Jack WEYMES

18 September 1914

GISBURN – The Recruiting Campaign

Mr H.G. Tunstill continuing his campaign held a meeting at the Council School on Tuesday afternoon. There was a large attendance, Lord Ribblesdale presiding. The meeting was addressed by Mr. Tunstill, the Vicar, Rev. J. Heslop, the Rev. Lister-Denny, Mr. A.L. Ormrod, Mr. C.A. Milford. Two recruits, John Robinson and J. Metcalfe, offered themselves. This, with five who have already gone with the Bolton ‘Pals’ Battalion, R.E. Pye, W. Roberts, J. Weymes, B. White and A. Fryett, makes in all seven recruits from the village, and two Reservists were sent on the mobilisation.

24 September 1915

WEYMES – At Epsom, on September 17th, as a result of wounds received in France, Pte. John Weymes, of the 5th Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, and son of Mr. G. R. Weymes, of Gisburn.

24 September 1915

DEATH OF PRIVATE WEYMES – Impressive Military Funeral

A gloom was cast over Gisburn on Saturday by the announcement that Private John Weymes, a well-known young man, had died of wounds on Friday evening at Epsom. Private Weymes was reported wounded a fortnight ago, but reports as to his condition were all favourable to a rapid recovery. Sceptic poisoning set in, however, and he died before his relatives could see him.

One of five Gisburn men to join the 5th Loyal North Lancashire Regiment in the early days of the war, the deceased soldier was a son of Mr. G. R. Weymes, the village plumber, and he followed his father’s trade. A bright, cheerful lad of nineteen, he entered fully into all the village activities. A popular member of the reading room, he was for some time secretary, a position he filled with never-failing good humour and with marked ability. He was a member of the choir at the Parish Church, and a zealous scholar and worker in the school. Universally liked and respected, ‘Jack’ will be missed for many a long day, though consolation is to be derived from the noble and self-sacrificing manner in which he met his death.

That he had any amount of pluck is testified to in letters from his companions, and by the fact that he was appointed sniper to the battalion. To his eagerness to do his duty his death is attributable, for it was in having a go at a party of German workers that he exposed himself to be ‘sniped’, two of his fingers were broken and a gash made in his head as a result, and to these wounds he succumbed a fortnight later.
Impressive scenes were witnessed on Wednesday afternoon when the dead hero was laid to rest with full military honours. The coffin, covered by the Union Jack, was borne by personal friends of the deceased, and the funeral party followed. A detachment of the West Yorkshire Regiment was the firing party, and there were also present representatives of the Regiment to which Private Weymes belonged. The school children walked in advance of the cortege, each child bearing floral tributes, which were very numerous. The funeral party was met at the church gates by the vicar (Rev. J. Heslop) and the choir, who preceded the sad procession, in which the majority of the villagers joined, into the church, to the strains of ‘O rest in the Lord,’ played on the organ by Miss Starkie. The service was very impressive, and included the hymns, ‘On the Resurrection Morn,’ and ‘For all the Saints, who from their labours rest.’ After prayers of committal by the Vicar, three volleys were fired over the grave, and the Last Post sounded. The crowd had assumed large proportions, and many were moved to tears, especially at the last long solo of the trumpet.

The floral tributes included a harp from the Vicar and choir; a wreath from the Reading Room, and one from Lady Wilson, Lady Lovat, and Mrs. Wyndham, daughters of Lord Ribblesdale; and others from many friends in the village.

A pathetic incident of the sad occasion was that on Saturday evening, when deceased’s brother, Private W. Weymes, of the A.S.C., arrived home for his last furlough before proceeding on foreign service, he was unaware of his brother’s fate. The deepest sympathy is extended to the bereaved family.

01 October 1915

GISBURN – The late Private Weymes

A service to the memory of the late Private Weymes was held at the Parish Church on Sunday morning. There was a large congregation, and the service, which was a very impressive one, was conducted by the vicar, Rev. J. Heslop. In the course of his sermon on the words ‘Thy will be done,’ the vicar made suitable reference to the late soldier’s fine character, the readiness with which he responded to the call to serve King and Country, and the brave and faithful way in which he did his duty whilst in the army. The Vicar extended to the bereaved parents and family the heartfelt sympathy of himself and his parishioners generally. At the close of the service the Dead March in Saul was played by Miss M. Starkie, the organist.

14 January 1921

GISBURNE – In Remembrance

Two easy chairs have been presented for the use of members at the Reading Room. One has been given by Mr. G. R. Weymes in memory of his son Jack, a former secretary of the Reading Room, who died of wounds received in France in 1915. The other has been purchased to commemorate the war services of all members of the Reading Room. Both chairs will bear metal plates engraved with suitable inscriptions.