Joseph Harold England (1894–1945)

Second Lieutenant

Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) 201682 & 4634 1/5th Battalion

Photos courtesy David England

Joseph Harold England in WW1

Joseph England in WW1

Biography
Known as Harold, Joseph Harold England was born in 1894. His mother, Martha, died July 1904, aged forty-six. His father, Samuel, married Mary Ann Haslam in 1906. Joseph attended Crich Council School and Wirksworth Grammar School before working at Lea Mills as a framework knitter and clerk. When he joined the Army in August 1915 he was no longer employed at Lea Mills. Posted to France in August 1916, he was wounded and promoted from the ranks; to Second Lieutenant during March 1918 and to full Lieutenant in September 1919. He married Helen Smith in 1917 and they lived in the Market Place in Crich. Some time after demob, the family settled in the Newcastle-upon- Tyne area, then at Heaton.

Harold and Helen England

Harold with his wife Helen (née Smith) at Beadnell, Northumberland

Marriage Register St Mary's Church
27 April 1917; Joseph Harold England, 23 Clerk serving in HM Forces (son of Samuel England FWK) married Helen Smith 22 (daughter of Arthur Smith deceased butcher).

Medal Roll Index Card
Awarded Victory and British War medals.
Medal rank was Corporal.
To France August 1916
Retired Lt. 18/12/22
Address, The Common, Crich

Photos courtesy David England

Josepg England's WW1 medals

Joseph's medals

Sherwood Foresters archive [Courtesy Cliff Housley, (Regimental Historian, Sherwood Foresters)]
Born at Crich Derbyshire 9.3.1894. Husband of Mrs England of The Market Place, Crich, Derbyshire. educated at Crich Council School and the Grammar School at Wirksworth Derbyshire. He was a frame work knitter and a clerk by trade: enlisted in the ranks Sherwood Foresters 17.8.1915 with numbers 4634 and 201682 and was promoted to Lance Sergeant served with 3/5th and 3/8th Bns: 2nd Lieut. 3/7th (Robin Hood) Battalion The Sherwood Foresters, 27.3.1918: Lieut. 27.9.1919: Disappears Army List April 1922.

Newspaper Report

Derbyshire Courier , 21 October 1916
Corpl H. England, Crich (wounded)

Newspaper photo of Joseph Harold England in WW1

Derbyshire Courier , 29 December 1917
Another Crich soldier to receive commissioned rank is Sergeant Harold England, Sherwood Foresters. He has been over on leave during the holidays. Second Lieutenant England was badly wounded in France over a year ago. Several old Grammar School boys in the parish now have commissions.

His brother William England is also on the Roll of Honour.

CENSUS INFORMATION

1901: Crich

Forename Surname Relationship Age Occupation Where born
Samuel England Head 41 Frame hand hosiery factory Sutton in Ashfield
Martha England wife 42   Crich
William England son 17 Railway office messenger Crich
Louisa England daughter 14 Mender hosiery factory Crich
Susannah England daughter 12   Crich
Essie England daughter 10   Crich
Joseph H England son 7   Crich

RG13 piece 3231 folio 43 page 5

1911: Crich

Forename Surname Relationship Age Occupation Where born
Samuel England Head 57 Hosiery frame worker Sutton in Ashfield
Mary Ann England wife 59   Crich
Ernest Haslam step son 29 Navvy on waterworks Crich
William E Haslam step son 26 Hosiery finisher Crich
Essie England daughter 20 Hosiery seamer Crich
Joseph H England son 17 Hosiery warehouse entry clerk Crich

RG14PN20984 RG78PN1251 RD436 SD4 ED13 SN183

1918 Voters List, Crich
Joseph Harold England, Archway; absent on military service.

1939 Register: Addycourt Terrace, Newcastle on Tyne
Joseph H England b.9 March 1894; estimating clerk, 2nd Lieut Sherwood Foresters
Helen England b.28 September 1894
Thomas S England b.15 September 1917, research worker in physics scientific research
one closed record