Pte 16578 Patrick Hoban

• Age: 38
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• Died Wednesday 23rd December 1914
• Commemorated at: Anfield Cem Liverpool
  Panel Ref: Screen Wall. North V.RC 1749

Patrick Hoban was born on the 23rd November 1875 in Liverpool, the son of James Hoban and his wife Arabella (nee Loveridge) who were married in 1852. He was baptised on the 05th Dec 1875 at St Patrick’s Church,Liverpool. 

His mother known as"Bella" had married 1852 at Our Lady and St Nicholas Church but her spouse Nathan Langley died, aged 29, in 1859.  She remarried to James Hoban of Grafton Street on the 23rd December 1868 at St Mary's Church, Highfield Street. 

The 1871 Census shows the family at 21 Tamworth Street, Toxteth. Father James is aged 31, a police constable born in Ireland, mother Arabella is aged 38, children are listed as; Timothy Hobson aged 1, then Henry Langley 16 a labourer, John S. Langley 14 a scholar, and Fanny Langley 12 a scholar, children from Bella's first marriage. 

The 1881 Census finds the family at House 1 Court 6, Beaufort Street. Patrick's father, James is aged 41, a police constable born in County Mayo, mother Arabella is aged 48, the only child listed is Patrick aged 5.

The 1891 Census they are at 78 Beaufort Street, his father, James, is aged 51, a police constable, mother Arabella is aged 54, Timothy J. Hoban is aged 21, a policeman, John Langley is 27, a carter, but Patrick is not listed. 

His father died, aged 60, in 1898 and was buried on the 09th November at Ford Cemetery, his address at the time of his death was 32 Leece Street. 

The 1901 Census shows his widowed mother, Arabella, aged 60 born Birmingham (sic), living on her own at 52 Lamport Street, Toxteth. The Langley's are next door at 48. 

His mother died on 14th September 1905 and was buried at Toxteth Park Cemetery.

Patrick can't be found on either the 1901 or 1911 census. It is possible that he was at sea or took a chance in USA for a while, as there is a record for a return from New York on the RMS Baltic, on 09th July 1911. 

He enlisted in the 18^th Battalion on 02^nd September 1914, giving his age as 34 years and 304 days and his occupation as clerk. He was described as being 5'7 and a half inches tall, weighed 123 1bs, 38" chest, with a fresh complexion, blue eyes, sandy hair. he stated his religion as Roman Catholic. He declared that he had served as a volunteer in the 5^th Rifles for 4 years and gave his next of kin as his cousin, Mr William H. Duffy, licensee of the “Red Lion Hotel”, 153 Dale Street, Liverpool.

The 1914 Gores Directory has a Mrs Mary Hoban at the Red Lion Hotel, 153 Dale Street, which must be the link to the Next of Kin whilst the 1914 Gores also has William Henry Duffy as the licensed victualler of the Marlborough Hotel, Liverpool.

From the 23^rd September 1914 he was billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03^rd December 1914 when they moved into the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall.

In December 1914, he was said to have been complaining of feeling unwell and did in fact see the Battalion doctor, though there is no record of any diagnosis. At this time he was placed on light duties and excused parades, acting as servant to Captain Maurice Jager.

On 23^rd December 1914, Captain Jager, with six other men including Patrick, drove to Liverpool by military wagon to collect tobacco for the men. There had been snow and the roads were greasy, making them dangerous for a wagon fitted with solid tyres. During the return journey, near Knotty Ash, Captain Jager says that his vehicle skidded on the greasy surface and when he corrected the skid the tail end swung around and struck a low wall at the side of the road. The men in the rear of the vehicle were sitting on empty baskets and the only one injured was Patrick Hoban who either fell or jumped from the rear of the vehicle, landing on some loose stones dislodged from the wall by the impact. His colleagues helped him up and he complained of severe pains in his side.  He was taken to hospital in Liverpool, accompanied by a passing doctor and en route was “revived” by drinking brandy from a nearby public house, but died before he arrived at hospital.

A Post Mortem showed that he had died from cardiac failure due to internal haemorrhaging caused by a ruptured liver. Captain Jager was exonerated. William Duffy gave evidence at the subsequent inquest and stated that Patrick had worked as a tobacco works foreman before enlisting. He had met him during December and said that he was complaining of rheumatic pain but had agreed to spend Christmas Day at Duffy’s home, the Red Lion public house. He said that Hoban’s home address had been 43 Standish Street, Liverpool although the 1901 Census shows his parents living at 27 Standish Street. Hoban’s service record shows that his property was to go to Mr J. Langley, 48 Lamport Street, Liverpool and his medals to Mr H. Langley, 137 Wellington Road, Liverpool. Presumably these were relatives of Patrick as in 1901 the occupant of 137 Wellington Road was shown as Mary Hobin (sic), a grocer. Patrick's medals, the BWM and Victory Medals, were sent to H. Langley; attempts to contact William Duffy in June 1921, presumably to establish his next of kin, were frustrated when Liverpool City Police reported that he was no longer the licensee of the Red Lion and was now living in the Isle of Man. William H. Duffy left for the Isle of Man, and was living at 8 Albert Street, Douglas well before June 1921.

Patrick Hoban was one of the first of the Liverpool Pals to die albeit as the result of an accident and is commemorated on a Screen Wall in Anfield Cemetery. 

Screen Walls are a type of memorial for Commonwealth War Dead, they are predominantly used to record the names of individuals who have a known grave but where it is not possible to erect a CWGC headstone or the exact location of the grave is no longer known.

There is a burial record for Patrick which shows that he was buried on 26th December 1914 in grave no.1749 in the Roman Catholic part of Anfield Cemetery.

In December 1914, Liverpool became one of the 21 Auxiliary Patrol Bases and in February 1915, the base of the 10th Cruiser Squadron. During the Second World War, Liverpool was headquarters of Western Approaches Command and a manning depot for officers and men of the Merchant Navy who agreed to serve with the Royal Navy for the duration of the war.

Liverpool (Anfield) Cemetery contains burials of both wars. The majority are in two war graves plots in Section 5, with Screen Walls bearing the names of those buried there. The rest of the war burials are scattered throughout the cemetery.

There are 453 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in the cemetery. Included in this total are 17 casualties who are commemorated by name on the Screen Wall as their graves in Bootle (St Mary) Churchyard and Liverpool (St James) Cemetery could no longer be maintained. Second World War burials number 459 including 2 unidentified British soldiers. There is also another Screen Wall memorial to those whose burials are not marked by headstones. There are also 67 war graves of other nationalities, the majority of them Dutch and Norwegian Merchant seamen, and there are 9 non war service burials here.

Soldiers Effects to half-brothers Henry Langley, John Langley, half sisters Mrs Elizabeth Brown, Frances Langley, and nephew Joseph (RGA whereabouts unknown).

Patrick is commemorated in the Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 55 Right.

We currently have no further information on Patrick Hoban, if you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.