Frank Hollis
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
William Hollis from Newark married Sarah Ann Spencer, a Worksop girl, in 1888 in Worksop. Sarah was 27 years his junior. They started their married life in Clowne, Derbyshire where they had a son, William born in 1889. 3 years later, William senior, had secured a job as groom/gardener at the Rayton estate near Worksop and it was here that all their other children were born. Herbert in 1891, Fred in 1897, Frank in 1898 and Florence in 1901. In 1909, Sarah Ann Hollis died at the age of 39. By 1911, the remaining family had moved from Rayton as William senior was now working as an engine driver and living at 29 Newgate Street in Worksop. William jnr. was a farm labourer, Fred, a pit pony driver and Frank still at school. Herbert had moved away, working as a farm labourer for Eli Bellimore who was a fruitier, florist and seeds man, in nearby Creswell. Their father also died in Worksop in 1915 whilst Frank, Fred and Herbert were serving in the army.
Pte Frank Hollis Worksop Guardian 10 November 1916 'After many weary weeks of waiting, official news has been received of the regrettable death in action of Pte Frank Hollis, 9th Sherwood Foresters a young hero of 18, and a late resident of 29, Newgate Street, Worksop. He is another of the brave lads from Manton Colliery who have fought and fallen for our country. He was an orphan with two other brothers in the Army. So that he has no father and mother to mourn his loss, but sympathy will be extended to his relatives, and his friends in his death. Pte Hollis enlisted when only 17, joining up in April, 1915. He went to the Dardanelles, his father dying while he was making the journey, and after a considerable period, was drafted to Egypt and later to France. He was in France just over six months before he met his death, which happened on September 11th. Having no home after his father decease, a kind friend, Mrs. Radford, of Newgate Street, wrote him offering him a place in her home where she had already taken in his brother. Frank thankfully accepted the offer, and wrote to Mrs Radford regularly, and the news of his death were sent there. Lance Corporal, Jeffries conveyed the first news of his death to Mrs Radford some time ago. He wrote:- “I cannot say much; I am in a hurry to tell you the news, I hope you will not be offended at me writing to say how sorry I am that Pte Hollis-one of the best boys in the platoon-has been killed while doing his duty. He was a very good lad, and his friends knew he had no parents, but now he has passed into the Lord’s hand to prepare for the better land. I found your letter in his pocket when he was dead, am sending it back to you….I hope it will not let it trouble you too much; as it is a thing that must and will be “ Lance –Corpl. Jeffries gives no particulars of the soldier’s death. His two brothers serving are Pte. Fred and Herbert Hollis, who, no doubt, many readers will remember.'
Remembered on the Thiepval Memorial. Research by Colin Dannatt and John Morse
