Monday 19th May 2014
Julie Hill writes ~
Hi Danny, I tried to find [Jack. W. Gauntlett] Joan Gauntlett’s bother’s grave in Norton Bavant churchyard on Saturday morning. The only info on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website is that it is to the east of the church. Have you any idea where it is as many of the graves are overgrown, illegible or no longer marked. I saw an article on the television about how the Commonwealth War Graves abroad are well tended whereas many of the ones in the UK are so neglected. This made me search for the name of Gauntlett as I knew he’d died in the First World War and I was surprised to learn that he’s buried at Norton Bavant. Joan had a photograph of him on her wall and I was always curious about him.
http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead.aspx?cpage=1
Do you know where Joan’s parents [George and Florence] were buried too?
Danny Howell replies ~
Hello Julie, How are you? Good I hope. Thank you for your enquiry. I’m pleased to say the graves of the Gauntlett family are still visible and their inscriptions readable. Six members of the family ~ George and Florence and their four offspring ~ Joan, Mark, Jack and Bobby ~ lie together in one large plot, and it would be more correct to say they are in the south east corner of the churchyard at Norton Bavant, in fact as about as near that corner as you can get, so you’ll have no trouble finding their family plot. It is surrounded by an oblong of kerb stone on which are these inscriptions all the way round:
“In loving memory of George Farmer Gauntlett, 13th September 1946, aged 81 years.” [east kerb, right hand side].
“Also of Florence Mary, his wife, at rest 1st April 1975, aged 98 years.” [west kerb, left hand side].
“Jack W. Gauntlett, RFC, Passed to a fuller life May 11th 1917, aged 19 years & 2 months.” [west kerb, right hand side].
“Robert M. Gauntlett joined his brother May 23rd 1917 aged 2 years & 6 months.” [east kerb, left hand side].
“In loving memory of Mark Middleton Gauntlett 1902 – 1964.” [upright stone on west side].
“Dearly loved sons of George & Florence Gauntlett.” [south kerb].
“Joan Gladys Gauntlett 1900 – 1985.” [north kerb].
You’ll have no trouble finding the Gauntlett plot in the south east corner of the churchyard. As you walk into the churchyard, under the lych gate arch, walk straight ahead, past a grave with railings around it, then a row of three flat stones and then in the same row are three upright stones. Beyond there is the Gauntlett plot, next to the gravestones of Penney (with a holly tree) and Brooks, and the wooden cross of Gerald Sandy Kaye. The other side of the Gauntlett plot is the grave of Brooks. The Gauntletts lie between the yew tree to the south east of the church and the two cedars in the south east corner of the churchyard, opposite the iron gate in the iron railings around the churchyard.
And here are some photos of the Gauntlett family plot:
Have you got a copy of the book The Illustrated Warminster And District Miscellany which I published in May 1996? In that book I included several pages of notes about the Gauntlett family including George, Florence, Jack, Robert (Bobby), Mark and Joan. The Gauntletts at one time farmed Bishopstrow Farm at Bishopstrow; and Middleton Farm and North Farm at Norton Bavant. Here are the passages from my book about Jack and Bobby:
You will see that Jack, who was in the Royal Flying Corps, is buried at Norton Bavant and not abroad, as he came home on leave, took ill and died in the military hospital at Sutton Veny Camp. He does not have the traditional Commonwealth style gravestone, which is probably why you couldn’t find his grave, but his inscription, as I have already mentioned is included in the kerb surround of the Gauntlett family plot.
