Henry Morriss Spinks

He was the eldest son of Henry and Hannah Spinks. His father Henry was born in 1851 (birth registered J/A/S Boston) the son of Henry and Eliza Spinks, and was baptised at Swineshead, Lincolnshire, on 3 July 1853. His mother Hannah was also born in Lincolnshire in about 1857. Henry and Hannah had four sons; Henry Morriss (b. 1888 O/N/D), Ernest Arthur (birth registered 1890 J/F/M), Cyril (birth registered 1891 J/F/M) and Leslie (b. 1894 J/A/S). All the boys were born in Nottingham. In 1911 the family was living at 63 Port Arthur Road, Sneinton. Henry senior (59) was a draper's shop assistant while his son Henry (22) was a textile fabrics warehouseman, Ernest (21) a telephone engineer's storekeeper, Cyril (20) a printer's compositor apprentice and Leslie (16) a law clerk. Henry senior died in 1914 (death registered J/F/M Nottingham). Henry Morriss married Eliza Priscilla Challand at Sneinton St Christopher's Church on 4 July 1917. They had a daughter, Mary Priscilla, who was born on 13 March 1918. In 1911 Eliza Priscilla Challand (b. 7 September 1887, Hawton Newark), working as a dressmaker on her own account, was living with her older sister, Kate Challand (25), also a dressmaker on her own account, at 40 Lower Eldon Street, Sneinton. At the time of Henry's death his widow was living at 65 Port Arthur Road although by February 1920 she was living with her late husband's family at 63 Port Arthur Road. However, on 29 June 1921 there is a note in Henry's army service documents that his widow had moved to Elston, Newark, and this address is given on the CWGC record. Eliza completed a form for the army on 10 February 1920 listing her husband's surviving blood relatives: Widow and child: Eliza Priscilla Spinks, Mary Priscilla Spinks both of 63 Port Arthur Road, Nottingham Father: deceased Mother: Hannah Spinks, 63 Port Arthur Road Brothers: Ernest Arthur Spinks (30) 34 St Agatha Road (other details indistinct), Cyril Spinks (29) and Leslie Spinks (25) both of 63 Port Arthur Road. Eliza Spinks never remarried and died in Elston ('Appleacre, Low Street) on 12 January 1978 at the age of 90. It seems likely that her daughter, Mary Priscilla, married Francis Donald A Peatfield in 1948 (marriage registered A/M/J Newark). Francis had served in the Sherwood Foresters during the Second World War (4975383 Lance Corporal) and had been a prisoner of war, held in POW Camp Stalag in Lambinowice, Poland (Camp No. 344). He died in 1998 aged 79. Henry's mother, Hannah Spinks, died in 1939 (death registered March Nottingham). His brother, Cyril Spinks, served in the King's Royal Rifle Corps (752 Rifleman). His service reckoned from 6 November 1915 and he served with the 18th Battalion and later the 6th Battalion KRRC. He was discharged as no longer medically fit for war service on 1 August 1916 having served 270 days. The report of the Medical Board dated 18 July 1916 was that 'Origin unknown. He complains of shortness of breath and general weakness. Not result of and not aggravated by military service. Permanent. No incapacity as compared with capacity on enlistment'. Cyril probably died at the age of 31 in 1922 (death registered Dec Nottingham). Leslie Spinks may have married Sybil May Irene Winchester in 1920 (marriage registered A/M/J Nottingham) and died in Newstead Hospital, Nottinghamshire, on 31 December 1963 at the age of 69 (b. abt 1894). A probate record for a Leslie Spinks gives his address as 10 Barnston Road; his widow, Sybil Spinks died at that address on 7 June 1981 aged 84 (b. 20 May 1897).

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