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Old 18-10-2014, 09:04 AM
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Default Bastons of Gloster Hill and Amble

I picked up a couple of WW1 medals the other week to a David R. Baston Northumberland Fusiliers.
Only David R. Baston I can find in the census is a chap from Amble. But checking the absent voters' list (AVL) he's not on it. Not a casualty either. So if the medals are our Amble Baston then he must have been discharged before March 1918, or not be eligible to be on the AVL for some reason.
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Old 18-10-2014, 09:23 AM
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Anyway. Did a bit of digging around and built some trees.

Two separate families of Bastons appear to arrive in the mid 19c. One from Boulmer, who head to Moor House farm for a few decades them off to Tritlington.

For sake of completeness, and before I get started on the other Bastons here's a quick summary of the ex-Boulmer family. There are a few discrepancies across the various decades, such as birth years of the seniors changing by a few years, but I'm still confident this is reasonably accurate.

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Old 18-10-2014, 09:29 AM
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Then we have the other Bastons from 'out west'. Obviously this could be much larger. I've just added some lines that interest me with regards to David R. Baston.




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Old 18-10-2014, 09:48 AM
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I've marked on the above that David R. Baston joined the RAF in 1918. This is certain, a document has survived, his RAF Officers papers. It contains very little information but does confirm the Panhaven Road address. It also shows he was employed by Broomhill Collieries as a Coal Teamer Sept 1916 - Aug 1917.

So what was he doing Sept 1917-May 1918 just before he joined the RAF? Interesting. The existence of the medals to D.R. Baston Northumberland Fusiliers could suggest he joined the Army, but perhaps was discharged under age, although he must have made it to a war zone.

I don't know how long he remained in the RAF, but I don't think he was sent to an operational unit overseas during WW1 as there is no reference on his papers to operational service, just training. Nor does it give a discharge date.
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Old 18-10-2014, 10:10 AM
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David Robert Baston appears to be the Manager of the Coquet Hall Cinema in the 30s:

Morpeth Herald 18 November 1938:
Attached Images
File Type: jpg coquet_hall_cinema_licence.jpg (48.8 KB, 9 views)
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Old 18-10-2014, 10:43 AM
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Another snippet mentioning Baston, which is an interesting piece in its own right regarding the threat of a new war in 1939:

Morpeth Herald 26 May 1939


FIRE - PUMP IN AMBLE PARADE

MACHINE GUNS IN CINEMA ENTRANCE

RALLY FOR NATIONAL SERVICE

GENERAL SAYS: "'STAND UP TO BULLIES."


Amble staged a successful National Service Parade on Friday night, when local Territorial and A.R.P. workers marched through the town to the Coquet Hall cinema to see the A.R.P. film "The Warning."
Amongst those taking part in the parade were the members of Amble's Auxiliary Fire service, who, as reported last week, are now up to strength and fully trained. They pulled with them their trailer fire-pump, and another feature of the evening consisted of two Vickers machine guns, with crews, mounted in the vestibule.
Councillor R. Brown, chief A.R.P. control officer for Amble, marshalled the parade, which formed up at the Drill Hall, and marched through the principal streets of the town to the cinema.

IN THE PARADE
The parade was headed by the Amble Military Band, under Bandmaster C. Gillon. The local detachment of the 7th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers—including n large number of newly-joined recruits in "civvies" were commanded by 2nd. Lieut. Beckingham. Councillor Brown was in charge of the A.R.P. workers, who included wardens (under Chief Warden Roy), A.F.S., and other squads. The local detachment of the British Red Cross were present under their commandant Mrs. W. Ballantyne; the 1st and 2nd Amble Companies Boys' Brigade under Capt. D. Kay and Lieut. Dixon.
Several members and officials of the Amble council headed the A.R.P. section, including the chairman (Councillor A. E. Green), the clerk (Mr. C. J. S. Goodger), and the medical officer (Dr. J. A. Loughridge). At the Coquet Hall those taking part in the parade were admitted free by kindness of the proprietors and the manager. Mr. D. Baston, to see the very graphic A.R.P. film “The Warning.”
Before the showing of the film an address was given by Major General Sir Clement Milward, Alnwick.
Councillor Green, who presided, and introduced General Milward, said that there were still many branches of A.R.P. work to be filled before they could say that they were in a satisfactory position so far as civil defence was concerned.
"To those who have already given their services, I say thank you; with those unable to give their services, I sympathise; to those who have treated the appeal with indifference, I say don’t laugh at those who have joined."…………….
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Old 18-10-2014, 10:48 AM
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So does anyone have any more information on David Robert Baston, b.1899?
Strange that I cannot find him in the death indexes?
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Old 18-10-2014, 11:08 AM
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On the subject of Joseph Baston b.1894 brother of David, who emigrated to Canada, there is a full set of service papers here if anyone is interested:

http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?...&id=B0497-S054

(it's a lot of stuff and takes a while to load) Bit of a war hero. Took a few gunshot wounds, won the military medal.


In the newspapers (1948) another Amble Baston, an 'E.R. Baston' is noted as having emigrated to Canada '38 Years ago' (1910), and has the distinction of carving the chair for the 1948 Eisteddfod. Wonder if this is an uncle of Joseph?
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Old 18-10-2014, 11:52 AM
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Edward Fenwick Baston was the son of David (1859) on your tree, so I think, if I've got my lines right he would be a cousin of Joseph. He emigrated to Canada in 1912 and was a wood carver, living in British Columbia. Born in 1887 and died 1965. His brother was the young lad (James) killed in 1898 by a runaway horse and cart (post on the East Cemeteries thread). Father David was the steward at Gloster Hill.
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Old 18-10-2014, 01:04 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by janwhin View Post
Edward Fenwick Baston was the son of David (1859) on your tree, so I think, if I've got my lines right he would be a cousin of Joseph. He emigrated to Canada in 1912 and was a wood carver, living in British Columbia. Born in 1887 and died 1965. His brother was the young lad (James) killed in 1898 by a runaway horse and cart (post on the East Cemeteries thread). Father David was the steward at Gloster Hill.
Excellent stuff Janwhin as ever. Yes cousin, think that's what I meant

here's a snap of the David R. Baston medals, front and back and the naming:

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Old 18-10-2014, 01:05 PM
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Can you find anything in the BMD regarding this man's death Janwhin?
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Old 18-10-2014, 01:34 PM
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No luck on either David R Baston's death or that of his wife. He married Florence Strong in 1922 but appears to have had only one child, Joseph R in 1932.

I wonder if they emigrated or, even worse, went to Scotland
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Old 18-10-2014, 01:41 PM
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There is no escape!

David, Florence and Joseph, emigrated on board the Queen Elizabeth, leaving Southampton on 21 May 1948, bound for New York. David gives his occupation as "Cinema Manager". Their permanent residence will be Canada.
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Old 18-10-2014, 03:34 PM
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Quote:
There is no escape!

David, Florence and Joseph, emigrated on board the Queen Elizabeth, leaving Southampton on 21 May 1948, bound for New York. David gives his occupation as "Cinema Manager". Their permanent residence will be Canada.

Fabulous! Hope I can positively link the medals to this man some day. We can blame the Nazis for destroying his paper records!


Anyway, here's the Drill Hall tragedy mentioned some time ago on here. Hugh Baston I believe was the son of John Baston b.1856 in the above tree.


Journal 29 July 1916


FATAL EXPLOSION AT AMBLE
PETROL BARREL IN THE STREET FOR A FORTNIGHT.
CHILDREN AND MATCHES.


A remarkable accident occurred at Amble on Thursday evening, whereby two boys named Hugh Baston (9) and John James Bates (7), lost their lives, and a girl named Eva Emmerson was so seriously injured that she had to be removed to Alnwick Infirmary.
Yesterday afternoon Mr Hugh J. Percy, coroner, held an inquest on the two boys.
P.C. Hamilton, in his evidence, said at 7.40 on Thursday he was sitting in his house, which was opposite to the Drill Hall, when be heard an awful explosion. He went out to see what had happened and found two boys and a girl lying in the roadway. The boys died a few minutes later. He had seen a petrol barrel lying beside the Drill Hall, where the explosion took place, for the past fortnight.
Wm. Young, a schoolboy, said he had been playing with some other children, amongst whom were the two deceased boys. They had some matches, which had been given to them by Eve Emmerson, but they had struck them at the back of the Drill Hall, and not where the petrol barrel was. He did not see any matches struck when he was near the barrel.
Noel Douglas, who was injured in the hand by the explosion, said he was with the other children when they were playing around the Drill Hall. They then came around to the front and began playing around the barrel. He was four yards from the barrel when the explosion occurred. He saw the little boy Baston sitting on the lid. He did not strike a match there, and he did not see Baston strike a match.

A Match Struck.
Lizzie Morton, 7 years of age, said she was amongst the children playing around the barrel. She saw Baston sitting on the barrel; she was close beside the barrel when the explosion occurred. She saw the boy Baston unscrew the tap, and then she saw Douglas strike a match on the wall and put it into the hole, and then a great explosion took place. She was not hurt at all.
Noel Douglas was recalled and asked why he had said he had not struck a match, but no answer was given.
Captain C.B. Fenwick said that he was the officer commanding the company of soldiers at the Drill Hall, and when he took over the billet at the Drill Hall a barrel containing over 30 gallons of petrol was taken over by him. This the whole time it contained petrol was guarded by a sentry night and day. On the 17th July he and his company were moving from the Drill Hall, and he had the whole of the petrol emptied from the barrel, and since that time the barrel had been lying in front of the Drill Hall, absolutely empty and bone dry. The only explanation of the accident was that a pocket of petrol gas lay at the bottom of the barrel, and when the tap was removed and the air mixed with the petrol gas it formed a dangerous compound, and when the match was applied the explosion took place.
The verdict returned by the jury was that the deceased were accidentally killed by an explosion of petrol gas in a barrel belonging to the military authorities standing n the public highway. The explosion being caused by a match dropped in by a child. A rider was added drawing the attention of the military authorities to the danger of allowing a petrol barrel to be on the public highway, and recommending that a proper store be provided.
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Old 18-10-2014, 05:40 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by janwhin View Post
Edward Fenwick Baston was the son of David (1859) on your tree, so I think, if I've got my lines right he would be a cousin of Joseph. He emigrated to Canada in 1912 and was a wood carver, living in British Columbia. Born in 1887 and died 1965. His brother was the young lad (James) killed in 1898 by a runaway horse and cart (post on the East Cemeteries thread). Father David was the steward at Gloster Hill.
this is the runaway fatality out of the other thread for the record . As you say Edward F. and this lad were brothers.
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Old 20-10-2014, 12:46 PM
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David Baston b.1859 above had another son also a David Baston b.1893 Amble. That son also went to Canada serving in a Canadian Engineers Signal Company in WW1. Took his discharge in England and I believe probably returned to Amble and is the David Baston on the Electoral Roll in Acklington Road, wife probably Marjorie. [I stand to be corrected]

front sheet of Attestation

or full papers (large file slow to load)

Certainly liked their Canadian Forays.

David Baston snr. b.1859 [Farm Bailiff 1911] appears to be settled in the Chathill area about the time of the War.


So that's 3 at least in Canada at the same time, David and Edward F., and cousin Joseph, MM. Possibly more?
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Old 21-10-2014, 08:54 AM
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Would there be any records of the aux fire service members?My mother and my aunt were both in it and I would like to find out more about their time in the service?I did have their buttons and a tunic when I was very young ,all gone now of course!!
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Old 21-10-2014, 09:10 AM
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I'm not sure if anything has survived for the AFS. Home Guard records yes , but still with the MoD. Many AFS members would qualify for the Defence Medal, that roll should survive somewhere, but it was a long haul to qualify, measured in years of service. So it could not be used, for example, as a complete list of Amble AFS members.
Interesting to me from the above is that Dr. Loughridge was potentially awarded the Defence Medal as the ARP Medical Officer.
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Old 21-10-2014, 09:25 AM
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Googling around it looks like some Auxiliary Fire Service "log books" have survived in local archives, although I've never come across any for us in the Woodhorn catalogue.
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Old 21-11-2014, 07:18 PM
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That picture had a great printer's smudge on it so I've had a quick photo shop muck about with it!

AMBLE
Military Medal For Amble Man.

Sergt. Joe Baston of the Canadian Light Infantry has been awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field. Sergt. Baston, who is the son of of Mr. and Mrs Joseph Baston, Panhaven Road, Amble, went out to Canada some 9 years ago, and started farming in the province of Saskatchewan. When war broke out he joined the Canadian infantry, and after six months training in the colours he was drafted over to England. About a fortnight ago he was awarded the Military Medal. He led his section to the attack in splendid manner, gaining the objective, and found that he and his men must clear up a German machine gun nest, which they did. Sergt. Baston got all his men back without a scratch, not one being wounded. He also helped to carry out a wounded man under heavy german fire. He was therefore recommended for the Military Medal. Mr and Mrs Baston have two other sons in the army, Gunner James Baston, who is with the Royal Garrison Artillery; and Rob, who is only 18 years of age is in the cadet section of the Royal Flying Corps.

A&CG 22nd June 1918


[edit: Still nothing either way to say if those medals pictured above belonged to the Amble David Robert Baston, Joe's brother. I am having some doubts though. ]
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