Kingham Hill Boys in the First World War and after

Written by the daughter of William Gilkes and niece of John Gilkes

My father William Gilkes, who was a Havelock School boy at Kingham Hill from December 1904 until about 1914 when he went to the Havelock Home in Woodstock. His brother, John Gilkes also a school member, (They were given the choice of returning to England when World War 1 was declared or they could join the Canadian Army)

They both joined the Canadian Army.

Jack (left) William (right) in 1915

William is on the left side and his brother John on the right. His mother Sarah Edwards Gilkes in the centre, with his sisters, probably taken when they first enlisted in the army. Definetily prior to 1918 as his sister and mother died with the influenza outbreak in the UK.

When the Gilkes boys enlisted a portion of their pay was allotted to their mother. She kept this for them as it had broken her heart to give the boys up.

John, who had been seriously wounded in France, (he sustained a head injury), was demobilized, returned to England and wanted to take his sisters Florence and Ethel back to Canada. My father, William was already in England, he had been injured and was blown up by a bomb at Vimy Ridge in the war in France and remained in hospital for a year, he had been gassed, he survived perhaps because he was so close to the bomb. His name was on a monument near Woodstock as missing in action.

After four months, passage was arranged for them on the S. S. Minnidosa and in April 1919, they arrived in St. John's N.B.

William just after joining up

John had been working on Jack Giles farm near Woodstock Ontario. He arranged for them to stay there. They arrived at Easter, and couldn't believe the amount of food. While they were their the girls earned their keep by doing housework and helping with the chores in the barn.

After World War 1 the Canadian government wanted to settle Northern Ontario, so they made it possible for veterans to purchase land under "The Soldiers Settlement Act". The purchasers were required to clear so much land within two years and build a house no less than 16'x20'.

My dad returned to England to marry my mother, Violet Turner whom he had met in England when she was employed with the service in the office at Aldershot in Hampshire England. They were married July 3rd1919, at Hawley Parish Church, (I was also able to photograph this church when visiting England, also stood in the archway of the church,)

In October of 1921 mom travelled to England to have her first child, a boy named Wilfred Thomas Gilkes, born February 9, 1921 in Liconshire England near Sutton on Sea. She returned in April when the baby was about two months old. By 1926 after several hard years of living in the North Country Violet and William decided to return to London, Ontario. Dad was hired by the City of London first as a garbage man and eventually worked his way up to a Foreman of local 739. With the City of London Ontario Canada.

The wedding of William and Irene's mother Violet (nee Turner) in Hawley, England

a.. William Gilkes worked for the Corporation of the City of London during the time of the 1937 Flood. He was assigned to moving furniture and articles that were floating down the river away form the bridge. It was about noon he was tied over the Dundas Street bridge trying to free anything that got caught up in the bridge. By this time the water had started to flow over the bank and was running down the street. The families in the west end of the City were getting concerned as they were the lowest lying spot in the area, people on Wharncliffe Road. The water eventually rose to the eves of the houses. The water kept rising any by eight at night many of them had to be helped out of their homes. William was so tired by this time and was told he couldn’t go home, they had to stay and work. The water was now pouring over the porch railings. Some homes had water up to the ceilings. Many of the people put all they could save out on their lawns after the flood, but everything was ruined. William was wondering where his son was, he knew he had gone to school and was on his bicycle. Wilfred Gilkes, the oldest of the Gilkes children was determined to make it home. He walked over the bridge pushing his bicycle through the water and across the Wellington street bridge even though it had been closed. Trying to clean everything up later was terrible. Many just took a hose to the house and soaked it, the mud on the houses was caked on. Many of the water marks still remained on the outside of the houses on Wharncliffe Road years later.

On September 26, 1926 they had another son Robert Gilkes he was quite ill when he was a young boy and was in a coma, however, he recovered and was okay.

On May 29,1938 they had a daughter named Irene Eleanor Gilkes.

William was quite an avid gardener, mainly due to his experience at Kingham Hill and working at the farm in Woodstock and at Hyde Park with the Giles family, he had a large vegetable garden at 549 Emery St. where we all lived in a two-story three-bedroom house. He also had several flowers and shrubs. He rode a bicycle to work every day. He didn't drive a car until about 1950. We usually walked everywhere to buy groceries and meat at the butcher. He was also very active in The Church of Christ Disciples, an elder and attended church very regular.

a.. In 1958 father was crossing the main streets of Dundas and Wellington during work when he was struck by a car. He was injured very badly on his arm and abdomen. As he was unable to work for a lengthy time due to this injury there was no income and they were again in a difficult situation. He chose to accept Workers Compensation and forgave the right to sue so he could receive some money to live on. After several months of being unable to work and mom looking after him, he was finally able to return to his work at the City.

John is on the left and William to the right when they were in Northern Ontario constructing their log cabin.

By December 21st, 1959 dad was very ill and decided to visit the Doctor to see what the problem was, he was diagnosed with Cancer. At this time he was still working however he began to miss work more often and eventually remained on sick leave and retired in May of 1962 at the age of 65. By this time he was very ill with the Cancer, as he had now had several operations to correct the cancer but each time it spread to different parts of his body. By September he had been in and out of Hospital several times and eventually died September 16th 1962. His funeral was very large at Lloyd Needhams Funeral Home. There were so many flower arrangements they filled the large room. This was a very difficult time as we had three days of visitation at that time.

Mother coped very well on her own, however for the first year she didn't want to be left alone and was very upset when I went out, however she eventually was very self sufficient. She lived until she was the age of 80 in 1976.

After visiting Kingham Hill School in Great Rollright UK I am so pleased at the education my father received and what a wonderful place it is, he received the best education and training thanks to someone who cared enough to help those in need. He was fortunate to have been given the opportunity to stay at the boarding school. It was so nice to have been welcomed so nicely by the staff at Kingham Hill, I appreciate the opportunity to have taken photos there and also the one of my father and his brother Jack in the group picture of the Havelock Boys. I am so blessed to have had the experience of seeing how nice the grounds are at Kingham Hill. What a wonderful person Charles Baring Young was, I just loved reading the booklet about the school.

Written by: daughter of William Gilkes, Irene (Gilkes) Pike September 2010.
Presented as received by Simon Howlett KHSD.