Menu
Ida Townend was born in Ossett on 3rd March 1896 to manufacturer Walter Townend and his wife, Ada (nee Oates), who married in early 1893. The couple had three children, one son and two daughters, all born in Ossett between 1895 and 1899.
In 1901, the Townend family were all on holiday in a Southport boarding house. In 1911, they were living in the spacious ten-roomed dwelling called ‘Glenholme’, which was also known as ‘The Bungalow’, Runtlings Lane, Ossett. Ida was fifteen years of age and at school as was her younger sister, Dorothy May, and their 16 year old brother, Gerald was working in his father’s mill.
Great Britain declared war on the German Empire on 4th August 1914 and Gerald Townend was an early volunteer enlisting in Leeds and joining the Royal Army Medical Corps, 22nd Field Ambulance. He embarked for France on 1st May 1915, thereby qualifying for the 1914/15 Star in addition to the British and Victory medals. Aged 22, the only son, Gerald was killed in action on the 23rd March 1917 and is buried at the London Cemetery, Neuville-Vitasse, Pas de Calais, France. Former Ossett Mayor, Walter Townend, died a year later in early 1918.
On 20th March 1917, just three days earlier than Gerald’s death, his sister Ida was engaged as a nursing sister at St. John’s Auxilliary Military Hospital, Wentworth House, Wakefield. Her nursing duties continued to be offered until well after the end of the war when she completed her assignment on 28th February 1919.
Wentworth House, Wakefield, once St. John’s Auxiliary Hospital during the Great War.
Ida Townend will have met and nursed many a soldier in her two years service. One of those men may well have been Alexander Baird Jardine born in Accrington in 1892. Alexander was 22 years and 273 days of age, 5’7” tall with good vision when he enlisted in Manchester on 29th March 1915 and joined the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC), Field Ambulance, just as Ida’s brother, Gerald, had done several months earlier.
Alexander Baird Jardine embarked for Egypt in April 1916 and in March 1917 he was moved to France, the month when Gerald Townend was killed. Alexander was to spend the rest of his army service in France apart from annual furloughs home in September 1917, November 1918 and May 1919. He would have heard the news of the Armistice when at home.
There were similarities between Ida’s brother, Gerald Townend and Alexander Baird Jardine in that they both served with the RAMC. Perhaps they even served together. Whilst there were similarities there were also fundamental differences in “their wars”; Gerald was killed on 23rd March 1917 and Alexander was demobilised three years later on 30th March 1920 after five years and four days service.
That Ida and Alexander knew each other at some stage during the Great War is indisputable. This sheet of paper from Alexander’s army service record bears the name of Ida’s home at Ossett and his home at Accrington.
On 8th September 1921 at the New Wesleyan Chapel on Wesley Street, Ossett, spinster Ida Townend, aged 25, of Glenholme, Ossett, married ironmonger’s salesman, Alexander Baird Jardine, aged 29.
By September 1939 on the eve of another war Ida and her husband Alexander, a Director and Iron & Steel Merchant, were living at Kenmure, Whalley Road, Altham, Burnley. The household was completed by their two children Gerald T. born 23rd March 1923 and John B., born 14th August 1927 who were at school.
Alexander Baird Jardine died on 24th May 1948 at The Victoria Hospital, Accrington. Ida Jardine, aged 76 years, of 42 Quarry Hill, Horbury died on 3rd August 1972 leaving an estate to the value of £6737.
