Ringrose, Herbert

Herbert Ringrose was born on 20 December 1896 in Beverley, Yorkshire in England. His father John William Ringrose was from Beverley while his mother Emily Camelia Hickford was from Edmonton in Middlesex, with the couple marrying during the first quarter of 1900 in the registration district of Beverley. John worked as a tanners labourer, likely for Hodgsons Tannery (1816–1979), the major employer in the town. Children born to the couple were Herbert, Frank (1900), and Charles (1914). By the time of the 1911 England census Herbert was also working as a tanners labourer.

Herbert enlisted with the Royal Army Medical Corps on 11 December 1915, first placed on reserve. His occupation was given as time keeper and his mother Emily in Beverley as next of kin. As he wore glasses, he was first assigned medical category B2, later changed to B1 (free from serious organic diseases, able to stand service on lines of communication in France, or in garrisons in the tropics, able to march 5 miles, see to shoot with glasses, and hear well). Herbert’s service began on 22 November 1916 at Ripon in North Yorkshire, arriving in France on 11 September 1917 with rank of Private. A notation in his file indicated that he held a 1st Aid Certificate. First joining the Cyclists Base Depot in Rouen on the 16th, that month he was posted to the No 5 Stationary Hospital in Dieppe where he was to serve for the duration of the war. Dieppe was used by Commonwealth forces as a minor base from December 1914 onwards, particularly for supplies of small arms, ammunition, forage, and flour. From January 1915 to May 1919 the No 5 Stationary Hospital was stationed in the town. In late October of 1918 Herbert was granted a fourteen day leave and shortly after his return was granted one Good Conduct badge. In May of 1919 he was granted a second fourteen day leave. That July he was granted additional pay for working as a special attendant. Herbert returned to England in late October 1919 and was discharged from service on 26 November. He was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal for his service.

During the first quarter of 1921, in the registration district of Beverley, Herbert married Florence May Thompson. Born on 23 February 1895 in the Winthorpe/Shegness area of Lincolnshire, Florence was the daughter of George Thompson and Eliza Jane Simmons. Her parents had married in 1873 in Hull, Yorkshire, with her father working the early years of the marriage at sea. By the time of the 1911 census the family was living in Beverley where George worked as a craneman at the tannery. Herbert and Florence gave birth to two children, sons Herbert Arthur (Bert) and George Edward (Ted).

The family immigrated to Canada in 1929, with George arriving first on 14 April at St John, New Brunswick aboard the Montrose. With occupation given as motor mechanic on the passenger list, he was on his way to Winnipeg. It appears that lodging had already been arranged as the list noted an address, with his wife, of 254 Leighton Avenue in the East Kildonan area of the city. Florence and the children arrived in Montreal on 28 June aboard the Duchess of Athol, on their way to Herbert now on Roberta Avenue in East Kildonan.

Herbert, Florence, and the children were to make Winnipeg their home. Shortly after arriving in Canada Herbert found work with the Swift Canada Company in the St Boniface area of Winnipeg, retiring in 1960 after 31 years with the company. A 1949 Voters list placed the family as living on Martin Avenue while a 1957 list as on nearby Chalmers Avenue, Herbert’s occupation listed as manager. After retiring Herbert and Florence moved to what had been their summer home on Lac Lu on the outskirts of Kenora in northwestern Ontario. In his younger years Herbert was an avid curler, and later enjoyed curling with the Senior Citizens. He was a member of Acacia Masonic Lodge in Winnipeg and later the Assiniboine Lodge No 7, AF and AM in Portage la Prairie.

After a lengthy illness, Florence died on 2 March 1963 in St Joseph’s Hospital in Kenora. In 1965 Herbert married widow Ellen (Nellie) Judd. According to her Manitoba birth record, born on 10 April 1895 in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba, Nellie was the daughter of James Threadkill and Mary Jane Goy. Growing up in High Bluff near Portage la Prairie, Nellie had married Thomas Wesley Judd in 1927 in Portage La Prairie. Together the couple had one child, daughter Joyce. Thomas had died in 1948 in Portage La Prairie. Herbert and Nellie were to make Portage la Prairie their home.

Predeceased by Nellie on 1 March 1980, Herbert died on 16 August 1980 in the Portage General Hospital. Nellie is interred with her first husband in Hillside Cemetery in Portage la Prairie. At the time of his death Herbert was survived by his sons Edward (Edna) of Keewatin, Ontario and Herbert (Chris) of Maberly, Ontario, four grandchildren, five great grandchildren, and his brother Charles back in England. He was predeceased by his mother Emily (1926), father William John (1952), and brother Frank (1977), all in England. Herbert and Florence are interred in the Lake of the Woods Cemetery in Kenora.

By Judy Stockham

Family photographs courtesy of Herbert’s granddaughter Heather (Ringrose) Lundmark
Nellie’s obituary provided by the Portage la Prairie Public Library

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