David Birks
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
David Birks was born in 1895 in Nottingham and was the son of John a plasterers labourer and Eliza Ann Birks nee Parsons of Thurman Cottages, Nottingham. His father John was born in 1861 in Nottingham and his mother Eliza Ann Parsons was born in 1865 also in Nottingham, they were married in 1883 in Nottingham and went on to have 11 children , sadly three were to die in infancy or early childhood, their surviving children were, John b1884, Harry b1886, Lizzie b1888, Mary A b1890, Annie L b1892, Thomas b1894, David b1895 and Eliza Ann b1907 all the children were born in Nottingham. In the 1911 census the family are living at Thurman Cottages, Nottingham and are shown as John 50 yrs a plasterers labourer, he is living with his wife Eliza Ann 46 yrs and their married daughter Mary Ann Stocks 19 yrs a lace clipper and her husband Harry Stocks 20 yrs a splitter and leather worker at Turney Brothers and their daughter Rachel Stocks 1 month old, also their unmarried children Thomas 17 yrs a splitter and leather worker working at Turney Brothers, David 16 yrs a jacquard maker and Eliza Ann 7 yrs a scholar.
Private David Birks, enlisted at Nottingham and served with the 1st Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. He landed in France on 4th April 1915 and he was killed in action on 24th May 1915. He is buried in Bedford House Cemetery.
His brother in law Harry Stocks , married his sister Mary Ann Birks at the Nottingham Registrars Office on 24th December 1910, they went on to have a daughter Eliza Stocks born 12th February 1914 and Rachel Stocks b1911, they lived at 4 Thoresby Place, Thoresby Street, Nottingham. Harry Stocks enlisted at Nottingham on 22nd August 1914 , he gave his age as 22 yrs and 322 days old, he was a foundry worker. He joined his battalion 9th battalion Sherwood Foresters at Derby on 24th August 1914. He landed in France on 1st July 1915, and was wounded , a gun shot wound to his hand and returned to England for treatment on 24th September 1916 and was treated at the Military Hospital Sunderland. On 21st September 1917 he was discharged from the army being no longer physically fir for war service and issued a silver war badge. In memoriam published 24th May 1917 in the Nottingham Evening Post :- BIRKS. – In loving memory of Pte. D. Birks, K.O.Y.L.I., who was killed in action, May 24th, 1915, aged 20 years. We speak of him in silence, his name we often call; but there is nothing left t answer now, but his photo on the wall. – From his sorrowing mother, father, sisters, and brothers doing their duty.” Above in memoriam is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918
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