Oswald Carver
Encyclopedia
Oswald Armitage Carver (February 2, 1887 – June 7, 1915) was a British
rower
who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics
. He died of injuries during the First World War.
Carver was born at Marple
the son of William Oswald Carver and his wife, Kate Bentley. His father was a cotton goods merchant who had been successful enough to buy Cranage Hall
, near Holmes Chapel
. Carver was educated at Charterhouse School
and Trinity College, Cambridge
. He rowed for Cambridge
in the Boat Race in 1908. The Cambridge crew made up a boat in the eight
s which won the bronze medal for Great Britain rowing at the 1908 Summer Olympics
.
Carver was a director of the family company which owned Hollins Mill at Marple and had offices and warehouses in central Manchester's "cotton district". Carver was very active in the Scout movement which he introduced to Marple.
During World War I
, Carver served with 1/2nd East Lancashire Field Company Royal Engineers
. His initial application to serve overseas with the Company was rejected by an army medical board at Bury
on 3 September 1914 because he was suffering from deafness. However his hearing was checked again a month later and by 31 December, he had been promoted to Captain responsible for one of the Company's four Sections. At the beginning of May 1915, the troops left Egypt to go into action at Gallipoli.On 4 June in the Third Battle of Krithia
, the Engineers were to follow Territorial Battalions of the Manchester Regiment in an infantry attack on the Turkish positions. Their role was to dig communication trenches back to the original British line and build strongpoints to be used in case of counter attack. Carver was wounded in the back and evacuated down to 11th Casualty Clearing Station on the landing beach . He died three days later.
Carver married Elizabeth Hobart
, daughter of Robert Thompson Hobart of Tunbridge Wells in 1911. They had children John Hobart Carver, father of Martin Carver
and Richard Oswald Hobart Carver. The family lived at The Hollies in Marple. In 1927 Carver's widow married Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery
.
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
rower
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics
1908 Summer Olympics
The 1908 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the IV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in 1908 in London, England, United Kingdom. These games were originally scheduled to be held in Rome. At the time they were the fifth modern Olympic games...
. He died of injuries during the First World War.
Carver was born at Marple
Marple, Greater Manchester
Marple is a small town within the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Goyt southeast of Stockport.Historically part of Cheshire, Marple has a population of 23,480 .-Toponymy:...
the son of William Oswald Carver and his wife, Kate Bentley. His father was a cotton goods merchant who had been successful enough to buy Cranage Hall
Cranage Hall
Cranage Hall is a former country house in the village of Cranage, Cheshire, England. It was built in 1828–29 for Lawrence Armitstead, and designed by Lewis Wyatt. In 1932 a parallel wing was added. Since the hospital closed, it has been used as a hotel and conference centre. The building is...
, near Holmes Chapel
Holmes Chapel
Holmes Chapel is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. Until 1974 the parish was known as Church Hulme.At the 2001 Census the population of the village was recorded as 5,669...
. Carver was educated at Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
and Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
. He rowed for Cambridge
Cambridge University Boat Club
The Cambridge University Boat Club is the rowing club of the University of Cambridge, England, located on the River Cam at Cambridge, although training primarily takes place on the River Great Ouse at Ely. The club was founded in 1828...
in the Boat Race in 1908. The Cambridge crew made up a boat in the eight
Eight (rowing)
An Eight is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for eight rowers, who propel the boat with sweep oars, and is steered by a coxswain, or cox....
s which won the bronze medal for Great Britain rowing at the 1908 Summer Olympics
Rowing at the 1908 Summer Olympics
At the 1908 Summer Olympics, four rowing events were contested, all for men only. Races were held at Henley-on-Thames. The competitions were held from July 28, 1908 to July 31, 1908. There was one fewer event in 1908 than 1904, after the double sculls was dropped from the programme...
.
Carver was a director of the family company which owned Hollins Mill at Marple and had offices and warehouses in central Manchester's "cotton district". Carver was very active in the Scout movement which he introduced to Marple.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Carver served with 1/2nd East Lancashire Field Company Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
. His initial application to serve overseas with the Company was rejected by an army medical board at Bury
Bury
Bury is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Irwell, east of Bolton, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northwest of the city of Manchester...
on 3 September 1914 because he was suffering from deafness. However his hearing was checked again a month later and by 31 December, he had been promoted to Captain responsible for one of the Company's four Sections. At the beginning of May 1915, the troops left Egypt to go into action at Gallipoli.On 4 June in the Third Battle of Krithia
Third Battle of Krithia
The Third Battle of Krithia , fought on the Gallipoli peninsula during World War I, was the final in a series of Allied attacks against the Ottoman defences aimed at capturing the original objectives of 25 April 1915...
, the Engineers were to follow Territorial Battalions of the Manchester Regiment in an infantry attack on the Turkish positions. Their role was to dig communication trenches back to the original British line and build strongpoints to be used in case of counter attack. Carver was wounded in the back and evacuated down to 11th Casualty Clearing Station on the landing beach . He died three days later.
Carver married Elizabeth Hobart
Elizabeth Carver
Elizabeth Carver was the wife of Bernard Montgomery, who later became Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein.-Early life and marriage:...
, daughter of Robert Thompson Hobart of Tunbridge Wells in 1911. They had children John Hobart Carver, father of Martin Carver
Martin Carver
Martin Oswald Hugh Carver FSA , is Emeritus Professor of Archaeology at the University of York, England, director of the Sutton Hoo Research Project and a leading exponent of new methods in excavation and survey. He specialises in the archaeology of early Medieval Europe...
and Richard Oswald Hobart Carver. The family lived at The Hollies in Marple. In 1927 Carver's widow married Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery
Bernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein
Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC , nicknamed "Monty" and the "Spartan General" was a British Army officer. He saw action in the First World War, when he was seriously wounded, and during the Second World War he commanded the 8th Army from...
.