This man was a candidate for addition to Keighley’s Supplementary Volume under the proposal to add further names in 2024, the centenary of the original roll of honour.
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Supported by the National Lottery’s Heritage Fund, our project submitted 103 names for peer review to add them to the book which is kept at Keighley Library. The unveiling of the book with it’s new names took place on 9th November 2024, 100 years after the unveiling of the original war memorial.
See the list of 103 new names added in 2024 here
Lance Corporal. A Company, 1/6th Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment. Service number 266081. Previous number 3292.
Note: The surname Golden varies in different records, usually as Goulden but sometimes Goulding.
Early life:
Francis was born in 1895 at Bingley and his birth was registered in Keighley in the third quarter of the year. His parents were Patrick Golden & Mary Jane Golden, née Bage, who were married in 1894.
There is 14th February Bingley Chronicle newspaper account of a Bingley Police Court case where Patrick had to answer a summons, charging him with assault of his wife Mary on the 9th February 1896. She alleged that he and a friend had returned drunk and an argument ensued when he struck her. The case was dismissed but it appears that the family home wasn’t always stable. Bearing in mind that Francis was aged just one on this occasion it is no surprise that he ended up living with his grandparents.
In the 1901 census Francis was six years old and living at 141, Main Street in Bingley with his maternal grandparents Thomas and Ann Bage along with nine other family members. Neither of his parents are living there. Mary appears to be living at 196, Main Street and Patrick is living in Keighley.
In 1907 his father Patrick died aged 37. His death was registered at Keighley in the first quarter of the year.
At some point between the 1901 and 1911 census Francis Golden attended day school at Keighley Trade and Grammar School. Normally this would be between two and seven years, but for Francis, likely 1902 to 1908 when he would have been aged thirteen.
In 1910 his mother Mary remarried, to John Scully and lived in Nelson, Lancashire.
Francis was aged 15 in the 1911 census and living at 118, Main Street in Bingley with his grandparents, seven uncles and aunts and two cousins. He was employed as an insurance clerk.
War service:
There are no Army service records for Francis but we have managed to put together a timeline of events in his service career from other records.
Francis enlisted with the 6th Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding) Regiment at Keighley, some time around October 1914, with the service number 3292.
After training he embarked for France with the 1/6th Battalion, arriving there on 29th June 1915.
He served with the 1/6th Battalion for the duration of his war. In late 1916 or early 1917 his service number changed to the new six figure numbers and he was issued with number 266081.
In 1918 he was killed in action on 30th June. He was just 22 years old.
War diary entry for the days leading up to and including the day he died:
WO-95-2801-4 – Jan to Sep 1918. Company Headquarters position was at Map reference: Sheet 28 NW I.8.b.40.35.
ORILLA CAMP
29th June:
The morning was spent on instruction of rifles and gas respirators. The Battalion relieved the 1/6 Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment at night, leaving ORILLA CAMP at 10 p.m. On relief became the Battalion in Reserve. The 147th Brigade holding the left sub sector of the Divisional front (YPRES SECTOR)
RESERVE
30th June:
1.15 am Relief complete.
The Battalion was distributed as follows:
Battalion Headquarters, Ramparts. Map ref: I.8.d.10.70
A Coy in the YPRES defences. Coy HQ Map ref: I.8.b.40.35
D Coy in the KAAIE defences. Coy HQ Map ref: I.2.c.15.90
C Coy in support near SALVATION CORNER & Bridgehead about Map ref: I.1.85.10
B Coy in RESERVE near SUICIDE CORNER Map ref: I.1.c.05.75
Casualties: 2 Lieut. R. Hunt. A Coy. Wounded by shell.
266081 Lance Corporal Golden, F. A Company. Killed by shell.
26681 Private Bryson, H. N. A Company. Wounded by shell.
Battalion strength:
31st May: 43 officers, 781 other ranks.
30th June: 40 officers, 694 other ranks.
Most of these reduction in numbers were sink or entrained to base camp. Only one man (Francis) was reported killed in June 1918.
Francis was just 22 years old when he died. He had been at the front for exactly three years.
Keighley News 27th July 1918:
BINGLEY AND DISTRICT
Official news has been received that Lance-Corporal Francis Golden was killed in France on June 30. he was the grandson of the late Mr Thomas Bage, of North Terrace, Bingley. Before enlisting he was employed in the office of Mr E. H. Gates, manufacturer, Bradford. Deceased, who was 23 years of age, joined the Army at the outbreak of war, and had been in France since April, 1915. He was an old boy of the Keighley Trade and Grammar School.
The ‘Ramparts’ defence trench systems at Ypres, were close to where the Menin Gate memorial is situated today. Francis was buried in grave 1, row G, Plot II, of Gwalia Cemetery in Belgium.
The relative’s details show the names of Son of May Jane Scully (formerly Golden), of 202, Brunswick St., Nelson, Lancs., and the late Patrick Golden, native of Bingley, Yorks.
Post war:
His mother Mary appears to have been his next of kin and sole legatee in his will, as she received a payment of £11 13s. 5d on 16th October 1918. This would have been his outstanding Army pay. She also received a war gratuity payment of £17 10s. 0d on 18th November 1919.
A dependant’s pension of 5s per week beginning on 21st January 1919, may have been applied for by Ann Bage (his grandmother) until her death on 26th September 1923. However her name has been lightly crossed out and the name M.J. Tenley of 23, Padiham Road, Burnley, Lancashire has been inserted followed by the word ‘mother.’
Francis was awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his war service and these would have been sent to Mary sometime in 1920 or 1921 and she would also have received a bronze memorial plaque and King’s certificate inscribed with his name.
Mary was living with her husband John at 202, Brunswick Street at Nelson in Lancashire.
He is remembered as Golden, F. on the Bingley war Memorial in Myrtle Park, Bingley.
In the 1921 census, Mary was living at Nelson in Lancashire with her husband John. She was a retired draper.
By 1939 Mary was aged about 60, widowed and living at 27, Padiham Road in Bury, Lancashire. She was running a wine and spirits shop and also living with her was her sister Mary Bage, aged about 58 on home duties.
Mary might have died aged 74 in 1942. This death was registered at Keighley in the second quarter of the year, under the name Mary Golden. We could not find a likely record of death for either a Mary Scully or the surname Tenley.
Information sources:
1891 England, Wales & Scotland Census
England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915
England & Wales, Free BMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
1901 England Census
England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915
The Keighlian Magazine of Keighley Boy’s Grammar School
Keighley and District Local History Society photo archive
1911 England Census
Soldiers Died in the Great War
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929
World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923
British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920
WWI Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920
1921 Census
1939 Register
England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
Keighley News archives at Keighley Library
National Archives – Battalion war diary for 1/6th West Riding Regiment.
