Henry "Harry" Falgate (1897-1916)
South Moor coal miner enlisted in the Northumberland Fusiliers and was lost at the Somme
Harry Falgate was born on 21 February 1897. His mother was Mary Ann Falgate (1877-1926). She was unmarried at the time of his birth. She went on to marry William Temperley in 1907, with whom she had seven children. However, throughout his life Harry remained living with his grandparents. They were Samuel Falgate (1844), a coal miner originally from Norfolk, and Henrietta Falgate (1857) from Bishop Middleham.
Harry was born in Chilton but by the time of the 1901 census he was living at 41 Poplar Street, South Moor. He was part of his grandparents family which included six of their own children, the youngest of whom was only three years older than Harry. At the 1911 census he was living with them in at 12 Muriel Street and he was employed as a pony driver in a local coal mine.
Harry enlisted in the Northumberland Fusiliers in July 1915 when he was 18 years old. He served as private 19/1467 in the 19th battalion. He landed in France on 29 January 1916 and his battalion was initially posted east of St Omer, Pas-de-Calais. He is listed killed in action on 11 July 1916 on the Somme. Actions that day included an attack where Contalmaison was won and held against counter-attacks and attacks that resulted in taking parts of Mametz and Trones Woods.
His savings and war gratuity, totaling just over £7, were paid to his grandmother Henrietta.
Harry Falgate was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his service. He is honoured on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing and locally on two memorials in South Moor. He was 19 years old when he died.
South Moor Heritage Trail website, Poplar Street:
http://www.southmoorheritage.org.uk/the-soldiers-poplar-street/
Civil Parish: South Moor
Birth date: 21-Feb-1897
Death date: 11-Jul-1916
Armed force/civilian: Army
Residence: Chilton (1897, birthplace)
41 Poplar Street, South Moor (1901, census)
12 Muriel Street, South Moor (1911, census)
Employment: Coal miner – driver (1911, census)
Family: Parents: Mary Ann Falgate (1877-1926)
Grandparents: Samuel Falgate (1884), Henrietta Falgate nee Curbeson (1857)
Military service:
19/1467
Private
Northumberland Fusiliers
19th Battalion
Medal(s): Victory Medal
British War Medal
Memorial(s): Thiepval Memorial Pier and Face 10B, 11B and 12B
Crucifix and plaques 1914-18, St George’s Church, South Moor
South Moor Memorial Park 1914-18
Gender: Male
Contributed by David D, Stanley, Co Durham
