Frederic Piggin
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Frederic was the youngest child of Thomas Stanley and Fanny Piggin (nee Butler). His father Thomas Stanley Piggin was born in Alfreton, Derbyshire, in 1835 (baptised Alfreton, 1835) while his mother Fanny Butler was born in Gedling, Nottingham. Thomas and Fanny were married at Lenton St Anthony on 3 March 1870 and had nine children of whom only seven were still living in 1911. Their children were: Mary b. Lenton 1871 bap. St Anthony; William Stanley b. Nottingham 1873 bap. St Nicholas d. December 1906; James Barrow b. Nottingham 1875 bap. St Nicholas; Fanny b. Nottingham 1876 bap. St Andrew; Florence [Flora] Stanley b. Basford 1878 bap. St Leodegarius d. 1893, Stirtevant b. Basford 1880 bap. St Leodegarius; Thomas Stanley b. Basford birth registered 1882 (J/F/M) bap. St Leodegarius; Frank b. Basford 1884 bap. St Leodegarius and Frederic b. Basford 1891 bap. Carrington St John the Evangelist 22 July 1891. Thomas and Fanny were living in Lenton Sands in 1871 when their daughter Mary was baptised, and at St James' Terrace, Nottingham, when their sons William and James were baptised in 1873 and 1875 respectively. They lived at Elm Avenue, Nottingham, when Fanny was baptised in 1876. However, by the time of the 1881 Census, Thomas, an estate agent, and his wife Fanny were living at 131 Nottingham Road, Basford, with their six children, Mary, William, James, Fanny (5), Florence and Stirtevant. Thomas employed a general domestic servant. They were still at the same address in 1891 but only six of their eight children were at home on the night of the census: Mary, James an apprentice mining engineer, Florence, Stirtevant, Thomas and Frank. Also in the household was a mother's help. The second daughter Fanny has not yet been traced on the census, but the eldest son, William, who would have been 18 years old, had probably joined the Royal Engineers (26100). Frederic was born later the same year. The third daughter, Florence, died two years later in 1893 at the age of 15. Thomas and Fanny Piggin were still living at 131 Nottingham Road, Basford, in 1901. Also in the home were five of their eight surviving children, Fanny, Stirtevant an articled clerk to a solicitor, Thomas an ironmonger's apprentice, Frank a builder's apprentice and Frederic (9). Also in the household was a general domestic servant. James, a coal mine surveyor, was living in Pinxton, Nottinghamshire, a boarder in the home of William and Mary Dunn. Mary had married Walter Beckett, a lace warehouse manager, in 1900 and they were living in Lenton, Nottingham. The eldest son, William Stanley, died in December 1906 (reg. Chorlton, Lancashire) and was buried in the family grave in Nottingham Church (Rock) Cemetery on 18 December. In 1911 the family home was at 'Springfield', 267 Nottingham Road, Basford. Living with Thomas and Fanny were five of their seven children: Fanny, Thomas a clerk with an estate agent, Frank a manager (builder), Frederic an articled clerk with a chartered accountant and their widowed daughter, Mary Beckett and her daughter Mary. Mary's husband, Walter, had died in 1906. James had married the previous year, and in 1911 he and his wife Sarah Ellen were living in Rotherham, where he was a colliery manager. Stirtevant had already emigrated to New Zealand; his name appeared in a 1910 New Zealand (Auckland) Directory. Thomas snr, died on 14 September 1913 at his home, 'Springfield'; he was 78 years old. Thomas' widow, Fanny, probably moved to Linden House, Peel Street, Nottingham, after her husband's death as this is the address on the CWGC record. However, at the time of her own death, which occurred in Buxton, Derbyshire, on 12 November 1921, her home was in The Park, Nottingham. Stirtevant married in New Zealand and lived in Auckland and later Papatoetoe. Stirtevant and his wife Agnes May had a daughter and probably three sons including Stirtevant Frederic (b. abt 1918), a lieutenant in the Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve, who was killed on 1 May 1942 while serving in HMS Punjabi. (See 'Extra information'). Frank married Sarah Rachel Brentnall in 1913 and they had three children, Stirtevant Redgate b. 1914, Muriel Stanley b. 1917 and Frank Redgate. During the Second World War Stirtevant jnr. served in the light anti-aircraft service attached to the Royal Artillery and Muriel in the ATS. Frank served in the RNVR (Leading Naval Airman) and was killed at Arbroath (HMS Condor) on 10 December 1941 aged 19 years. He was buried in Nottingham (Rock) Cemetery. (See 'Extra information')
'C' Coy., 10th Bn Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment) Frederic joined the army on the outbreak of war. He was killed in action on 14th February 1916, aged 24, near the canal to the south-east of Ypres, Belgium, during heavy German shellfire and the explosion of a German mine, prior to the German attack of the front line trenches. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium (Panel 39 and 41).
CWGC: Youngest son of Fanny Piggin, of Linden House, Peel St., Nottingham, and the late Thomas Stanley Piggin. All Saints Church News, June 1918, War Obituary, : 'Frederick [Frederic] Piggin, Linden House, Peel Street, Private Sherwood Foresters, presumed killed, missing since February 1916. Joined City Battalion at the outbreak of war. Educated at Elm Bank School and Wellingborough Grammar School, articled to Messrs Mellors, Barden and Mellors, Associate Institute of Chartered Accountants, age 24.' Registers of Soldiers’ Effects: Brother Frank sole legatee Nottingham Evening Post, 15 September 1913: ‘Obituary. Mr TS Piggin, Nottingham. A figure well known in Nottingham business circles passed away yesterday in the person of Mr Thomas Stanley Piggin, house and estate agent, of Springfield, Nottingham-road, Basford. Mr Piggin, who had attained the age of 78, was a native of Alfreton. He set up in business in Nottingham 58 years ago, and for about 50 years was an income-tax collector and assessor for various districts of Nottingham. He was president of the national Association of Assessors and Collectors of Government taxes. Many years ago he held several public offices at Arnold. Mr Piggin was a Conservative and a Churchman.’ The family grave in Nottingham Church (Rock) Cemetery commemorates both Frederic and, on a separate tablet, his nephew, Frank Redgate Piggin, who was killed in the Second World War: '[Also] Private Frederic Piggin, 10th Sherwood Foresters, killed in action Flanders, February 14th 1916, beloved youngest son of Thomas Stanley & Fanny Piggins, aged 20 years.' and 'In proud remembrance of Leading Airman Frank Redgate Piggin RNVR Fleet Air Arm killed at Arbroath December 10th 1941 aged 19 years. Beloved son of Frank and Sarah Rachel Piggin. Their name liveth for evermore.’ Nottingham Evening Post, 15 December 1941: ‘Nottingham Airman’s Funeral. The funeral of Leading Naval Airman Frank Redgate Piggin, the 19 year-old son of Mr and Mrs Frank Piggin, of Chestnut-grove, Nottingham, news of whose death, while on war service, was received by his parents on Thursday last, took place to-day, the service held in St Andrew’s Church, being conducted by the rev. R Deaville (vicar) and canon J Waring, of Rotherham (formerly vicar of St Andrew’s parish). The family mourners were Mr and Mrs Frank Piggins, father and mother, Sec. Lt. SR Piggin RA and Miss MS Piggin, brother and sister, and Mr and Mrs J B Piggin, Mr and Mrs TS Piggin, Miss F Piggin, Mrs M Beckett and Miss A Brentnall, uncles and aunts.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk). See NEP 12 December 1941 for report of the death of Frank Piggin. Another of Frederic's nephews died in the Second World War, Stirtevant Frederic Piggin, the son of his brother Stirtevant: Newspaper report and photograph (NZ publication): ‘Papatoetoe Naval Officer. News that their son, Lieutenant Stirtevant Frederic (Eric) Piggin RNVR (Imperial) has been reported missing, presumed killed, on active service, has been received by Mr and Mrs S Piggin, of St George Street, Papatoetoe, only a week after having advice of his promotion. Lieutenant Piggin, who was 25 [CWGC-24], was educated at the Paptoetoe school and Sacred Heart College, he was a keen member of the St George’s Rowing Club, and left New Zealand in 1940 as a member of a Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve draft for training in Britain. Two brothers are serving in the Armed Forces.’ Stirtivant RNZNVR was serving in the Tribal Class destroyer, HMS Punjabi, when on 1 May 1942 in the waters off the west coast of Ireland she was rammed and cut in two by the battleship King George V. Only a few of Punjabi's crew survived. Stirtevant's body was not recovered for burial and he is commemorated on the New Zealand Naval Memorial, Devonport, Auckland, New Zealand.
