Best, Thomas
Private
No. 8879, 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards
Killed in action on Thursday 29 April 1915 (aged 19)
Buried:
Aubers Ridge British Cemetery, France (Grave V. B. 13)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Newtownards and District War Memorial
Newtownards Parish Church of Ireland Church (St Mark’s)
Brother of Private James Savage Best (No. 6530)
BIOGRAPHY
Thomas Best was born on 25 January 1895 in George’s Street, Newtownards and he was a son of John and Agnes Best (nee Gaw) who were married on 8 June 1878 in Newtownards Parish Church of Ireland Church (St Mark’s). John Best, a widowed weaver from Greenwell Street, Newtownards was a son of Robert Best, a weaver. Agnes Gaw from Newtownards was a daughter of John Gaw, a weaver.
John Best had previously been married to Margaret McNeilly; they were married on 12 December 1873 in Newtownards Registry Office. Margaret McNeilly from Greenwell Street, Newtownards was a daughter of John McNeilly, a tailor.
John and Margaret Best (nee McNeilly) had two children:
Robert (born 16 May 1874 in Greenwell Street, Newtownards)
John (born 22 October 1875 in Greenwell Street, Newtownards)
Margaret Best died of puerperal fever and peritonitis on 15 January 1878 (aged 32) in Newtownards Workhouse.
The Best family lived in Newtownards, in Movilla Street, Greenwell Street and George’s Street before moving to Scotland where they lived at 62 Rumford Street, Glasgow.
John Best worked as a weaver (he had at one time served in the Army) and he and Agnes had at least nine children:
Agnes (born 26 December 1879 in Movilla Street, Newtownards)
Eleanor Jane (born 18 October 1881 in Greenwell Street, Newtownards)
William (born 18 July 1883 in Greenwell Street, Newtownards)
James Savage (born 21 May 1885 in Greenwell Street, Newtownards)
Samuel (born 1 July 1887 in George’s Street, Newtownards; died of bronchitis 29 January 1888 in Newtownards Workhouse)
Lizzie (born 7 November 1888 in George’s Street, Newtownards)
Samuel (born 21 September 1890 in George’s Street, Newtownards)
Maggie (born 16 November 1892 in George’s Street, Newtownards)
Thomas (born 25 January 1895 in George’s Street, Newtownards)
Thomas Best was educated in Bridgeton, Glasgow.
Thomas Best enlisted on 23 February 1914 in Glasgow and served with the Scots Guards.
Private Thomas Best (No. 8879) was 19 when he was killed in action on 29 April 1915.
Six months earlier his brother James was also killed in action.
At the time of writing, his date of death is incorrectly recorded as 29 April 1918 in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Debt of Honour.
In the 29 April 1916 edition of the Newtownards Chronicle there was an Our Heroes – In Memoriam notice inserted by ‘his loving friends’ M.A. Gregory and L. McNeilly, 94 Greenwell Street, Newtownards.
Private Thomas Best (No. 8879) was buried in Aubers Ridge British Cemetery, France and he is commemorated on Newtownards and District War Memorial and in Newtownards Parish Church of Ireland Church (St Mark’s).