I thought this was worth posting for those who have no knowledge of these items. My uncle was killed during WW1. His name is on the monument at Hamilton square and because his body was never found his name is also on the Thiepval Monument, France. After the war all next of kin of those killed received a Scroll and Plaque from the King and country, accompanied by a letter from the King. Though all next of kin received the Plaque, you were lucky to receive the scroll. The Plaque became known as the dead man's penny.

Those that survived were then treated like dirt. Those widowed or fatherless struggled to live on peanuts. People were literally forced to sell their furniture before they could claim benefits. A land fit for hero's was the call when the war was going on but instead it became a living hell for a lot of people. Douglas Haig did okay though despite sending hundreds of thousands to needless deaths.

RIP Berts uncle and all the others who died for nothing while the few profiteered as usual.

How many people are aware of the thirties riots in Birkenhead? This was a direct result of Birkenhead council cutting benefits to an already struggling population. The Queens in Park Road East was wrecked and railings from Birkenhead park were torn down to use as weapons.

A number of people were wrongly imprisoned on trumped up charges and their families suffered more. I can't remember the name of the book but it is a fascinating read and details the whole dirty business. Edit, just found it. Idle Hands, Clenched Fists
The Depression in a Shipyard Town
by Stephen F. Kelly

Well worth looking for or as your library to get it for you before they are all shut down of course.

I have a friend who told me of her grandfather being in the '30's riots in Birkenhead. She said that the whole family were terribly ashamed of the fact that their 'Grandad', a dock worker, was put in jail with others even though they were rioting to protest at the cuts in benefits to their friends. Most workers were poor and had little to eat already. These rioters must have been pushed to their limits to act like they did. Also the stigma of being a 'jailbird' was worse on being let out.

bert - that scroll was very moving to read.

My Uncle is on the WWII memorial and I have another relative (not sure who until I ask my Mum) on the WWI memorial. I'll have to see if she knows anything about the plaque.

One of my Dad's uncles died at El-Alamein. Not sure where his memorial is - if there even is one.

your relative should be on the memorial where he lived. If he was buried where he was killed abroad, have a look on Commonwealth war graves site.

well he was local i think, or possibly still lived in Gwaenysgor where that side of family is from.
I've tried war grave site couldn't find him. But then I don't know what his rank was, just name and birthdate

There are plenty of sites you could look on, but they would all probably cost you money. If you could get his Forces number it would greatly help you. try Gwaenysgor Memorial site.

There appears to only be one resident of Gwaenysgor who died in the Second World War:

William G N House ..... RCS ..... 27th October 1942

I didn't know about any riot in Birkenhead, why didn't my mum and dad tell me. Was it because it was in the Northend. I would not have thought it was in the posher parts of Birkenhead, after all it was the Northenders that had been the most disadvantaged. I am gobsmacked about all this, I just can't beleive the things I don't know my own home town.
I'll have to get the book now and read up on it. I have just Googled the book and it is top of the searches on a French website, funny eh.

Think you will find the riots which ended up a running fight with the police where along the park road north area. Thats where the spikes where broken off the railings as weapons. Apart from the rights and wrongs of what happened if you dig deep you will find there where a group of agitators who got things going and as always slip away and are not the ones who ended up in jail

Missguided,Ducko and I work as volunteers for "The War graves photographic project" who are attached to the common wealth war graves.I have a contact who may be able to help or at least put you onto someone who can.I will pm you with his email.

Relating to the first posting, The THIEPVAL MEMORIAL is engraved with the names of 73,367 British and Commonwealth soldiers who fell in the first battle of the Somme 1916, who have no known grave.

I think every one should visit the THIEPVAL MEMORIAL at some time during there life. It is only when you stand there and look at the long lists of names carved in stone that you begine to realize the numbers of men that where killed. Nobody walks away from that monument with dry eyes. Numbers on paper have little meaning in comparison

My Great Grandfather's name is on Thiepval Memorial.
Before the war he worked as a fireman at Lever bros.
He joined the Welsh fusiliers at the out break of war.
He was a despatch runner/rider..a very dangerous job with a high mortality rate.
We have a letter he sent home from the front..it is very precious to us. In it he talks about all kinds of pleasantries and asking about the family with no mention of the hardship and horrors that he much have endured and witnessed.

He was killed in the Battle of the Somme when he stepped on or rode over a landmine in the course of his duties. His body was never recovered. He was 32 and left a wife who was pregnant with twins and three small daughters.

His name is on the memorial at Birkenhead and at Lever bros. One day I will go to salute his name at Thiepval.

We rememeber him with love and pride..

Lance Corpral Thomas William Duckers.

wow my sir name is duckers

Wonder if we are related somewhere along the line then..as Duckers is not a common name.

me and dava 2479 r going to Thiepval nex year we r going on the battel feilds tour

I'm related to Duckers too My Uncle's daughter married a Duckers.

My paternal nan's maiden name was Duckers. Her dad's name was William.

I didn't know there were that many in Birkenhead!

was at Thiepval and a lot more of the war cemetarys {spent about 10 days traveling round in my camper van}about 15 years ago. Nobody walks away from thiepval with dry eyes.

It must be incredibly moving.
As said I plan to go there some day.

I have been on holiday in France and did see some small military cemataries...and also wide empty farmers fields where memorial stones had been erected paying tribute to the men who gave their lives in the battles there... and who may still lie under that earth. Very poignant.


Maybe us with Duckers as rellies should give more info to see if we can trace any links. It is not one of the more common names...I suppose we are all related soemwhere!

Was browsing Birkenhead Market on one of my infrequent visits to the town and found my grandmother's brother's "Penny" in the coin shop there. It had been polished to a great degree, a lot of the detail polished out, so he must have been well loved and missed. Found out on the web that he had died in India and was a member of the RAMC, still looking for further details. His name was Thomas Samuels.

There have been a few riots in birkenhead one I believe was called The Garaboldi riots. I think it was about persecution going on somewhere else.I read a book and I recall it said shops had been looted, and heavies had to come from outside to restore orderand get the stuff back

There were also anti German riots connected to the sinking of the Lusitania of the coast off Ireland.
Wirral Globe
Other chapters in the book deal with other matters such as 'Injustice in Birkenhead'. This tells of the Birkenhead Riots following the sinking of the Cunard liner Lusitania by a U Boat in 1915 while on its way to Liverpool.

The day after anti-German riots broke out. In Birkenhead police tried to protect the first victim who had a butcher's shop at Watson Street but it was wrecked after police were overwhelmed by sheer numbers. Riots lasted for a couple of days and pubs were closed.

Some luckless victims were not German related. Fried fish dealer Thomas Lincoln, of Price Street, had his shop smashed up by a mob made up mostly of women and young boys. They looted everything after someone said he had sold a fish to a German!

From the Liverpool Mercury, October 9th 1862: