Pte 43486 Robert Broomhead

• Age: 32
• From: Newton Moor,Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• D.O.W Wednesday 11th April 1917
• Commemorated at: St Sever Cem Ext Rouen
  Panel Ref: O.VIII.L.8

Robert Broomhead was born in 1885 at Newton Moor, Hyde, Cheshire. He was the son of Benjamin and Annie Broomhead (nee Barber). They married in 1882 at All Saints Church, Wigan. Mother Annie must have died, but no positive record found. Benjamin went on to mary Jane Ellen Britner in 1893 at St Mark's Church, Bredbury, Stockport. 

The 1891 Census shows Robert and his familys living with his grandparents at Cross Street, Abram, Wigan, Lancashire.

The head of the household is Robert Broomhead aged 54, born 1837 and he is a coal miner who was born in Stockport. His wife Hannah is aged 49, born 1842 in Cheshire and has no occupation listed. They have two children at the time of the Census, Sarah aged 17, born 1874 and employed in a colliery and she was born in Durham. Robert’s father Benjamin is aged 26, born 1865 in Sheffield and employed as a coal miner. His wife is not present at the address, but he has four children, Hannah aged 8, born Abram, Wigan and Robert aged 6, born Hyde in Cheshire are both scholars, Sarah aged 4, born 1887 in Cheshire and Beny aged 2, born 1889 in Abram.   

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 259, Warrington Road, Abram, Wigan.

The father Benjamin is aged 36 and employed as a hairdresser and his wife Jane Ellen is aged 33, born 1868 and has no occupation listed. At the taking of the Census they have seven children, Hannah aged 18, is a cotton weaver, Robert now aged 16 is a hairdresser, Sarah aged 14, John aged 6, born 1895, Nellie aged 4, born 1897, Horace aged 3, born 1898 and Baden P, born 1901.

He had previously enlisted in the British Army in 1903 when he joined the 6th Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers as Private 1749. He gave his age as 19 years and one month ( which was a lie) and his occupation as a Hairdresser. He is described as being 5'3 inches tall, weighed 103 lbs with fresh complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. His address was given as 259 Warrington Road, Abram, Wigan. He was discharged upon the payment of one pound.

The 1911 Census shows Robert and his brother Horace boarding at 7 Whistley St Platt Bdge, Hindley, Lancashire.

The head of the household is John William Gibson aged 29, born 1882 in Pemberton, Wigan and employed in a colliery. His wife Margaret is aged 28, born 1883 in Wigan and has no occupation listed. They have one son John aged 3, born in Hindley, Wigan. Robert is now 26 and employed as a hairdresser and his younger brother Horace aged 13 is employed as a hairdresser’s assistant. 

Robert married Dora Parr in 1914 at St Luke's Church, Southport. They went on to have a daughter Marjorie born in 1916.

At the outbreak of war he was living with his wife Dora at 64 Tulketh Street, Southport. He enlisted in Southport and was serving with the 17th Battalion of THe King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 43486.

He died of wounds on 11th April 1917, aged 32 ,and he now rests at St Sever Cemetery Extension at Rouen, France where his headstone bears the epitaph:

“WE WHICH HAVE BELIEVED DO ENTER INTO REST”

During the First World War, Commonwealth camps and hospitals were stationed on the southern outskirts of Rouen. A base supply depot and the 3rd Echelon of General Headquarters were also established in the city.

Almost all of the hospitals at Rouen remained there for practically the whole of the war. They included eight general, five stationary, one British Red Cross and one labour hospital, and No. 2 Convalescent Depot. A number of the dead from these hospitals were buried in other cemeteries, but the great majority were taken to the city cemetery of St. Sever. In September 1916, it was found necessary to begin an extension, where the last burial took place in April 1920.

The Cemetery and the Extension adjoin each other but have separate Registers.

During the Second World War, Rouen was again a hospital centre and the extension was used once more for the burial of Commonwealth servicemen, many of whom died as prisoners of war during the German occupation.

The cemetery extension contains 8,348 Commonwealth burials of the First World War (ten of them unidentified) and in Block "S" there are 328 from the Second World War (18 of them unidentified). There are also 8 Foreign National burials here. The adjoining St. Sever Cemetery contains 3,082 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. There is also 1 French burial and 1 non war service burial here.

The extension was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.

A local newspaper reported his death:

PTE. R. BROOMHEAD (died of wounds)