Albert Gillyon, born 24^th May 1894, Dyer Lane, Beverley

Albert circa 1940

Dyer Lane, Beverley, 2006

Albert’s father is not named on his birth certificate. His mother, Sarah Jane, was the widow of Henry Park Gillyon who had died of hepatitis seven years earlier leaving her to raise 8 children in poverty. Sarah Jane died of a weak heart and bronchitis in Hull at her eldest daughter’s home three days before Albert’s 3^rd birthday. After this Albert was raised by his brother, Henry, at 11 Brighton Terrace, Brighton Street, Hull. This was his address during the 1901 census and again on his marriage certificate in 1920.

Albert’s WW1 medal card shows that he served in the RFA (Royal Field Artillery) with the rank of driver, regiment number 47948. He earned three medals, the Victory medal and the British medal which are on medal roll 15601, and the 1915 Star which is on roll 3864 at the National Archives in Kew. The medal rims would have been inscribed with his number and regiment or corps. He served in France, arriving on 8^th September 1915 which means he may have seen action at Loos (where his brother William died) and the Somme. While serving on the Western Front grandad also won a non-combative medal for a wrestling on horseback competition, shown here

Albert married Lilian Wells in the parish church for Dairycoates, Hull on 8^th May 1920. They had four children:

Thomas Albert b1921 known as Al,

Edwin b1925, known as Eddie then later as Ted,

Ronald b1929 known as little Ronnie who died in infancy,

Pat b1945, with downs syndrome.

Albert & Lily

Albert, Al, Eddie & Lily c.1940

Al, Eddie and little Ronnie who died shortly after this photo was taken c. 1930

Albert & Lily’s daughter, Pat, born 1945

After having endured the trenches of the Western Front how did Albert feel about his sons going to fight in WW2?

Albert’s marriage certificate states that his father was Henry Park Gillyon (deceased) and his son, Ted, believed that Albert and his dad before him were born in the same house in St Andrew St in Beverley. The fact that the information is incorrect leads me to believe that Albert did not know that he was illegitimate.

In 1921 Albert was a shipyard labourer ex Army and the 1939 Kelly’s directory lists him as a Fish Bobber (unloads fish off trawlers). Albert died in 1963 aged 69 and was cremated.

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