Ernest John William Matson 1869 – 1938
Ernest was born in December 1869 in Harrogate, son of William and Elizabeth Matson. He lived a
very colourful and eventful life.
In 1871, aged 15 months, he was living in his maternal grandparents’ home, with his parents, at 8
Chapel Court, off Chapel Street in Harrogate.
By 1881 however, his fortunes seemed to have taken a turn for the worse as he is an inmate of the
Union Workhouse in Knaresborough. It cannot be sure what happened for him to be there, but he
may have been orphaned as there is no record of his parents after the 1871 census. Sister Margaret
of the Knaresborough Union was down as his next of kin in his military records.
On the 2nd of April 1886, Ernest enlisted in the army at York. He joined the 12th Lancers in
Canterbury. At the time he was only 16 years old, so therefore had lied about his age as he is
recorded as being 19. His occupation at the time of joining up was butcher, like his father.
His army records show that Ernest had long service with good conduct. By August 1889, he had been
made Lance Corporal, and the following year reached the rank of Corporal. Ernest was promoted to
Sergeant on 23rd August 1893. His final promotion was to Squadron Sergeant Major on 30th January
1902.
During his service, Ernest travelled the world. Initially, he spent time in Britain and Ireland at
Colchester, Hounslow, Canterbury, Highworth in Wiltshire, Manchester, Edinburgh and Curragh
Camp in Dublin. (it is possible that Ernest joined the regiment in Madras, India, on his enlistment as
they were stationed there until 24th November 1887)
In September 1898 Ernest was transferred to the 3rd (Kings Own) Hussars regiment, when the 3rd
Hussars were sent to India to be stationed in Lucknow in the present-day State of Uttar Pradesh.
In December 1901, the regiment was sent to Pretoria in South Africa for a year, to see active service
in the latter stages of the Boer War. The hard fighting was virtually over, however, when they
arrived, so spent their tour of duty rounding up the Boers from the Veldt. With the war’s ending,
they returned to India in October 1902, and took up station in Sialkot in the Punjab, now in Pakistan.
The final posting for Ernest was to be sent back to South Africa in December 1907, where he
remained with the regiment until his discharge on 30th April 1909, after 23 years service. It was
noted on his discharge records that he was a first class rider and breaker of horses and trainer.
His army career was not over when he left the army in 1909. At the start of the Great War, Ernest reenlisted with the reserve battalion of the 3rd Hussars, again with the rank of Squadron Sergeant
Major. He did keep up the pretence of being older, as the records show he was supposedly forty
eight years old.
Ernest was married three times during his lifetime and had ten children with two of them.
His first wife was Emily Jane Willoughby, who he married in 1890 whilst in Canterbury. The wedding
took place at St.Gregory’s Church in Canterbury on 16th March 1890. They had nine children. Edith
Rachel was their first child, who was born in Hulme on 11th December 1890. Charles Henry came
next in Chorlton on 4th February 1892. Margaret Gertrude was born on 14th January 1893 in
Blunsden, probably at Emily’s parent’s home, as she was from Wiltshire. Ernest’s namesake, Ernest
John William, was born in Edinburgh on 3rd December 1894. Liily became the first child to be born
overseas in Ballencollig, County Cork, on 26th September 1896. Their other children, Albert Edward,
William Frederick, Emily Beatrice and Frederick William were all born in India. All were born in
Sialkot, except Albert, who was born in Lucknow. The birth dates are as following:- 3rd July 1900, 28th
September 1903, 4th December 1904 and 20th February 1907 respectively. Unfortunately, William
Frederick died on 22nd April 1894 aged just six months.
When Ernest left the army in 1909, he and the family moved to Harrogate. Within two years, Emily
had died.
Ernest’s second wife was Ann Coupland Simpson, a thirty one year old cook. Interestingly, she was a
visitor at Ernest’s cousin’s house, John William Matson, in Harrogate on the night of the 1911
census, therefore probably known to him before Emily’s death. They married on 13th October 1912
at Christ Church, Harrogate. On 10th August 1913, they had a son, Eric.
Ann died in 1929 at the age of 50. Within six months Ernest had married Mary Clementine Trigg.
Up to this point, Ernest and Ann were living at 1 Oakdale Avenue in Harrogate. On the marriage with
Mary, he moved into the house that she shared with two other women at 21 Tewit Well Road. His
son Ernest John William and his wife, Florence then took up residence at Oakdale Avenue.
Ernest and Mary moved a few houses up the road to No.31 Tewit Well Road, as documented in the
1933 electoral register, where they stayed until moving to 50 Harlow Terrace, Harrogate.
Other addresses where Ernest and his family lived in Harrogate, according to electoral and other
records, are as follows:- 1911 – 30 Grove Park Walk; 1914 – 3 Grosvenor Terrace;; 1920 – 42 Cecil
Street; 1922 – 21 Park View 1924 – 5a Regent Parade; 1926 – 15 Park View.
Ernest died at 167 King Edwards Drive, Harrogate, on 19th September 1938, aged 68. According to
the death certificate he had cancer. The death was registered by his son Ernest.