Person

Henderson Dent was the son of John and Elizabeth Dent of Zetland Street, Darlington.

In 1891 his father was a locomotive engine fitter in Darlington.

In 1911 Henderson was an iron moulder at the rolling mills. The 1911 census records that he was married, but his wife is not living at the same address. According to his army service record, he was a widower by the time he attested in 1915. His army service record also states that he married Louisa Halifax in 1904 in Lincoln and that they had three children: Edward (Halifax), born 1902; Herbert, born 1906; and Stella, born 1911. All of the children were born in Lincoln and it appears that Edward was born some time before the couple married. Henderson’s army service file contains correspondence from his mother about the children. It seems that Herbert was looked after by Elizabeth Dent, while the other two children were looked after by their other grandmother, Mrs Uffendell of 34 The Park, Lincoln. One of the letters from Elizabeth claims that Louisa was a widow when she married Henderson, but later corrects this assertion in a further letter which states that Louisa was, in fact, a spinster. It may have been that Louisa had co-habitated with a man named Halifax and had adopted his name in order to retain the appearance of respectability.

He joined the 15th Durham Light Infantry (DLI) in October 1914.

Henderson received a gun shot wound to the right arm on 26 January 1916. He was initially treated by 64th Field Ambulance. He was transferred to the 2nd Casualty Clearing Station near Armentieres where his arm was amputated. He died of wounds on 27 January 1916 at 12.05 am. He was 36 years old, and is buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, France.

John William, Henderson’s nephew, enlisted with 2nd DLI as a bandsman at the age of 14 (North Road, Darlington Methodist Church, book of remembrance).
See North East War Memorial’s Project:
http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=6979

Civil Parish: Darlington

Birth date: 1880

Death date: 27-Jan-1916

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: 14 Zetland Street, Darlington (1911 census and army service record)

Employment: Iron moulder at rolling mills (1911 census)
labourer (army service record)

Family: Parents: John Dent, Elizabeth Dent
Siblings: Frederick Dent, May Dent, John William Dent (1911 census) Annie J Tarn, Elizabeth Waite (army service record)
Wife: Louisa Halifax (married 1904 in Lincoln)
Children: Edward Halifax, Herbert Dent, Stella Dent (Army service record)

Military service:

23241
Private
17th Battalion Durham Light Infantry
Transferred to 15th Battalion Durham Light Infantry, 29 January 1915
Attested at Newcastle: 3 January 1915
Disembarked France: 9 October 1915

Medal(s): 1914-15 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal

Memorial(s): Saint Mary’s Church, Staindrop, plaque
Saint Mary’s Church, Staindrop, book of remembrance
Albert Road School, Darlington, roll of honour (now at Darlington Public Library)
Darlington Roll of Honour, Darlington Library

Gender: Male

Contributed by StaindropWW1, Staindrop