Arthur Percival Pycroft
- Family History
- Military History
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Youngest son of John, a lace machine builder and general engineer, and Mary Pycroft, 8 Mapperley Road, Nottingham. Mary died 1924 (70 years) and John died 1934 (83 years). In the 1911 census the family are living at The Hollies 8 Mapperley Road, Nottingham. Arthur is 18 years of age and a lace machine fitter. Also at the address are his elder brother Harold Leonard, 25 years, and 2 domestic servants. His brother, Harold Leonard, was a director of Newton & Pycroft Ltd (lace machine builders), and died on 19 October 1913 aged 27 years. Harold had married Ethel Widdowson in 1911 (A/M/J Nottingham). Ethel's youngest brother, Alfred Douglas Widdowson, Lieutenant RGA, died in 1919 from pneumonia an illness exacerbated by the long-term affects of severe gas poisoning (see T2T ROH).
Lieutenant Arthur Percival Pycroft, Royal Flying Corps, was killed in a flying accident at Bulford, near Salisbury, on 16th June 1917. He was buried in Nottingham Church (Rock) Cemetery with full military honours on 20 June 1917.
Nottingham Evening Post, 'Roll of Honour' (abridged), 18 June 1917. 'PYCROFT on June 15th 1917 as a result of an aeroplane accident, Lieutenant P Pycroft, Royal Flying Corps, aged 24. Youngest son of Jon and Mary Pycroft, The Hollies, 8 Mapperley Road, Nottingham.' Nottingham Corporation minutes of council meeting 2 July 1917: Expression of sympathy to Mr Councillor Pycroft on the death of his son, Lieutenant AP Pycroft RFC. Family headstone, Nottingham Church (Rock) Cemetery: 'In loving memory of Leonard, the beloved husband of Ethel Pycrot who died October 13th 1913 aged 27 years. Also Lieut Arthur P Pycroft RFC, son of J&M Pycroft and brother of the above, accidentally killed whilst flying at Bulford, June 16th 1917, aged 24 years. The Lord is my Shepherd. To live in the hearts of those we leave behind is not to die.' Article published in the Nottingham Evening Post on 18th June 1917 :- “ACCIDENTALLY KILLED. “LIEUT. A. P. PYCROFT. “Lieut. A. P. Pycroft, of the Royal Flying Corps, youngest son of Councillor J. and Mrs. Pycroft, The Hollies, Mapperley-road, Nottingham, was killed in Saturday [16th June 1917] while flying near Salisbury. The deceased officer, who was 24 years of age, originally enlisted in the City Battalion, and was later given a commission. He was transferred to the R.F.C., and in the capacity of flight-instructor has trained many pilots and rendered most useful service.” A court of inquiry concluded that: “the machine got into a nose-dive & that after falling several hundred feet the plans on one side collapsed. There is no evidence to indicate what was the cause of the initial nose-dive.” (Casualty Card, Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon.) His passenger, Second Lieutenant Emil Alexander Margetson, was also killed. Arthur had been injured in an earlier flying accident when he misjudged a landing on 4th September 1916. Article published 20th June 1917 in the Nottingham Evening Post :- “THE LATE LIEUT. A. P. PYCROFT. “MILITARY FUNERAL TO-DAY. “A large number of sympathisers were present at the Church Cemetery, Nottingham, to-day, [20th June 1917] to witness the funeral of Lieut. A. P. Pyrcoft, of the Royal Flying Corps, a son of Councillor and Mrs. John Pycroft, who was killed while flying near Salisbury on Saturday. [16th June 1917] “The deceased officer was buried with military honours, the coffin being borne on a gun carriage, and attended by the band and firing party from the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment. Six officers carried it from the cemetery chapel to the grave. “The Rev. F. W. Paul, vicar of Emmanuel, conducted the service. The mourners included the deceased's father, brother, and sisters, and fully a hundred or more of Mr. Pycroft’s employees. The Robin Hood Ward Liberal Association, of which Mr. Pycroft is president, was represented by Mr. A. Richards and Mr. W. W. Clarke, and the Bulwell Forest Golf Club by Mr. W. Swanwick. Amongst many wreaths was one from the officers of the Royal Flying Corps training squad with which Lieut. Pycroft was connected.” Nottingham Evening Post reports are courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918 Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Items of Local Interest’, 15 October 1913: ‘Much sympathy is felt with the ex-Sheriff of Nottingham (Councillor John Pycroft) in the untimely death of his son, Mr Harold Leonard Pycroft. The deceased, who was only 27 years old, was a prominent member of the Nottingham Boat Club.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’ 14 October 1913: ‘Pycroft. On the 13th inst. Harold Leonard (Leonard), beloved husband of Ethel Pycroft, Mapperley Park-drive, and son of Councillor John and Mary Pycroft, aged 27 years. Service Mansfield-road Wesleyan Church, 1.45, Thursday; Interment 2.30 Church Cemetery.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
