Here at Friends of Holbeck Cemetery we often get asked to help with tracing ancestors who began their life in Holbeck. Just this week we have been contacted by Clive Parker from New Zealand . Clive’s mother Phyllis Longley was born at Carter Terrace , Whitkirk in 1908 and her father, Sydney was a reporter for the Yorkshire Post Newspaper.
We have managed to find the memorial to his great great grandfather , Joseph Longley , his wife, Rachel and many other family members. Joseph was buried February 1865.
Joseph was quite an important Bedding Manufacturer based in Lands Lane & New York Street, Leeds and an illustrated letterhead of the company can be found on www.leodis.net
His grandson, Ernest , who was born at Potternewton enlisted with the Leeds Pals on 4th September 1914. He was the youngest son of Walter & Emma Longley of Park View Newton Road, Leeds. After his education at Leeds Grammar school he had entered his grandfather’s business.
A young gifted footballer he played for Leeds Grammar School , the YMCA and also Leeds Yarnbury.
When he enlisted in the Leeds Pals he was posted to Section 10, 3 Platoon of A Company and became a platoon bomber under the command of Captain Richard Morris Stanley Blease. he served with the Pals at Colsterdale, Egypt & France and was killed in action on July 1st 1916 in the attack on Serre ( Battle of the Somme)
Clive is coming over From New Zealand in July to visit relatives so, while he is over here, he paying a visit to Holbeck Cemetery to see the grave of Joseph and all his other ancestors.
Meanwhile The Friends of Holbeck Cemetery are busy sending photos of the memorial & other infomation we have discovered so that Clive can try and research some of these ancestors that he knows nothing or very little about before he arrives.
Australia 1873
An interesting aside is one of Clive’s ancestors , Alexander, died in November 1873, aged 32 ,while on a visit to St Kilda, Australia – is this the link with New Zealand ?
We will have to wait to see what more we can find out!!
