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Disillusioned Postcard Message - WW1

Mayfield

Mayfield

Burbury Brummie
I was at a car boot sale yesterday in Coleshill and came across this postcard addressed to Mr T Hill, c/o Mrs A Yates, 289 Farm Street, Hockley. It wasn't the design of the card that attracted my interest, it was the message....

The message on the reverse is dated the 9th September 1914 and presents a very poignant yet somewhat disillusioned opinion of what was to happen? The message sent from Woolwich are states:

"Dear Tom, just a line to thank you for papers and tell you I have not gone yet but I am standing in readiness and may move any hour. We are not allowed out of barracks. I see some good news today and I do not think the war will last much longer" Dick Yates

This little message has inspired my need to find out what ever happened to Dick, can anyone please help?
 
brillient find mabz..it sounds like dick yates was getting ready to go into battle in that horried war...i wonder if he survived it would be great if someone on the forum could maybe try and find out...i think his first name may have been richard as i believe dick is short for that name...

thanks for posting the card mabz...
lyn
 
Great find Keith I had a look at the CWG site but could not find him although some records have no details. He may have survived the war. It makes it difficult as Yates and Hill are such common names.
 
I wish that I had purchased all of the postcards now as there were many addressed to 289 Farm Street?

I know that this might seem crazy as Dick is not related to me at all, but I am really concerned as to his well being???? :(

I do have another postcard addressed to Dick as W R Yates, so Richard may have been his middle name? Would it be possible for someone to find out his age etc from 1911 cencus under 289 Farm Street?

Lynn - do you have a map showing where 289 Farm street was located? Mabz
 
mabz i dont have a map showing 289 farm st so i will ask mike under the maps section... will check the 1911 cenus and if i find him i will im you as we are not allowed to post 1911 cenus info...

lyn
 
Richard Yates is described as a shopkeeper in the 1915 Kellys. He was not there is 1913, though there was a Richard Yates , fancy repository at 17 Jamaica Row, who was not there in 1915, or 1912. There is no richard yates business listed in 1912. In 1921 richard J Yates is at 289 Farm St.
Ancestry have not yet indexed the Birmingham area, so cannot get any yates from that in 1911
 
Thanks Mike - it is strange how an insignificant postcard can initiate so much research. That's what I love about this forum. Mabz
 
No 289 is shown in red below.
Richard John Yates , and Alice Edith Yates, are shown on the electoral roll at that address 1920-1927. the house disappears from the roll in 1930, and is not listed in the 1932 kellys.
so , if the richard is richard John (and not a son), then he survived the war.
Lyn
I don't think you are correct that no information from the1911 census can be put on the forum, only images from it, as the information is in the public domain and cannot itself be copyright.
Mike

map_c_1905_Farm_st_no_289.jpg
 
Only one I can find on 1911 census; 21 Barker Street, Aston.

Richard John Yates head 51 Bury Lancs
Mary Yates wife 54 Gornal Satffs
Emily Yates dau 29 Bury Lancs
Edith Yates dau 27 Bury Lancs
Walter son 25 Radcliffe Lancs
Maud dau 20 B'Ham
Richard son 22 B'Ham

so there was a richard Yates and he was of an age to serve in the army. The plot thickens. lol.

I'll have a look for Richard Yates now.

Barrie
 
Richard is listed in kellys at 21 Barker St (private address) in 1908- 1913, but has gone in 1915. He is not in kellys in 1905
 
Mabz, the card is great, like lindyloo I think it's Mr not a W, which would fit his name being Richard, shortened to Dick more.
Hope someone can turn up some info about him, would be lovely to find out.
Sue
 
Thanks for everyones help on this and I think that you are right Sue/Lindy

It is becoming a quest now..... As he sent the card from the Woolwich Barracks I am assuming that he was with the Royal Artillery? I may be wrong? I have looked on the war graves site but the information is limited.

As the card was addressed to Mr T Hill c/o Mrs A Yates - I wonder if that was his friend or may be a lodger? This is becoming an obsession with me, I need to get a life......:redface: Mabz
 
I am sorry that I could not be of help but I have enjoyed reading through this thread and what an interesting find Keith?.
 
Mazb. May be of interest,

Richard john Yates married Alice E Hill, 1910 Birmingham.

Tom Hill,a relative?
 
Last edited:
I think this might be Richard in 1911. He has his name as John R in the Name column, but has signed it Richard John Yates at the bottom.

John R Yates, 31, married 1 year, 1 Child living, Cycle Polisher, Cycle Works, b. Birmingham
Alice E Yates, 31, married, Press Worker, cabinet Works, b. Birmingham
Alice E Yates, 1 month, b. Birmingham
They were living at 61 back 2 House (61 Court 2 House on address page) New John St West,

There is a death for R J Yates in 1939.

I thought I had found Alice's family in 1901(father samuel, mother annie) with Tom as her brother (Alice Ellen Hill) but having gone through to Tom's war record, Alice was still unmarried at the time of Tom's marriage in Nov 1910, so that didnt fit, so I will look again
 
I think this might be his brief history
1881 living with parents Richard and Mary A Yates, 26 Newtown Row, age 1.
1891, father Richard was a Widower. they lived at 9 Manchester Street..siblings Elizabeth, Mary A, Kate, Eliza, John, William H and Laura M.
1901, living with his sister Eliza and Brother in law, John H Burbidge, 60 Clifford Street.
 
If Lindyloo is correct, this Richard Yates is my great uncle, my grandmother was Catherine Anne Yates shown as Kate on the 1891 census, and all the other people named and the addresses brelong to my family. Richard John Yates was born c1879 was he a bit old 35 years old to be in the first wave of soldiers in 1914. I will be very interested if more information can be found to confirm this is my great uncle.
 
On the absent voters list there is a John Yates of House 7 Court 59 New John St West. 46017 Pte 10th Essex Regt.

He is on the 1918 and 1919 voters lists.

Barrie.
 
He enlisted 10th Jan 1916. his medal card says he got the Victory Medal and the British Medal. on his card he is shown as J Yates.

Barrie.
 
sylviasayers said:
If Lindyloo is correct, this Richard Yates is my great uncle, my grandmother was Catherine Anne Yates shown as Kate on the 1891 census, and all the other people named and the addresses brelong to my family. Richard John Yates was born c1879 was he a bit old 35 years old to be in the first wave of soldiers in 1914. I will be very interested if more information can be found to confirm this is my great uncle.
Click to expand...

Sylvia - I would be more than happy to forward you both of these post cards if there is a family link? Mabz
 
I have found a John Yates on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission who was the son of Albert and Clara Yates, of 78, Hatchett St., Birmingham; husband of Elizabeth Florence Greatorex (formerly Yates), of 37, Court, 2, House, Bridge St. West, Birmingham.

He was a private of "B" Coy. 1st/5th Bn. Royal Warwickshire Regimentdied and was killed at the Somme, date of death 17/07/1916.

If this wasn't Dick, I wonder if they was related? mabz
 
The part where he writes that he heard the good news that the war may soon be over is sad as it was still only 1914, so many young men rushed to join up with crowds waving flags outside the barracks, they couldn't wait to get in the action only for it to turn out to be four years of absolute hell with a huge majority not surviving.
It was to be the last of the wars where men were ordered to actually climb out of the trenches & run into certain death in front oft the German machine guns, if you refused you would be branded a coward & shot by your own officers. My Grandad was a medic who had to rescue the wounded under fire & I remember him telling me it was complete carnage & as they were mown down some of the Germans could be seen visibly upset that they had no choice but to shoot or risk being shot themselves by their own officers. Sadly it was not the war to end all wars either.
 
mikejee said:
Richard is listed in kellys at 21 Barker St (private address) in 1908- 1913, but has gone in 1915. He is not in kellys in 1905
Click to expand...
I think this Richard moved to 104 Little Green Lane with wife Florence (nee Green) who he married in 1917 (info from WW1 Service Record)
 
izzy eckerslike said:
The part where he writes that he heard the good news that the war may soon be over is sad as it was still only 1914, so many young men rushed to join up with crowds waving flags outside the barracks, they couldn't wait to get in the action only for it to turn out to be four years of absolute hell with a huge majority not surviving.
It was to be the last of the wars where men were ordered to actually climb out of the trenches & run into certain death in front oft the German machine guns, if you refused you would be branded a coward & shot by your own officers. My Grandad was a medic who had to rescue the wounded under fire & I remember him telling me it was complete carnage & as they were mown down some of the Germans could be seen visibly upset that they had no choice but to shoot or risk being shot themselves by their own officers. Sadly it was not the war to end all wars either.
Click to expand...

Extremely sad but true izzy
 
Mayfield, I appreciate your kind offer to let me have the postcards, but first we have to establish if this Richard is my great uncle. I have looked through my notes and find he was baptised on lst February 1880 at Bishop Ryder's Church. Full name Richard John Yates, parents Richard and Mary Ann nee Birch. Ray said was it was so early in 1914 he was probably already an ex-serviceman, and would have been an Old Contemptible. I wonder if there is any way of checking lists of the Old Contemptibles anywhere. I remember my mother talking about her Uncle Dick, but I haven't any more information I can add at this stage.
 
hi sylvia..oh how wonderful if richard turned out to be your gt uncle...i do hope so and can you keep us informed on developements please..

lyn
 
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