Introduction & Question

[austsig]

G'day All from Australia,

Not sure that this is the correct area to post this but as a learner it's a starting point.

My name is Ian Cunliffe & live in Victoria. I have been busy for over 20 years doing family history research, with my Cunliffe ancestors coming from Openshaw, although my grandfather was born in Sheffield.
It was my grandparents who came to Australia in 1912 with my father who was 2 years old & born in Longsight. My user name comes from the Australian Signal Corps, which was where I did my National Service in 1968.

It was around April 25th just gone (our ANZAC DAY) that both findmypast.com & ancestry.com.au had free access to their military records. So even though I have most of my relatives & ancestors details, I decided to have another look (an uncle on my mother's side died at Lone Pine, while another survived Gallipoli & the Western Front, although he did come home wounded. Anyway that's off the track.

My link to The Manchester Regiment is though a cousin of my grandfather. His name was LEVI CUNLIFFE who joined up in 1895 & served a couple of times up until 1908, when he transferred to the East Lancs Regt.

It was while rechecking Levi's records that were available, that I came across The Manchester Regiment website & this forum. While checking it out I noticed that a member called "sphinx" had also mentioned a Levi Cunliffe back last year and wondered if he is still around. I do not have much on Levi's WW1 service record & would like to know more about him.

In 1954 when I was 8 years old, Levi, who was 78 years, came out here to Victoria to visit & stay for six months with us Cunliffe relations. He left with us medals & uniform badges from his army days. I have photos of these or can explain what these look like at a later date, as a couple have me a bit lost. A couple of them are from the Army Temperance Association, one of which has crossed rifles. Four of them are Manchester Regiment cap badges, all slightly different.

Well that long enough for now.

austsig (Ian)

[Wendi]

Welcome Ian, as you can see I have moved your topic.  Sphinx is around, I'm sure he'll be in touch soon.

Wendi 

[sphinx]

Levi Cunliffe b. January 1876 in Openshaw, Manchester to John & Harriet.  He had an older brother John & sister Sarah.  In 1881 he was living in Sheffield with his parents & grandparents who were blacksmiths.  In 1891 he was an inmate at Bleasdale reformatory school for boys, Garstang, Lancashire & gave his trade as shoemaker. By 1894 he was living at 6 Gregory St, Openshaw & working as a labourer at J.W. Crossley & Brothers, Whitworth Street, Openshaw.  On 10.9.1894 he enlisted in the 4th Militia Bn. The Manchester Regt as Pte. 4312, later enlisting in the Regular Bn.'s at Ashton-under-Lyne on 7.2.1895 for 12 years service as Pte. 4541.  He gained his 2nd Class Certificate of Education on 7.3.1895.  On 9.4.1895 he was posted to the 1st Bn at Aldershot & on 14.11.1895 spent 6 days in hospital with bronchitis.  He was posted to the 2nd Bn on 9.12.1896 at Dinapore, India, appointed L/Cpl on 22.4.1897  & spent 13 days in hospital with gonorrhoea at Singapore on 9.7.1897.  On 11.6.1898 he spent 10 days in hospital at Aden with ague (fever). Promoted Cpl. 22.2.1899 & gained his 1st Class Certificate of Education on 30.3.1899.  Appointed L/Sgt 10.2.1900 & Sgt on 1.3.1900.  He served in S. Africa from 16.3.1900 where he contacted dysentery.  He spent 28 days in hospital from 15.9.1900, then 50 days from 24.11.1900, a further 29 days from 14.4.1901 & 25 days from 15.5.1901, before being invalided home on 5.6.1901 & posted to the 4th Bn.  He married Ellen Williams on 28.12.1901 at Manchester. He was awarded the Queens South Africa Medal with clasps, "Cape Colony", Transvaal, "Wittebergen" & "South Africa 1901".  He was not entitled to a KSA.  On 8.1.1902 to 15.1.1902 he was AWOL & tried by DCM on 6.2.1902, found guilty & reduced in rank to Pte.  He was discharged on 21.2.1902.  On 17.4.1902 Levi & Ellen sailed on the "Parisian" from Liverpool to Montreal, Canada as 3rd Class passengers.  They must have returned, as on 13.3.1903 at Aldershot he re-enlisted in the 2nd Bn. The Manchester Regt as Pte. 8716.  Appointed L/Cpl on 30.3.1903 & Cpl on 28.5.1903.  He served at The Depot, Ashton-under-Lyne from 7.11.1903 to 23.11.1907 where he passed an examination in composition on 29.10.1907.  He was posted back to the 2nd Bn. as L/Sgt. & promoted to Sgt on 6.1.1908 when he passed an examination in map reading on 30.3.1908.  He transferred to the 3rd Militia Bn. The East Lancashire Regiment at Fulwood Barracks, Preston, as Orderly Room Sgt 9779 on 23.5.1908.  His first daughter Ellen was born on 1.8.1909 but died on 21.5.1911.  On 16.2.1911 he passed an examination in military law & on 23.5.1911 he was promoted to Col. Sgt/ORS.  On 19.2.1913 he appeared at his second DCM for an unknown offence & was found guilty & reduced in rank to Sgt.  He was discharged on 22.4.1914.  On 11.8.1914 he re-enlisted at Leeds in the Army Service Corps as Sgt. S.S./189 (Supply Specials).  He was posted to 'A' Company Depot at Aldershot & on 1.9.1914 to the 1st Mounted Division as Staff Sgt.  On 1.12.1914 he was appointed A/QM Sgt at the German POW Camp, Leigh, Lancashire until 26.12.1914 when he was posted to the 21st (S)(6th City)Bn. The Manchester Regt at Heaton Park as their RQMS.  Before they went to France in November 1915 he was accepted for a Commission & on 17.8.1915 was appointed as QM & Lt. in the 23rd (S)(7th City) Bn. The Manchester Regiment (LG 25.8.1915), landing in France with them in January 1916.  On 1.9.1916 he was appointed T/Captain in the 71st Training Reserve Bn.  He transferred to the Labour Corps as Captain on 22.5.1917 until relinquishing his commission due to ill health on 2.1.1919 (LG 1.1.1919).  He was awarded the SWB no. B45217 & resided at 31 Partington St, Newton Heath, Manchester.  His British War Medal & Victory Medal were posted on 1.9.1920 to him at Glenmaye, Ellesmere Rd, Altrincham, Cheshire. He entered the Civil Service as a clerk in the Ministry of Pensions (LG 5.6.1923 & EG 8.6.1923).  In 1931 he remarried to Edith Raby at North Manchester.  On 22.6.1954, after he had retired, he sailed from London to Melbourne, Australia on the "Ceramic" c/o a travel agency, Dean & Dawson, 52 St. Petersgate, Stockport.  He died early 1963 at Stockport. 

[austsig]

G'day again from Aus.
Thank you very much "Sphinx" for all the information on Levi Cunliffe you sent. The WW1 info. was great. Some I had, some I had no idea.
Tomorrow ["Down-Under" time, as it's now coming up to 5PM here] I will be sending a description of some medals I'm not sure on that Levi left with us.
Levi's father John was an older brother to my great grandfather James Cunliffe who was born in Openshaw in 1846.
Sphinx, to you have a family connection to Levi. Email privately if necessary.
I visited the Manchester Regiment Museum in May 2011 while on holiday, but as is the case of such holidays I did not allow enough time & my cousin who took me was in a hurry to get away.
What I saw in the hour I had there was terrific though.
Thanks again. One day registered & I have new information.

[sphinx]

Ian,

I live in Ashton-under-Lyne and I am a member of the Manchester Regiment Museum Committee, and as such have an interest in all things relating to the Regiment.

Researching Manchester Regiment soldiers is a hobby of mine, particularly when I have items belonging to them.  I own Levi Cunliffe's medal group and have undertaken research into him.  I take it upon myself to keep their stories alive so that they are not forgotton in the future as they may have been in the past.

I will get you some photos of the medals posted here today.  His photo also appears in the Manchester City Battalions Book of Honour as RQMS in the 21st Bn.

I would be grateful of any additional information on Levi, photos etc to add to the biography.

It would also be good if you could photograph all the items he gave you in 1954.

regards

[sphinx]

In fact here they are.

[sphinx]

And here he is 1915.

[mack]

born on 16th march 1876.
he returned from brisbane on board the strathmore,arrived in london on 20th february 1955,his address at the time was 3 ashburn rd,heaton norris,stockport
levi died at st.thomas hospital,stockport on 12th january 1963,he was living at 42 queens drive,heaton norris at the time
his 2nd court martial was for a offence concerning two shillings and sixpence of public money
in 1920,captain cunliffe was residing at "glenmaye"ellesmere rd,altrincham,cheshire

mack

[sphinx]

Mack,

You never cease to amaze me.  I will add that extra info to his bio.

regards

[austsig]

G'day Again,
Thank you to "Sphinx" & "Mac". Great service about Levi Cunliffe.

If you want to add to the history of Levi you could add his addresses where he visited & stayed with relatives in Victoria in 1954.
Ted & Nell Chafer, 9 Ellis Court, Braybrook, Victoria, Auatralia
Stan & Vera Cunliffe, 16 Wallingford Street, Cheltenham, Victoria, Australia.
Fred & Dot Cunliffe, 7 Yardley Crt, Maidstone, Victora, Australia.

Once I find out what the medals & badges are & take photos of them I would like to donate them to the Manchester Regt Museum. How would I go about that ?

Also, how do I attach photos to the forum ?

There are three Manchester Regiment badges. I think I read that they were called Tram Conductor badges ?
One is silver with the brass Manchester banner at the bottom. This has a metal clip from top to bottom.
One is brass (?) with enamel inlays - white around the ship - red below this -white again on the Concilio Et Labore - Blue at the bottom Manchester Banner. This one just has a pin & clip.
There are also a all brass one but with what looks like 'sun rays' spread above the top star ball [? sorry, I don't know what the parts of the badge are called]. This has the butterfly pin through two eye hooks.

There is also an ASC badge.
A brass rose [officers pip ? but about that size].
Cushioned crown [maybe from WO or sergeants jacket. Not sure on Britsh Army unform & insignia]

Three Temperance medals.
a. Royal Army Temperance across the top above the lion & unicorn crest. With Dieu Et Mon Droit across the botton. It's fixed on a onto a metal shield about 40mm x 43mm. Green & black ribbon.
b. Royal Army Temperance Association on a banner across the bottom. Crown at top. Crossed sword & rifle. Two banners fluttering next to top crown. Navy blue & red ribbon. 45mm [ incl ribbon holder] x 35mm.
c. Four sided cross with a circle in the centre with letters that are hard to make out as they cross over each other, but looks like RATA. It's ribbon has blue, thin white, red, this white & blue. 30mm x 30mm.

After me no one will be interested in them. The Manchester Regt Museum will see them in the correct place.

Austsig.

[sphinx]

Austig,

Thanks for the info.

The Military badges are:-

1. standard WW1 cap badge,
2. enamelled sweatheart badge
3. officers collar badge.

The crwon and pip could be part of either his Officers rank badges are his RQMS 'star' and a CSM's crown.

The Temperence medals are:-

1.  RATA 15 year Medal
2.  RATA 10 year Medal
3.  RATA 7 year medal

If you wish to donate to the Museum just post them with aletter explaining who's they were and that you relinquish ownership.  You have the Museum details I know.

regards

[tonyrod]

did he have any relations in the BLACKPOOL area,    tonyrod

[mack]

Mack,

You never cease to amaze me.  I will add that extra info to his bio.

regards

simon.
forgot to add that levi+ellen married at st.anns church,oldham rd,newton heath at 2.30 on 28-12-1901

mack

[austsig]

to "tonyrod"

Yes, Levi Cunliffe did have relatives in Blackpool.

His uncle James, aunt Mary Cunliffe [my great grandparents] & one of their daughters, Jane, lived there.
James died in 1918 at 59 Rothwell St. Mary died in 1924. In about 1930 Rothwell St became Aintree Rd.
They are buried at the Layton Cemetery, Talbot Road, Layton, Blackpool.

It was then at the age of 49 that Jane married for the first time, to the twice married Percival Brotherton. They lived at 12 Devon Street, Blackpool.
Percival died in 1935 & Jane in 1952 at 7 Arnside Av & buried with her parents.

You can email me privately if this is too far off subject of the Forum.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To "Mac" Thanks for the marriage details of Levi.

Have you got anything of the death of his wife & daughter in 1911 & if there was a surviving son.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[sphinx]

Mack & Austig,

Thanks again Mack.

Austig,

Could you tell me what relation these people were to Levi please.

Ted & Nell Chafer, 9 Ellis Court, Braybrook, Victoria, Auatralia
Stan & Vera Cunliffe, 16 Wallingford Street, Cheltenham, Victoria, Australia.
Fred & Dot Cunliffe, 7 Yardley Crt, Maidstone, Victora, Australia.

PS.  I did not know that Levi's wife had died in 1911.  Was it in childbirth?

regards