Captain Frank Hiley

(continuing the series on Hileys who were killed in WW1)

Frank Hiley was the highest ranked soldier with the Hiley/Highley surname to lose his life in the First World War.

He was born in Nostell, a village between Pontefract and Wakefield in Yorkshire, in 1894, and was the son of Thomas and Jane Ann Hiley. Thomas was the proprietor of the Greyhound Inn in Pontefract. The 1901 census showed Frank, aged 7, living there with his parents and 6 siblings. In 1911 he was living as a Boarder in Chesterfield and working as a Motor Engineer.

Robert Coulson produced a Memorial Roll of the officers of Alexandra Princess of Wales Own Yorkshire Regiment who died 1914-1919. The following paragraph is reproduced with the permission of Edward Nicholl at www.ww1-yorkshires.org.uk.

Serving in the ranks as a private soldier his qualities were soon recognised and he received a commission as a 2nd Lt and rose rapidly through the officer ranks. In late 1917 and by now a captain, Frank Hiley was with the 8th battalion when they were deployed to the Italian Front. They arrived in mid November 1917 and were involved in actions around the Piave river in December 1917 and January 1918. Captain Hiley was killed on February 13th 1918 at the age of 24. With some of his platoon he was examining an enemy shell which suddenly and unaccountably exploded killing Captain Hiley and seriously wounding four of his men. 

Frank was buried in the Giavera British Cemetery, Arcade, near Venice in Italy. 

The Greyhound Hotel still stands but is now known as The Tap and Barrel.

Captain Frank Hiley's grave in Italy

The Giavera British Cemetery

Photographs included courtesy of Steve Rogers, The War Graves Photographic Project.

A Walsden Wesleyan Methodist Chapel Group

This photograph is from Henry Hiley's collection, and was most probably taken in the late years of the 19th century or early in the last century. The group must have belonged to the Walsden Wesleyan Methodist Chapel.

The two men in the top row are Frank Hiley on the left (Henry's Uncle Frank), and Harold Hiley on the right (Henry's father). Below them is Henry's grandfather Samuel Hiley, smoking a pipe and wearing a bowler hat. The woman on his right may be his wife Elizabeth.

Who are the other people in the group? Maybe they include some of the other Hileys connected with this church.

Also see from previous posts:
Hileys and the Lanebottom Chapel, Sept 2nd 2019
Samuel Hiley, Trustee of Lanebottom Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Aug 27th 2019
The Clog Iron Shop at Walsden, March 13th 2019

Hileys and the Lanebottom Chapel

In about 1743 John Wesley came to preach in Todmorden and the first member to join the Wesleyan Society was Susan Scholfield of Calf Lee.

One of the first classes was formed at Light Bank in Walsden. When the Centenary book (1809-1909) was written in 1909, this was called the Bonk. The young Henry Hiley’s name for his Uncle Frank’s house was The Bonk. This was Bankwood Cottage, a favourite trip for Henry and his family from Littleborough. It had a ‘big garden going down to the Rochdale Canal’.

The early Sunday School was held in cottages at Bottomley and Deanroyd. A new school known as Bottomley Lane Foot was built in 1818 and then enlarged in 1848, but by 1872 had become unsuitable for the large numbers attending the Chapel and Sunday School. A new building was planned and ground secured near the old School adjoining the turnpike road and near the Walsden end of Summit Tunnel.

Bottomley Lane Foot School

(included with permission of Daniel Birch)

One of the fundraising ventures arranged was a Bazaar held in the Assembly room at Hollins Co-operative Store. On No. 2 stall selling ‘Wearing apparel and fancy goods’ was Mrs C. Highley, Alma Street. This would have been great great grandmother Betty (nee Harrison), wife of Charles Hiley. See the Blog Post of 14 May 2019 for more about Charles. The Bazaar raised £272.

Charles helped to found the Lanebottom Chapel and he served it as trustee, class leader and teacher. 

The first sod of the new premises was cut on Christmas Day 1874. This was done by John Scholfield, aged 88 and a grandson of Susan (see above). Also cutting a sod and giving a sum of money was Miss Mary Highley of Lanebottom. Mary was a daughter of John Hiley and Mary Hiley (nee Jackson) and a cousin of Samuel Hiley (see the last Blog Post).

Lanebottom, Walsden. Wesleyan chapel and school

The school was on the ground floor with the chapel above and the first services were held on 27th September 1876.

Amongst the first Trustees of the new Chapel was Samuel Hiley, a great grandfather. He was aged 23.

In 1890 a new organ was installed in the Chapel. One of the players of the organ and harmonium was Jackson Thomas Hiley. Jackson was a son of Thomas Hiley and Sarah Hiley (nee Jackson), and another cousin of Samuel.

At a meeting in February 1896, a number of new Trustees were added, and Samuel Hiley was amongst those willing to continue serving.

The Chapel became licensed for marriages in 1899. In 1926 there was a Golden Jubilee celebration for the opening of the new Chapel. The Chapel closed and was demolished in the 1960s and the land is now covered in houses.







(Notes on the Sunday School and Chapel taken from ‘History of Lanebottom Wesleyan Sunday School 1809-1909 Centenary Souvenir compiled by Sam A Crossley and Ernest Law’)