June 1934
CRICH CARR RESIDENT
FUNERAL OF MRS B GREGORY
The funeral took place on Saturday, at Crich Parish Churchyard, of Mrs Beatrice Gregory (40) of Crich Carr, widow of Mr Ernest Gregory who was killed in the war.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Soldiers' Effects Book
Ernest Gregory; 1/5th Bn Royal Scots Fusiliers; Private 201342; killed in action France 1.10.18; War Gratuity £14; paid out to:
3.4.19 widow Beatrice£10 18s 11d
6.5.19 widow Beatrice £21 17s 8d for children

Crich Front Lines memorial event
The following song by Martyn Offord was sung, to the tune "The Trees they Grow so High", at the November 2014 Crich Front Lines memorial event in the Glebe Field Centre in honour of John Gough and Ernest Gregory. The words imagins John and Ernest dreaming of this view in their last terrible moments from the seat bearing their initials overlooking the wonderful view from Coddington.

From the bench at Coddington

They sat upon a wooden bench and viewed the scene all round,
The sun was sat upon the hills and the mist upon the ground,
Blue shadows spread along the scarp where the woods were still and brown,
            And the two sat side by side remembering.

John Gough he watched the sheep below, his eyes were glazed and wide;
In the dressing camp of the Seventh Corps I lay and quietly cried,
Cried for this place as I drifted off that night in May I died.
            And the two sat side by side remembering.

On the Bocquoy Road there were no dales, no lambs, no cottage fires,
Just stumps of trees like splintered teeth, craters and tangled wires,
A churned up plain of endless mud stretched to Arras’s ruined spires,
            And the two sat side by side remembering.

There’s a canal as well where I was killed, Ernest Gregory softly said
Where our heavy guns pounded the Huns until they up and fled
And the Ozzies charged through rain and fog and the waters ran blood red
            And the two sat side by side remembering.

The victory ours by Bellenglise through shell holes, slime and rain,
Down muddy slopes through sap and lane we had him on the run,
But we went too far, our flank exposed, and ran into his guns
            And the two sat side by side remembering.

They sat upon the wooden bench and the trees were all in bud,
This was the scene they dreamed about as their eyes filled up with blood,
Blue shadows spread along the scarp where they lay face down in the mud
            And the two sat side by side remembering

CENSUS INFORMATION

1901: Matlock Bank

Forename	Surname	Relationship	Age	Occupation	Where born
Ezra	Gregory	Head	43	Cab driver	Sheffield
Charlotte	Gregory	wife	45		Bonsall
Mary L	Gregory	daughter	19		Darley
Ezra	Gregory	son	15		Darley
Annie	Gregory	daughter	13		Darley
Willie	Gregory	son	11		Darley
Tom	Gregory	son	9		Matlock
Ernest	Gregory	son	6		Matlock
Charles	Gregory	son	2		Matlock

RG13 piece 3266 folio 100 page 35

1911: Limetree Road, Matlock

Forename	Surname	Relationship	Age	Occupation	Where born
Ezra	Gregory	Head	53	General labourer	Sheffield
Charlotte	Gregory	wife	55		Matlock
Ezra	Gregory	son	25	General labourer	Darley
Annie	Gregory	daughter	23	General servant domestic	Darley
William	Gregory	son	21	Shoeing Smith	Darley
Thomas	Gregory	son	19	Mill Hand	Darley
Ernest	Gregory	son	16	Cab driver	Matlock
Charles	Gregory	son	12	School	Matlock

RG14PN21208 RG78PN1262 RD439 SD2 ED10 SN13

1918 Crich voters
Ernest Gregory, Crich Carr; absent on military service.

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