Family

Census details of Tom’s family are inconsistent in terms of ages and dates of birth. However, there is a consistent address from 1881 to 1901 of 23 Dingle Lane, Over, near Winsford in Cheshire. Tom’s father was also Thomas and he was a sawyer. His mother was Sarah. Tom was the 5th of 9 children. His younger brother, George, married Florence and they lived at 14 Orchard Grove, West Didsbury, and later at 9 Orchard St. This is presumably why Tom appears on the memorial here. In 1939 George was divorced and living at 14 Nearbrook Rd, Wythenshawe, and was a watchman.

Tom

Tom was born in the first quarter of 1881. In 1901 he lived with the family at Dingle Lane and was a labourer. We could not find him in 1911 but he might already have been in the Army. When he attested on 1 September 1914 in Winchester he stated that he had previous service in the Cheshire Regiment. After attestation he served with the 8th Battalion of the Rifle Brigade as a rifleman, service number B/3289. He was reported wounded and missing on 15 September 1916 and was later “accepted as having died on or since” that date. The date corresponds to the battle of FlersCourcelette on the Somme, where his battalion is known to have fought. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Panel and Face 16B and 16C.