Gunner W GREEN - Isandlwana Survivor

Posts : 305 Join date : 2011-10-18 Location : Cornwall

I think I may have found the grave of Isandlwana survivor William Green (N/5 RA) in Sheffield, and wondered if anyone had any more information on him?

I came across a post from 2004 on Rootsweb by a Brian Green whose gt gt grandfather was William Green, survivor of Isandlwana; Brian had tracked the family down to Sheffield on the 1901 Census with the following info:

William Green Aged 56 born Tewkesbury, Glos., Machine Labourer
Rosetta Green (wife) Aged 51 born Newent, Glos.
Albert Green (son) Aged 20 born Natal, South Africa, Armour Plate Driller
Frederick Green (son) Aged 15 born Colchester, Essex, Twiners Apprentice Engineering.

Brian mentions that William completed 29 years' service with the army before settling in Sheffield.

I had a look on the Sheffield Indexers website & found the following three people buried in grave 48 Section H1 of Burngreave Cemetery:

William Green, Aged 61, died 145 Upwell St, buried Dec 31 1904
Rosetta Green, Aged 62, widow, died 101 Wincobank Rd, buried Oct 12 1912
Thomas Charles Green, Aged 24 days, son of A Green (Albert, above?) died 54 Bardwell Rd, buried Jun 28 1915.

Although William's age is a couple of years out from the census, everything else seems to fit (no gravestone to them at Burngreave).

Regards,

Tim

Posts : 2871 Join date : 2010-06-02

Hi Tim

Here is some additional inf. on William Green.

First the 1901 census that you mention.
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Also the 1891 census which shows William as a Gunner at the Shoeburyness School of Gunnery.
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His marriage to Rosetta in 1871, shown as a soldier.
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The birth of their first son George in 1876 in Woolwich (note the 1891 census says Natal). William shown as Gunner 24th Brigade RA.
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No proof yet that the death in Sheffield is our man but it looks very likely. I will do some more digging.

Steve

Posts : 2871 Join date : 2010-06-02

Bingo! We now have his service papers. Attested for the 29th Regiment in 1863 and transferred to RA. See "Present at Isandhlwana 22/1/79".
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Steve

Posts : 2871 Join date : 2010-06-02

Tim
I think the following proves that you have found William's resting place.

Albert and Alice Mary Green in 1911 census.
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Marriage of Albert Green and Alice Mary Aston in Sheffield April quarter 1907
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Birth of their son Thomas Charles Green in 1915 (mothers maiden name Aston) and his death age 0 in 1915.
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He is buried in the same grave as William.

Steve

Subject: Re: Gunner W GREEN - Isandlwana Survivor Sun Sep 20, 2015 8:58 pm

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Gunner William Green in the graves section (photo courtesy of Dave Yates, Friends of Burngreave Cemetery).
By Tim Needham.

Posts : 305 Join date : 2011-10-18 Location : Cornwall

Steve,

Many thanks for your help with this, it looks good then that this is indeed him.

By coincidence, there is a memorial in the same cemetery to Private James Llewellyn 24th Regt, killed at Isandlwana.

https://www.1879zuluwar.com/t6894-pte-j-llewellyn-g-coy-2nd-btn-24th-2nd-warwickshire-regiment-killed-in-action-at-isandlwana-memorial-inscription-shef?highlight=Llewellyn

Regards,

Tim

Posts : 2871 Join date : 2010-06-02

Just to complete the picture, William's youngest son Frederick also joined the RA and was serving at Shoeburyness in 1911 as a Bombardier. I wonder if he survived the Great War?

Steve

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