RichardB Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 Well here's a picture to get your researching teeth into. Received via PM, we're the only site with any information about this man; wonder if we can find any more ? --------------------------- Here's the original PM and email from Jcdtrans: Dear RichardB, Not to long ago I came across an art(?) piece which I purchased. It depicts the grave marker of Lieu. Durnan, and my investigation of the piece led to your site. The marker has his name, 14th Battalion York & Lanc. Regiment and his date of death, 16-10-17, which coincides with the date listed on your site. After making numerous and frustrating attempts to send you a picture (sorry, no luck as of yet) I chosen only email. I can be contacted through this site, or preferably at <Email address>. Hope this email gets to you. Richard, Thank you for responding so quickly. As I previously stated I have this piece that I picked up in, of all places, Liberty, Texas. Don't know what it is exactly, believe maybe was done for family of deceased. Have attached a photo of the article as without removing it from frame was unable to scan. Yours was the only site I was able to gain any insight into the work. Is weathered and worn, makes it all that more fascinating. If you have any other clues as to its story would be greatly interested. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardB Posted December 3, 2008 Author Share Posted December 3, 2008 From www.cwgc.org DURNAN, EDWARD Second Lieutenant, Service number not listed, died 16th October 1917, aged 21 The son of Thomas and Charlotte Durnan of Worsboro' House, 43 Grove Road, Millhouses. His father worked for W.S. Laycock Ltd - 1911 - 1925, maybe longer. York and Lancaster Regiment, 14 th Bn. Grave/Memorial Reference I. E. 18. Roclincourt Military Cemetery Roclincourt is a village a little to the east of the road from Arras to Lens. The French troops who held this front before March 1916 made a military cemetery (now removed), on the south-west side of which the present Commonwealth cemetery was made. It was begun by the 51st (Highland) and 34th Divisions in April 1917, and contains many graves of 9 April, the first day of the Battles of Arras. It continued in use, as a front-line cemetery, until October 1918 and after the Armistice graves, mostly from the battlefield north of Roclincourt, were brought into Plot IV, Row F. Roclincourt Military Cemetery contains 916 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, 32 of them unidentified. There are also four German war graves. The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Trefcon Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 They were the original wooden markers before the CWGC standardised the headstones. A lot were brought back to the Uk. I know of a couple around Sheffield but wont say where as they get nicked!! This is what i have on Edward in my files. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Trefcon Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Trefcon Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 Memory fades i'm afraid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Trefcon Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceegee Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 Possible that this is Edward's father and grandparents in the 1881 Census Household Record 1881 British Census Household: Name Relation Marital Status Gender Age Birthplace Occupation Disability William DURNAN Head M Male 50 Barnsley, York, England Linen Black Warp Dresser Hannah DURNAN Wife M Female 45 Barnsley, York, England Thomas DURNAN Son U Male 17 Barnsley, York, England Clerk (Hair Seating Manfr) Annie DURNAN Daur Female 15 Barnsley, York, England Factory Operative (Hair Seating) Katherine DURNAN Daur Female 12 Barnsley, York, England Scholar Owen DURNAN Son Male 10 Barnsley, York, England Scholar Source Information: Dwelling 37 Powell St Census Place Sheffield, York, England Family History Library Film 1342123 Public Records Office Reference RG11 Piece / Folio 4648 / 123 Page Number 52 Powell Street to Grove Road,Millhouses looks like an interesting journey!! Thomas Durnan appears as DurMan in the 1901 Census - 37 years old with Edward DurMan as a 4 year old juvenile, residing in Nether Hallam PS What is a "Hair Seating Manfr" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Trefcon Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 Ceegee, i think he is the E. Durman on the St. Oswalds Roll of Honour too. also Ceegee, did you pick up the reply to your post on the GWF, re Welch VC? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceegee Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 Ho I didn't Deansgirl but I've just logged on and found the following information re James Welch VC "VCs of the First World War : Arras and Messines 1917 (Gerald Gliddon) says that he lived in Sheffield after the war and worked for a cardboard box company. He moved from Sheffield to Bournemouth in 1960. He served in the RAF Auxiliary Reserve in WW2. So about 40 years living in Sheffield....." At the time of the Royal Visit in 1937, he would have been the only person living in the city to have been awarded the VC. All the other "Sheffield" holders of the VC had by that time sadly passed away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardB Posted December 4, 2008 Author Share Posted December 4, 2008 Hair seat surely like an old Barders seat, leather outer with horse hair stuffing. Or Sofas-r-Us trying to beat the credit crunch with Dave Hill of Slade style sofas-with-a-bob - 0% APR, Pay 2027, free delivery, Buy One Get One Free, our fitters have nothing to do in January (who does ???), 55% off plus Cashback on the VAT reductions - free Ration book for the under 5's, Stop Me and Buy One etc etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardB Posted December 4, 2008 Author Share Posted December 4, 2008 They were the original wooden markers before the CWGC standardised the headstones. A lot were brought back to the Uk. I know of a couple around Sheffield but wont say where as they get nicked!! ... I wonder if it would be possible to obtain a photograph (with permission) without revealing anything of the location, or PictureSheffield, or The Star or even a National Resource (not Sheffield) - just interested - would be very interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardB Posted December 4, 2008 Author Share Posted December 4, 2008 Thanks to all involved, I think we've done a good job on this - is anyone related to this Man ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jdctrans Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 Wow, thanks for all the input on this! Have had this picture hanging in living room for almost a year here in the colonies, is really great to have all this wonderful information, keep it coming. JDC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jtasker Posted December 24, 2008 Share Posted December 24, 2008 Edward Durnan was my Great Great Uncle. I was named after him with my middle name being Durnan, last name Tasker. The Tasker's are a well known family in Sheffield, although Edwards direct descendants are no longer living in Sheffield. I don't believe that there are any Durnans directly descended from Edward left in Sheffield. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardB Posted December 25, 2008 Author Share Posted December 25, 2008 Edward Durnan was my Great Great Uncle. I was named after him with my middle name being Durnan, last name Tasker. The Tasker's are a well known family in Sheffield, although Edwards direct descendants are no longer living in Sheffield. I don't believe that there are any Durnans directly descended from Edward left in Sheffield. Wherever they are, if they search for him I think we've done his memory proud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Trefcon Posted December 25, 2008 Share Posted December 25, 2008 Just out of interest, the cross to the right of Edward's belongs to 20 year old Sergeant George Bonsall. He died the same day as Edward and in the same unit. They could well have died together in battle. His parents lived at Swallownest. Dean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Trefcon Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 From Sheffield Red Book Oct. 1918 Orbit - Second Lieut. Edward Durnan, York & Lancaster Regt, of 43 Grove Road, Millhouses, killed in action. RichardB posted these a while back. Dean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceegee Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 I thought I would try and get a photo of Edwards old house - 43 Grove Road Millhouses last Sat as I was in the neighbourhood and it was daylight. A walk up the road in question was rather enlightening and a bit sad in a way. There was a 41 Grove Road and a 49 Grove Road but no 43 or 45. The reason is that both properties were demolished to make way for the construction of Holy Trinity Church Millhouses "In 1897, the area of Holy Trinity was part of the Grange Villa Estate belonging to Sir Wilson Mappin. He gave the site for a chapel-of-ease to be built, his wife laying the foundation stone. The chapel was to serve the ever-increasing population of Millhouses, because the Parish Church of that time was up the hill at Ecclesall. It was to be known as Holy Trinity Mission Room. By 1910 Millhouses had grown sufficiently to separate from Ecclesall and have its own parish, so St. Oswald’s was built, at the corner of Abbeydale Road and Bannerdale Road, and the chapel came under its care. ( (Note This would tie in with Edward appearing on St Oswald's Roll of Honour) Just over a decade later, this area of Millhouses grew enormously and in 1927 the Rev.Alfred Wood became Priest-in-charge. Within three years the Bishop consecrated the chapel as a parish church and the Rev. Wood became the first vicar of the Parish of Holy Trinity. In 1935, with a substantial grant of £5,000 from the Bishop of Sheffield’s 100.000 Guineas Fund and major contributions from the parish, the chapel and a neighbouring house were demolished and the present church of Holy Trinity was built. The Rev. Wood and Miss J. Edgar (in memory of her father, John Edgar) laid the foundation stone on 4th January 1936. Nearly eighteen months later, on 1st May 1937, the new church was dedicated and consecrated by the Lord Bishop FROM http://www.holytrinitymillhouses.co.uk/about-us.history No 41 is to the left of the church and no 49 to the right Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Trefcon Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Well worth a try ceegee, i also try and get shots of old Soldiers houses if they are still standing! It gives a snap shot of the housing of the day. I also try and imagine them walking through the front door for the last time, on their way to war. I managed to get shots of six houses belonging to old soldiers from Skinnerthorpe Road at Fir Vale, which as i type is now being demolished. Dean. ohh! theres an idea, if i supply the address's who's up for taking some pictures ? Dont all rush at once! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Trefcon Posted November 21, 2009 Share Posted November 21, 2009 From the Sheffield Daily Independent 22/10/17. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceegee Posted January 14, 2019 Share Posted January 14, 2019 Related to this thread is this e-mail I received the other day "(The contact stated) that he was passing the Walker Memorial Hall in Edgbaston, Birmingham at the end of November and noticed a sign for a Stamp and Postcard sale. Curious as to what it was I called in. While browsing through the stalls, I spotted a 1907 postcard which featured a picture of a hotel in Glengarriff, West Cork. My in-laws retired there a few years ago, so I bought the card and gave it to my sister-in-law, Anne, when she was over with us at Christmas. On the reverse of the card, there was a message written by Thomas Durnan to his daughter May in Grove Road, Millhouses, Sheffield. My sister in law who is a bit of a history buff has been trying to trace any current Durnan descendants to let them know of the card. An earlier post on this Forum See above) stated that ‘ Edward Durnan was my Great Great Uncle. I was named after him with my middle name being Durnan, last name Tasker. Edward Durnan Tasker. The Tasker's are a well known family in Sheffield, although Edwards direct descendants are no longer living in Sheffield. I don't believe that there are any Durnans directly descended from Edward left in Sheffield. ‘ Does anyone happen to know who Edward Durnan Tasker is and whether he is contactable ?" : This is the writing on the reverse of the Glengarriff postcard. August 9 1909 (which was a Monday) Just got here. 6.30 ?? after driving from Killarney which we left at 10.30 this morning A most delightful an glorious drive We leave at 8am for Cork. We shall cross on Thursday night and be at home on Friday morning, so get Ada (they had a servant called Ada Nixon in 1901) in on Thursday With much love and many kisses to all father. It is believed that they were following what was known as The Prince of Wales Route that was popular in the 1900's There's an engineering company called Taskers in Sheffield. I understand that one of Thomas Durnan's daughters married into the Tasker family. Thomas was the company secretary for the company at the time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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