Frederick Coulam Handley

Frederick Coulam was the son of Joseph Coulam Handley and his wife Amelia (née Hill).

His father was born in 1854 (reg. Louth Lincs) and married Amelia Hill (b. Cadeby Lincs abt. 1858) at Laceby parish church, Lincolnshire on 14 May 1878.

The couple had nine children of whom only six survived infancy or early childhood. Their surviving children were: Lucy Ann (b. 1881) and Fred/Frederick Coulam (b. 1886) who were born in Kilenhall (sic), Lincolnshire, Albert Ernest (birth reg. 1889 JFM) and Joseph Coulam (b. 1891) who were born in Brampton Ash, and Wilfred (birth reg. 1897 JFM) and Isabella (b. 1900) who were born in Loughborough, Leicestershire.

In 1881, Joseph, an agricultural labourer, and his wife were living in Caister, Immingham, Lincolnshire. However, by 1891 they and their four children, Lucy, Fred, Albert and Joseph, had moved to Brampton Ash on the Leicestershire/Northamptonshire border. Joseph snr. was working as a farm servant.

The family was living at Halfway House, Nanpantan, Loughborough, in 1891, and Joseph was now employed as a farm foreman. The five younger children, Fred, Albert, Joseph, Wilfred and Isabella (7m), were still living at home but Lucy was a general domestic servant in the household of a dressmaker in Loughborough.

Joseph and Amelia had moved again by 1911 and were living in Laneham, Nottinghamshire, where Joseph had a farm on which he was assisted by his son Wilfred. Also in the home was their daughter, Isabella. Their daughter Lucy was probably a patient at the Nottinghamshire County Lunatic Asylum, Radcliffe on Trent; she died age 37 in 1918 (reg. AMJ Bingham).

Frederick had married Florence Cobb (b. Oxton, Nottinghamshire) in 1908 (reg. JFM Southwell) and at the time of the 1911 census they were living in Kirklington where he was a farm labourer in the employ of Mr Wakefield. The couple had one child, Fred Ernest Coulam (8m), the first of three sons; John Joseph was born in 1912 and Albert Ernest in 1914. Frederick's brother Wilfred was working as a cowman on Mr Wakefield's farm but 'lived in'.
Their brother Albert had joined the Royal Marines Light Infantry in 1910.

Florence was still living in Kirklington when her husband was killed but by 1921 she and her three sons were living on Private Road, King Street, Southwell. Her married son Albert was living on Private Road in 1939 while Florence was at 40 King Street, Southwell, next door to her married son John and his family at No. 42. Her eldest son Fred, a grocer's assistant, was also married (Gladys M Thorpe, 1934) and living in Mansfield.

Florence died in February 1964; her home was still at 40 King Street. Her son Fred was awarded administration of her Will.

Frederick's parents, Joseph and Amelia, were living in East Retford in 1921. Amelia died in 1930 aged 71 and Joseph in 1944 aged 89; their deaths were recorded in the East Retford registration district.

Joseph and Amelia's three other sons, Albert, Joseph and Wilfred, also served in the Great War. (See 'Extra information')