WALTER BATEMAN see more here
(Great Uncle) Walter Bateman 1884 - 1949 was the eldest son of Christopher and Mary Ann Bateman (nee Palmer) and was born in his grandparents house, George and Mary Bateman (nee Barnard) in Holme Lane, Holme Pierrepont. At the age of 7, he and his family moved out some 5 miles to the village of East Bridgford. Following his time at school (and probably out of term time too), Walter regularly worked for his father in the Blacksmith's shop. In 1902 and for a few years afterwards, the village's parish magazine mentions Walter's involvement in the community and his successes in the village's annual Feast Week sporting activities.
Just before his 21st birthday, in 1905, Walter marries 19 year old sweetheart Linda Hallam from the nearby village of Cropwell Bishop. They are married in the Wesleyan Chapel in Bingham. Walter and Linda have three children; Leslie (b 1907), Kathleen (b 1911) and Ethel (b 1914).
All this time Walter and his family are continuing to live in East Bridgford and in the 1911 census, although still working as a Shoeing and General Smithy, he is now working freelance. At this time it is thought that Walter and his family are living above the East Bridgford bicycle repair shop in Main Street.
Following his 30th birthday, and the outbreak of WW1 in August 1914, Walter signs his Short Service Attestation Papers on 12 December 1914 in Woolwich and joins the Army's Service Corps, where, because of his trade as a Shoeing Smithy, he is appointed as a Private (Farrier) earning an extra 5 shillings a day! Early days in the Army were not without incident and Walter was fined twice, firstly for an unauthorised late pass (probably to visit the local public house) which cost him 3 days pay and secondly, somewhat leniently perhaps, 7 days pay for losing his rifle!
On 15 January 1915 (and with his rifle) he is posted to France but within the year, on 6 November 1915, is re-posted to Salonika, Greece where he remains until after the end of the war and his repatriation on 3 March 1919.
British troops were sent to the Salonika Front to help the Serbs but because of a complex relationship with Greece they ended up facing the Bulgarians. Salonika mirrored the Western Front with its extensive trench system and whilst there were big battles fought here too, especially in the final phase of operations in 1918, the greatest threat to the soldiers was from disease, especially malaria. On his discharge, Walter is awarded an army pension - 8 shillings a week - until March 1921 for his 20% disability due to malaria. For his brave service to the country in France & the Mediterranean, Walter is given the 1914/15 Star and the British War & Victory Medals.
Demobbed and back home to the family Walter gets into village life again. As well as resuming his work as a Smithy he takes an interest in the bicycle repair business. The village's parish magazine once again mentions him as captain of the 1920 village football team (at 36!), his success in the Feast Week Horticultural Show and in June 1920, he is listed and thanked alongside other villagers for their financial contribution to the completion and raising of the WW1 monument in East Bridgford's, St Peter's Churchyard.
As the 1930's arrive Walter's father Christopher is nearly 70 years old and would have likely been thinking of passing the business on to him. Whilst Walter would still have helped out he had his own business interests so it was brother George who in the end supported their Father. Eventually, and the reason cannot be found, Walter gave up his self-employment and moved to Kirkby-in-Ashfield where it appears he took work as a Blacksmith at the nearby Annersley Colliery.
As reported by the East Bridgford Parish Magazine, Walter died suddenly at his home in Nuncargate on 31 January 1949, aged 64.
Just before his 21st birthday, in 1905, Walter marries 19 year old sweetheart Linda Hallam from the nearby village of Cropwell Bishop. They are married in the Wesleyan Chapel in Bingham. Walter and Linda have three children; Leslie (b 1907), Kathleen (b 1911) and Ethel (b 1914).
All this time Walter and his family are continuing to live in East Bridgford and in the 1911 census, although still working as a Shoeing and General Smithy, he is now working freelance. At this time it is thought that Walter and his family are living above the East Bridgford bicycle repair shop in Main Street.
Following his 30th birthday, and the outbreak of WW1 in August 1914, Walter signs his Short Service Attestation Papers on 12 December 1914 in Woolwich and joins the Army's Service Corps, where, because of his trade as a Shoeing Smithy, he is appointed as a Private (Farrier) earning an extra 5 shillings a day! Early days in the Army were not without incident and Walter was fined twice, firstly for an unauthorised late pass (probably to visit the local public house) which cost him 3 days pay and secondly, somewhat leniently perhaps, 7 days pay for losing his rifle!
On 15 January 1915 (and with his rifle) he is posted to France but within the year, on 6 November 1915, is re-posted to Salonika, Greece where he remains until after the end of the war and his repatriation on 3 March 1919.
British troops were sent to the Salonika Front to help the Serbs but because of a complex relationship with Greece they ended up facing the Bulgarians. Salonika mirrored the Western Front with its extensive trench system and whilst there were big battles fought here too, especially in the final phase of operations in 1918, the greatest threat to the soldiers was from disease, especially malaria. On his discharge, Walter is awarded an army pension - 8 shillings a week - until March 1921 for his 20% disability due to malaria. For his brave service to the country in France & the Mediterranean, Walter is given the 1914/15 Star and the British War & Victory Medals.
Demobbed and back home to the family Walter gets into village life again. As well as resuming his work as a Smithy he takes an interest in the bicycle repair business. The village's parish magazine once again mentions him as captain of the 1920 village football team (at 36!), his success in the Feast Week Horticultural Show and in June 1920, he is listed and thanked alongside other villagers for their financial contribution to the completion and raising of the WW1 monument in East Bridgford's, St Peter's Churchyard.
As the 1930's arrive Walter's father Christopher is nearly 70 years old and would have likely been thinking of passing the business on to him. Whilst Walter would still have helped out he had his own business interests so it was brother George who in the end supported their Father. Eventually, and the reason cannot be found, Walter gave up his self-employment and moved to Kirkby-in-Ashfield where it appears he took work as a Blacksmith at the nearby Annersley Colliery.
As reported by the East Bridgford Parish Magazine, Walter died suddenly at his home in Nuncargate on 31 January 1949, aged 64.