Kenneth Marlatt & Private Moulding, 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles, World War I.
Description
- Media Type
- Image
- Text
- Item Types
- Photographs
- Postcards
- Description
- This picture postcard shows, on the left, Kenneth Marlatt of Oakville. Kenneth was a Captain in the 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles, a cavalry unit which participated in many of the most famous battles of the First World War. A good history of the 4th CMR can be found at http://www.4cmr.com/regt.htm A link to this website is provided in this record, under the photograph.
With Captain Marlatt is Private Moulding. The donor of the postcard gave his name as Percy Moulding but we now know for certain that Private Moulding is John Thomas Moulding, called "Jack".
Pte Moulding has no rank insignia on his uniform but we now know he was a British Cavalry Trained Horseman, and likely working as batman to Captain Marlatt. Both men were in 'A' Company, and are on the Shipping List, for the 4th CMR regiment's departure from Quebec on the SS Hesperian, at 02:35 a.m. on July 18th, 1915.
In January 2014, information further to Private John Thomas Moulding's life and military career before coming to Canada has generously come from Mr. David Fearnley, a historian in Lancashire, England.
David Fearnley writes:
"...the Lancashire Hussars Yeomanry Cavalry (which) was formed in Ashton in Makerfield in 1848 by Sir John Gerard, a very wealthy landowner, of Garswood Hall. John Moulding joined the Hussars 1/2/1897 and was in the regiment for 6 years. He was born in Wigan 1879, a son of Thomas Kinder Moulding and his wife Anne. In the 1881 Census, the family lived at Harrogate Street, Wigan; 1891 at Old Elms Farm, Swinley, Wigan and in 1901 at 2 Tithebarn Road, Ashton-in-Makerfield.
John Moulding was employed as a groom in the stables at the Gerard family residence of Garswood Hall, Ashton in Makerfield. In 1899 when the Boer War began in South Africa the colonel of the Lancashire Hussars Yeomanry Cavalry was Sir William Cansfield Gerard of Garswood Hall. As a yeomanry regiment, the Lancashire Hussars were not allowed to fight overseas. Only in 1900, when the British realised they needed cavalry troops quickly, were the yeomanry regiments allowed to fight in South Africa where they formed the Imperial Yeomanry.
In 1899 at the start of the Boer War, Sir William Cansfield Gerard was appointed aide de camp to General Sir Redvers Buller, commander of the British forces in Natal, South Africa. Sir William took with him two members of the Ashton-in-Makerfield Lancashire Hussars - Fred Farmer, a butler at Garswood Hall, and John Moulding, a groom at the stables (both to act as his servants or batmen as they would be called in World War One). John Moulding was present at the battles of Belfast, Colenso, Laing's Nek and the relief of Ladysmith.
In 1902 Sir William died and was buried at Ashton in Makerfield. In the military funeral procession, Fred Farmer and John Moulding dressed totally in black in the military uniform they had worn in South Africa, walked on either side of Sir William's charger (horse) behind the gun carriage that carried the coffin.
In 1910 John Moulding sailed from Liverpool to Quebec. He joined the 9th Mississauga Horse and then the 4th Regiment Canadian Mounted Rifles during World War One where, as you know, he became a officer servant/batman (a similar job to that of the Boer War) for Captain Marlatt."
In July 2014, further information from John's daughter Joan says it is her understanding that John met and perhaps worked for Mr. Cox first in England and that it was Mr. Cox who asked him to emigrate to Canada to manage his new stables in Oakville, which he did in 1910. John was working as head of the stable on the Cox estate where they rode to the hounds and had polo ponies, as did the English estate. He married and son Paul was born on the estate which was acres of land on both sides of the Lakeshore Road in Oakville, between 8th and 9th Lines.
Many years later, through his connection with Mr. Cox, John moved to manage the stable of Charles Howard in Greenwich, Connecticut, where daughter Joan was born. Mr. Howard was Master of the Hunt for the area. The work was with hunters and the family's pleasure horses.
The Moulding family returned to Oakville in 1937, when Joan was 11, because John's health was declining.
Kenneth D. Marlatt had experience with the 9th Mississauga Horse when he enlisted in the 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles in Toronto. At the time, his occupation was put down as, "Manufacturer". Initially a Lieutenant, Kenneth was recorded as Honorary Captain and Quarter Master when he was struck off strength on March 5th, 1917. He subsequently became a Major with the No. 2 District Depot, Canada.
Kenneth's parents were Cecil Gustavius Marlatt and Agnes Waldie. Their company, Marlatt Leather Company, was the major Oakville employer for many years. Kenneth was head of the company at his death. Both Kenneth and his father enjoyed sailing and the family were strongly entwined with building of Knox Presbyterian Church in Oakville.
Jack's friendship with Major Marlatt continued throughout their lives.
- Notes
- Although not yet formally published, copies of David Fearnley's book, "The Lancashire Hussars Yeomanry Cavalry 1848 - 1914", are in the Lancashire Archives in Liverpool, and in the Makerfield reference libraries of Wigan and Ashton in Lancashire, England.
The Oakville Public Library has a number of digital records about the Marlatt family in Oakville in Halinet, as well you can find newspaper items from area newspapers in Halinet as well. Our TTHS records mentioning the Marlatt and Moulding families will also be found using Halinet. Just search "Halinet" in Google and you will find the larger collection.
- Subject(s)
- Personal Name(s)
- Kenneth Dean Marlatt, 1888-1942, Oakville. Married Margaret Rosalys MacDonald, 1896-1964, they had one son, Kenneth Alexander Waldie Marlatt, 1921-1950. John Thomas Moulding, called Jack, married Oakville, Ontario resident, Jennie McDermott, aged 30, on 3/9/1923. Jack was 44 years old when he married. His obituary appeared in the Toronto Daily Star November 6, 1945 stating that he left a widow Jennie, son Paul and daughter Joan. Cecil Gustavus Marlatt, 1854-1928. Agnes Waldie, b.1862, m.1882, d.1888.
- Local identifier
- TTOIPDM0001
- Collection
- Trafalgar Township Historical Society
- Language of Item
- English
- Copyright Statement
- Copyright status unknown. Responsibility for determining the copyright status and any use rests exclusively with the user.
- Recommended Citation
- Kenneth Marlatt & Private Moulding in WW1 4th Canadian Mounted Rifle
- Contact
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Trafalgar Township Historical Society Sponsor: Jeff Knoll, Local & Regional Councillor for Oakville Ward 5 – Town of Oakville/Regional Municipality of Halton
