Arthur Maishment
Memorial: Thornbury - St Mary's Church
Regiment: Royal Field Artillery
Rank and number: Gunner 238310
Parents: William and Emma Maishment
Marital status: Married
Home address: The Laundry, Kington Lane, Thornbury, Bristol
Date of birth: 1887
Place of birth: Thornbury, Bristol
Date of death: 16/10/1918
Buried/Commemorated at: Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery (Ref. XXX. D. 20.)
Age: 30
Further information:
Bronze Tablet and Wooden Memorial Board
Arthur Maishment, known as Brike, was born in Bristol. His birth was registered in the June quarter of 1887. He was the son of William Maishment and his wife, Emma, who came both came from Thornbury. In 1875 William was employed as a railway porter at Montpelier station. By 1891 he had become a grocer’s warehouseman. Brike had an older brother and sister. His mother died in 1893 and in 1896 his sister, Florence, married Thomas Headford, a bricklayer’s labourer
William returned to Thornbury and in March 1899 married Catherine Stone, known as Kate. At the time of the marriage he was a gardener. Kate already had a young daughter and the couple had a daughter together in October 1899. By 1901 the family were living at Cockmead in Kington Lane where Kate was running a laundry, with the help of her widowed sister
On 6th December 1910 Brike married Rosina Penduck, who already had a son called Edwin. In 1911 the couple were living with the family at Cockmead. Brike was a general labourer and his wife helped with the laundry business. They had four children, Arthur William who was born in June 1911, twins Frank and Rosina Kate born in 1913 who died soon after birth, and Elsie born in May 1915
On 8th August 1915 Brike’s brother-in-law, Thomas Headford, was killed in action serving with 7th Battalion, Glosters at Gallipoli. Florence was left to bring up seven children on her own. Brike applied for exemption from military service on 4th July 1916. He said he was a horseman, assisting in milking and general farm work at Quarry Farm, Kington. He was given temporary exemption to October 1916. An extension was only granted until a replacement for him could be found on the farm
Brike joined the Royal Field Artillery, as a gunner. At Christmas 1917 he was based in Sheffield where he was sent a parcel of gifts from the people of Thornbury. In 1918 he was serving with ‘D’ Battery, Royal Field Artillery, 190th Brigade, 41st Division. The Division responded to the German Spring Offensive, taking part in the Battles of St Quentin, Bapaume and Arras in the Somme sector before moving to the Ypres area for the Battles of the Lys and the Final Advance in Flanders. From the end of September the British Second Army and the Belgian Army combined and broke out of the Ypres salient. Between 14th and 19th October, they successfully advanced during the Battle of Courtrai, recapturing a number of Belgian towns. It is likely that Brike was injured during this action, possibly near Gheluwe, and was taken to a casualty clearing station. He died of wounds on 16th October
Brike was buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery. A number of clearing stations were established at this village. A notice in the local paper said that he was deeply mourned by all at home
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
Thornbury Roots website. Thornbury and District Museum Research Group and the CWGC