Frederick Arthur Stacey
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Frederick Arthur was born in 1879 at Woodborough and was the son of Thomas a shoe maker and the late Elizabeth Stacey née Leafe of 34 Dame Agnes Street, Nottingham. His father Thomas was born in 1841 at Epperstone and his mother Elizabeth Leafe was born in 1843 at Woodborough, she died in 1908 aged 65 yrs, they were married on 17th February 1862 at Woodborough and went on to have the following children, Fanny b1863, Mary Anne b1866, Clare b1869, Alice b1869, William b1874, Fred Arthur b1879 and Thomas b1883 all were born in Woodborough. Frederick married Nellie Maud Middleton in 1910 at Nottingham. In the 1911 census he was living at 12 Glenroy Terrace Manning Street St Ann's Nottingham he is shown as a boot repairer In the same 1911 census his widowed father is living at 34 Dame Agnes Street, Nottingham, he is shown as Thomas 70 yrs a shoe maker, he is liivng with his married son Thomas 28 yrs a carter and his wife Elizabeth 26 yrs and their children William Thomas 4 yrs and Gladys 1 year of age.
Driver Frederick Stacey, enlisted at Nottingham, he served with “C” Battery, 188th Brigade Royal Field Artillery, he was found drowned in the Wollaton canal on 28th December 1915. He is buried in Nottingham Church (Rock) Cemetery.
Article in the Nottingham Evening Post dated 28th December 1915 reads :- “SOLDIER FOUND DROWNED IN NOTTM. “The body of a soldier in the Nottingham R.F.A., Driver Stacey, No. 42917, was this morning [28th December 1915] recovered from the Wollaton Canal by another soldier, Driver Warrack. Nothing is known up to the present as to the circumstances under which the deceased got into the water. “The body was removed to the Hyson Green Mortuary.” Further article dated 30th December 1915 in the Nottingham Daily Express :- “MYSTERY OF NOTTM. CANAL. “Inquest on Artilleryman Found Drowned. “The inquest held at the Hyson Green Court yesterday [29th December 1915] on Frederick Arthur Stacey, a driver in the 188th (Nottingham) Brigade Royal Field Artillery, whose body was recovered from the canal at Lenton on Tuesday morning, [28th December 1915] served to throw very little light on the tragedy. “It appeared from the evidence of the widow, Nellie Maud Stacey, of 21, Hartwell-street, that the deceased man went to see her on December 3rd and left at ten o'clock at night to return his billet at the Victoria Hall. He seemed to her in good spirits, and not at all disturbed at the prospect of leaving Nottingham. He had promised to go home on the following day also, but she never saw him again. “Three Weeks in the Water. “Driver Warrack, of the R.F.A., who discovered the body in the canal, stated that the man was upright in the water; while Police-Sergeant Marriott, who superintended the removal of the body to the mortuary, said that one and eightpence in coin was found in the pockets. In his opinion the man had been in the canal three weeks or even longer. “After some consideration the jury returned a verdict of Found Drowned, one juryman expressing the view that there seemed to be “a great deal of mystery about the case.” Obituaries published in the Nottingham Evening Post dated 29th December 1915 :- “STACEY. - On the 28th inst., Driver Fred Stacey, R.F.A., loving husband of Nellie Stacey, 21 Hartwell-street. Sadly missed. “STACEY. - On the 28th inst., under tragic circumstances, Driver Fred Stacey, R.F.A., of 21, Hartwell-street. At rest. - From his loving sisters and brothers.” Above articles and obituaries courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918.
