Robert Spink

  General Notes:

Name: Spink, Robert
Quarter: June
Year: 1887
District: Leeds (1837-1929)
County: West Riding of Yorkshire
Volume: 9b
Page: 416
Found on the Ancestry.com website, September 2004.

Yorkshire Birth indexes for the years: 1887
SPINK Robert Leeds Southeast LS SE/116/388

On the birth Certificate of Robert it is stated that he was born on 28th M arch, 1887 at 28 Shannon Street, Leeds. His father was Robert Spink who w as a Plumber (Journeyman). His mother was Mary Spink (nee Wild) and she r egistered his birth on 2nd May, 1887. Wm. Garland was the Registrar. Rob ert was 82 years old when he died.

1891 Census - 28 Shannon Street, Leeds, East Division, All Saints. (RG12 /3685), Folio 26, Page 2.
Thomas WildH. M.57ShoemakerLeeds
Eliz. WildW. M.54Shoemaker/GrocerLeeds
Thomas WildS. U.19Brick Layers Lab.Leeds
Mary SpinkD. M.25Leeds
Robert Spink M.32Lodger Bill PosterLeeds
Jeo Thomas SpinkS. 7Leeds
Robert SpinkS. 4Leeds

1901 Census - 13 Devon Terrace, All Saints East Ward, Leeds, Yorkshire.
Rg13/4217, Folio 118, Page 12.
Robert SpinkH. M.40 Gardener Domestic WorkerLeeds
Mary SpinkW. M.34Leeds
George Thomas SpinkS. U.16 Lab. Brick Works WorkerLeeds
Robert SpinkS.14 Errand Boy Port WorkerLeeds
Fred SpinkS. 9Leeds
Herbert SpinkS. 7Leeds
Elizabeth SpinkD. 4Leeds
Ernest SpinkS. 2Leeds

On the Wedding Certificate of Robert Spink and Eva Edith Denham, they we re married on 30th July, 1907 at York Registry Office.

Robert Spink, 21 years, Bachelor, Corporal - York and Lancaster Regimen t. He was living at The Barracks, Fulford, York. His father was Robert S pink who was a Theatre Bill Inspector.

Eva Edith Denham, 21 years, Spinster. She was living at 12A Barlow Stree t, Acomb. Her father was Francis Denham and he was a School Caretaker.

W. E. Richardson and F. E. Fairclough were witnesses at the wedding.

1911 Census - Pontefract Yorkshire West Riding
SPINK ROBERT M 1887 24
SPINK EVA EDITH F 1887 24
SPINK ROBERT WILLIAM M 1908 3
SPINK GEORGE FRANCIS M 1910 7 MONTHS

GOLDEN WEDDING OF AN OLD SOLDIER -
MR. AND MRS. R. SPINK TO CELEBRATE NEXT WEEK
A well-known figure in Darlington ex-service circles, Mr. Robert Spink (70 ), of 23 Outram Street, Darlington, will, with his wife, Mrs. Eva Edith Sp ink, celebrate their golden wedding on Tuesday. Mr. Spink has been secret ary of Darlington British Legion Club and branch for ten years and was tre asurer of the Club for seven years before being appointed secretary.

A native of Leeds, Mr. Spink left school at 12 and worked at a mineral wat er manufacuturer's until he was 15. His heart, however, was set on getti ng into the Army and one day he decide to take the King's shilling. To g et into the Army he gave his age as 18, although he was actually only 1 6. On his Army records, he is still two years older than his 70 years.

He served for 26 years without a break in the York and Lancaster Regimen t, seeing service in the 1914 - 1918 war in France and Belgium, and he w as twice mentioned in despatches for his courage at the battle of Hoo ge in 1915 and at Ypres in 1916. During those years he rose to the ra nk of regimental sergeant-major.

Recruiter 21 Years
Subsequently, he left the fighting ranks to become a recruiter at Darlingt on for 21 years. When he retired from the Army the Darlington Recruiti ng Officer, Capt. J. A. Kinsley, paid the following tribute to him as a so ldier: "He certainly has been one of the finest Army recruiters I have ev er come across and his record of service will take a lot of beating."

During his retirement, Mr. Spink has retained his interest in the Army, a nd the thousands of men he has recruited for the colours, through his wo rk for the Legion. He is an expert on the pensions and benevolent si de of the Legion's work.

Mr. and Mrs. Spink were married at York on July 30, 1907, when Mr. Spink h eld the rank of corporal, and his daily rate of pay was 11s 8d a week. "T here was no marriage allowance in those days," he said, smiling, but mon ey was worth more and we got along all right.

Work for Ex-Servicemen
Mr. Spink is a member of the Ministry of Labour disablement committee, Dar lington District War Pensions committee and Darlington British Legion Bene volent committee. For several years he was Poppy Day organiser for Darlin gton and was presented with a national certificate of appreciatio n. He is a life member of the British Legion.

During the last war, Mrs. Spink did canteen work with the W.V.S. buff et at Darlington Bank Top Station, the Darlington Y.M.C.A. and Darlingt on Memorial Hospital. For many years she has been a member of the committ ee of the women's section of the British Legion and is still on that commi ttee. She is a keen worker for the British Legion Club and for several ye ars has been a Poppy Day worker.

Mr. and Mrs. Spink have eight children - all married - who were born whi le Mr. Spink was in the Army. There are five daughters and three son s, 20 grandchildren and one great grandchild. Two of the sons live in Rot herham, and the remainder of the family live in Darlington. Next Tuesd ay there will be a gathering of the family at the British Legion Club f or a supper.

At a presentation ceremony on Tuesday in the British Legion Headquarter s, Mr. and Mrs. Spink received gifts in honour of their golden wedding. M r. H. Bainbridge, president of the club, and Mr. W. B. Botcherby, preside nt of the local branch of the British Legion, presented them on beha lf of the club, with a cheque, a purse and a bouquet. The club sports sec tion also gave a cup to be competed for annually by the bowls teams a nd it is to be known as the Spink Trophy.

Mr. and Mrs. Spink knew nothing about last night's events until they actua lly took place. They were kept in suspense for two hours during which ti me entertainment was provided before the presentation was formally made t aken from a newspaper cutting.


LEGION MAN DIES AT 82
A life member of the Darlington branch of the British Legion, Mr. Robert S pink, of 34 Selby Crescent, died last night after a long illness.

An Army man all his life, Mr. Spink spent 43 years in the Regular Army bef ore turning to recruiting. He was the recruiting officer for Darlington f or many years, and outside his job, devoted much of his time to the wo rk of the British Legion, helping ex-servicemen obtain war pensions and he lping with the organisation of the Poppy Appeal.

He held many positions with the Darlington branch of the Legion, includi ng those of president and secretary and was awarded a gold badge for his s ervices. Mr. Spink, who was 82, leaves a widow, five daughters and thr ee sons taken from a newspaper cutting.

Found on the National Archives website, November 2004: http://www.document sonline.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Medal card of Spink, Robert
Corps: York and Lancaster Regiment
Regiment No: 7459
Rank: Serjeant...
1914-1920 WO 372/18

Description Medal card of Spink, Robert
Corps Regiment No Rank
York and Lancaster Regiment 7459 Serjeant
York and Lancaster Regiment 7459 Company Serjeant Major

Date 1914-1920
Catalogue reference WO 372/18
Dept Records created or inherited by the War Office, Armed Forces, Judge A dvocate General, and related bodies
Series War Office: Service Medal and Award Rolls Index, First World War
Piece Shadbolt E - Spratt C
Image contains 1 medal card of many for this collection

Receipt No. 610111017983
Your order number is: I/04/00222924V

Deaths Registered October, November and December, 1969
Spink, Robert, DOB 28/3/1887, Darlington, 1a 540

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Sergeant in Army/Army Recruiting Officer.

• connection.

Robert married Eva Edith Denham on 30 Jul 1907 in The Register Office, York, East Riding Of Yorkshire England. (Eva Edith Denham was born on 15 Nov 1886 in 66 Lower Priory St, St. Mary Bishophill Senior, York, East Riding of Yorkshire England, died on 22 Aug 1973 in Hospital, Darlington Registration District, County Durham England and was buried in 1973 in West Cemetery, Darlington, County Durham.)

  Marriage Notes:

In the St. Catherine's Index of Marriages:
1907 SEP EVA EDITH YORK 9d 107 See Births DEC 1886

Marriages Sep 1907
DENHAM Eva Edith York 9d 107
GRAVES Ethel York 9d 107
PIXTON Irving York 9d 107


On the Wedding Certificate of Robert Spink and Eva Edith Denham, they we re married on 30th July, 1907 at York Registry Office.

Robert Spink, 21 years, Bachelor,Corporal - York and Lancaster Regimen t. He was living at The Barracks, Fulford, York. His father was Robert S pink who was a Theatre Bill Inspector.

Eva Edith Denham, 21 years, Spinster. She was living at 12A Barlow Stree t, Acomb. Her father was Francis Denham and he was a School Caretaker.

W. E. Richardson and F. E. Fairclough were witnesses at the wedding.

* Checked the 1881 census for Acomb to see who was living at 12A Barlow St reet then. There aren't many street names at all for Acomb and so can't s ay for sure who it was.