Wilfred Arnold

Wilfred was the son of Harry Arnold and Caroline Arnold nee Freeborough. Harry Arnold was born in Blaby, Leicestershire. Caroline Freeborough was born in South Willingham, Lincolnshire, in 1861 (J/A/S Louth) the daughter of James and Jane Freeborough; she was christened in South Willingham on 13 October 1861. Harry, who was a police constable, was living in South Willingham in 1881 and he and Caroline probably married in June 1883 in Chapel Allerton, West Yorkshire. According to the information provided on the 1911 Census when they had been married for 27 years, they had had six children of whom only five had survived childhood. Their five surviving children were: Emma Josephine b. 1884 (J/A/S Nottingham), Charles Leonard birth registered 1886 (J/F/M Nottingham), Horace b. 1887 (O/N/D Nottingham), Wilfred b. 1890 ('Wilfrid' J/A/S Nottingham) and Fred b. 1900 (O/N/D Nottingham). All the children were born in Nottingham. In 1891 Harry (33), a police constable, and Caroline (29) were living at 43 Woodhouse Street, Sneinton, with their four children Emma (6), Charles (5), Horace (3) and Wilfred (9 months). The family had moved to 185 Pym Street East, St Ann's, by 1901. All five of Harry and Caroline's children were still living at home: Emma (16) a lace curtain cutter, Charles (15) a butcher, Horace (13) an errand boy, Wilfred (10) and Fred (6 months). By 1911 Harry and Caroline had moved to South Devon where he was a police constable. They were living at Cotlas House, Modbury, with their youngest son, Fred (10). Charles and Horace have not yet been traced on the 1911 Census. Emma Josephine had married John Thomas Stevenson in 1909 (A/M/J Nottingham) and in 1911 was living at 107 Trafalgar Street, Radford, with her husband, who worked for an assurance company, and their son Frank Arnold (9 months). Wilfred had married Selina Morley in 1910 (A/M/J Nottingham) and in 1911 they were living with her parents, John and Elizabeth Morley, and three of her siblings at 64 Corporation Road, Nottingham. Wilfred (22) was a coal miner and Selina (28) a lace hand. He was named 'William' on the census record and also in the 'In Memoriam' notice published on the anniversary of his death in 1917. Wilfred and Selina had at least two children, Stanley W. b. 1911 (J/A/S Nottingham) who may have died the same year, and Wilfred b. 1 April 1916 (1916 Nottingham). The CWGC record gives Selina Arnold's address as 17 Dickenson Street, St Ann's Well Road, Nottingham. She married Henry Messom in 1918 (J/F/M Nottingham). Wilfred's son, also Wilfred, married Avice Marshall (b; 5 March 1914) in 1936 (J/F/M Nottingham). In 1939 at the time of the national register, Wilfred, a painter and decorator, and his wife Avice were living on Calverton Road, Arnold. Also in the household was their daughter, Margaret Rose (later Ketley) b. 18 January 1938 and Wilfred's widowed maternal grandfather, John J Morley (b. 26 December 1860), a retired housepainter and decorator. Wilfred's brother Charles Leonard served with the South Notts Hussars (280995) during the war and died on 28 May 1918 when the troop ship SS Leasowe Castle was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean while on passage from Alexandria, Egypt, to the UK (Chatsby Memorial). The CWGC record gives his parents' address as Donington-on-Bain, Louth, Lincolnshire.