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Thomas Bagnall's story is a little unusual and quite complicated, and some details are difficult to prove. However with the valuable help of Peter Marsden, author of the

Hoyland War Memorial website, I have attempted to piece it together with hopefully not too many errors.

Although Thomas was born and lived in Lancashire, he enlisted in the York & Lancaster Regiment in Birdwell, Barnsley, Yorkshire,  on 2nd September 1914, and joined the Expeditionary Force France on the 28th August 1915.

He was a Miner by trade, and he is thought to have moved to Yorkshire with his elder brother Edward Bagnall, and Edward's wife Margaret nee' Parry, about 1913/14. Probably after the death of their father William Bagnall who had died in 1913.

Although Thomas did not marry, his daughter Annie Fisher was born on 9th July 1909 in Wigan, Lancashire. It is not certain who was Annie's mother, but it seems likely that she was Ruth Fisher who's death was registered in Wigan in the same quarter of 1909 that Annie was born.

Ruth was born in 1890 in Easington, Durham, the daughter of William and Elizabeth Fisher.

Thomas is also recorded as deceased, on the Hoyland Nether Township Roll of Honour.

The mistake appears to have been repeated on the Roll of Honour, and he is recorded as Private Lawrence Bagnall, as shown in the enlargement below.

Clerical error may be a possible explanation for the mistaken identity. It’s thought that a clerical error was made on the Roll of Honour in or around 1920, which then became repeated on the Hoyland War Memorial in April 1925.

It is possible that there may  have been some confusion with Private Lawrence P. Bagnall, who's details can be found elsewhere on this website.

Despite dilligent research, we have been unable to find another person named Lawrence Bagnall who could possibly be the man named on the two memorials.

Headstone Picture courtesy of June & Peter Marsden

Hoyland War Memorial

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