Edgar Barker

Edgar was the son of George and Lucy Barker (nee Hill). His father George was born in Lowdham, Nottinghamshire, in 1854, the son of Robert and Sarah Barker. He was baptised at Lowdham St Mary the Virgin on 1 May 1854. The family was living at Lodge Farm, Lowdham, in 1871; Robert Barker was an agricultural labourer while George was a railway labourer. His mother Lucy was born in Nottingham in 1861, the daughter of William and Mary Hill. In 1871 she was living with her family on Portland Road, Nottingham; her father was a lace maker. George and Lucy were maried on 13 January 1883 at Nottingham St Nicholas. According to the 1911 Census, they had had six children of whom one had died in infancy or childhood. Five children were named on the census between 1891 and 1911: George b. Nottingham 23 March 1886, Emiy b. Nottingham 1888, Albert b. Radford 1 December 1890 (reg. 1891), Edgar b. Radford birth registered 1896 (J/F/M) and Herbert b. Radford 1899. However, at the time of the 1881 Census, the first one after George and Lucy's marriage, there was another child, Elizabeth Barker (13), born in Eastwood Nottinghamshire, in the household who was listed as a daughter. There is a potential record of Elizabeth Barker's birth in 1878 (J/A/S Radford), mother's maiden name Baker (sic). Neither Elizabeth nor George have been traced on the 1871 Census. In 1891 George, a coal miner, and Lucy were living at 53 Dorset Street, Radford with their children George (5), Emily (2) and Albert (4m) and also Elizabeth Barker (13). Elizabeth has not yet been traced after 1891. George and Lucy had moved to 10 St Paul's Street, Nottingham, by 1901 and now had five children, the eldest of whom, George, was also a coal miner. By 1911 George and Lucy were living at 21 Leavers Street, Radford. Only two of their children were still at home, Edgar, a coal miner hewer, and Herbert who was still at school. George and Lucy were living at the same address when Edgar was killed in 1916. The later CWGC record only names his mother in the additional information: 'Son of Mrs. Lucy Barker, of 21, Leavers St., Old Radford Nottingham' which suggests that his father had died before the CWGC record was compiled. There is a record of the death of a George Barker, born about 1854, in 1919 (O/N/D Basford) and an alternative record, George Barker, b. abt 1854, who died in October 1946 (O/N/D Nottingham) but who has not yet been traced on the 1939 England & Wales Register. Lucy died in 1929 (J/A/S Nottingham), burial/cremation 22 August.