Private Joe Forrest Skirrow 18/1185 18th Battalion WYR. 2nd Bradford Pals

​23 year old Private Joe Forrest Skirrow volunteered for the 18th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment (The 2nd Bradford Pals).
​Like so many of his comrades he died during the first day of the Battle of the Somme on July 1st 1916.
His parents were Tom Skirrow (1865-1904) and Ada Florence Skirrow (nee Pickard) (1866-1958). They were married in 1888 and had three children: Elsie Pickard Skirrow (b1889, m.1918 to James Nettleton), Ann Wormald Skirrow (b.1891) and Joe Forrest Skirrow (1893-1916). All three children were born in Yeadon. The family were living at 3 Priestley Mill Yard, Pudsey in 1911. Tom in 1901 was a Woollen Scribbling Overlooker and Joe himself in 1911 was a leather currier at a tannery. Tom's parents were William and Susannah Skirrow and came from Rawdon.
He is remembered with honour at the Thiepval Memorial and Pudsey Cenotaph.
With thanks to Mr & Mrs David Whithorn.