The
Unofficial WebsiteThe First World War
From what I have read Rotherham was very patriotic during the First World War. Much recruiting, parading and training took place here. Men were called up for service with the 5th Battalion York and Lancashire Regiment (Territorials), and later a howitzer brigade was formed. I cannot remember either of my grandmothers mentioning much about it, and neither of my grandfathers were in the army as one worked in the steel works and t'other was down t'pits. As far as I know there are no names of any of my family on the War Memorial in Clifton Park. Visiting the memorial with my friend in my early teens I remember feeling very sad as three of her great uncles had died in the trenches and were remembered there. There were two Zeppelin raids in the area targeted at the steel works at Templeborough and Parkgate but these did little damage.
There were anti-German riots in 1915 when houses and shops belonging to families with German names were damaged. At one time many of the pork butchers in Rotherham were of German extraction: Schönhut and Hanneman come to mind.
Industry at War
Many local firms changed from their usual production to making items for the war; shell casing, munitions, tank sections. Steel was in such demand that Steel, Peech & Tozer based at the Phoenix Bessemer Steel Works at Ickles extended their production area and the new Templeborough Melting Shop and Rolling Mills were built over the site of the old Roman fort. King George V visited the town in October 1915, specifically to help raise the moral amongst the workmen at Steel, Peech & Tozer. Workers in the Iron and Steel Industry, as well as the miners, were exempted from conscription, but many young men still joined voluntarily.
Refugees
One thing I always forget about the First World War is that enormous numbers of Belgians were displaced when the German armies invaded Belgium. Some of these refugees arrived in Rotherham in October 1914 and were put up by Rotherham Golf Club at Thrybergh Hall. Others went to Eastwood House, Firbeck Hall and similar places. I can't imagine many people in Rotherham spoke French, even fewer Flemish, so they must have been well lost.
York & Lancaster Regiment in WW1
The history of the York & Lancaster Regiment can found here.
In addition to recruitment for the local regiment, the people of Rotherham raised a Howitzer Brigade for the Royal Field Artillery in April 1915 and later a heavy battery for the Royal Garrison Artillery.