Richard Butler

Bank: National Provincial Bank of England

Place of work: Barnard Castle branch

Died: 1 July 1919

Richard Jefferson Butler was born on 10 August 1892, the son of James Jefferson Butler, a bank worker, and his wife Emily. Butler also went into banking, albeit not his father's bank. He started as apprentice at National Provincial Bank of England's York branch in October 1909. In October 1912, after completing his three-year apprenticeship, he moved to the bank's Barnard Castle branch as a clerk. In 1915 he sat and passed the final examination of the Institute of Bankers, just before going away on military service.

In June 1915 Butler left the bank to go on active service, becoming an officer in the King's Own (Yorkshire Light Infantry). He served in Mesopotamia, attached to the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. In March 1919 Butler was admitted to Membership of the Order of the British Empire and mentioned in despatches for his meritorious service there.

By 1919 Butler held the rank of Captain, and was serving on the North West Frontier in India, attached to the Somerset Light Infantry. He died of heat stroke there on 1 July 1919. He was 26 years old.