Sergeant Edwin (Eddie) Hammond Place

The Cameronians - Scottish Rifles

Born 20th August 1895, Glenridding.  Died December 1972 Aged 77.

Son of Matthew and Anna (nee Hammond) Place, Glenridding

Married Lillian Pears from Crookabeck in 1923

Nephew of John Dewis Place

Edwin Hammond Place was born on the 20th August 1895 in Glenridding. His parents Matthew and Anna (need Hammond) lived at Row Head. Matthew was employed as the Secretary at Greenside Mine and was also a part time Methodist Preacher. By 1911 the family was living at Brown Howe in Glenridding and Edwin (the eldest child) had been joined by siblings Louisa (born 1896), Nora (1898), Dorothy Jane (1900), and Matthew Summers (1905). Anna’s mother Mahalah was also living with them. Matthews parents had both died and his half-brother John Place had emigrated to Canada, although he was to return in the war and tragically died in action.

So far we have been unable to trace Edwin’s service records although we believe from the Glenridding Village Hall Roll of Honour that he was a Sergeant in the Scottish Rifles (The Cameronians). He is incorrectly listed on the Roll of Honour as “Edward” rather than Edwin, but this is but one of many inaccuracies on it! Given his rank it is likely that he joined up early on in the conflict and served throughout the war.

After the war he moved to Scotland (which ties in with his Scottish Rifles association - he may have moved there prior to joining up). On 18th October 1923 he married Lilian Pears from Crookabeck Farm. She was an "uncertificated teacher" and he was a Clerk at the County Council Offices, 19 Union St, Hamilton, Lanarkshire.

We do not have any further details of their lives although we believe that Edwin died in Penrith in December 1972 aged 77. His father Matthew continued to work at Greenside Mine and also continued his work as a Methodist Preacher. He read the lesson at the unveiling of the Patterdale War Memorial, which listed his brother John Place,  in October 1921. He went on to be chair of the local Parish Council, and continued to live at Brown How Glenridding until at least 1935 with his wife and daughter Dorothy. Matthew died in December 1945 in Penrith, and we believe Anna, Edwin’s mother, also died in Penrith in September 1947 aged 78.

Edwin’s sister Nora married Arthur Cornthwaite, and Ironmongers Assistant from Yanwath on the 17th June 1926. They moved to Penrith and had at least 2 children, Arthur Geoffrey (1928) and Sheila (1933). We believe Nora died in December 1988 aged 90 in Congleton. Edwin’s other sister Louisa married Harold Westmorland, a Bookshop Manager from Batley on 7th April 1927. All we know is that Louisa died in Carlisle in January 1984 at the age of 87.

We know that Edwin’s youngest brother Matthew died in July 1996 in Carlisle, and believe he may have married Vera Walker in 1944. We have so far been unable to trace any further record of Dorothy after 1935. If you have any information on Edwin or any of his family please let us know.

Edwin’s Uncle, John Dewis Place, who emigrated to Canada before the War but returned to fight with the Canadian Forces.  He received a bullet wound in his left leg in 1917,and was evacuated to the Canadian Military Hospital at Etaples on the French coast. He was initially reported as seriously ill but never recovered and died in hospital, perhaps from Septicemia, on the 6th September 1917 aged 33 years.

Photo of Edwin taken by local photographer Joseph Lowe in 1896