Percy Bernard Stephenson

Percy Bernard was the fifth child and third son of Frederick George Stephenson and his wife Jane (née Hyde).

Percy's father was born in Boston on 1 June 1850, the son of William and Amelia (née Loversedge). They with their son Frederick and four younger siblings had moved to Newark by 1861. Frederick has not yet been traced on the 1871 Census but there is a record that he was baptised at Nottingham St Barnabus RC cathedral on 25 September 1877.

Percy's mother, Jane Hyde, was born in about 1851. Her place of birth on the 1881 Census was given as Bath, Somerset, but on the 1891 Census as Manchester.

Frederick and Jane were married in 1875 (reg. Nottingham) and had nine children, one of whom, Frank, died in childhood: Florence (b. 1877), Ada (birth registered 1879 JFM), Frederick George (b. 13 July 1880), Joseph Henry (b. 1882), Percy Bernard (birth registered 1884 JFM), Frank (birth registered 1887 JFM d. 1894 registered JFM), Thomas Edward (birth registered 1888 JFM) and twins Amelia [Millie] Annie and Catherine [Kitty] Cecile (b. 1892). At least two of their children were baptised at Nottingham (Meadows) Our Lady & St Patrick RC church, Ada on 28 December 1878 and Frederick George on 25 July 1880.

Percy's RMLI service document records that he was Roman Catholic. It also gives his date of birth as 25 January 1883 which is a year older than his date of birth (1884 JFM). Percy may have added a year to his age as he enlisted on 1 January 1902 so would have otherwise been just under 18 years old when he joined and this might have had implications for rates of pay, etc.

In 1881, Frederick snr., a master grocer employing one apprentice, and his wife were living at 70 Woolpack Lane, Nottingham, together with their children, Flora [Florence], Ada and Frederick. A report in the Nottingham Evening Post on 14 October 1887 recorded a meeting of creditors of 'Frederick George Stephenson, grocer and provision dealer of 9 Yorke-street, Nottingham' the outcome of which was that 'it was was decided that the debtor should be adjudicated a bankrupt.’

By 1891 Frederick, occupation baker, was living with his wife and their seven children at 22 Young Street, Nottingham. Their twin daughters, Amelia and Catherine, were born the following year but their youngest son Frank died two years later in 1894 aged seven.

Frederick, a baker and confectioner on his own account, his wife and, with the exception of Percy, their surviving children were recorded on the 1901 Census at 201 St Ann's Well Road which was probably also the bakery premises. Two sons, Frederick and Joseph, were working for their father while the eldest daughter, Florence, was a mob cap hand.

Percy has not yet been traced on the 1901 Census but he joined the Royal Marine Light Infantry on 1 January 1902 and served until 6 January 1914. He was discharged to 2o1 St Ann's Well Road and then worked as a goods porter for the London North Western Railway until he enlisted on 8 August 1914.

His family was recorded on the 1911 Census at 201 St Ann's Well Road: his father was still managing the bakery with the assistance of his wife and three sons, Frederick, Joseph and Thomas. Florence was a milliner, Amelia a typist and Catherine a lace pattern girl.

Their daughter Amelia died on 12 September 1918 aged 26, and was buried in Nottingham General Cemetery; her older sister, Ada, died the following year (reg. 1919 JFM).

Percy's father completed a form for the Army in April 1919 listing his son's surviving blood relatives: both he and his wife and four of their five surviving children - Florence, Joseph, Thomas and Catherine - were still living at 201 St Ann's Well Road while their son Frederick, who had married Minnie Hendrey in 1916, was living at 79 Union Road.

Frederick was still working on his own account in 1921 with Frederick, Joseph and Catherine assisting in the business. His son Thomas was described on the Census as 'invalid', while Florence, as in 1901, was employed as a cap machinist. Thomas may have died in 1931 (reg. JAS, burial 25 August).

Jane Stephenson died at 201 St Ann's Well Road on 17 October 1930 and her husband three years later on 16 April 1933.

Frederick jnr. and his wife were still living at 79 Union Road in 1921. Minnie died in 1929 and he married Rose Edith Tasker in 1932; they were living at 16 Dowson Street in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled. Frederick died in a bombing raid on Nottingham in 1941. (See record on this Roll of Honour)

Florence a cap machinist, Joseph a baker, and Catherine a lace hand, were living together at 43 Ferrers Street, Nottingham, in 1939. Florence died on 22 February 1966 and Joseph later that year (reg. JAS); Catherine died on 12 September 1975.