Arthur Dring
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Arthur was the son of Fredrick (also Frederick) and Eliza Ann Dring (née Taylor). His father Frederick was born in Gotham, birth registered 1862 (J/F/M), the son of Joseph and Harriet Dring. The family lived in Gotham. His mother Eliza Ann was born in Gotham on 21 February 1867, the daughter of William and Elizabeth Taylor. In 1881 Eliza, a hosiery seamer, was living with her family on Bag Lane, Gotham. Frederick and Eliza Ann were married in 1888 and by 1911 had had eleven children, ten of whom survived. Nine children, all born in Gotham, have been traced living with their parents on the census returns between 1891 and 1911: Joseph William (also k/a William) b. 1890; Annie b. 1892 bap. Gotham St Lawrence 26 December 1894; Arthur b. 1894 bap. St Lawrence 26 December 1894; Mary b. 1896 bap. St Lawrence 8 November 1896; Fredrick/Frederick Walker b. 1898; Elizabeth b. 1900; Harry b. 1904; John Thomas b. 1907 and Edith Evelyn b. 1911. The tenth surviving child was probably Alice b. 1888 (O/N/D Basford, Taylor) who appeared to live permanently with her maternal grandparents. In 1891 Frederick (29), an agricultural labourer, and Eliza (24) were living on Kegworth Road, Gotham, with their son Joseph William (under one year). Alice (2) was living with her maternal grandparents, William and Elizabeth Taylor, on Bag Lane, Gotham. By 1901 Frederick and Eliza were living on Malt Street, Gotham, with their children Joseph William, Annie (8), Arthur (6), Mary (4), Frederick (2) and Elizabeth (under one year). Alice was still living with her grandparents on Bag Lane, Gotham. Frederick, now working as a plaster labourer, and Eliza had moved to Sardiges, Gotham, by 1911. Only seven of their surviving children were in the home on the night of the census: Annie a seamstress, Arthur a plaster labourer, Frederick, Elizabeth, Harry (6), John Thomas (4) and Edith Evelyn (under one year). Alice was a domestic servant at 12 Park Street, Loughborough, in the household of William Claridge, a retired farmer, and his wife Catherine. William (sic) was living at Lunnon, Gotham, where he was working as a wagoner for Robert Bowley, farmer. Mary was a domestic servant in the household of Rev. Frederick Armine Wodehouse, vicar of Gotham, and his wife Alice. Also in the home was their son, Arthur Pelham Wodehouse, who was killed in action in Mesopotamia in 1915. (See record on this ROH) Frederick Dring snr. died in 1939. Later that year when the England & Wales Register was compiled, his widow Eliza Ann was living at 73 Woodgate Road, East Leake, with her unmarried daughter, Evelyn Edith. Also in the houshold was Mary Jane Walker (b. 1853), a widow, who may have been a relative. Eliza Ann died before the end of the year. Arthur's brother Joseph William served in the Lancashire Fusiliers and was killed in action on 13 October 1918. Arthur and Joseph William's CWGC records gave their parents' address as Costock Road, East Leake, Nottinghamshire. Their sister Annie married Maurice Sharp in 1911 (St Lawrence Gotham). Maurice attested in December 1915 and transferred to the Army Reserve before being mobilised and serving in the Leicestershire Regiment. He transferred to the Army Reserve on being demobilized on 24 February 1919. Maurice's brother, Beacham Sharp, served in the North Staffordshire Regiment and died of wounds on 9 October 1917.
Arthur Dring enlisted in Nottingham and served in France from 25th August 1915. Arthur was wounded in action and evacuated to England where he was treated at a hospital in Sheffield. He died of his wounds on 14th March 1916 and was buried in East Leake (St. Mary) Churchyard. He qualified for the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
His brother Joseph William (served as William) Dring served in the 19th Bn Lancashire Fusiliers (49514 Private) and was killed in action on 13 October 1918. (See record on this ROH.) Beacham Sharp, whose brother Maurice (Morris) married Arthur's sister Annie, served in the North Staffordshire Regiment and died of wounds on 9 October 1917. CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'Abide with me' 'In memoriam' notice published in the Nottingham Evening Post, 14th March 1917 :- “DRING. – In loving memory of Private Arthur Dring, of East Leake (late Gotham), died of wounds March 14th, 1916. Days of sadness still come o'er us, tears of sorrow often flow; but memory keeps our loved one near us, though God claimed him one year ago. – From mother, father, brothers, sisters, brothers-in-law, grannie, and granddad.” Above notice courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918 Loughborough Echo, ‘In Memoriam’, 16 March 1917: 'Dring. In memory of Pte. Arthur Dring, of East Leake, died of wounds, March 14th, 1916. We do not forget him, we loved too dearly, To let his dear memory fade like a dream, Tears often start, and the heart mourns sincerely, Thoughts often come though they cannot be seem. From mother, father, brothers and sisters.' (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Registers of Soldiers' Effects: mother Eliza Ann was his sole legatee WW1 Pension Ledgers Records: mother, Eliza Ann, was his named relative.
