Born: 1894, Windhill
Died: 1 July 1916, Somme
Buried:
Address: 3 Fenton Street, Valley Road, Shipley
Parents: John & Ann Elizabeth, nee Hutton
Spouse:
Siblings: Frances (dec 1909), Caroline & three step brothers
Occupation: Box maker, soap works
Organisations/clubs:
Military
Rank: Pte
Medals/awards:
Rolls of Honour: St Paul’s, Shipley; Thiepval Memorial
Children:
Regiment: Bradford Pals
Ernest Renshaw
Ernest was born in Windhill in
1894, the son of Manchester-born
woolcomber John Renshaw and
his wife Ann Elizabeth, nee Hutton.
While his address in the cuttings of
his death was given as 3 Fenton
Street, Shipley in 1911 he was
living at 5 Princess Street, Shipley.
He was working as a box maker at
the soap works and we can
imagine he is getting used to a
very different way of life.
His mother had died in 1897 and
by 1911 his father had been
married to what appears to be his
third wife, Mary, for just two years.
As well as three step brothers,
Ernest now has a one-year-old
sister.
And there may have
been even more
upheaval in his life
before he joined the
Bradford Pals at the
outbreak of war
because his
Commonwealth War
Graves record show
his next of kin as his
step mother,
suggesting his father
had died.
On 11 August the
Shipley Times & Express carried
the brief notice that “Pte E
Renshaw of 3 Fenton St, Valley
Road, Shipley, and of the 1st
Bradford Pals is reported missing.”
In fact Ernest had died on
the first day of the Somme
and two weeks later, the
paper reported: “A
memorial service was held
on Sunday morning in the
Independent Church for
Pte John Toal and Pte
Ernest Renshaw,
conducted by the Rev W J
Harris (pastor) who
delivered an appropriate
discourse suitable for the
occasion. The service was
most impressive.
“Mr Harris made touching
references to the two young
soldiers who had recently been
killed while fighting for their King
and Country, and expressed on
behalf of the congregation deep
and sincere sympathy with the
relatives of the deceased.
“Both soldiers, added the
preacher, were formerly identified
with the Sunday School.
“The musical part of the service
was under the direction of Mr A
Dracup (choirmaster) and Mr R
Cutler (organist). Appropriate
hymns were rendered by the
members of the congregation
while the choir sang the anthem
‘The Psalm of Life’.
“Mr S B Ogden rendered very
feelingly the beautiful solo
‘Absent’. At the close, the ‘Dead
March’ was played by the
organist.”
