TOPIC:

At Clitheroe Cemetery, Lancashire.

William Alder, died 20.11.1876.
Sarah Ann Alder, died 20.1.1916
William George, son of the above,
who died June 7th 1900,
at Bloemfontein, South Africa,
aged 23 years.

Although the inscription gives his name as William George, it was registered at birth as George William; however, he seems to have been known as William.



The local Ambulance corps has again been called upon to send another member for active service and to this the society responded, sending off Mr. W. Alder, Pendle Road, last night, when there was a further display of patriotic enthusiasm. The members met at the Town Hall to make the departing member a presentation, when there was a large number present.

Supt. Dawson, in calling upon Mr. L. King-Wilkinson to make the presentation said Mr. Alder was the eleventh man they had been called upon to send to the war in which we are now engaged. He thought Clitheroe had got the best average according to population, of any corps in the whole of England. Independent of that, all the men they had sent out were first-grade, having gained certificates in first-aid and nursing. Mr. L. King-Wilkinson, in handing Mr. Alder his complete outfit, together with a sum of £2 10s. in money, said he was sure Mr. Alder was going to make a worthy eleventh man to join the ten who had already gone out. All the men they had sent out were good men and true and men of which the Ambulance corps and the town might be very proud.

The Clitheroe Times, Friday 23rd March 1900


Private G. W. Alder (814), of the St. John's Ambulance Brigade, one of the Clitheroe contingent, is reported as lying dangerously ill at Bloemfontein.

Burnley Express, Saturday 9th June 1900

It is our painfully solemn duty this week to observe the death of Private W. Alder, formerly of Pendle Road, who in the noble work of succouring the sick has given up his life. Private Alder was a member of the Clitheroe Branch of the St. John Ambulance Corps, and on the officials asking for an increased army medical corps he willingly offered his services and left the town on March 22nd. Arriving in South Africa he was at once despatched to the hospital at Bloemfontein, and here he has been exerting his energies tending to the sick and wounded until the 7th inst., when he fell a victim to the dreadful enteric fever. The deceased young man was 22 years of age, and by trade was a weaver. He was the brother to the late Mr. Fred Alder, who was secretary to the local Socialist Club, and the deceased young man being also of socialistic tendencies, and in principle opposed to the war, his resolve to volunteer was all the more creditable to him. He leaves a widowed mother and sister.

After having been held in suspense for several days, Mrs. Alder on Wednesday received a telegram from the war office stating that her son, Private G. W. Alder, died of enteric fever on June 7th.

The Clitheroe Times, Friday 15th June 1900

Bloemfontein-President Brand Cemetery

Thanks, Elmarie, very interesting list of names on the memorial. I assume that "Windle J." should be Tom Windle, also of Clitheroe, who died at Bloemfontein, and who also has his name on his family's gravestone in Clitheroe Cemetery.

"Thomber" should, I think, be William Holgate Thornber, of Burnley, also died at Bloemfontein.

Yes you are quite right about the names Berenice. It is indeed Private W.H. Thornber [450] and Private T. Windle [693] - St John Ambulance Brigade