November is the traditional time when our hearts are turned to the millions who have died in all conflicts throughout the world. The British Legion have a website “Every One Remembered” https://www.everyoneremembered.org/
Their aim is to keep alive the memory of those who died in the First World War. Over a million people are remembered on the site.
There are 18 soldiers and sailors remembered on the website with the surnames of Levers and variants. Levers (3), Leivers (7), Leavers (5), Leevers (2) and Leivars (1).
I have looked into the families and ancestors of all 18 soldiers and sailors.
Historically there seem to be two major enclaves of the Levers surname in England, the main one being Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire and the second one being Cornwall.
Interestingly, 15 of the 18 men with the Levers and variants surnames who died due to the 1914-1918 conflict were born in either Nottinghamshire or Derbyshire or one of their parents was, or indeed their ancestors can be traced to Nottinghamshire.
The remaining three soldiers were descended from the Cornwall line.
The Soldiers with Cornwall Ancestry
Three soldiers can trace their line back to Bodmin, Cornwall
Brothers Sidney Graham and Frank Victor Leavers, born in Lambeth, London, both died as a result of WW1.
Sidney Graham Leavers born 1885 served in in the Machine Gun Corps in France, Belgium and Germany. He suffered from muscular rheumatism caused by continual exposure to wet conditions whilst serving in the army. He also had heart problems. He died in 1920 aged 35 as a direct result of ill health caused by his military service. Sidney’s brother Frank Victor Leavers born 1895 served in the London Regiment. He was killed in action aged 20 in 1915. He is commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial, Pas de Calais in France.
The brothers were born in Wandsworth, Surrey. Their father was born in Sussex but their great grandfather was born in 1785 at Bodmin in Cornwall.
Alfred Leavers was born in 1881 in the delightfully named village of Egloshayle in Cornwall. He was killed in action in 1915, and is remembered on the Menin Gate at Ypres. Alfred’s father was also born in Egloshayle and his grandfather was born 1827 in Bodmin, Cornwall.
The Soldiers with Nottinghamshire Ancestry
Charles Leevers was born in 1896 in Southport, Lancashire, he was only in France one month before being killed in action aged 19 in 1915. He is buried at the Guards Cemetery, Cuinchy, Pas de Calais, France. Charles’s first cousin Frederick Leevers was born in 1897 in Southport and was killed in action in 1917 aged 20. He was one of three brothers to serve in WW1. His brother Alfred Leevers was awarded the Croix de Guerre or the French War Cross in1918. Frederick is remembered on the Tyne Cot memorial. Charles and Frederick were members of the Kings Liverpool Regiment. Their great grandfather and great great grandfather were a hosiers and lace manufacturers who moved to Liverpool from Nottingham in the 1830s. Their great grandfather was born in 1785 in Sutton, Nottinghamshire.
Reuben Leavers was born in London in 1874. He emigrated to Australia at the age of 17 in 1891 after the death of his father. Reuben joined the Australian Engineers and they left Sydney in March 1916 and by September he was dead. He was killed in action at the Somme in 1916 aged 42. He is remembered on the Villers-Bretonneux memorial at the Somme, France. Reuben’s father was born in Leicestershire and his grandfather was born in 1809 in Arnold, Nottinghamshire.
The following soldiers and sailors were all born in either Nottinghamshire or Derbyshire and all have ancestors from Nottinghamshire.
Charles Leavers was born 1894 at Nottingham. He joined the Sherwood Foresters and was killed in action in 1916 aged 23 at the Somme. He was buried in the Ancre British Cemetery in Picardie, France. Charles’s father and grandfather were also born in Nottingham.
Arthur Cyril Levers was born 1898 at New Basford, Nottinghamshire and died in 1918 of influenza at Ripon Military Hospital. He was 20 years old when he died and had served in the army for three and a half years. He had joined the Sherwood Foresters and then transferred to the East Yorkshire Regiment. On enlistment in April 1915 Arthur gave his age as 19 years and 1 month. His real age was 17 years, the minimum age for enlistment being 18. He was buried at New Basford Cemetery and commemorated on the War Memorial at Old Basford (originally at New Basford but moved when the church there was demolished). Arthur’s father and grandfather were both from Nottingham.
John Levers was born 1892 at Derby. He joined the Sherwood Foresters aged 19 in 1912 and was killed in action aged 23 in 1915. He is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. He left a widow and young daughter. John’s father and ancestors were all born at or near Nottingham.
Norwood Levers born 1895 at Wigtoft, Lincolnshire and died 1917, a private in the Lincoln Yeomanry. He served in Egypt and is buried in Israel. His father and ancestors were born in Sutton and East Bridgeford, Nottinghamshire, .
Fred Leivers born 1894 at Eastwood, Nottinghamshire. He was in the Army Service Corps and was attached to the Royal Serbian Army. Fred had been an office clerk and a cornet player in Eastwood Brass Band. He died in 1918 at Salonika, Greece aged 24. He is buried in the Struma Military Cemetery. Fred was descended from generations of Leivers from Greasley.
George Leivers was born 1893 at Heanor, Derbyshire and died 1915. He was a sapper in the Royal Engineers, killed in action and commemorated on the Menin Gate at Ypres. His ancestors were from Heanor for generations and before that Greasley.
Harold Leivers was born 1892 at Arnold, Nottinghamshire. He was missing in action and presumed dead in1916. He is commemorated on the Thiepval memorial as there is no actual grave. His family were from Arnold for generations and before that Greasley.
Harry Leivers was born 1892 at Nottingham and joined the Sherwood Foresters. His family were living at Bulwell when the news came of his death. Horrifically the local newspaper reported a fellow soldier as saying he had seen Harry’s head blown off with a shell. He died aged 22 at the Battle of Aisne in 1914 and is commemorated on the memorial at La Ferte-sous-Jouarre. His grandfather was from Selston, Notts.
Henry Leivers was born 1888 at Selston and was in the Cavalry Reserve Regiment. He died in1918 drowned between Dublin and Holyhead, commemorated on the Hollybrook Memorial, Southampton. His pension documents state he died through his own actions due to melancholia but no further details. He left a widow and three small children. Henry’s father and grandfather were also from Selston, Notts.
John Robinson Leivers born 1887 at Long Eaton, Derbyshire, he had been in the Navy since 1904 and was lost in the North Sea in 1914 when HMS Hawke was torpedoed by a German UBoat. His ancestors were from Sawley, Derbyshire and many generations back were from Selston in Nottinghamshire.
Joseph Leivers was 1893 at Arnold, Nottinghamshire. He joined The Royal Scots Lothian Regiment and was killed in action in 1917. He’s commemorated on the Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery in Pas de Calais, France. Joseph’s father was also born at Arnold and his ancestry from Greasley.
John William Leivars was born 1882 in Sawley, Derbyshire. He was married with a 3 year old son when he was killed in action in 1916. John is commemorated on the Thiepval memorial. His family line stretched back into the 1780s from Sawley, Derbyshire.
All the soldiers who were actually born in Nottinghamshire are all remembered on this website
https://secure.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/rollofhonour
