035836 Corporal Herbert Ledger, Royal Army Ordnance Corps

Family Information

Herbert Ledger was born in Liverpool on 14th August 1889. His parents were John and Mary Ledger of 27 St James Place, John was a window-blind maker.

Herbert was baptised in St Andrew's Church on 5th December 1889.

The 1891 census shows that the Ledger family were still living at 27 St James Place, which was listed as a window blind factory so they probably lived over a shop and workshop. The family consisted of John, a window-blind maker and employer, his wife Mary and their 9 children:

Minnie aged 19,

John aged 16 and working as an Office Boy,

Mary aged 13,

Jane aged 11,

Annie aged 10,

Thomas aged 8,

William aged 6

David aged 4 and

Herbert aged 1 year.

John and all his children were born in Liverpool but his wife Mary was from Halkyn in North Wales.

Gore's directory of Liverpool and Birkenhead 1900 trade directory shows that John Ledger, window blind manufacturer had 2 premises, 27 St James Place and 35 Renshaw St. There were two other Ledgers listed as window-blind manufacturers.

The 1901 census shows the family still at St James Place, John still a window-blind maker and employer. Herbert was 11 years old but several of his older siblings were employed and their occupations indicate they had a reasonable level of education.

By 1911 Herbert's father had died and his mother was head of the household in Annesley Rd, Seacombe with 8 of her children still at home.

Jane Ledger, aged 31, single, employed as a confectioners shop assistant

Annie Ledger, aged 30, single, not employed.

Thomas Ledger, aged 28, single, employed as ‘Railway Boy’ railway engine fireman.

William Ledger, aged 26, single, employed as an accountant’s clerk

David Ledger, aged 24, single, employed as a law clerk

Herbert Ledger, 22 years old, single, employed as an estate agent’s clerk.

Arthur Ledger, aged 18, single, employed as an engineer’s apprentice (ship yard)

Dora Ledger, aged 14, school.

Military Information

Herbert Ledger’s service papers have not survived but we know that he was in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, his regimental number was 035836 and he does not seem to have served overseas as he has no medal card.

Death and Commemoration

Herbert died at Davidson Road War Hospital, Croydon, on 27 October 1918. He is buried in Croydon (Queen’s Road) Cemetery. This was a small military hospital in a school which held 250 beds. I do not have a record of cause of death for Herbert (it would be available by purchasing a death certificate) but a pension application made by his mother states that he died of disease so it is likely he died in the Flu pandemic of 1918.

There is a slight confusion over Herbert's rank, the record in Soldier’s Died in the Great War and the M.O.D. record of soldier’s effect both show that he was a Private, the CWGC archive records show that he was Lance Corporal and his headstone is engraved Corporal.

click here to see the CWGC entry for Herbert Ledger.

Roll of honour notice in the Liverpool Echo, 31st October 1918.

LEDGER – At Croydon War Hospital, London, aged 28, HERBERT, the beloved fifth son of Mary and the late John Ledger, 22 Annesley-road, Wallasey.

Brothers

Herbert was the second son of the family to die, his elder brother David Herbert was killed in action with the liverpool Pals on 30th July 1916. The following notice was placed in the Liverpool Echo for him on 11th August 1916.

LEDGER – July 30. Killed in action aged 29 years. Private David Ledger (King’s Liverpool Regiment “Pals”.) dearly-beloved son of Mary and the late John Ledger of 33 Annesley rd, Wallasey.

His money owed was distributed to his mother Mary and sister Jane, although the record does also say mother Annie I believe that to be a mistake and it should say sister Annie.

Pension records show that Herbet's mother Mary, living at 33 Annesley Rd, Seacombe, applied for a pension for both Herbert and David.

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There is also another possible brother - I have not found a record of Frank Ledger with the family, and he was not on the pension application, but he was listed as the brother of Minnie Ledger and as far as I can ascertain there was only one Minnie Ledger in Liverpool at the time. It may be that Frank was a middle name but this requires further research.

His death is recorded by the CWGC :

Rank: Private

Service No: 37012

Date of Death: 11/09/1917

Regiment/Service: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 6th Works Coy. transf. to (41655) 70th Coy. Labour Corps

Grave Reference: IV. G. 27.

Cemetery: BARD COTTAGE CEMETERY

Additional Information: Brother of Minnie Ledger, of 8, Crown St., Liverpool.

Minnie had the words "He died for those he loved." engraved on his headstone in Belgium.

Frank is possibly commemorated on the Wallasey Hospital Memorial, it holds the names of David Ledger and F Ledger.

Strangely, the brothers’ names were not together on any memorial, Herbert being commemorated in St James Church, David and (possibly) Frank in Wallasey and David in the Hall of Remembrance at Liverpool Town Hall.