Alfred Matthews

Alfred Matthews was born Alphonso Mattiucci (alternative Mattucci) in Nottingham in 1896, the son of Raphael and Annunciata Muttucci (née Corrior). Alfred's parents were Italian immigrants who probably arrived in England between 1874 and 1880. Both parents were born in Bisenti in the Teramo province of Abruzzo, southern Italy; his father Raphael Mattiucci in 1846 and his mother Annunciata Cerrior in 1851. They were married c.1870 at Bisenti and two of their children were born there: Giovanni b1872 and Cristina b1876. According to information provided on the 1911 Census, Raphael and Annunciata had been married for 40 years and had had nine children of whom only six survived. Apart from the two children known to have been born in Italy there is evidence for five children who were born in England: Luigi b. Bath 1879 (J/A/S Bath Somerset), Angelina b. Plymouth 1882 (A/M/J Plymouth, Angela Mattiucci), Antonio b. Plymouth abt. 1885, Elizabeth b. Nottingham 1891 (J/F/M Nottingham, Elizabeth Matthews) and Alphonso b. Nottingham 1896 (O/N/D Nottingham, Alphonso Mattiucci). It is likely that Antonio died young as he is not recorded living with family on the 1891-1911 Census. The family is first traced living in Bath, Somerset, where Raphael and Annunciata had their son Luigi They later moved to Plymouth where they had two children, Angelina and Antonio. They moved to Nottingham where we find the family on the 1891 census living at 1a Pennyfoot Street, Nottingham. The family was using the surname Matthews and the children's first names had also been Anglicised. Raphael Matthews, 44 yrs, was a street musician, living with his wife Nancy (Annunciata) and four of their children: John (Giovanni) 18 yrs and Christy (Cristina) 15 yrs, both of whom were street musicians, Louis (Luigi) 11 yrs a scholar and Angelina 8 yrs a scholar; the two youngest children were born in Nottingham. Alphonso (Alfred) was born in Nottingham five years later in 1896. The family was still living at 1 Pennyfoot Lane in 1901. Raphael was an ice cream manufacturer and vendor. Five of their six surviving children were still living at home; John and 'Tom' (Louis) who were labourers, Angelina a machinist, Elizabeth (9) and Alfred (Alphonso) (4). The family was still using the surname Matthews and the children the Anglicised forms of their first names. Their daughter Cristina (Christy) had married Vicenzo Bartiolomucci in 1892 (J/F/M Nottingham) and in 1901 they were living in Sneinton with their three children. Her husband Vicenzo had been born in Italy. They were still living in Sneinton in 1911 by which time they had had ten children of whom only six survived. Cristina died in 1919. At the time of the 1911 census Rapahel and Nancy (Annunciata) were living at 18 Water Street, Nottingham, and had reverted to the surname Mattucci (sic). They were shown as Raphael 64 yrs an ice cream manufacturer, his wife Nancy 60 yrs and Alphonso 14 yrs, the only one of their children still living at home, who was a labourer for a sign and letter writer. Raphael died in 1913 Nottingham aged 67 (Raffele Matthews buried 13 August 1913). The later CWGC record gives Alfred's parents' address as 78 Flewitt Street, Nottingham. Nancy (Annunciata) probably died in 1940 (J/F/M Nottingham, Nancy Matthews).

In the 1911 census he was a labourer for a sign and letter writer.

Alphonso Mattucci enlisted in October 1915 using the name Alfred Matthews and served with the 9th battalion Sherwood Foresters Regiment. He went to France after 1 January 1916. The battalion found itself under the orders of 16th (Irish) Division as reserve assault battalion for Messines. The mines exploded and the leading divisions stormed forward but somehow the reserve battalion did not get any orders. At 1.30 pm orders were received to follow the retreating German army. By this time the day was extremely hot and the men had full packs and equipment but the battalion made good time to the ridge. They came under artillery fire and took casualties but despite this made the front line and dug in. The break out had not been achieved but much ground was taken. The battalion came out of the line on 11th June and by Great War standards had few casualties. Alfred was one of four men to die of wounds that day at the Bailleul Casualty Clearing station. They all lie in Plot III, Row C. of the Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord. John Morse

His brother Lewis Matthews enlisted at Nottingham on 24th November 1915. He was 36 yrs and 2 months old, living at 8 Butcher Street, London Road, Nottingham, and a platelayer for the Midland Railway Company. He was posted to the Reserves and mobilised on 29th December 1917 and posted to the Royal Engineers. He landed in France on 4th April 1918 and served with the 298th Railway Company, Royal Engineers. On 10th May 1918 he was admitted to the 35 General Hospital at Calais with flu-like symptoms and died of pneumonia at 11.30am on 13th May 1918. He was buried at Les Baraques Military Cemetery, Sangate, Calais. (See record on this Roll of Honour) Nottingham Evening Post, 13 July 1917, photograph with caption: ‘Pte A Matthews (SF), 52 Flewitt-st., Nottm., died of wounds June 12th, aged 24.' (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)