Robert Bantock – Pickering’s First Fallen Hero.
(Robert Bantock – Beck Isle Museum Collection)
Robert Bantock was born in 1895 and lived in Scotland for most of his early life, but moved down to Pickering when he was around 9. He lived in Eastgate Pickering with his mother and father Emily and Robert Bantock. Robert junior worked as a farm hand on Mr Hick’s Farm Yatts, Pickering. Before this Robert was a scholar at Pickering Wesleyan Day School. He then joined the army in 1913 he was only 17 years of age, he was in the 1st battalion Northumberland Fusiliers. Robert was killed two years after he joined when he was only 19 years of age, he was reported to be the first Pickering soldier to be killed. Roberts name appears on the Pickering Methodist’s Roll of Honour and on the Menin Gate Memorial in Belgium.
The Menin Gate at Ypres (Photo Debbie-Jay Grayson)
Robert senior (Father) and Emily Bantock (Leadley -Mother) married at Malton in 1892 and had their only son Robert in 1895, shortly after they had a daughter in 1904, but sadly she died soon after she was born, she was named after her mother Emily. Robert senior was a navvy and travelled back and forth from Scotland to Pickering. In 1901 he was in Scotland, helping to build the Talla Reservoir, he lived with his family in a workers hut until 1904 when he and his family moved down to Pickering. Robert’s wife then died in 1908. Robert junior then died in action in 1915.
Debbie – Jay Grayson, Pickering 2010
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