Thomas Arthur Sprowell
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Frank Sprowell and Annie Green married in Worksop in 1882. Frank had several different jobs, a baker’s labourer, a carters labourer and by 1911, a horseman for the Urban District Council. The couple had four children all born in Worksop. Thomas Arthur, the eldest, was born in 1885. His only sister Mary was born 1888 then Alexander in 1892 and finally Frank, in 1895. In 1901, the family were living in Low Town Street, number. 4 Court, Worksop. The first one to leave the family was Thomas as he married Susannah Marshall of Worksop in 1910. They set up home at 147 Cheapside where Thomas worked as a jobbing gardener. The other two boys had also started working at this time, Frank as an apprentice wood turner and Alexander as a wood yard labourer. When war was declared, all three boys enlisted.
He enlisted in the Sherwood Foresters 9th Battalion in June of 1916 (number 51438) and went to fight in France in November the same year. Whilst there, he was promoted to Lance Corporal. Lance Corporal T. A. Sprowell Worksop Guardian 14 December 1917 Notification has been received by Mrs. Sprowell, 147, Cheapside, Worksop, from the War Office, that her husband, Lance Corpl. T.A. Sprowell, Sherwood Foresters, was killed in action in France on October 4th. In our issue for October 26th, we stated that two letters had been received from comrades, one from Pte. Holbery, stating that Sprowell had been killed, and the other from Pte. H. Pitchford who wrote that he had been wounded. Pte. Pitchford still thinks that Sprowell was wounded as a letter from his wife to Mrs. Sprowell shows. In this Mrs. Pitchford says her husband again states that Sprowell was wounded about 2am on the 5th. “He was wounded in the shoulder and stomach, both bullet wounds, and was quite cheerful when he left him. He also mentioned that he knew he was not a prisoner in Germany. This is the last he saw or heard of him”. The following is an extract from a letter from the same correspondent received ten weeks ago:-“I am writing these few lines at your husband’s request to let you know he was wounded. But he has had good luck, and he will be in England by the time you get this.” Corroboration of the War Office report is, however, contained in a letter from deceased’s C.O., which reads:- “Dear Mrs. Sprowell,-I received your letter this morning, and I am only too grieved to have to send you the bad news that your husband died on the 5th of this month (October). He went over with my Company on the 4th, and helped in an extremely good piece of work, but was wounded the following evening, and died shortly afterwards. I knew him very well, as I used to command No.5 Platoon, and I expect you will recognise my name if he ever mentioned it to you. Please accept my deepest sympathy in your terrible bereavement. I would like to ensure you that I am deeply grieved to lose him as he was such a good fellow, and proved himself so well by his gallant conduct during the advance on the 4th inst-Faithfully Yours, H.C.V.Warneford, Second Lieutenant commanding ‘B’ Company” (2/Lt Warneford was awarded a Military Cross for his actions that day) Lance Corpl. Sprowell enlisted in June, 1916, and had been in France since November of that year. Prior to enlisting he worked at Osberton Gardens. His brother Alexander Sprowell was killed in April last, and another brother is a discharged soldier, having been wounded in the war. Mrs. Sprewell’s brother, Pte. Frank Marshall, Nott’s and Derbys, is in France. The deceased was very well known and respected in the town, and much sympathy is expressed with his wife and relatives.
CWG additional information:- husband of Mrs Susannah Sprowell of 147 Cheapside, Worksop, Notts. Thomas's brother, Alexander, was also killed in the war. Research by Colin Dannatt
