Leonard Micklethwaite 1891-1916 age 25

Barnsley Chronicle 19th August 1916
Thanks to Barnsley Archives

Born: 1891 at Stainbro' Yorkshire Q2

Son of: Thomas and Elizabeth Mary Micklethwaite nee Davy whose marriage was registered in the first quarter of 1887. Thomas was born in 1856 in Horbury and died in 1910 at the age of 54 years. He was a tenter, looking after the air compressing engine in a colliery. Elizabeth Mary was born in 1863 at Culmstock, Devon, and died in 1946 at the age of 82. The couple had 7 children, all born in Stainbro'. 

• Horace 1887
• Wilfred 1889
• Leonard 1891
• Ernest 1892
• Andrew 1894
• Arthur 1896
• Ada 1897

In 1891 the family lived at Old Laith at Stainbro before moving to 35 Cope Street in Barnsley where they lived during the census years of 1901 and 1911. After Leonard's death, his widowed mother married Ernest Arthur Major in 1932. 

Military Service: Leonard was a Private in the Black Watch 6th Battalion, service number 266324.

Death: Killed in action on 30th July 1916 
Remembered: Leonard has no known grave and is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial in France, Pier and Face 10A. He is also remembered on the Buckley Street Chapel war memorial in Barnsley and was also named on the (now missing) Barnsley Swimming Club war memorial. His name is also inscribed on his parents' gravestone in Barnsley Cemetery. 

Commonwealth War Graves Commission link: here  
IWM link: Lives of the First World War

Note 1: The Barnsley Chronicle 12 August 1916 reported:

When war broke out quite a number of Barnsley lads joined the Black Watch. One of their number - Private Leonard Micklethwaite, of the 6th - has been killed in action at the age of 25 years. Before joining the Army he lived with his widowed mother at 76 Blenheim Road, Barnsley and worked at Wharncliffe Woodmoor Colliery. At first news came that Private Micklethwaite was missing, but a few days later the graver information came to hand. The deceased was formerly an active member of the Barnsley Swimming Club and he won many trophies, he attended the Buckley Street Chapel. Deceasd has had two other brothers serving with the colours, one being discharged.