Fred Whiteley Beard
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Fred Whiteley was born in 1894 in Hyson Green and was the only son of Durant a manager of a blouse manufacturer and Agnes Stanley Beard née Speak of 7 Byron Street, Daybrook, Nottingham. His father Durant was born in 1866 in Radford , his mother Agnes Stanly Speak was born 1865 in Aldfield, Yorkshire, they were married in Nottingham in 1890 at Nottingham. In the 1901 census the family are living at Elm Avenue, Attenborough, Nottingham.By the 1911 census they are living at 7 Byron Street, Daybrook, and are shown as Durant 45 yrs a manager blouse manufacturer, he is living with his wife Agnes Stanly and their son Fred Whitely 17 yrs, single and a plumber. His probate was proven in Nottingham on 24th November 1916, he is shown as Frederic Whiteley Beard of Aldfiled, Elm Ave, Attenborough, Nottingham, Second Lieutenant in H M Army died 11th October 1916 in France, his effects of £150 1 shilling and 11 pence were left to Durant Beard , blouse manufacturer (his father)
Frederic initially served as a rifleman with service number 3604 in the 7th battalion (Robin Hood Rifles) Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire ) Regiment. He was commissioned into the 2nd battalion, Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) in April 1915 and joined his unit in France on 25th May 1916. He was killed in action on 11th October 1916, he has no known grave, his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial .
The battalion diaries for the 11th October 1916 , shows that the battalion were in action at Bernafay Wood, it suffered following casualties, 2nd Lt F W Beard killed , plus 90 ordinary ranks killed, 39 ordinary rank wounded and 2 ordinary ranks missing. Death notice published 17th October 1916 in the Nottingham Evening Post :- “BEARD. – Killed in action October 11th, 1916, Second-Lieut. F. W. Beard, Duke of Wellington's Regiment, the only son of Agnes and Durant Beard, Attenborough.” Above is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebookpages Small Town Great War HUCKNALL 1914-1918.
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