Spooky connections - The grave of Sgt-Major Pilbeam and the graffiti-carved tree

Local history can throw up remarkable objects and connections. 

I discovered this beautifully carved gravestone in a quiet and golden-lit Greasley churchyard a few evenings ago. 

It's the grave of Sgt-Major James Pilbeam of the South Notts Hussars and Inniskilling Dragoons who lived at Col. Rolleston of Watnall Hall's gamekeeper's cottage and died in 1907. 

His 2 sons Charles and Reginald Pilbeam are commemorated with him on the gravestone. Both served in the army and both died young, sad deaths, one in a coalmine in 1915, one on the battlefield in 1916. 

The very next day, walking my dog over Watnall's fields, my eye is drawn high up the trunk of an old beech tree. I notice a name carved in it and a date, "Pilbeam 1899". 

Is one of the Pilbeam boys trying to tell me something?

Sgt-Major James Pilbeam d.1907

1899 was the year that young Charles Pilbeam left England to fight in the the South Africa (Boer) War. Maybe the tree carving was his memorial to himself in case he didn't come back. But he did come back, 3 years later, as Sergeant-Major Pilbeam (like his father) with a medal and 5 campaign clasps and a mention in despatches from Lord Kitchener himself. His elderly father, now an army pensioner, would have been justly proud. 

After his father's death in 1907 things go awry for Charles. In 1910 he is dismissed from the army "with ignominy". He has done something dishonourable and unforgivable and the army get rid of him with no pension and no reference. It's a black stain on his character and he has to forfeit his medal. He finds work as a fitter's mate at Gedling Colliery but something is wrong. In 1915 his workmate finds him lying on the floor. Charles dies a few minutes later. It is stated that "the deceased suffered from pains in the head and 'nerves' about twelve months ago". 

James's wife Elizabeth d. c.1924

At the time of Charles's death, his 19-year-old brother Reginald has left his job on the local railways and left his home life, mother and sisters at the Watnall gamekeeper's cottage to join the Seaforth Highlanders fighting WW1 in France. He survived almost a year in the trenches, through the winter of 1915-16 but was killed on 9th day of the Battle of the Somme, July 9th 1916 at Montauban. When the battle was over nine days later, more than a million soldiers had been killed or wounded.

The gravestone he shares with his father and brother at Greasley aptly pays proud tribute to the Pilbeam's patriotic wartime service... "FOUGHT FOR GOD, RIGHT AND LIBERTY". 

Greasley St. Mary's Church

Beech tree carving

Notes and sources : 

Reginald Pilbeam

- Notts County Council Roll of Honouor
Reginald William Edmund Pilbeam
Place of birth - Watnall, Nottinghamshire
Family History
Reginald William Edmund Pilbeam was born in 1896 at Watnall and was the son of James, an army pensioner, and Elizabeth Pilbeam née Obbard of Wood Villas, Watnall, Nottinghamshire. His father James Pilbeam was born in 1838 at Cuckford, Sussex and died in 1907 aged 67 yrs his death was recorded in the Basford Registration District and his mother Elizabeth Obbard born 1851 East Shillington, Sussex. They were married on 11th December 1869 at Cuckfield, Sussex, they went on to have 12 children, Elisabeth Ellen b.1870 Cuckfield, Charles James b.Ireland, Eva Emma b.1875 Dublin, Maud Francis b.1878 Dublin, Ethel Marianne b.1879 Bulwell, Violette Obbard b.1881 Bulwell, Beatrice Gillespie b.1883 Bulwell (died 1883) Gordon George b.1885 Watnall, Ida Misletoe b.1888 Watnall, Ivy Gillespie b.1890 Watnall, Victoria Rudolph b.1892 Watnall and Reginald William Edmund Pilbeam b.1896 Watnall. In the 1911 census the family are living at Wood Villas , Watnall and are shown as Elizabeth Pilbeam 60 yrs a widow, she is living with her children Ethel Marianne 30 yrs , no occupation listed, Violet Obbard 28 yrs an infant school teacher, Ida Mistletoe 23 yrs no occupation listed, Victor Rudolph 18 yrs railway clerk, great northern railway and Reginald William 14 yrs a railway clerk, Great Northern Railway.
Employment/Hobbies - He was Great Northern Railway clerk.
Date of death - 09 Jul 1916
Age at death 20
CWGC Commonwealth Grave No 1548326 - CWGC Website
Service number 17405
Address given on enlistment - Enlisted Nottingham
Rank Private
Decorations
Military Unit  - 26th Coy Machine Gun Corps
Military History
Private Reginald William Edmund Pilbeam, enlisted at Nottingham in September 1914. Serving with the 26th Company Machine Gun Corps, formerly 7th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders. He landed in France on 10th May 1915 and he was killed in action on 9th July 1916. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. Pier & Face 5C & 12C 
Extra Information
One of his brothers, Charles James Pilbeam was found dead at Gedling Colliery on 18th July 1915. “Hearing groans in the fitters’ shop at the Gedling Colliery yesterday afternoon, [18th July 1915] a workman found another employee, Charles Pilbeam, aged 45, a fitter’s labourer, lying on the floor. Pilbeam, whose home was at Gedling. died a few minutes later. It is stated that the deceased suffered from pains in the head and “nerves” about twelve months ago. An inquest will be held to-day.” [1] He served in the Boer War, being mentioned in despatches, but forfeited his medals after being discharged with ignominy on 25th January 1910. [1] 'Nottingham Daily Express,' 19th July 1915. Above article is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his Facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918

- Historical biography for James Pilbeam's family

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Pilbeam-34

- His brother Victor went on to have a family of 2 boys and in 1939 was 47 and Chief Clerk on the Great Northern Railway https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:75TT-B6MM

- “VERY EFFICIENT WORKMAN.” 

“Colliery Company’s Tribute to Deceased Employee. 

“A verdict of “Death from natural causes” was returned at an inquest held at Gedling yesterday [20th July 1915] relative to the death of Charles John [sic] Pilbeam, aged 42, a fitter's labourer, of Gediing, which took place on Sunday afternoon [18th July 1915] in a fitter's shop at the Gedling Colliery. 

“The widow said for some time past her husband had complained of pains in the head, which he said affected his sight. He had, however, worked regularly.

“A foreman at the colliery said the deceased was at work on Sunday. He appeared to be all right until about 4 p.m., when witness heard groans. Going to the fitter’s shop, he found Pilbeam lying on the floor and unable to speak. Witness was certain deceased did not meet with an accident, and that nobody had interfered with him. He did complain of feeling ill that day.

“Dr. William Park, who conducted a post-mortem examination, said that death was due to haemorrhage, which extended from the left side of the brain to the spinal cord. 

“Mr. J. Bird, solicitor, of Mansfield (who appeared for Mr. Elliott-Smith, the solicitor to the colliery company), expressed regret at the deceased's death, which had had deprived the company of the services of an efficient workman. 

“Mr. W. Knight, the colliery manager, was also present at the inquiry.” [1]

[1] 'Nottingham Daily Express,' 21st July 1915.

- Greasley St. Mary's graveyard. The gravestone, faded by time and the weather and carved with the images of a castle, a dragoon's sword and ornate, plumed helmet, reads in broken lettering:

FOUGHT FOR GOD, RIGHT AND LIBERTY

IN LOVING MEMORY OF

James Pilbeam

LATE SERGT MAJOR OF THE INNISKILLING DRAGOONS

AND SOUTH NOTTS HUSSARS

WHO ENTERED INTO REST FEB 12^TH 1907

AGED 67

LIFE - TRUTH - LOVE

 ALSO HIS 2 SONS

Charles J. (LATE INNISK’LING D’GNS)

DIED JULY 18^TH 1915 AGED 42 YEARS.

(SERVED IN S.A WAR FROM 1899-1902)

Reginal W.E. (7^TH S’FTH H’LNDRS NO.2 M.G.C)

KILLED IN ACTION AT MONTAUBAN, FRANCE

JULY 9^TH 1916. AGED 20 YEARS

“THY KINGDOM COME. THY WILL BE DONE”

The carvings on the gravestone show the castle insignia of
the 6th Inniskillings's, a plumed helmet and sword.

6th Inniskilling Dragoons Sergeant wearing same style helmet c.1900.
Note the same castle logo above his stripes as is on the gravestone.

Below is a 6th Inniskilling Dragoon Guards Officer's post 1871 Helmet.

A magnificent and scarce example of the 1871 pattern helmet worn by an officer of the Inniskilling Dragoon Guards, Silver skull decorated with laurel leaves, to the front a helmet plate consisting of a Fire Gilt hobnail star, overlaid with a fire gilt title strap inscribed with ''INNISKILLING DRAGOONS'' to the centre a silver castle (the emblem of the 6th) and below this numerals VI mounted onto a matt gilt disc. Complete with white horse hair plume and gilt rose, and also a black velvet backed gilt chin chain.

THE 6TH (INNISKILLING) DRAGOONS, depicting a Sergeant in marching order 1890

To read more about the sword and the swordsmanship contests the soldiers had, read this other "Tales from Watnall Hall" article called  "Trooper Clark’s amazing swordsmanship prize…"

- Clump of 3 beech trees in Watnall Park, the grounds of the now demolished Watnall Hall. Grafitti says "Pilbeam 1899" Other tree carved graffiti (properly called "arborglyphs") next to it is dated 1894. Other trees in the area have RAF-related graffiti from when RAF Watnall was operational during and after WW2. Anyone wishing to visit, the grid ref is 53.006707, -1.257941

- Charles Pilbeam's army service record shows that his crime was twice stealing regimental money. He was demoted to Corporal the first time then to the ranks the second time and eventually "discharged with ignominy" in 1910. He got work at Gedling Colliery but died there 5 years later. His cause of death was a brain haemorrhage.