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Herbert Lake was born in Glenridding on the 24th may 1893 and baptised a month later at the Methodist Chapel in Glenridding. His parents, Richard and Eve (nee Pattinson) lived with their family in 3 High Rake, Glenridding. Both his parents were born in Glenridding. Richard was the brother of John Lake (father of Ernest Lake), and Eve was the cousin of Abraham Pattinson, father of the Pattinson Brothers. Richard worked at Greenside Mine like his brother and father. Herbert was one of 7 children, alongside his elder sister Sarah Jane (born 1890), elder brother John Joseph (1891), younger sister Marian (1895), and younger brothers William (1897), Edward (1902), and Thomas Alfred (1907). The children would have all attended Patterdale School alongside their cousins.
In 1910 their father Richard, aged 50, died, and was buried in Patterdale on the 11th October. For a while Eve and the children continued to live at 3 High Rake and the following year in 1911 were there with John Joseph and 17 year old Herbert -
We know that Herbert served in the war as his name is listed on the Glenridding Roll of Honour but we don’t even know in which regiment he served for certain as their is none listed against his name. The only possible clue might be that he is listed on the Roll of Honour after Richard Brown, who we know was in the Military Foot Police. We found the medal card for a “Herbert Lake” who served in the Military Foot Police as well as the Scottish Rifles and until we find out something different we will assume this is “our” Herbert. It is possible that he had moved by the time he enlisted, and from his medal card it is likely he joined up at the end of 1915 and was probably mobilised in mid 1916 along with many of the men from the Dale. Certainly by 1917 the rest of the family had moved to Whitehaven, where Eve remarried. Her new husband was George Joyce, who in 1911 had been working at Greenside and living with Joseph and Rachel Cooper at Low Glenridding.
Sadly at the moment that is all we know about Herbert’s life up until his death in December 1981 in Lancaster at the age of 87. Unfortunately it is a similar story with his siblings. We have found no trace of elder sister Sarah Jane after 1911 when she was in Lancashire. John Joseph we have been unable to trace beyond the 1911 census. His name does not appear on the Roll of Honour, although if he did move away it seems unlikely given his age that he would not have been called up. A “John Joseph Lake” did serve with the 5th Bedfordshire Regiment from 20th November 1915 to 20th March 1918. If it was Herbert’s brother he is likely to have served in Egypt in the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force.
For Herbert’s sister Marian we can find no trace after 1911. What we know of William is listed below. Herbert’s younger brothers are likely to have moved with their mother to Whitehaven. We know Edward was living there when he married Jane A Geen in 1929. We believe he died in Whitehaven at end end of 1984. Youngest brother Thomas Alfred was a “motor driver” when he married Floria Lyon, a dressmaker on the 1st Feb 1936. They married in St Aiden Mill Hill, Blackburn Lancashire, and we believe Thomas died in Fleetwood Lancashire in December 1980 aged 74.
As for Herbert’s mother Eve, we believe that she died in 1959 aged 88 in Durham. If you can add any details to the lives of Herbert and his family please contact us.
Lance Corporal Herbert Lake
P/2784/35872, Military Foot Police & Scottish Rifles
Born 24th May 1893 Glenridding. Died December 1981 aged 87 in Lancaster
Son of Richard and Eve (nee Pattinson) Lake, of 3 High Rake Glenridding
Cousin of Ernest Lake and The Pattinsons
William and Herbert’s Cousin Ernest Lake, Coldstream Guards, who died on the 2nd August 1917 Aged 28 in Belgium.
Private William Lake
307037/593949 Lancashire Fusiliers and Labour Corps
Born 12th August 1897 in Glenridding. Died Jun 1989 in Blackpool (aged 91)
Son of Richard and Eve (nee Pattinson) Lake, of High Rake Glenridding
Husband of Lydia Ethel Barker
Cousin of Ernest Lake and The Pattinsons
William was the younger brother of Herbert Lake. He was born on 12th August 1897 and like his brother was baptised at the Methodist Chapel in Glenridding, on 19th September 1897. For more information on his parents, family and childhood please see the entry for his brother Herbert Lake above.
We’re not sure when William enlisted as we have found no trace of his service record. What we do know from the Glenridding Roll of Honour is that he joined the Lancashire Fusiliers. It is possible that he had moved by the time he enlisted, and from his medal card it is likely he joined up at the end of 1915 and was probably mobilised in mid 1916 along with many of the men from the Dale. Depending on which battalion he joined and when it is possible that he could have seen service in France. From what we think is his medal card he then transferred at some point to the Labour Corps. The labour Corps was formed in January 1917, by the end of the war made up some 10% of the Army. They completed vital work in support of the regular infantry battalions and were often made up of men who had previously been wounded in action. Again sadly without details of William service record we currently have no way of knowing exactly what he did or why he ended up in the Labour Corps.
we believe that William moved to the Blackburn area of Lancashire (his older sister Sarah Jane had gone there in 1911 and his younger brother Thomas Alfred married there in 1936, so there was a family link with that area). William married Lydia Ethel Barker in Blackburn in June 1924. They were still living there when Lydia died (aged 77) around February 1971. William died in Blackpool around May 1989 at the grand age of 91.
If you have any information on William or his family please let us know.
Copies of what we believe are Herbert and Williams Medal Cards
