Harry's Story.
Harry was born in Lymm on 26 September 1890, his was the only son of fustian cutter, John and Elizabeth, (nee Davies), Barber of Rush Green, Lymm, Cheshire. Elizabeth died in 1892, abd John remarried to Margaret Worrall, on 21 September 1896. Harry was the fourth child of five; his sisters were Ellen, Maud, Lois and Emily. Harry worked for six and half years for farmer, Samuel Gould, before joining Mr Eli Thomason as a carter, however, after a few months, he wa sa labourer in the service of the Manchester Ship Canal Company. He attended at the congregational Church and Sunday School, and also for a long time acted as instructor for the Lads Club. Harry attested at Lymm and was drafted to France on 15 February 1915.
He was killed by a shell which exploded in a nearby trench on 11th June 1915, a letter from Captain Ward Hartley to his parents says
"It is with great grief that I write to tell you of the death, at 7.15 am this morning (June 11th), of your son Corporal Harry Barber, his trench and the one next to us, both occupied by the Cheshire's were for a considerable period this morning subjected to a heavy artillery fire and in both trenches were several casualties unfortunately one can all afford to lose. Your son, though not actually in that part of the trench at the time, was killed instantly. It is a very great blow to me to have to part with two such excellent men as your son and Private Jack Guest within a day or two of one another. I have known your son as long as any of my men as I came across him soon after we went to live in Lymm and have always been in touch with him through the Territorials and Lads Club particularly.
"It is with great grief that I write to tell you of the death, at 7.15 am this morning (June 11th), of your son Corporal Harry Barber, his trench and the one next to us, both occupied by the Cheshire's were for a considerable period this morning subjected to a heavy artillery fire and in both trenches were several casualties unfortunately one can all afford to lose. Your son, though not actually in that part of the trench at the time, was killed instantly. It is a very great blow to me to have to part with two such excellent men as your son and Private Jack Guest within a day or two of one another. I have known your son as long as any of my men as I came across him soon after we went to live in Lymm and have always been in touch with him through the Territorials and Lads Club particularly.
I can confidently say thay you have lost a good and dutiful son and the country a good solider."
Compiled and researched by Lynn Smith, updated March 2025 by H.A.G. Carlisle.