Leonard Newton

Leonard was the son of Thomas Albert and Emma Newton (née Lane). Both his parents were born in Nottingham, his father in 1862 (J/F/M) and his mother in about 1861. Thomas and Emma were married in Nottingham in 1883. According to the information they provided on the 1911 Census when they had been married for 27 years, they had had ten children of whom nine survived. Nine children were named on the census between 1891 and 1911: Mabel Elizabeth b. 1884, Gertrude/Gerty b. 1886, Lavinia [Lavinia Millicent] b. 1888, Francis Thomas b. 1890, Harold Percival b. 1893, Albert b. 1897, Leonard b. 1899, John Archibald b. 1901 and Lewis Edward b. 1904. Apart from the youngest child, Lewis, who was born in Daybrook, Arnold, Nottingham, all the children were born in Nottingham. In 1891 Thomas (29), a bleacher, and Emma (29) were living at 9 Burrows Gardens, Sneinton, with their four children; Mabel (6), Gerty (5), Lavinia (2) and Francis (6m.) By 1901 the family was living at Mill House, Sneinton, and Thomas was now a foreman bleacher. He and Emma had eight children; Mabel a curtain overlocker, Gerty a lace hand, Lavinia, Francis, Harold (8), Albert (4), Leonard (2) and John (1). The family was living at 6 Cathcart Street Nottingham, by 1911. Thomas was now working as a stoker. Only seven children were in the home on the night of the census; Lavinia a lace cutter, Francis a labourer, Harold a laundry hand, and Albert, Leonard, John and Lewis (7) who were all at school. Thomas and Emma later moved to 29 Leicester Street - they were recorded at this address in 1914 in a register of people living in the parish of Nottingham St Mary. However, the register notes that Leonard was in France and his brother Albert was 'missing'; either the date in the register was incorrect or the information was later updated. Emma probably died in 1927 at the age of 66 while Thomas Albert died in 1936. Leonard's older brother, Albert, served in the Leicestershire Regiment (235490 Private) and was killed on 27 May 1918.