Bertie Cox

Bertie was the son of William and Fanny Cox (nee Leeson). His father William was born in Manea, Cambridgeshire, in 1858, the son of Edward and Mary Ann Cox; he was baptised in Manea parish church the same year. Fanny Leeson was born in Cowbit, Lincolnshire, on 9 September 1858 (O/N/D Spalding) the daughter of John Leeson. William (20) and Fanny (18), both of Cowbit, were married in the parish church on 4 April 1877 (A/M/J Spalding) and had 16 children of whom 12 survived infancy/childhood. Fifteen children have been traced on the birth registrations including the deaths of three in childhood: Eliza b. Pinchbeck 1879, Betsy b. Wykeham 22 April 1881 bap. Cowbit 22 May 1882; Ethel b. 18 April 1883 bap. Cowbit 7 March 1884 d. 1884 (J/F/M Spalding); George b. Cowbit 14 December 1884 (1885 J/F/M Spalding) bap. Cowbit 11 January 1885; William b. 2 November 1886 bap. Cowbit 12 December 1886 d. 1887 (A/M/J Sleaford); Herbert b. Pinchbeck 25 May 1888 bap. Pinchbeck 17 June 1888; Ada b. Pinchbeck 5 March 1899 bap. Pinchbeck 30 March 1890; twins Ernest and Percy b. Pinchbeck 1891, Bertie b. Pinchbeck 1893; Fanny May b. Pinchbeck 1896; twins Florrie b. Pinchbeck 1898 d. 1901 and Cecil b. 1898, Gladys b. Pinchbeck 1900 and Sidney b. Pinchbeck 1902. In 1881 William, an agricultural labourer, and Fanny were living at Wykehsam House, Spalding with their daughter Eliza (2) together with a boarder and a lodger. They had moved to Green Lane, Pinchbeck, Spalding by 1891; William's occupation was given as farmer. In the home on the night of the census were Eliza, Betsy (9), George (6), Herbert (2) and Ada (1). They had had another daughter Ethel b. 1883 who died in 1884 and a son William b. 1886 who died in 1887. The family was still living in Pinchbeck in 1901 but on Cuckoo Lane. William was now working as a general labourer. Of their children only Betsy, Herbert, Ada, Percy and Ernest (9), Bertie (7) Fanny (4), Cecil and Florrie (2) and Gladys were in the home on the night of the census. Florrie died later that year (J/A/S) and their son Sidney was born in 1902. By 1911 William, a farm labourer, and Fanny were living on Small Drove Lane, West Pinchbeck and only four of their surviving children were in the home on the night of the census: Fanny, Cecil, Gladys and Sidney (8). Bertie was a boarder at 50 Milton Street, Bulwell, in 1911 where he was a joiner's apprentice in the household of Fred White, a joiner on his own account, and his wife, Mary Jane. Four of his siblings were also living in Bulwell. Ernest and his twin Percy were boarders at 164 Coventry Road, Bulwell, Nottingham, in the household of Stephen Allen, a grocer, and his wife Elizabeth; Ernest was a grocery warehouseman and carter and Percy a grocer's assistant. George, a grocer, was living at 98 Broomhill Road with his wife Rose, son Sydney George (1) and his sister Betsy, a grocer's assistant. His brother Ernest, who also died in the war, married Ada Allen Richards (b. 2 June 1892) in 1913 (O/N/D Nottingham) and had one child, Cyril b. 2 July 1916. They lived in Bulwell. Ada married Harry Townsend in 1920 (J/F/M Nottingham) and they lived at 25 Morris Road, Balby, Doncaster. (See 'Extra Information' and also record on this Roll of Honour) William and Fanny were still living on Small Drove Lane when Bertie was killed in action in June 1915. William completed a form for the army in May 1919 giving the names of Bertie's surviving blood relatives: Parents: William and Fanny of Small Grove Lane. Pinchbeck West. Brothers: George (35) 95 Broomhill Road, Bulwell, Herbert (31) Gate House; Great (-) Fen; Percy (28) Bulwell; Cecil (21) Transit Camp Portsmouth; Sidney (16) West Pinchbeck Sisters: Eliza Cox (40) 4 Cathill Road, Beckenham; Betsy Cox (38) Main Street, Bulwell; Ada Cox (29) 26 Church Hill, Leamington; Fanny Cox (23) Booth Gate, Pinchbeck; Gladys Cox (19) West Pinchbeck William may have died in 1937. When the 1939 England & Wales Register was compiled his widow Fanny was living on Merthgate, Pinchbeck, with her unmarried daughters Betsy (d. 1951), a fish fryer, and Ada (d. 1979) whose occupation was given as unpaid domestic help. Fanny died in 1941 (J/F/M Spalding).