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Lest we forget - Charlton player H 'Nobby' Nightingale 13/1/16

24

Comments

  • telboy
    telboy Posts: 33

    telboy said:

    Daily Telegraph`s `In Memoriam`section today ,there is a tribute to Gunner Herbert Barlow Nightingale. Royal Horse Artillery ,killed in action on 13th January 1916 at Messines,Belgium. Remembered with Pride.
    Perhaps whoever put the tribute in the telegraph may have a photo . online ref.A197135.
    Hope this may help.

    @telboy

    Do the telegraph list a lot of WW1 did or is this a rarity? I don't think it is any of the museum people.

    Could you do us a big favour and enquire for us and ask about a photo or other information.

    @1905 Thanks, anything they can provide would be great and we're happy to share what we have.

    cafchistorian@gmail.com for any contacts
    Hi Henry, not sure if its a rarity,happened to be looking at something else on page and noticed the name Nightingale on its own in that particular section. I will contact Daily Telegraph and see what I can do,and contact the address above.
  • SE7toSG3
    SE7toSG3 Posts: 3,140
    wow the in memoriam Telegraph entry may be a major development in this, thanks all for the positive comments I am already in talks to put a plaque up under the memorial with their names, for the full story remember to buy the next edition of VOTV from @Airman Brown as this is only part of the story.

    They may try to claim our future but we own our past!
  • waldo
    waldo Posts: 495

    waldo said:

    Personally, I think what you two have done here is absolutely brilliant. I was particularly taken by Happy Valley's comment and am wondering if something could be done on the big screen at our next home match.
    What I am personally disappointed about is that I have just this week finished reading a book 'The Final Season' which is about footballers who were killed in WW1 and our were not mentioned.

    You should try "The Greater Game" by Clive Harris and Julian Whippy http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Greater-Game-Sporting-Icons/dp/1844157628
    We get a mention in there but that might be because Clive is SE7toSG3

    As for the big screen the big thing missing from our research so far is that there is no known photograph of Nobby.

    We have pictures of McKenzie and Chick but not Nightingale.

    So do you know anyone called Nightingale with Charlton connections? If you do we'd love to hear from you.
    Thank you.
    I shall certainly read the book.
  • seth plum
    seth plum Posts: 53,448
    edited January 2016
    Fantastic work. really quite moving both because of the fallen, but it is also moving that some of us still here are dedicated enough to uncover this information.
    Some things can't be assessed in monetary terms, or weighed or measured, and the opening post is an absolute gem because it touches places in our hearts.
  • Mametz
    Mametz Posts: 1,254
    Well done and thank you to Clive, Ben and the others for bringing this story to the rest of us.

    I have often visited this cemetery without knowing of this connection.

    As others have pointed out this story has added poignancy given our current situation with our Belgian owners. I suspect Katrien would describe Nobby as a "Tourist" to her country!

  • Love it. Superb. Well done

    Nice follow ups re: obituary and family tree, too
  • Henry Irving
    Henry Irving Posts: 85,219
    I'm case anyone was wondering why "Nobby" in the army all Clarkes are nicknamed Nobby. Herbert was a clark at the India Rubber works in Silvertown.
  • Stig
    Stig Posts: 29,021
    Fabulous work. Well done Clive, Ben and everyone that helped you.
  • ShootersHillGuru
    ShootersHillGuru Posts: 50,619
    edited January 2016
    Charlton is and always will be more than just about the football. It's Charlton people. One of us. Well done chaps in ensuring that those of us Charlton people worth remembering are remembered.
  • Stig
    Stig Posts: 29,021
    edited January 2016
    He was born in the last quarter of 1888 in Silvertown (birth registered at West Ham). In 1911 he was living with his parents at 48 Mount Street, Charlton and working as a clerk.

    Screenshot 2016-01-13 22.45.49
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  • Stig
    Stig Posts: 29,021
    edited January 2016
    Apparently Mount Street changed its name in 1938: "Mount Street, Charlton SE7 - to be incorporated with & under Maryon Road". This was at the same time East Street became Eastmoor Street and West, Westmoor.
  • image
  • well done lads RIP nobby
  • Love these glimpses of history not just the obvious connection, but the pride and comfort I take in the sacrifice made by a generation to provide me the life I have today humbles me always,

    I always question to myself that had I been alive in that era and hadn't chosen the military as a profession prior to the declaration, would I have had the courage to be a real man a man of substance.

    Rip all who have fallen God bless
  • Excellent stuff, slightly off subject but was interested to see that 'Nobby' was assigned to the 1st Canadian Division....there was an interesting documentry on Dave last night about Vimy Ridge.
  • CatAddick
    CatAddick Posts: 2,385
    Great stuff and interesting to see some of the old road names. My great-great-grandfather also lived in Mount Street (No 28) and my great-grandfather was born at No 30. Not sure if they would have met the Nightingales because by the 1901 census the family had moved to East Street.
    Don't know if they knew the boys that started a football club down that famous road, but I like to think so.
  • Henry Irving
    Henry Irving Posts: 85,219
    CatAddick said:

    Great stuff and interesting to see some of the old road names. My great-great-grandfather also lived in Mount Street (No 28) and my great-grandfather was born at No 30. Not sure if they would have met the Nightingales because by the 1901 census the family had moved to East Street.
    Don't know if they knew the boys that started a football club down that famous road, but I like to think so.

    In such a tight knot community I think it would be impossible for them not to know them or their families.
  • Henry Irving
    Henry Irving Posts: 85,219
    Stig said:

    He was born in the last quarter of 1888 in Silvertown (birth registered at West Ham). In 1911 he was living with his parents at 48 Mount Street, Charlton and working as a clerk.

    Screenshot 2016-01-13 22.45.49

    Hence his nickname. Army and other slang meant people called Clarke and people who were clerks were called "nobby". Other such nicknames were Chalky White, and Smugger Smith.

  • CatAddick
    CatAddick Posts: 2,385

    CatAddick said:

    Great stuff and interesting to see some of the old road names. My great-great-grandfather also lived in Mount Street (No 28) and my great-grandfather was born at No 30. Not sure if they would have met the Nightingales because by the 1901 census the family had moved to East Street.
    Don't know if they knew the boys that started a football club down that famous road, but I like to think so.

    In such a tight knot community I think it would be impossible for them not to know them or their families.
    That's the notion I cling to. What I do know for certain is that my great aunt used to sit as a little girl on the edge of the chalk pits and watch the 'big boys' play football during the Great War, as I heard her talk about it.
    (Her and my grandfather by now were living on the Woolwich Road opposite East Street and there was always talk he helped dig out the ground. As he was born in 1910 (and his sister in 1908), I suspect it was just them watching and pretending to dig as kids but they were definitely there at the birth of The Valley - really must get down the museum and find out more about the construction one day)
  • telboy
    telboy Posts: 33
    Just an update re:Telegraph`s `In Memoriam`spoke with Admin staff this morning ,and very kind lady said she would do her best to contact the person/persons, who placed the tribute,and ask them to contact me if they would be happy for us to be in contact with them. I mentioned the Charlton Life forum, and the particular `Lest we forget `thread, for proof of our authenticity... no contact as yet.
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  • Henry Irving
    Henry Irving Posts: 85,219
    thanks @telboy
  • telboy
    telboy Posts: 33
    Hi Henry,am going to email photos to email address you gave me yesterday if ok.
  • Henry Irving
    Henry Irving Posts: 85,219
    please do @telboy
  • telboy
    telboy Posts: 33
    Unfortunately ,not our man God Bless him.sorry. Still awaiting further contact from `Telegraph`
  • stonemuse
    stonemuse Posts: 33,997
    Excellent thread ... thanks all
  • Henry Irving
    Henry Irving Posts: 85,219
    love this photo that @telboy found of the Woolwich post office memorial with Nightingale H on it. This is our Nobby.

    Also an Everitt C who served @Airman Brown

    image
  • telboy
    telboy Posts: 33
    Have been in contact with Nobby`s great nephew Bruce (it is he who put the tribute in the Telegraph) He is delighted with Charlton F.C. recognition,and remembrance of his Great Uncle. Unfortunately he does not have a photo of Nobby,but he has distant relatives who might be able to help. Bruce was also happy to hear some of the gaps in Nobby`s life which we were able to fill in re:Charlton ect.and he also wishes for contact with our club to continue in the future.
  • Henry Irving
    Henry Irving Posts: 85,219
    Great work Terry.

    Love it when more pieces of the jigsaw fall into place
  • Bigbadbozman
    Bigbadbozman Posts: 1,775
    Best thread in a while, well done all
  • soapy_jones
    soapy_jones Posts: 21,350
    Great story. CAFC forever.