Allan Oliver Atkin

Allan Oliver was the third and youngest son of Joseph Charles and Frances Harper Atkin (née Cartwright). His father Joseph Charles was born in Stapleford on 24 September 1858, the son of Gideon Atkin. His mother Frances Harper was born in Long Eaton, Derbyshire, on 24 February 1860, the daughter of John and Mary Cartwright. Joseph and Frances were married at Sandiacre parish church on 25 December 1878 (reg. J/F/M) and had three sons: Percy Harold b. Sandiacre 1879, Charles Frederick b. Stapleford birth registered 1881 (J/F/M) and Allan Oliver b. Stapleford, birth registered 1883 (J/F/M). In 1881 Joseph (23), a yarn agent, and Frances (21) were living on March Lane, Stapleford, with their two sons, Percy (1) and Charles (3 months). Joseph has not been traced on a UK census after 1881 and Frances has not been traced on the 1891 Census. However, in 1891 their three sons were living in Doncaster with their grandparents, John Cartwright (64 b. Chilwell Nottingham) a joiner and his wife Mary A (61 b. Beeston Nottingham). Also in the household were John and Mary's two sons and another married daughter and her son. In 1901 Frances, with Percy and Charles, both railway wagon repairers, and Allan, a railway wagon carriage builder, were living in Doncaster with Frances' widowed father, John and his son Fred, both pattern makers. Frances' husband Joseph Charles Atkin died aged 51 on 2 July 1910 at Kingston, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, USA. He was buried in Hollenback Cemetery, Wilkes Barre, Luzerne County. According to the information given on his son Percy's marriage certificate in 1923, Joseph ('deceased') was a lace manufacturer. At the time of the 1911 census the widowed Frances was running a boot repair business from her home at 147 Midland Road, Royston, Barnsley. Also in the household were two lodgers, including George Empson (50), who were both boot repairers. Frances married George Empsom, a widower, in 1916 (reg. Barnsley). In 1911 Allan was working as an insurance agent and was one of three lodgers living at Acton Road, Long Eaton, in the household of Jane Wallis, a widow, and her four children. Allan was probably living with his mother at 147 Midland Road, Royston, when he enlisted and this was also the address on the probate record. However, the later CWGC record gave Frances' address as 320 Midland Road. His mother Frances Empsom was widowed and living in Doncaster by the time the England & Wales Register was compiled in 1939. She died in 1940.