Fred Richardson
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
Fred was the son of John Henry and Catherine Elizabeth Gadd (Kate) Richardson (née West).
His father was born in Boston, Lincolnshire, in 1869, and his mother in Birmingham in 1872. They were married at Carrington St John the Evangelist on 3 November 1891 and had five children who were born in Hyson Green. Their first child, a son, died in infancy. William Henry b. 1892 (AMJ) d. 1892 (JAS); Ada Eveline (Eve/Eva) b. July 1893; Frank Upsall b. Nov. 1895 (reg. 1896 JFM); Fred b. 1898 (JAS) and Kathleen b. 1903.
John, a grocer's assistant, his wife and their three children, Ada, Frank and Fred, were living at 20 Cope Street, Nottingham, in 1901. Their daughter Kathleen was born two years later.
By 1911 John, now a manager with the Co-operative Society, his wife and their four children were living at 21 Balfour Road. Their daughter Eva was an assistant milliner and Frank was a clerk (Health Department).
When Frank attested in 1914 he gave his address, and that of his parents (whom he named as his next of kin), as 12 Kimbolton Avenue, Derby Road.
Frank, who had served in the war from 1914 until demobilization, married Agnes Brown in 1919 and in 1921 they were boarders living on Hunt Street, Nottingham, in the household of William and Martha Boot. Frank was an Inspector of Nuisances with Nottingham City Council Health Department. The couple divorced and Frank married Elsie Thompson (b. 1907) in 1934. In 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled John, an Inspector ('meat and other foods, sanitary products') probably with the City Council, Elsie and their daughter Kathleen Mary (b. 1937 m. Douglas Aldous 1969) were living on Hawton (illeg.). Frank's former wife, Agnes, probably married John Holtby, a farmer, in 1936 and in 1939 they were living on the family farm in Holderness.
John, a commercial traveller (Geo King & Sons Grocery & Provision Merchants, Lister Gate), Kate and their daughters Eva, a milliner (Griffin & Spalding, Long Row) and Kathleen, a typist (London & Lancashire Insurance Co.), were living at 199 Ilkeston Road in 1921.
Kathleen married Albert Edward Catterns at Radford All Souls in May 1931. However, her husband obtained a divorce in 1946 and Kathleen married secondly Frederick J Thorneloe in 1947.
John and Kate had moved to 3 Cedar Avenue, Beeston, by 1939. John was now a provisions traveller/wholesale. Also in the home was their daughter Eva, head of a milliner workroom, probably at Griffin & Spalding where she was working in 1921.
Kate died in September 1944 and her husband in February 1947. Eva continued to live in the family home, 3 Cedar Avenue, until her death in 1978. Her brother Frank died in May 1980.
Fred Richardson served in the 10th (Service) Battalion Sherwood Foresters which was raised in Derby in September 1914 as part of Kitchener's New Army. The Battalion came under orders of 51st Brigade in the 17th (Northern) Division and landed at Boulogne on 14 July 1915.
There are two Medical Records relating to Fred and each refers to his admission to the 51st Field Ambulance suffering from the effects of gas and from a shell wound, medical conditions which were the same for other soldiers in the Battalion who were treated at the same Field Ambulance. However, one record refers to his admission on 15 August and transfer the same day to a Casualty Clearance Station, and the other to admission on 17 August, and transfer the same day, again to a CCS.
The record for 15 August gives his age as 20, the length of time he had served with the Battalion - 11 months, and the length of time served with the field force - 5 months. Fred had therefore served for about 16 months, so was probably called up in the summer of 1917.
Fred was transferred to the UK (date not known) and died in Ripon Military Hospital on 26 November 1918. His body was returned to his family and he was buried in Nottingham General Cemetery on Wednesday 4 December. (Grave ref. 2849)
He qualified for the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
'Ripon Military Camp covered vast areas around Ripon, and accomodated up to 30,000 troops and workers whilst training and preparing for onwards journeys to the Front. As well as a range of other services, the Camp included a large military hospital with 670 beds. The hospital was situated on the Pateley Bridge Road.'( archiveshop.northyorks.gov.uk/military/D5009)
Fred's brother, Frank, attested on 26 September 1914 on a Territorial Force engagement (4 years service UK), 611 Private RHA Notts Reserve. He was 19 years old, a clerk and living at 12 Kimbolton Avenue, Derby Road; he named his parents of the same address as his next of kin. He transferred to embodied service two days after atttesting and was posted Gunner on 28 September, then to A/Bombr. on 3 April 1915, Bombr. 15 May 1915 and to A/Sgt. 9 October 1915 (later promoted Sergeant). He served with the Mesopotamia Expeditionary Force from 23 June 1917, 'absorbed into 215 Brigade RFA 16 August 1917'. He embarked SS Chakadar (sic) on 23 February 1919 when he was 'struck off strength of Mes. Exp.', then served at home from 13 April 1919. He was demobilized on 11 May 1919 to 199 Ilkeston Road Nottingham, although his service record showed army service to 31 March 1920. Service record: Home 28 September 1914-22 June 1917, 2y 268d. Mesopotamia 23 June 1917-23 February 1919, 1y 246d. Enroute 24 February 1919-12 April 1919, 48d. Home 13 April 1919-31 March 1920, 351d. Total 5y 183d. His service documents include a letter dated 9 December 1918 from his mother to the military authorities requesting information about her son who was serving with Notts RHA, 816th Battery RFA, as the family had not had a letter from him since one dated 7 June 1918. There is no record of the reply. Frank had been employed by Nottingham Corporation before he enlisted and it appears that he returned to his civilian employment with Nottingham Corporation after the war.
CWGC Additional information: Son of Mr. and Mrs. John Henry Richardson, of 199, Ilkeston Rd., Nottingham.
CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'In God's safe keeping'
Nottingham Evening Post, 'Roll of Honour', 29 November 1918: 'Richardson. On November 26th, at Military Hospital, Ripon, Signaller Fred Richardson, the dearly beloved younger son of J. H. and K. Richardson. Until the day breaks and the shadows flee away. Funeral General Cemetery, Wednesday 11.45.'
Above courtesy Jim Grundy facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, 26 November 1919: ‘Richardson. In loving memory of our dear son Fred, 10th Sherwoods. Dearly loved. Mother and father.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, 26 November 1919: ‘Richardson. In memory of our dear brother, Signaller Fred Richardson, 10th Sherwood Foresters, died November 26th, 1918. Ever remembered. Eva, Kathleen, and Frank.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Registers of Soldiers' Effects: his father was his sole legatee.
WW1 Pension Ledgers: named his father, John
Additiona research/record updated. RF (Jan. 2025)
Fred Richardson
The commonwealth wargraves commission headstone marking the grave of Fred Richardson at the General Cemetery Nottingham is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918