Archibald Viccars Bright
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- Military History
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Archibald was the son of Arthur Bright and Margaret Ellis Bright (nee Viccars). Arthur was born in Nottingham in 1851 (O/N/D Nottingham) and Margaret Ellis Viccars in Leicester in 1861 (A/M/J Leicester). They were married in 1881 (A/M/J Leicester) and had six children: Margaret Warner b. 1882 (A/M/J Nottingham), twin boys Arthur Kingsley and Archibald Viccars b. 1884 (J/A/S Nottingham), Adeline Mary birth registered 1888 J/F/M Nottingham, Elsie Downing b. 1892 (J/A/S Nottingham) and Harold Viccars b. 1898 (A/M/J Nottingham). Arthur Bright was a solicitor and in 1891 he and his wife Margaret were living at 7 Villa Road, Mansfield Road, Nottingham, with their four children, Margaret (8), Arthur (6), Archibald (6) and Adeline (3). Also in the home on the night of the census were two visitors, Arthur's unmarried sister-in-law Frances D Viccars (34) who was a school mistress, and Frank E Baker (32) a single man who was a chartered accounted. Arthur employed three servants, Jane Jones (26) a cook, Mary Hucknall (24) a nurse, and Mary Voce (22) a housemaid. By 1901 the family had moved to 30 Mapperley Road, Nottingham. Only four of their six children were in the house on the night of the census: Margaret (18), Adeline (13), Elsie (8) and Harold (3). It is likely that his twin sons Arthur and Archibald, who would have been 16 years old, were away at school. Arthur employed three live-in domestic servants; Elizabeth Painter (27) a cook, Mary Francis (27), a housemaid and Harriett Bonnallo (23) a nurse. Archibald's eldest sister, Margaret, married Sydney Woodward in 1907 (O/N/D Nottingham), and in 1911 they were living at Park Dale, Peveril Drive, Nottingham. Sydney (27) was a lace manufacturer and a director of Frank Woodward Co. Ltd. He and Margaret (28) had one daughter, Evelyn (2). Also in the household were three domestic servants. However, on 19 July 1916 Margaret filed a petition for the 'restitution of conjugal rights' and although the petition was dismissed there were further proceedings in 1918 and 1919. The probate record for Margaret Warner Woodward describes her as a 'single woman' so if not divorced she may have been legally separated.Arthur Bright died at the age of 57 in 1909 (J/A/S Nottingham) and in 1911 his widow, now head of household, was living at 40 Mapperley Road. Also in the home on the night of the census was Arthur (26) a farm student, Archibald (26) a solicitor, Adeline (23) and Harold (13). Margaret Bright employed two servants, a cook and a housemaid. Margaret Ellis Bright was still living at the same address when Archibald was was killed in 1917 but later moved to Leicester and at the time of her death on 13 February 1937 was living at 81 Knighton Church Road, Leicester. Of Archibald's siblings: Margaret Warner Woodward died on 27 March 1956 in hospital in Lincoln; her address was then The Cottage-on-the-Green, Car Colston, Nottinghamshire. Arthur Kingsley served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force and appears to have remained in Canada as there is a record of him on the 1921 Canadian Census. Adeline Mary married Frederick Crooks in 1920 (J/A/S Kings Norton Warwickshire), and died on 5 March 1964. She was a widow and living at The Cottage-on-the-Green, Car Colston. Elsie Downing married in Canada (Dayton) and died on 8 February 1953 in West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Harold Viccars served as a Second Lieutenant with the 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) and was killed on 21 September 1918 (Trefcon British Cemetery, Caulaincourt).Archibald's cousin, Second Lieutenant Frank Arnold Bright, 1/7th Bn Sherwood Foresters, youngest son of Sir Joseph and Lady Bright, was killed in action on 13 October 1915. Another of Sir Joseph's sons, Captain Arthur Stanley Bright, Sherwood Foresters, was wounded and taken prisoner in March 1918 but was repatriated in the September. Another cousin, Joseph John Bright, the son of Lawrence and Hannah Bright served in the 7th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (117439 Private) and died of illness in Lincoln Hospital on 27 June 1918.
He was attached to 11th Bn Sherwood Foresters. Officers Services Sherwood Foresters: served in the ranks as 17419 Private N&D. Archibald was commissioned Second Lieutenant on 10 March 1915 into the 3rd Bn Sherwood Foresters and promoted Lieutenant on 18 March 1916. He was attached to the North Lancashire Regiment May 1917 and killed in the attack near Hill 60, Belgium (SF Roll). He was buried in the Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Transport Farm), Zillebeke, Belgium.
Nottinghamshire Law Society Roll of Honour: ‘Archibald Viccars Bright. Son of the late Mr Arthur Bright a Nottingham Solicitor, was born on the 20th day of July 1884 (-) at Nottingham, articled to his father admitted in 1910 he joined the Sherwood Foresters as a private in September 1914 was commissioned Second Lieutenant in March 1915, and Lieutenant in 1916. He was on active service in France from August 1916 to January 1917 when he was killed in the battle of Messines.’ Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, Thursday 3 October 1918: ‘Killed. Lieut. Harold Viccars Bright, Sherwood Foresters, youngest son of the late Mr Arthur Bright and Mrs Bright of Mapperley-road, Nottingham, was killed in action on September 21st. He was educated at Mill Hill, and later entered the business of Messrs. Cooper and Roe, hosiery manufacturers, Nottingham. After training with the University OTC he received his commission in March, 1917, and went out to France two months later. He was 20 years of age.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)Probate: Bright Arthur of Lea Hurst Mapperley-road Nottingham solicitor died 9 July 1909 Probate Nottingham 21 February [1910] to Margaret Ellis Bright widow and sir Joseph Bright knight. Effects £27713 6s. 4d Probate: Bright Archibald Viccars of 40 Mapperley-road Nottingham lieutenant in HM Army died 7 June 1917 in France of Belgium Probate Nottingham 6 November [1917] to Adeline Mary Bright spinster and Horace Dickinson Bright solicitor. Effects £315 10s. 5d. Probate: Bright Harold Viccars of 40 Mapperley-road Nottingham lieutenant in HM army died 21 September 1918 in France Administration Nottingham 20 August [1919] to Adeline Mary Bright spinster. Effects £319 8s. 3d. Probate: Bright Margaret Ellis of 81 Knighton Church-road Leicester widow died 13 February 1937 Probate Nottingham 9 April [1937] to Adeline Mary Crooks (wife of Frederick Crooks). Effects £1612 13s. 7d. British Columbia Canada Marriage Index: Elsie Downing Bright England, Andrews Newspaper Index Cards 1790-1976. 12 February 1953: Elsie Downing Dayton father Arthur Bright mother’s name Bright, died 8 Feb 1953 West Vancouver British Columbia Canada: ‘Dayton On Feb 8, 1953, in West Vancouver, British Columbia, Elsie Downing Dayton, youngest daughter of the late Mr and Mrs Arthur Bright, of Nottingham, and dear sister of Adeline Mary Crooks, The Cottage on the Green, Car Colston, Notts Probate: Margaret Warner Woodward of The Cottage-on-the-Green Car Colston Nottinghamshire single woman died 27 March 1956 at The Lawn Hospital Lincoln Probate Nottingham 29 June to Barclays Bank Limited. Effects £5748 10s. 9d. Probate: Crooks Adeline Mary of The Cottage-on-the-Green Car Colston Nottinghamshire widow died 5 March 1964 Probate Nottingham 9 April [1964] to Elizabeth Bridget Ruth Jackson spinster and Cedric Field Butler solicitor. £2241
