Private. 8th Battalion, Alexandra, Princess of Wales’ Own Yorkshire Regiment. Service number 42662.
Early life
Luther was born at Oakworth in 1884, living at Lower Laithe Farm with his parents Benjamin and Ann, plus his siblings.
In 1891 he was six and they were still at Lower Laithe Farm with Benjamin a farmer The children were John William aged 14, Seth aged 11, Luther aged 7 and Binns aged 5 They had one sister, Elizabeth aged 12.
The farming didn’t seem to work out and by 1901 they were living at Victoria Road in Oakworth and Benjamin was working as a road labourer whilst Luther was 16 and an apprentice chair maker.
By 1911 Luther had moved out and was working as a chair maker for a furniture company and boarding at 28, Warner Street in Haslingden, Lancashire.
In 1913 he married Jane Ann Peacock of Mytholmes in Haworth and they lived at 5, Oakworth Terrace in Oakworth. They had a daughter, Mary born in 1914. (Oakworth Terrace is a short terrace of houses on the West side of Dockroyd Lane, next to the council allotments.)
War service
Luther enlisted at Haworth in 1916. He trained with the 29th Service Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers (Tyneside Scottish), service number 29/1173 and would have been at Barnard’s Castle and Hornsea, with the Battalion eventually becoming the 84th Training Reserve at Hornsea.
He was serving in France with the 8th Battalion, Alexandra, Princess of Wales’ Own Yorkshire Regiment when he became ill and died of pneumonia on March 16, 1917 in the casualty clearing station at Lijssenthoek, near Ypres in Belgium.
He was 33 years old and was buried in grave 39, row B, plot XI of Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery.
His CWGC headstone has a family inscription, which reads: ‘Dearly Beloved Husband of Jane Ann Wilkinson. Peace Perfect Peace.’
Keighley News March 31, 1917, page 3:
OAKWORTH
Private Luther Wilkinson, of the Tyneside Scottish, who before enlistment resided at 5, Oakworth Terrace, Oakworth, Keighley, died from pneumonia on March 16.
Post war:
Luther was posthumously awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal for his war service. These would have been sent to Jane along with his Bronze war memorial plaque and a King’s certificate inscribed with his name.
He left £157 to Jane in his will.
Commencing on 17th September 1917, Jane received a widow’s pension of 13 shillings and 9 pence per week, plus a further 5 shillings per week for their child Mary. The children’s element would last until Mary’s 16th birthday.
This was revised on 20th February 1920, to £1 6s 8d for Jane and a further children’s allowance of 10 shillings for Mary.
His younger brother Private Binns Wilkinson also served in the war and was killed in action on August 24, 1918 at Pozieres in the Somme region of France. He was 32.
Remembrance:
Luther and Binns are both named on the Oakworth War Memorial. They are also named on the Slack Lane Baptist Church war memorial and the Oakworth Great War Centenary roll of honour, on display at Oakworth Village Hall.
Luther is also named on the Oakworth Methodist Chapel Roll of Honour.
Keighley News March 16, 1918 page 10:
IN MEMORIAM
WILKINSON – In loving memory of a dear husband and father, Private Luther Wilkinson, who died in France on March 16, 1917.
He has gone from his dear ones, his child and his wife,
Whom he willingly toiled for and loved as his life.
Oh! God, how mysterious and how strange are thy ways,
To take from us this loved one in the best of his days.
Oh! only those who have suffered are able to tell
The pain of the heart in not saying farewell.
Sadly missed by his wife and his little daughter, Mary Wilkinson, Oakworth.
