This is the round-up of news about St Mary’s parishioners from the 26 October 1918 edition of the Batley News. As usual I have put in bold the names of those connected to the parish who served with the military. And, as ever, the spelling and punctuation matches that of the newspaper.
Three parish-linked deaths appeared in the Family Notices:
BATLEY
Gaunt. —October 21, aged 28 years, Harold Gaunt, Naval Hospital, Gosport.
Morley. —October 23, aged 54, Thomas Morley, 15, East Street.
Cairns. —Oct. 24, aged 61, John Cairns, 73, New Street.
There was more about the death of Harold Gaunt:
Batley Rag Merchant Dies in a Naval Hospital
Deck-Hand Harold Gaunt (28), H.M. Motor Launch Section, son of Mr. W. P. Gaunt, retired rag merchant of Devon Street, off Caledonia Rd, Batley, has died in Haslar Hospital, Gosport, from pneumonia following influenza. He was an old boy of Park Road School and attended Zion Chapel, and Sunday School. Before joining the forces he lived with his sister at 152, Grange Road, Soothill, and he was in business on his own account as a rag merchant in Bar Street, Batley. His brother, Private James H. Gaunt (22), M.G.C., is serving in Italy.
The newspaper piece makes no reference to a link to St. Mary’s. But the fact his funeral service was a Catholic one conducted by Father Lea, that he is commemorated on St Mary’s War Memorial, and he is listed in the names of Catholics connected with the parish submitted by Fr. Lea to the Batley War Memorial committee, indicates he had converted to Catholicism.
The final piece relates to a child’s inquest. The piece incorrectly names him as Willie Rowan. It should read Michael Rowan. Willie was the name of his dad. I have copied the piece as published, minus my name correction.
Sudden Death from Influenza
An inquest was held this morning on Willie Rowan (5), whose mother lives at 16, Peel Street, Batley. The child, who was the son of a soldier in France, complained of feeling unwell after school on Wednesday, and as he did not improve, a doctor was sent for on Thursday afternoon, but the boy died before one could attend. Dr. J. H. Woods having made a post mortem examination, ascribed the death to pneumonia following influenza, and the Coroner returned a verdict accordingly.
This week’s newspaper reports of two influenza-related parish deaths was no coincidence. The country was in the grip of the second wave of the Spanish Flu Pandemic.
Past To Present Genealogy 