Frederick Pottinger
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Frederick was the son of William and Harriett Pottinger (née Towle). His father William was born in Radford, Nottingham, in 1850 (J/A/S Radford, mother's maiden name Turner). His mother Harriett was born in 1852 (J/A/S Radford) also in Radford. She was the daughter of Joseph and Amelia Towle (née Stanton) who were married at Nottingham St Mary on 25 December 1851. William and Harriett were married in 1870 (O/N/D Radford) and had at least nine children: John William birth registered 1873 (J/F/M Nottingham) bap. Sneinton St Stephen 6 November 1886; Eliza Ann b. 28 May 1877 bap. Sneinton St Stephen 14 November 1886; Edith Gertrude b. 1879 (O/N/D Nottingham) bap. 14 November 1886; Mary Barbara b. 1881 (J/A/S Nottingham) bap. 14 November 1886; Frederick b. 1884 (A/M/J Nottingham) bap. 14 November 1886; Henry Herbert b. 1886 J/A/S Nottingham) bap. 14 November 1886; George Elder b. 4 July 1889, Oonah Catherine Elizabeth b. 4 February 1891 bap. Sneinton St Alban 18 September 1900 and Bernard Cornelius birth registered 1894 (J/F/M Nottingham). The year after their marriage in 1871 William (20) and Harriett (19) were lodging on Willoughby Street, Factory Row, Lenton, but had moved to 60 Lamcote Street, Nottingham, by 1881 when they were living with Harriett's widowed mother Amelia (53). They had three children by now, John (abt. 8), Eliza and Edith, but only their two daughters, aged 3 and 1 respectively, were recorded in the home on the night of the census. Their third daughter Mary was born later that year. At the time the children were baptised in 1886 the family was living in Sneinton on Ashling Street, but were registered living on Radcliffe Street, Nottingham, on the 1891 Census. William was employed as a tanner, as he had been in 1881. Seven of their eight children were in the home on the night of the census: John a general labourer, Edith (11), Mary (9), Frederick (7), Henry (4), George (1) and Oonah (under 1 year). Their eldest daughter, Eliza (13), was living with her uncle, John Pottinger (48 b. Nottingham), a beer keeper, at The Woodman, Main Road, Crayford, Kent, and assisting his wife Kate with domestic work. William and Harriett's youngest son Bernard was born three years later in 1894. William and Harriett appear to have separated by 1901 and the family had split up. William has not been traced on the census but Harriett, described as married but head of household and employed as a lace clipper, was living at 2 Lewis Place, Nottingham, with her son Henry. Four of her children were married. John was living with his wife Mary Elizabeth and his sister Oonah (10) on Newington Street, Nottingham. Eliza was living with her husband Joseph Bowskill at 23 Florence Terrace, Nottingham, with their children Howard (2) and John (1). Edith was living in Ruddington with her husband Joseph Haines and their son Frederick (1) and Frederick and his wife Lottie were living at 3 Albion Place, Nottingham. Mary (20), George (12) and Bernard (7) have not yet been traced on the 1901 Census. Frederick had married Lottie Henson (b. 5 December 1881) in 1901 (J/F/M Nottingham) and by 1911 they were living at 105 Brentwood, Colwick Vale, Nottingham. Frederick gave his occupation as 'cooper (cash dealer).' Although he and Lottie had no children his niece Olive Mary Warren (3, b. 4 July 1907), the daughter of his married sister Mary Barbara, was living with them and after his death was accepted as a dependant ('adopted child'). In 1911 William, now working as a carter, was recorded on the census living at 15 Bartram Street, Nottingham; his status was given as married (39 years). Harriett, a clipper and lace drawer, was living with her married daughter, Mary (Warren) at Walker's Terrace, Nottingham. Harriett died in 1918 (J/F/M Nottingham). William died in 1924 (J/A/S Nottingham). In 1919 his former daughter-in-law, Lottie (Smith), had completed a form for the army in 1919 giving the names of her late husband's surviving blood relatives but named only Frederick's father, William, of 13 Bertram Street. At the time of Frederick's death in 1915 his widow Lottie was living at 19 Beaumont Street, Sneinton. She married Thomas Smith in 1918 (O/N/D Nottingham) and when she completed a form for the army the following year listing her late husband's surviving blood relatives she gave her address as 1 Trinity Place, Trinity Square. The later CWGC record gave her address as 3 St James's Place, Granby Street, Nottingham. Thomas and Lottie were living at 23 Notintone Place, Sneinton, in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled. She died in 1942 (J/F/M Nottingham). Her adopted daughter Olive Mary Warren married William Newstead in 1927 (O/N/D Nottingham) and died in 1985. Frederick's brother, Bernard, served in the Welsh Guards and was killed in France on 16 September 1916. Of Frederick's seven surviving siblings: John William married Mary Elizabeth Wardle on 17 April 1897 at Meadows St Saviour. In 1911 they were living on Kingston Street, Nottingham; he was a carter-cooper and Mary a dressmaker on her own account. There were no children of the marriage. He died in 1931 (J/F/M Nottingham). Eliza Ann married John Thomas Shaw Bowskill (b. 28 March 1874), a labourer with Nottingham Corporation, on 21 December 1897 at St Saviour. They had at least three children: Howard AW b. 16 June 1898, John William b. 14 June 1912 and Bertie Harold b. 23 March 1919. In 1939 they were living on Whitbread Street, Nottingham, with their sons John and Bertie. Their son Howard was married and living on Shortwood Close, Nottingham, and employed as a school caretaker. Bertie served with the Royal Artillery (1693041) in the Second World War (d. 1987). Eliza died in 1965 (J/F/M Nottingham). Edith Gertrude married Joseph Haines on 19 March 1900 at St Saviour. They probably had only one child, Frederick Arthur (b. abt 1900). By 1911 they had moved from Ruddington and were living in Leicester where Joseph was a general carter. Edith died in September 1913 (J/A/S Nottingham), burial 16 September. Mary Barbara married Joseph Isaac Warren (b. 29 December 1880) in 1903 (O/N/D Nottingham, and they had at least seven children: John William b. 1905, Olive Mary b. 4 July 1907, Lottie b. 1909, Samuel b. 1911, Bernard C. b. 9 September 1912, Joseph Herbert b. 4 February 1920 and Catherine E. b. 26 April 1921. In 1911 they were living at 25 Walker Terrace, Bunbury Street, Nottingham; Joseph was a carter and Mary a laundry maid. Three of their four children were living with them - John, Lottie and Samuel - but their eldest daughter Olive (3) lived with her uncle, Frederick Pottinger and his wife Lottie. Mary died on 17 July 1937 aged 55 (burial Wilford Hill 21 July). Henry Herbert married Sarah Pallett in 1906 (J/A/S Nottingham) In 1911 they were living at 13 Walker Terrace, Bunbury Street, Meadows, with their children Henry Herbert (5), Edith Ellen (4) and Amelia (1). By 1918 the family was living on Jackson Street, Nottingham. Henry served with the 1/7th Bn Sherwood Foresters (668, 265027 Sergeant) and served in France from 28 February 1915. He was discharged in March 1919 but continued to serve in the 7th (Robin Hood) Bn probably as a Territorial soldier. In May 1920 he was appointed transport sergeant to the HQ Company in Nottingham. He died on 14 July 1925. George Elder married Ethel A Gill (b. 19 May 1887) in 1910 (J/A/S Nottingham). Ethel was the daughter of Alice Gill who after the death of her first husband married Herbert Elliott on 11 September 1897. In 1911 George, a packer in a cotton doubling mill, Ethel and their son Lelsie William Robert (under 1yr) were living her mother and stepfather on Denton Street, Nottingham. By 1939 they were living in Sutton in Ashfield; George was a foreman (silk thrusters). He died in April 1945 (cremation 1 May). Oonah Catherine Elizabeth married Herbert Bonsall in 1908 (A/M/J Nottingham). They probably had five children whose births were recorded in the Mansfield registration district: Joseph William birth registered 1910 (J/F/M), Alice Helen birth registered 1911 (J/F/M), Herbert b. 1912, Hannah E. birth registered 1915 (J/F/M) and Bernard F. b. 1917. In 1939 Oonah and Herbert were living on Kingston Street, Nottingham; Herbert was a coal miner hewer. Oonah died on 27 January 1962.
2n Bn Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment) Frederick attested in the Militia, 4th Bn Notts & Derby Regiment (7404 Private), on 9 January 1900. He was 18 years old and worked as a cooper for a company on Queen's Walk, Meadows. He was discharged time expired on 8 January 1906. He attested in the Army Reserve (Special Reservists) on 25 August 1914 aged 30y 140d and was mobilized in the 2nd Bn Sherwood Foresters. He served at home until 10 November 1911 then joined the BEF France the following day, 11 November. He was appointed lance corporal on 26 July 1915. Frederick was killed at the Battle of Hooge on 9 August 1915 and according to a note in his service record was buried in Sanctuary Wood the same day. However, his grave was later lost and he is now commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial. He qualified for the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. CWGC Sanctuary Wood Cemetery (extract): 'There were three Commonwealth cemeteries at Sanctuary Wood before June 1916, all made in May-August 1915. The first two were on the western end of the wood, the third in a clearing further east. All were practically obliterated in the Battle of Mount Sorrel [June 1916], but traces of the second were found and it became the nucleus of the present Sanctuary Wood Cemetery ... In Plot I is buried Lieutenant G.W.L. Talbot, in whose memory Talbot House at Poperinghe was established in December 1915. The first list of the graves was made by his brother the Reverend N.S. Talbot, MC, later Bishop of Pretoria.' Rev. Talbot was vicar of Nottingham St Mary from 1933 until his death in 1943. Sherwood Foresters at Hooge Hooge lay east of Ypres and was the site of intense fighting between the Germans and British throughout the war, control passing between them. At the end of July 1915, it was in German hands. The mine at Hooge had been detonated on 19 July 1915 and the position taken and held. The crater was to be the backdrop for the deployment of a new weapon by the Germans. The French had already been acquainted with the German Flammenwerfen which consisted of a cylinder of fuel strapped to a soldier. A soldier ignited the fuel which could then be fired in jets up to 25 metres. The Germans had been bombarding the British front line at Hooge for some time and the trenches were in ruins. Then at 03:15 hours on 30 July the 8th Rifle Brigade who were holding the northern edge of the step and the crater were subjected to an onslaught by the Germans deploying flamethrowers. The Germans were now sweeping the Riflemen out of their trenches and pushing eastwards in the act of taking men from the 7 KRRC from both rear and the front as a second attack was launched westwards by the Germans. The British were in danger of being trapped. Counter attacks by the British amounted to very little and 7 KRRC were forced to retire into the northern edge of Sanctuary Wood. The line was held but for the moment Hooge Château and Crater were in the hands of the Germans. 32 Sherwood Foresters from 1/7th and 1/8th Battalions were killed during these actions. On 9th August, 2nd Bn Sherwood Foresters assisted 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in re-taking the position near Sanctuary Wood. The Durhams suffered 50% casualties, whilst the Foresters had 114 men killed and 227 wounded that day. David Nunn
Frederick's youngest brother, Bernard, served with the 1st Bn Welsh Guards (28 Sergeant) and was killed in action on 16 September 1916 (Thiepval Memorial). See record on this Roll of Honour. His brother Henry Herbert joined the 1/7th Bn Sherwood Foresters and served in France from 28 February 1915. He was discharged in March 1919. Nottingham Evening Post, 31 December 1915: Report about the Christmas gifts of packets of cigarettes sent to the troops ... 'Corpl. HH Pottinger, 1/7th Robin Hoods and others, all write from ‘Somewhere in France’ to a friend ‘Somewhere in Nottingham’ in very appreciative terms regarding the cigarettes sent through the fund.' Nottingham Evening Post, 'Roll of Honour' (abridged) 1 September 1915: 'Pottinger, killed in action August 9th, Lance Corporal Frederick Pottinger, 2nd Sherwood Foresters, husband of Lottie Pottinger, 19 Beaumont Street.' Nottingham Evening Post, 30 September 1915, photograph with caption: 'Lance-Corporal F Pottinger, 2nd Sherwood Foresters, 19, Beaumont Sreet, Nottingham, killed in action August 9, aged 32.' (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, Wednesday 9 August 1916: ‘Pottinger. In loving memory of my dear husband, Lance-Corpl. Fred Pottinger, Sherwood Foresters, who was killed in action August 9th, 1915. When his country called he sacrificed all. Duty nobly done. Fondly remembered, wife Lottie.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, Wednesday 9 August 1916: ‘Pottinger. In loving memory of our dear son and brother, Lance-Corpl. Frederick Pottinger, 2nd Sherwood Foresters, killed at Hooge, August 9th 1915. We often speak his loving name, and shed a silent tear; time cannot alter love so deep and true, one year but brings to us our grief anew. Nobly he lived, a hero he died. Loving mother, brothers Harry, George, and Bernard (in France). (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, Wednesday 9 August 1916: ‘Pottinger. In loving memory of our dear brother Frederick, killed in action, August 9th, 1915. Never will his memory fade. Ethel [George's wife] and George (in France).’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) His widow and family continued to place notices in the Nottingham Evening Post on the anniversary of his death until at least 1918. Registers of Soldiers' Effects: his widow Lottie Pottinger (later Smith) was his sole legatee WW1 Pension Ledgers Index Cards: his dependants were his widow Lottie Pottinger of Sneinton and their adopted child Olive Mary Warren.
