Frank Farrand
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Frank was the son of Francis (also Frank) Woodward and Ann Farrand (née Watkinson). His parents were married at Retford St Swithun in December 1879 and had ten children, three of whom died in infancy: Annie b. 1880, Charles b. 1881, Susan b. 1883 d. 1886, Emma b. 1885, Lily birth registered 1887 (J/F/M), Thomas b. 1891 d. 1892, Nellie birth registered 1889 (J/F/m), Elsie b. 1895 d. 1895 (J/F/M), Frank b. 1896 and Florence (Florrie) b. 1899. All the children were born in Retford and all but Annie and Charles were baptised at St Swithun's, Frank on 12 June 1896. Francis and his wife were living at Sutton's Row, Retford, when Susan was baptised in August 1883, Canal Row in 1885 when Emma was baptised and 17 West Street by March 1887 when Lily was baptised and still at the same address at the time of the 1891 and 1901 Census. Francis worked as a labourer at the Northern Rubber Company but for many years was also associated with the Retford Fire Brigade, probably as a part-time firefighter (see 'Extra information'). By 1901 only five of Francis and Annie's seven surviving children were still living at home: Charles a general labourer, Lily and Nellie who were school age and Frank and Florrie. The eldest daughter Annie had married John William Goodliff (also Goodliffe) in 1900 and she and her husband, a watchmaker/shopkeeper (own account), were boarders at Albert Road, Ordsall, in the household of Thomas and Annie Watkinson. Annie's younger sister Emma was employed as a housemaid by the vicar of Whitwell, Rev. George Edward Mason, who also employed a cook. Also in the household were the vicar's two curates. The family had moved to 24 New Street, Retford, by 1911 but only Frank, a labourer (rubber works), was still living with his parents. Also in the household on the night of the census were Francis's niece, Ivy Farrand (b. 1907 d. 1912), and three male boarders, two professional musicians and an apprentice, who all circus workers. Annie, her husband John Goodliff and their three children were living on London Road, Retford. Charles, a labourer (Urban District Council), had married Edith Florence Barnett in 1906 and was living on Union Street, Retford, with his wife and their two children together with his youngest sister, Florrie. Emma Holden (m. 1904), her husband William, a miner, and their four children were living at Paxton Moor, Derbyshire. Lily had married Sidney George Spriggs in 1908 and they and their two children were living on Poplar Street, Retford. Nellie, who had married in December 1908, was living in New Street, Retford, with her husband Joseph Throstle, a labourer, and their young son. The youngest daughter, Florrie, married Thomas R Blower in 1917. Francis and Annie were living at 36 West Street, Retford, when Frank's death was confirmed in January 1916. Francis completed a form for the army in 1919 listing his late son's surviving blood relatives: Parents: Frank (sic) and Annie Farrand, 36 West Street, Retford. Brother: Charles Farrand, 3 Union Street, Retford. Sisters: Annie Goodliffe, London Road, Retford. Emma Holden, Whitwell Road, Whitwell. Lily Spriggs, Sandy Lane, Worksop. Florrie Blower, Sandy Lane, Worksop. The name of the fifth sister, Nellie Throstle, was not included on the form but she and her husband were still living in Retford in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled. Francis Farrand died in 1922. His widow Annie was still living at 36 West Street, Retford, in 1939. She died in 1941. Frank's brother-in-law, Joseph Throstle, also served in the war. He attested on 11 December 1915 and transferred to the Army Reserve on 22 December 1915. He was mobilised in June 1916 and embarked on 11 May 1917 for BEF France. Joseph joined at the Labour Corps Base Depot in Boulogne on 12 May and was posted to 256 Area Emp. Company, Cherbourg, on 15 May. He may have later served in Italy. Joseph was demobilized on 19 February 1919.
Frank enlisted in the Territorial Force (8th Bn Sherwood Foresters) on a 4 year engagement (service UK) on 29 March 1912. He was 17 years old and living with his parents, named as his next of kin, at 24 New Street, Retford. He was still serving in the Territorials when war broke out and he elected to transfer to embodied service with the 1/8th (Territorial) Battalion. The Battalion was raised in Newark in August 1914 as part of the Notts & Derby Brigade, North Midland Division. After joining the BEF France, the formation became the 139th Brigade in the 46th (North Midland) Division. The 1/8th Battalion moved to France on 2 March 1915. On 13/14th October 1915 the Battalion took part in the battle for the Hohenzollern Redoubt. Frank was posted as missing in action and his death was later presumed to have occurred on 14 October. Frank's body was recovered and buried but the grave was later lost and he is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, France (Panel 87 to 89). Service record: Home 29 March 1912 – 1 March 1915 (2 years 338 days). France 2 March 1915-14 October 1915 (227 days). He qualified for the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. CWGC History of the Loos Memorial (extract): 'The Loos Memorial forms the sides and back of Dud Corner Cemetery. Dud Corner Cemetery stands almost on the site of a German strong point, the Lens Road Redoubt, captured by the 15th (Scottish) Division on the first day of the battle. The name "Dud Corner" is believed to be due to the large number of unexploded enemy shells found in the neighbourhood after the Armistice. The Loos Memorial commemorates over 20,000 officers and men who have no known grave, who fell in the area from the River Lys to the old southern boundary of the First Army, east and west of Grenay, from the first day of the Battle of Loos [25 September to 8 October 1915] to the end of the war.' (www.cwgc.org)
CWGC Additional information: 'Son of Frank and Annie Farrand, of 36, West St., Retford, Notts.' Retford and Worksop Herald and North Notts Advertiser, 16 March 1915: 'Retford’s Roll of Honour. Congregational Church. List of members and old boys of the Sunday school who have joined the ranks … Frank Farrand, 8th Sherwood Foresters … Retford Boys’ National School … Frank Farrand, 8th Sherwood Foresters.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Frank's service documents included a transcript of the Court of Enquiry after he was reported missing following the action at Hohenzollern Redoubt. 'On the 4th January 1916 by the order of Lt Colonel J E Blackwell commanding officer of the 8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters a court of enquiry was held at Molinghem, France relating to the disappearance of Pt 1474 F Farrand of 8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters reported missing after the action at Hohenzollern Redoubt 13/14th October 1915 and to see if a satisfactory account for recording an opinion as to whether it is reasonable to suppose the soldier is dead.' Sitting on the enquiry were :- Lt A Hacking (President) 8th Bn Sherwood Foresters Lt J A Gray (member) 8th Bn Sherwood Foresters 2 Lt F E Kebblewhite (member) 8th Bn Sherwood Foresters The enquiry heard from three witnesses. First witness - No 2713 Corporal Chapman - stated:- " At Hohenzollern Redoubt at about 2pm on October 13th 1915 No 1474 Pte Farrand and I, with other grenadiers were sent back from the Redoubt to fetch bombs. I subsequently saw Pte Farrand coming over the open between our fire trench and the Redoubt carrying bombs. I saw him reach the Redoubt. Pte Farrand again went back to our trench with me and the others for bombs and I saw him leave our trench but saw nothing more of him. He had not been hit when I saw him last. Second witness - No 1215 L/Corp F Husband 8th Bn Sherwood Foresters - stated:- " Sometime in November 1916 I wrote to my mother, who is a friend of Pte Farrand's mother asking whether there was any news of him, and my mother wrote back saying that she was told that Mrs Farrand had received some personal belongings of Pte Farrand from a Scotch soldier who said that he had helped to bury him. Third witness - No 2034 L/Cpl W H Barthorpe 8th Bn Sherwood Foresters - stated: - " On or about December 1915 I was on leave at Retford and a sister of Pte Farrand informed me that her mother had received from a Scotch soldier, the pay book and some photographs of Pte Farrand and he had stated that he had helped bury Pte Farrand. 'The conclusion of the court having considered the evidence are of the opinion that 1714 Pte F Farrand was killed on or after October 13th 1915.' Note: Second Lieutenant Fred Edgar Kebblewhite Royal Flying Corps secondary unit 8th Bn Sherwood Foresters, date of death 14 August 1917 age 30. Buried Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord, France. Son of James and Lydia Mary Kebblewhite, of Sydney, New South Wales. (www.cwgc.org) Note: 2002 Private Harry Husband, 1/8th Bn Sherwood Foresters, the brother of one of the witnesses, 1215 Lance Corporal Fred Husband, was killed in action on 24 April 1915 (see record on this Roll of Honour). Retford Times, 24 March 1916: 'Pte Frank Farrand' 'The above is the reproduction of a photograph of the late Pte Frank Farrand of the 1/8th Batt of the Notts and Derby Regt, second son of Mr and Mrs Frank Farrand, 36 West Street, Retford. The deceased who was in his 20th year had been in the Territorials for over four years and before the war was employed by the G.N.E.R. cleaning sheds at Retford. Six months ago the parents received information that their son had been reorted as missing and on Sunday last the sad news was received from the Lichfield Record Office that Frank was killed in action on October 14 1915.' Seven members of the 1/8th Battalion were killed in the trenches on 24 April 1915. The incident was reported in the Worksop Guardian and Retford Times in May 1915 and included a transcript of a letter which Frank Farrand wrote to his parents about the deaths of his fellow soldiers, Privates 2434 Herbert Grant, 1213 Albert Edward Hincks, 2002 Herbert Husband, 1867 William Johnson, 78 William Pattison, 1839 Harry Randall and 1849 Ernest Worthington. (See records on this Roll of Honour) Retford & Worksop Herald and North Nottts Advertiser, 16 May 1922: ‘A Fireman’s Death. We regret to state that Mr Frank Farrand, of West Street, who as a member of the Retford Fire Brigade for about 30 years, had rendered good service to the town died on Saturday at the Retford Hospital. He had suffered the amputation of a foot, and, mortification setting in a further operation on the leg was found necessary. He had been in the hospital about a fortnight. The late Mr Farrand was 63 years of age, and leaves a widow and grown-up family. In honour of their departed comrade, the Fire Brigade are attending the funeral, which takes place at the Cemetery this (Tuesday) afternoon.’ (www.britishnewapaperaschive.co.uk)
