Private, 2/4th Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment. Regimental number 5211.
Early life:
Arthur was born in Oakworth on May 16, 1879 to parents Joseph and Ann Ryder and baptised at Christ Church on August 17. They lived at Mill Lane, Oakworth. Joseph was a wool sorter. By 1891 they were at 34, Percy Street, Horton, Bradford and Joseph was still a wool sorter. Arthur was eleven, and a wool spinner. By 1901 they had moved back to the Keighley area at 5, Gott Street, Ingrow and both Joseph and Arthur were mohair sorters. Arthur left the family home and had moved to 26, Stanley Road, Halifax by 1911. He was 31, a teacher of music, organist and choirmaster. He had attended church at St Peter’s in Keighley and had been the organist and choirmaster there. He later became the organist and choirmaster at St Paul’s Church, King Cross, Halifax.
War service:
He attested for home service on December 9, 1915 and entered the Army reserve the next day. His medical tells us a little about him: Height – 5 feet 5,1/2 inches. Chest 40 inches – expansion 2, 1/2 inches. Weight – 186 Lbs.
Arthur was called up and his enlistment was approved on March 23, 1916 with the West Riding Regiment. His civilian occupation was ‘Professor of music.’ His next of kin were his father Joseph, and Mary, his step-mother, living at 72, Hainworth Wood Road and later at 21, Upper Calton Street, Knowle Park. These personal details were verified on the 7th May 1917, by Robert Stansfield, Vicar of St Peter’s Church, Keighley.
After his training he embarked for France with the British Expeditionary Force on January 9, 1917, with the 2/4th Battalion West Riding Regiment, and had only been there for a few weeks before he was admitted to a field ambulance with influenza on February 10.
He was transferred to No. 3 Casualty Clearing Station a week later and then to 2nd Australian General Hospital at Boulogne and to the UK on February 28.
Arthur died at Huddersfield Military Hospital on March 29, aged 37. He was given a military funeral at St Paul’s Church, King Cross, Halifax and buried in the churchyard there.
The Halifax Daily Guardian: Saturday 31st March 1917. Page 4, column 6.
DIED FOR THEIR COUNTRY
Ryder – on Thursday March 29th un the Military Hospital, Huddersfield. Private Arthur Ryder, Duke of Wellington’s Regiment. Aged 37 years.
Funeral service at St Paul’s Church on Monday at 2.30. Interment in Old St Paul’s Churchyard.
The Halifax Courier Saturday May 31, 1917:
FORMER HALIFAX ORGANIST DEAD.
Pte. Arthur Ryder (37), Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, died in the Huddersfield Military Hospital on Thursday. He was for several years organist at St Paul’s Church, although he was not a native of Halifax.
Keighley News 7th April 1917.
INGROW. A WELL KNOWN MUSICIAN’S DEATH.
The funeral took place at St. Paul’s King Cross, on Monday, with military honours, of Pte. Arthur Ryder, West Riding Regiment, Dunkirk Street, Halifax, who died on March 29 in Huddersfield Military Hospital. Never a robust man, he was invalided home from the front with “shell shock.” He was 37 years of age. A native of Ingrow, he was well known in local musical circles, having occupied the position of organist and choirmaster of St. Peter’s Church, Keighley, prior to taking up a similar appointment at St paul’s Church, King Cross, where he had been for nine years in both old and new churches. His loss to the church, as much for his nobleness of character as for his musical abilities, will be great.
At St. Paul’s on Sunday Rev. H. Bright (vicar) and Rev. D. A. Ward (curate) made touching references to him from the pulpit. The services at the home, church and graveside were shared by the vicar, Rev. D. A. Ward and Rev. Geo. Jackson (curate). The choir were in attendance, and led in the singing of “Rock of ages” and “Now the labourer’s task is o’er,” the latter being repeated at the graveside. Mr. R. Whitaker, who deputised at the organ after Mr. Ryder’s enlistment, and Mr Fortune (Holy Trinity, Keighley) rendered impressive music on the organ.
Among the mourners were: – Mrs Ryder (mother, the father was too ill to come), Pte. A. Ryder (uncle), and a few other near relatives. Representing St. Paul’s Church were: Messrs. A. R. Pollit (warden), W. Bottomley, E. Evans, S. B. Petty, G. H. Petty, and F. Ackroyd (sidesmen). A large number of St. Paul’s friends attended the service in church. Bearers and a firing party from the depot were in charge of Sergeant Robinson. The coffin, wrapped in a Union Jack, and covered with lovely flowers, was borne on a gun carriage. After the choir had sung, and volleys had been fired Bugler Steele sounded “The Last Post.”
The Halifax Courier Saturday April 7, 1917:
THE LATE PTE. ARTHUR RYDER.
The funeral took place at St. Paul’s King Cross, on Monday, with military honours, of Pte. Arthur Ryder, W. R. Regt., Dunkirk Street, Halifax, who died on March 29 in Huddersfield Military Hospital. Never a robust man, he was invalided home from the front with shell shock. He was 37 years of age. A native of Ingrow, where his parents reside, he had for nine years been organist of St. Paul’s Church, in both old and new churches, an office he filled with great ability. His loss to the church, as much for his nobleness of character as for his musical abilities, will be great.
At St. Paul’s on Sunday Rev. D. A. Ward (curate) and Rev. H. Bright (vicar) made touching references to him from the pulpit. The services at the home, church and graveside were shared by the vicar, Rev. D. A. Ward and Rev. Geo. Jackson (curates). The choir were in attendance, and led in the singing of “Rock of ages” and “Now the labourer’s task is o’er,” the latter being repeated at the graveside. Mr. R. Whitaker, who deputised at the organ after Mr. Ryder’s enlistment, and Mr Fortune (Holy Trinity, Keighley) rendered impressive music on the organ.
Among the mourners were: – Mrs Ryder (mother, the father was too ill to come), Pte. A. Ryder (uncle), and a few other near relatives. Representing St. Paul’s Church were: Messrs. A. R. Pollit (warden), W. Bottomley, E. Evans, S. B. Petty, G. H. Petty, and F. Ackroyd (sidesmen). A large number of St. Paul’s friends attended the service in church. Bearers and a firing party from the depot were in charge of Sergt. Robinson. The coffin, wrapped in a Union Jack, and covered with lovely flowers, was borne on a gun carriage. After the choir had sung, and volleys had been fired Bugler Steele sounded “The Last Post.”
Keighley News 28th July 1917:
Arthur Ryder, Organist at St Paul’s Church, Halifax. A portrait was unveiled last week in Ingrow and Hermit Hole Conservative Club by the Club President, who said it was the sixth such portrait that he had unveiled of a member of the club who had died whilst in active service.
Keighley News 28th July 1917, page 6:
INGROW. MEMORIAL TO A SOLDIER.
A portrait of the late Private Arthur Ryder, who died in the Huddersfield War Hospital some time ago, was unveiled at the Ingrow and Hermit Hole Conservative Club yesterday evening week.
Mr. Joe Sagar, who presided, referred to the sterling character of the late soldier. He was a man, he said, was held in high esteem by all who knew him, and he was highly respected by the Vicar and congregation of St, Paul’s Church, Halifax, where he officiated as organist before he joined the colours. In unveiling the portrait Mr. T. W. Crabtree (president) spoke in high terms of the late soldier, and mentioned that this was the sixth portrait of a member of the club who had died on active service which he as president had unveiled. An enjoyable musical programme was sustained during the evening by Mr. F. G. Wilson, tenor (Bradford), Mr. W. H. Smith (Bradford), and Mr. James Dewhirst (piano-forte soloist). Mr. J. C. Ramsden officiated as accompanist.
Post war:
The Death Plaque and Scroll were sent to Arthur’s Father, Joseph Ryder on 24th April 1919.
Arthur’s medals were to be sent to Joseph Ryder on 12th May 1922. Joseph was deceased by this time, so the medals were instead sent to Arthur’s stepmother Mary Ryder who was living at 12, Prince Street, Keighley.
Arthur’s personal effects sent to his father, Joseph Ryder.
These were:
1 pipe, tobacco and pouch.
Holdall containing:
4 packets chocolates
Purse
Correspondence
Writing tablet
Pair gloves.
Remembrance:
Arthur’s grave was originally in the old part of the St. Paul’s Church graveyard, plot GF 31, which what seems to have been a private yorkstone memorial with kerbs.
The specific grave position is not marked today, because the bulk of the church building was demolished and the graveyard area was grassed over. We don’t know what happened to the stones.
All that remains today is the spire of the church.
In April 1973, all of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstones were installed together against the boundary of the graveyard. They all have a special inscription: ‘BURIED IN THIS CHURCHYARD’
His portrait was one of several on display at Ingrow and Hermit Hole Conservative Club for their members who had died in the war, but since the club closed down several years ago, we have not been able to locate any of the portraits, nor the Conservative Club’s roll of honour.
His name is on the Keighley St. Peter’s Church war memorial, which is held at Keighley Civic Centre. He is also named on the Ingrow War Memorial outside St. John’s Church.
Information sources:
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915.
West Yorkshire, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1910.
1881 England Census.
1891 England Census.
1901 England Census.
1911 England Census.
British Army Service Records.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007.
Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929.
British Army Medal index cards.
WWI Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920.
The Halifax Courier.
The Halifax Daily Guardian.
Keighley News archives at Keighley Library.
