Percy Draper
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Percy Draper was born in 1887 at Woolsthorpe, Lincolnshire, the second son of Daniel and Mary Draper (née Rimmington). His father Daniel Draper was born in 1856 at Woolsthorpe, the son of William and Eliza Draper (m. 1852). In 1881 the widowed Eliza and two of her children, including Daniel an agricultural labourer, were living at Castle Farm Stables, Woolsthorpe. His mother Mary Rimmington was born in about 1862 in Croxton, Leicestershire. Daniel and Mary were married in 1886 and had six children, five of whom survived infancy: Ernest b. 1886 and Percy b. 1887 who were both born and baptised in Woolsthorpe, Percy on 6 November 1887; George William b. and bap. Scarrington 1889; Mabel Annie b. Culverthorpe 1893, Ada b. Heydour 1896 (reg. J/F/M) d. 1896 (J/F/M) and Lilian b. Culverthorpe 1898 who were all baptised at Heydour, Lincolnshire. In 1891 Daniel, a groom and gardener, his wife and their three sons were living in Scarrington, but had moved to Culverthorpe by 1901; all five children - Ernest a house boy, Percy a farm boy and George, Mabel and Lillian - were still living with their parents at the time of the census. All the family with the exception of Percy were still in Culverthorpe in 1911. Percy (22) had joined the army and was serving with the 1st Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment in Gibraltar. Percy married Sarah Etta Potter in 1914 (reg. Bingham). His wife was born in Mickleover, Burton on Trent, in 1890 (bap. Mickleover All Saints, August 1890), the eldest child of Benjamin Wade and Sophia Emily Potter. The family lived in Mickleover but Sarah, who would have been about 20 years old at the time, was not recorded in the home on the 1911 Census. Percy and Sarah had one child, Mary Bettine b. January 1915. Percy's brother, George William, enlisted with the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry on 4 September 1914. He served in France where he was 'compulsorily and permanently' transferred to the Labour Corps (653048 Private) on 14 October 1918. He transferred to the Army Reserve on demobilization on 21 April 1919 and was discharged to Sherrard Street, Melton Mowbray. He qualified for the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. Their brother Ernest may also have served in the war. George named his father, Daniel, of Grantley Street, Grantham, as his next of kin when he enlisted in 1914. However, by the time of Percy's death early the following year, his parents were living at 20 Sherrard Street, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. Mary died in 1917 and Daniel in 1938 (deaths registered Melton Mowbray); both are buried in the town's Thorpe Road Cemetery.
1st battalion Lincolnshire Regiment. Private Percy Draper enlisted at Grantham; his service number is in the series beginning 7886, January 1907. He was serving with the battalion in Gibralter in 1911 although a newspaper report of his death recorded that he had served with the Lincolnshire Regiment in India for seven years. He later transferred to the Army Reserve and this period probably coincided with his marriage in the summer of 1914 (reg. Bingham, Notts). As an army reservist, Percy was mobilised on the outbreak of war. Percy did not serve with the BEF until 27 August although the 1st battalion landed at Le Havre on 14 August 1914 as part of 9th Brigade, 3rd Division, later attached to the 28th Division between 17 February and 2 April 1915. He suffered bullet wounds to the right shoulder on 27 October 1914 and was medically evacuated to the UK where he was treated in hospital in Sheffield. Percy returned to France in early February the following year and died of wounds received in action at Ypres on 22 February 1915. He is buried in Hooge Crater Cemetery, La Chapelle Farm Mem. 4, Belgium. The history of the cemetery indicates that Percy's grave was brought in to the cemetery after the Armistice. Percy qualified for the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. CWGC - History of Hooge Crater Cemetery (extract): 'Hooge Crater Cemetery was begun by the 7th Division Burial Officer early in October 1917. It contained originally 76 graves, in Rows A to D of Plot I, but was greatly increased after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the battlefields of Zillebeke, Zantvoorde and Gheluvelt and the following smaller cemeteries [listed].' (www.cwgc.org)
Grantham Journal, ‘Deaths’, 13 March 1915: ‘Draper. Died of wounds received in action, on the 22nd February, Private Percy Draper, 1st Lincolns, son of Mr and Mrs Draper of Melton Mowbray, and formerly of Culverthorpe, aged 27 years. The Wife and Parents of Private Draper wish to thank their friends for the many kind letters of sympathy they have received in their bereavement.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Grantham Journal, 13 March 1915: ‘Hjeydour. Roll of Honour. Much sympathy and regret will be felt for Mr and Mrs Draper of Culverthorpe, in the loss of their son, Pte. Percy Draper, who died from his wounds,on February 22nd. This was the second time he was wounded in the war. He had previously served seven years in India, and leaves a widow and one child. This make the second soldier from this parish who has died for King and country. Another serving the colours is home now, recovering from wounds.’ ((www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Grantham Journal, 13 March 1915: ‘A Lincoln’s Tragic Fate. After being wounded in the earlier stages if the war, Pte. Percy Draper, of the 1st Lincolns, son of Mr and Mrs Draper of 20, Sherrard-street, Melton Mowbray, returned to the front last month, and has now been reported to have died of wounds on the 22nd February, ‘at a place unknown.’ This sad information was received a few days ago by his wife and parents, and more than ordinary sympathy will be evinced from the fact that there is an only child, an infant, six weeks old. Pte Draper who was twenty-seven years of age, served seven years in India with his Regiment, and was on the Reserve when the war broke out, being then an attendant at Notts County Asylum, at Radcliffe. He went out to the front with the first Expeditionary Force, and on October 27th he received two bullet wounds in the left shoulder. After being in hospital at Sheffield he came home for a matter of three weeks, rejoining his regiment on the 30th November, at Grimsby. He remained there until the 4th February, and before leaving for the front again had the opportunity of seeing his newly-born baby. Beyond the announcement of his death from wounds as already related, the family have no information of any kind. Pte. Draper was born at Woolsthorpe-by-Belvoir, the name being a well-known one in that neighbourhood. Then for a number of years he lived at Culverthorpe with his parents, who subsequently removed to Grantham, and thence to Melton Mowbray. Deceased was of a bright, cheery nature, and well liked by all who knew him and he was well thought of by his comrades and superiors in the Regiment.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Grantham Journal, ‘In memoriam’, 26 February 1916: ‘In ever-loving memory of Pte Percy Draper, 1st Lincolnshire Regiment, killed in action, at Ypres, February 22nd, 1915. He sleeps not in his native land, But under foreign skies, Far from those who love him best, And in a hero’s grave he lies. From Mother.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) WW1 Pension Ledgers Index Cards: named his widow, Sarah Etta Draper, and daughter Mary Bettine b. January 1915. Sarah was awarded a pension of 15 shillings a week, payable from 11 October 1915. Registers of Soldiers' Effects: his legatee was his widow, Sarah Etta Draper, by Will in her favour.
