Bernard Renshaw White was born in Worksop in late 1898 to Lucy White.
His mother had suffered much tragedy in her short life. Lucy was born in Yorkshire in October 1858 the eldest child of John & Maria Nixon, her maternal grandfather was a Licensed Victualler in Sheffield. John Nixon was one of at least ten children, born in Usselby, Lincolnshire in 1832, the family later moved to Nottinghamshire where his father worked on the railway with John and three of his brothers. John & Maria had at least nine children one of which George Flather Nixon (Bernard’s Uncle) served with the Northumberland Fusiliers in WW1. Bernard’s mother Lucy Nixon married Charles Proctor Bailey Gilling in 1876, Charles was an American born Wood Turner.
Lucy’s story makes one wonder how much tragedy a single person can bear.
Lucy and Charles had five children between 1877 and 1884. William, James, Elizabeth and Lucy all died as infants leaving one surviving sibling Esther Ann. Lucy was widowed for the first time in 1884 when Charles died aged 28. Lucy remarried Windsor Chair maker Herbert White in August 1884, the couple went on to have six children between 1885 and 1895, five girls and one boy. Though some records quote Herbert as being Bernard’s father others quote him as just being the son of Lucy White which is much more likely to be the case. It appears that Lucy was widowed for a second time in 1896 when Herbert died aged just 35. Lucy was indeed a strong woman; Bernard came along in 1898 followed by a younger brother William in 1902. All together she gave birth to 13 children. Lucy after all that tragedy lived into her 80’s.
Bernard attested into the Leicester Regiment enlisting in Retford, Nottinghamshire. Prior to his military service he had been a clerk with Mr E G Warburton, Solicitor.
Whilst serving with the 11th Battalion Bernard was wounded in France & Flanders, he died of his wounds. Bernard is buried in Grevillers British Cemetery in France; his gravestone inscription reads ‘IN CHARITY PRAY FOR THE SOUL OF MY SON RIP’. Lucy resided at Devonshire St in Worksop at the time of her son’s death, she later lived with her youngest son William and died in 1942. Bernard was just 19 years old.
© Jay Morgan Hyrons with permission
Support Our Charitable Foundation
Your donation helps us deliver projects like For Evermore, which educate and inspire future generations to remember those who gave their lives in the two World Wars. With your support, we can keep their stories alive and ensure they are never forgotten.
As well as making a donation today, you might also consider leaving a gift in your will to the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation. Legacy gifts, large or small, help us preserve this vital heritage for generations to come.
Thank you for helping us honour their memory so we can tell Every Story. For evermore.
