Francis William Baxter
Frank Baxter worked as a chimney sweep but had at some point also been a professional soldier.
He was known as Frank.
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
Frank William Baxter (known as Frank) was born in 1891 at Nottingham, he was the son of the late Robert Baxter a chimney sweep and the late Sarah Baxter née Warsop of Island Street, Nottingham.
His father: Robert Baxter, was born in 1853 in Nottingham, he died in 1918 aged 64 yrs, his mother Sarah Warsop was born in 1854 at Sneinton she died in 1919 aged 63 yrs, they were married on 19th November 1877 at St Mary’s Church, Nottingham, they had 12 children, sadly 6 died in infancy or early childhood..his brothers were Robert born 1876 and Albert, born 1886. His sisters were Sarah, born 1872 and Mary born in 1894 and working as a blouse hand all the children were born in Nottingham.
The family lived at 96 Union Road, Nottingham (1891), 9 Pomfret Street, Nottingham (1901) and 34 Derwent Street (1911) before finally moving to 3 Duke of Wellington Yard, Newark Street, Sneinton, Nottingham.
In the 1911 census the family were living at 34 Derwent Street, Meadows, Nottingham, Robert 57 yrs is a chimney sweep, he is living with his wife Sarah 56 yrs and their children, May 17 yrs a blouse hand and Frank 20 yrs a chimney sweep.
According to the report of Frank's death in the local paper in 1915 his home was at Island Street, Nottingham.
Private Francis William Baxter enlisted at Nottingham on 19th April 1907 at Nottingham, giving his age as 17 yrs and 8 months, he was a general labourer and was single, he was posted to the Sherwood Foresters Regiment, on 14th June 1908 he was posted to the Special Reserves. He was embodied at the outbreak of the Great War, he embarked to France, arriving on 11th November 1914. At the end of December 1914 the battalion took over a section of the front at Houplines and there followed a period of eighteen days in the trenches when it rained every day. As a result most trenches had up to two feet of water in them. Despite this and that it was a quiet sector occasional shelling and sniping continued and Baxter was killed in action on 19/01/1915. He was buried at Hiplines Communal Cemetery Extension (111.B.27.)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 5 February 1915: ‘Baxter. Killed in action January 19th, 1915, Private Frank W Baxter, beloved son of Robert and Sarah Baxter. He did his duty.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive. co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, 5 February 1915, photograph with caption: ‘Pte. FW Baxter, 3rd Sherwood Foresters, 31, Island St., Nottingham, killed in action Jan. 19.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive. co.uk)
In memoriam published 19th January 1916 in the Nottingham Evening Post :-
“BAXTER. – In loving memory of Frank W. Baxter, 2nd Sherwood Foresters, killed in action January 19th, 1915. He died so that we might live. – From his sorrowing father, mother, brother Bob and Edith, and sister Sarah and Ted.
“BAXTER. – In loving memory of my dear brother, Frank, who was killed in France by a shell January, 1915. We never knew what pain he had, we never saw him die; we only know he passed away without a chance to say good-bye. – From sister Pollie and Bill.
“BAXTER. – In loving memory of my dear brother, Frank, who was killed in action 19th January, 1915. No useless coffin enclosed his breast, nor in sheet nor in shroud they bound him; but he lays like a warrior taking his rest, with his warrior's cloak around him. – From his loving sister May and Jack (in France).”
Above are courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918
Francis William Baxter
Photograph was published on 5th February 1915 in the Nottingham Evening Post and is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great 1914-1918