Frederick Claud Dennis
Frederick Dennis was an electrical engineer with the Electricity Department, Nottingham Corporation. He attended Norton Street Congregational Church.
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
Frederick Claud was the third and youngest son of Thomas and Sarah Jane Dennis (née Pilsbury).
His father Thomas was born in Bagthorpe, Leicestershire, in about 1849 and his mother Sarah Jane in Wombourne, Staffordshire. Sarah, the daughter of James and Caroline Pilsbury, was baptised at Wombourne St Benedict Biscop on 2 February 1851.
Thomas, a miner, resident Chasetown, Ogley Hay, Staffordshire, father Joseph (deceased), miner, married Sarah Pilsbury, father James, blacksmith, at Ogley Hay St James on 15 January 1878.
They had three children: Arthur James Lewis b. 24 June 1879 Hednesford Staffordshire, Mark Randall/Randal b. 18 July 1881 Cotmanhay Derbyshire, who was baptised at Radford St Peter on 8 October 1882, and Frederick Claud/Claude b. Nottingham 1884 (OND).
In 1881 Thomas, a coal miner, his wife and their son Arthur were living with Thomas's married sister, Sarah Wheatley (b. Leics.) and her son Thomas (14) a coal miner, at 36 Bridge Street, Basford, Nottingham.
The family had moved to Norton Street, Radford, by the time the second son, Mark, was baptised in 1882, then recorded on the 1891 Census at 78 Bloomsgrove Street, Radford, by which time Thomas was working as a general labourer in a factory. Only Mark and Frederick were in the home with their parents on the night of the census. Their brother Arthur was recorded on the Census at 4 Bailey Street, West Ham, London, in the home of his maternal aunt, Sarah Wheatley, and her husband Mark, a blacksmith.
Thomas, a blacksmith's labourer, Sarah and their three sons were living at 10 Albert Grove, Lenton Sands, in 1901. Arthur was a school teacher, Randal (Mark) a joiner and builder and Frederick a clerk with Nottngham Corporation. Also in the household were three male boarders, all in work, and a general domestic servant.
Thomas, now working as a gardener, and his wife were still at the same address in 1911. Also in the home were their youngest sons, Randal, a cigarette maker, and Frederick, an electrical engineer (Nottingham Corporation), and three boarders, including a brother and sister, who were all in employment. The eldest son, Arthur, has not yet been traced on the 1911 Census.
Although a newspaper report of Frederick's death in 1916 gave his address as Albert Grove, the probate record (proven September the same year) gave his address as 88 Garfield Road, and this was the address given in the newspaper notice of his father's death in August 1917.
Frederick's mother applied for his medals in December 1921 giving her address as 152 Derby Road; the CWGC record gives her address as 70 Hartley Road, Radford.
Mark Randal married Alice Mary Ellen Ward (b. 1878) in 1915 (reg. Nottingham) and in 1921 they were living at 70 Hartley Road; Randal was a storekeeper (general stores) at a Government Institutional Factory. Also in the home was a male boarder who was employed as a lamp lighter.
Arthur married Mabel Louise Smith (b. 1883) in 1919 (reg. Lambeth). They were recorded on the 1921 Census at 50 Caldecot Road, Camberwell; both were school teachers with London County Council, Arthur at Laxon Street School, Bermondsey, and Mabel at Victory Place School, Southwark. Also in the home was Arthur's widowed mother, Sarah.
Sarah Jane died on 24 July 1928 and was buried alongside her husband in Nottingham General Cemetery. The probate record gave her address as 152 Derby Road, Nottingham; her sons, Arthur (a schoolmaster) and Mark (a boot and shoe dealer) were awarded Probate.
Arthur and his wife were recorded on the 1939 England & Wales Register, at a boarding house, 71 Marine Parade, Worthing, Sussex; he had retired from teaching and she had 'resigned'. Arthur died in October 1954 (reg. Chichester); the probate record gave his address as Caldecot, Sandown Avenue, Goring-by-Sea, Worthing, Sussex. His widow Mabel of 17 Nutley Crescent, Goring-by-Sea, died in February 1973.
Mark, a boot and shoe repairer (master) and his wife Mary (sic) were living at 152 Derby Road, Nottingham, in 1939. Also in the household were six others, probably lodgers or boarders, five of whom were in work, including one female who was a 'paid housekeeper', and one person of independent means. Mark died on 17 July 1955 and his widow in November 1957.
Frederick Claude Dennis was a member of University College Nottingham OTC.
He was gazetted second lieutenant and served with 'B' Company, 17th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derbys Regiment) (Welbeck Rangers).
He was killed leading his platoon in a trench raid on the night of 31st July/1st August 1916; the CWGC record gives his date of death as 1 August. Frederick was buried in Gorre British and Indian Cemetery (grave ref II.E.17).
War diary. Givenchy 1916 August. 'Givenchy 1916 August. Routine. Battalion relieve 16th Rifle Brigade in Givenchy Right Sub. Section Map reference see 21st May 1916. A Company on Right. C Company in the centre. D Company on left. B Company in support. (-) held. A Company 1 Platoon Spoil Bank. 1 Platoon Gunner’s Siding. C Company 1 Platoon Orchard (-). D Company 1 Platoon Marie Redoubt. Relief Complete 10.55 (-). Account of raid carried out on the night of 31/1 August. B Company raided (-) Trenches at (map reference A.10.C.3/4.3) (-) Order etc. attached as appendix. Casualties. Killed 2nd Lieut HA Langford, 2nd Lieut FC Dennis, 2nd Lieut GC Bolton. Wounded Captain FB Ludlow, 2nd Lieut MA Gent, 2nd Lieut LE Flint. Other Ranks. Killed 8. Missing 128 wounded 43. Total casualties of raid 68 [figure deleted] 69 (sic).'
The two officers who died the same day as 2nd Lieutenant Dennis were:
2nd Lieutenant Geoffrey Charles Bolton, age 17. Buried Gorre British & Indian Cemetery. Son of Robert Charles and Maud Edith Bolton, of Hill House, Alton, Hants. (www.cwgc.org)
2nd Lieutenant Arthur Hector Allan Langford, age 18. Buried Bethune Town Cemetery. Son of Edwin Charles and Florence Maud Langford, of "The Hollies" Ash Vale, Surrey. The three officers who were wounded the same day have not been traced on the CWGC record so it appears they survived the war. (www.cwgc.org)
CWGC history of Gorre British and Indian Cemetery (extract): the hamlet of Gorre is 4km from the town of Bethune. 'The chateau at Gorre was occupied early in the war by troops serving with the British Expeditionary Force and the Indian Corps, and the cemeteries, located in the south-east corner of original the chateau grounds, were begun in the autumn of 1914. The Indian section of the cemetery was closed in October 1915, shortly before the Indian infantry divisions left France for redeployment to the Middle East ... For much of the war, the chateau stood approximately four kilometres behind a section of the British front-line that ran northward along the Aubers Ridge from Givenchy-lès-la-Bassée to Festubert ... From the end of the Battle of Festubert in May 1915 until the spring of 1918, this was considered a relatively ‘quiet’ sector ... There are now over 930 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated here.' (www.cwgc.org)
CWGC Additional information: Son of Mrs. S. J. Dennis, of 70, Hartley Rd., Radford, Notts.
Nottingham General Cemetery, family grave, headstone inscription: 'In loving memory of Lieut. Frederick C Dennis 17th Sherwood Foresters who was killed in action while leading his men in France on the night of July 31st 1916. Buried in the British Cemetery at Gorre, France, aged 31 years. 'A gallant officer who made a noble sacrifice.' Also Thomas Dennis, father of the above, who fell asleep July 31st 1917, in his 70th year. At rest. Also Sarah Jane, wife of Thomas, died July 24th, 1928, aged 77 years.'
Nottingham Evening Post, 11 August 1916: 'Killed. Lieut. F.C. Dennis. Second-Lieut. F. C. Dennis, Sherwood Foresters, formerly of the Electricity Department of the Nottingham Corporation, and of Albert-grove, has been killed in action. He joined the University College Officers' Training Corps, under Captain Trotman in December, 1914, and received his commission in April last year. He went for training to Edinburgh and Newcastle, and was drafted France in May this year. He was only seventeen (sic) years old and was the youngest son of Mr. Dennis, of 88, Garfield-road, Nottingham. The parents have received a communication from the commanding officer, Lieut.-Colonel H. M. Milward, in which he says: "I very much regret to inform you of the death of your son, on the night of July 31st – August 1st. He was killed whilst we were making a raid on the German trenches, while leading his platoon. He was a most gallant young officer, very keen and efficient, and very popular with officers and men. While he had been with this battalion, he had done very well, and his death is a loss not easily replaced.''
Above courtesy of Jim Grundy facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918.
Probate: Frederick Claude of 88 Garfield-road Nottingham second-lieutenant in HM Army died 1 August 1916 in France Probate Nottingham 1 September to Sarah Jane Dennis (wife of Thomas Dennis). Effects £325 6s.
Medal Rolls Index Card: Mrs Dennis, 152 Derby Road, Nottingham, applied for her late son's medals, 14 December 1921.
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 3 August 1917: ‘Dennis. On the 31st ult., at 88 Garfield-road, Thomas Dennis, aged 69 years (formerly of Albert-grove).’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Probate. Dennis Arthur James Louis of Caldecot Sandown-avene Goring-by-Sea Sussex d. 22 October 1954 at the Sanatorium Annexe Hawthorn-road Bognor Regis Sussex. Probate widow Mabel Louise Dennis and Ernest Leonard Peter Hollis textiles manager.
Additional information and record updated. RF (March 2026)
Photo of Frederick Claud Dennis
Gorre British and Indian Cemetery (www.cwgc.org)
Photo of Frederick Claud Dennis
Nottingham General Cemetery, family grave. Photograph Simon Roots, CWGC 'EOHO' project volunteer (Feb. 2026)