The plaque found on Platform 1 is dedicated to the staff of the Midland Railway St Mary’s Goods Depot who lost their lives in WWI. The plaque was formerly located in the weighbridge office (otherwise known as St Mary’s Wharf or St Mary’s Goods Yard), and was re-situated during later station redevelopments. Why platform 1? Well, there’s a lot of blank wall and not too much by way of decoration.
I really love finding little plaques like this in unsuspecting places – not only does it add interest to my day, but ensures that these memorials constantly get new eyes on them. Every remembrance day, the plaque is decorated with new poppy wreaths, commemorating the sacrifices made by the railway’s former employees.
While there’s little information online about the plaque or the wider histories of these workers, I thought I would choose a few names at random and see if the Commonwealth War Graves Commission could fill in a few gaps.
Albert Bernard Andrews
Private Albert Bernard Andrews died aged 32 on 19th October 1917. He had signed up to the Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) 16th battalion on 28th April 1915 and was killed in action in Belgium.
He had been buried temporarily and was disinterred in 1919 with a view to re-interring him in a ‘proper’ war cemetery.[1]Identified by his disc, he was re-buried in Perth China Wall Cemetery, Zillebeke with many of his comrades (1428 identified casualties).[2]
On the 1911 census, he was recorded (aged 24) as living with his widowed mother Mary, and his older brother Arthur (31). His mother was working as a housekeeper, his brother a waggon lifter and he was a railway porter. Another brother, John W, had moved on by this point.
***
Francis William Blythe
Francis Blythe was born in Derby to John and Mary Blythe, and he grew up with a younger brother, Ernest George. As a child, he worked as an Errand Boy and was just 18 when the war began. He joined the Seaforth Highlanders (8th Battalion) He was killed in action on 22nd August 1917 and does not appear to have a grave.
Therefore, I would presume that it was not possible to recover any of Francis’ remains, and he is commemorated by name at Derby Station and at Tyne Cot Memorial, Tyne Cot Cemetery in Tynecotstraat in Belgium.
***
Simeon Percival Fereday
Simeon was a Railway Wagon Repairer before the war. His father, Simeon, was an engine fitter, while his other siblings worked in similar repair fields (bicycles, boots etc), while the youngest few remained in school.
Simeon joined the Derbyshire Yeomanry and survived until the last year of the conflict, when he died of pneumonia on 20th January 1919, aged 29. He was buried in Mikra British Cemetery, Kalamaria, Greece.
***
Francis Hugo Pinkerton
Francis was born around 1898 to Charles and Elizabeth Pinkerton, who were living ‘off their own means’ at 11 Long Street, Repton in the 1911 census. Like Francis Blythe, he also joined the Seaforth Highlanders and joined up as soon as he could.
Francis died of wounds sustained in battle on 19th November 1916, aged just 19 and is buried in Wimereux Communal Cemetery in France.[3] He is also commemorated on a war memorial and family memorial found within St Wystan’s Churchyard, Repton.
The kerbstones remember the short lives of two young brothers:
West kerb: In Loving Memory of
North kerb: GEORGE EDWARD PINKERTON, WHO DIED AUG. 20. 1911, AGED 19 YEARS.
East kerb: ALSO FRANCIS HUGO
South kerb: HIS BROTHER, DIED OF WOUNDS IN FRANCE NOV. 19. 1916, AGED 19 YEARS. (INTERRED AT WIMERAUX.)
George died just before war broke out, otherwise he too would have been called up to fight alongside his brother. Regardless of timing, the death of two brothers was an enormous loss to the family.
While these are just a few short names on a small memorial for an enormous conflict, |I can’t help but feel that its through little moments like this that we can truly remember the sacrifices and lives cut short in world conflicts. With every year that passes, The Great War moves out of living memory, lessons still need to be learned and lives need to be remembered. And if that can be done with a few extra minutes at platform 1, then I’m all for it.
***
Liked this post? Then why not join the Patreon clubhouse? From as little as £1 a month, you’ll get access to tonnes of exclusive content and a huge archive of articles, videos and podcasts!
Pop on over, support my work, have a chat and let me show you my skulls…www.patreon.com/burialsandbeyond
Liked this and want to buy me a coffee?
To tip me £3 and help me out with hosting, click the link below!
https://ko-fi.com/burialsandbeyond
***
[1] https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/102923/albert-bernard-andrews/
Burials & Beyond 
Leave a comment