Frederick Johnson was the son of Joseph Dickinson and his second wife Georgina (née Johnson)
His father Joseph Dickinson was born in 1842 at Farndon, near Newark. He married first Isabella Crampton (b. Kelham 1847) in 1868 (A/M/J Southwell) and they had at least eight children, all of whom were born in Kelham: Harry birth registered 1869 (J/F/M Southwell), Emma Pawson birth registered 1871 (J/F/M Southwell), Annie Lois b. 1872 (O/N/D Southwell), Sarah Ellen birth registered 1874 (J/F/M Southwell), George Henry b. 1876 (J/A/S Southwell), Kate Emma birth registered 1878 (J/F/M Southwell), Florence b. abt 1880 and William b. 1881 (J/A/S Southwell).
The family was living in Kelham at the time of the 1871 and 1881 Census; Joseph was employed as an agricultural labourer.
isabella Dickinson died in 1881 (J/A/S Southwell) aged about 33 and Joseph married Georgina Johnson the following year.
Georgina Johnson was born at Witchampton, Dorset, in 1864. She and Joseph were married in Witchampton on 26 June 1882 (A/M/J Wimborne Dorset); Joseph was 34 and Georgina 19.
Joseph and Georgina had at least five children: Mary Elizabeth/Eliza birth registered 1883 (J/F/M Southwell), Edith Matilda b. 1886 (A/M/J Southwell), Frederick Johnson birth registered 1890 (J/F/M Southwell), Harold birth registered 1895 (J/F/M Southwell) and Alice Victoria b. 1900 (J/A/S Southwell).
In 1891 Joseph, an agricultural worker, and Georgina were living on Clay Lane, Kelham, with his three children by his first marriage, George (14), Florence (11) and William (9), and their three children Mary (8), Edith (5) and Frederick (1). By 1901 only four children, William (19), Frederick (11), Harold (6) and Alice (10 months), were in the home on the night of the census.
Georgina died in 1910 (J/A/S Southwell) aged about 46.
Joseph, now working as a labourer, was still living in Kelham in 1911 with just four of his children; Annie Lois (39) a cook domestic, George (34) a groom/gardener, Frederick (21) a domestic gardener, and Harold (16) of no occupation ('home'). Harold may have died in 1914 (J/A/S Southwell).
Joseph died in 1925 (J/F/M Newark) aged about 80.
Frederick's half-brother, George Henry Dickinson, also served in the war. He had married Annie Elizabeth Kirton at Newark Christ Church on 1 June 1911 and they were living at 106 Northgate, Newark, when he attested in 1915. George was 40 years old and working as a gardener. He was transferred to the Army Reserve on 11 December 1915 and issued with armlet number 2084025. He was mobilised on 14 August 1916 and posted on 17 August 1916 to the Royal Scots Fusiliers (9972) but was discharged on 29 September the same year 'on account of disability.'
