Francis Edgar was the son of James and Lucy Shipstone (née Barker) of the renowned Nottingham brewing family.
His father James Shipstone was born in Bulwell, Nottingham, in 1846 and his mother Lucy in Burton-on-Stather, Lincolnshire, in 1851. They were married at Lenton St Anthony, Nottingham, in August 1873 and had seven children of whom six survived infancy: James Henry b. 1874, Francis Edgar b. 1875, Edith Mary b. 1877, Ronald Arthur b. 1880, James Hugh Gordon b. 1882 and Alice Christabel Everingham birth registered 1885 (J/F/M). All the children were born in Basford.
In 1881, eight years after their marriage, James, a master brewer, his wife and their four children, James (6), Francis (5), Edith (3) and Ronald (under 1 year), were living on Regent Street, Basford. Also in the household was a general domestic servant.
The family had moved to Woodthorpe Lodge, Mansfield Road, by 1891 and all six children were in the home of the night of the census: James a brewer's assistant, Francis, Edith, Ronald, James HG (9) and Alice (6). James snr. now employed a cook and housemaid.
By 1901 the family residence was at 15 Magdala Road, Nottingham, where James and Lucy were living with five of their children: Francis a malster, Edith, Ronald a brewer, James HG and Alice. In the household were a ladies' help and a cook. James Henry, the eldest son, had married Gertrude Turner in 1899 and they were also living in Nottingham.
James and Lucy were still at 15 Magdala Road in 1911 although it is likely that only Francis was still a permanent member of the household. His two married sisters, Edith and Alice, and their children, were in the home on the night of the census. Edith had married Harold Squire Morley, an engineer officer in the Royal Navy, in 1906 and they had had a daughter Gwynnedd Mary Everingham in 1910 (b. Medway, Kent). Lieutenant Harold Morley was recorded on the census in RN Barracks/Officers' Quarters, Edinburgh Road, Portsmouth. Alice had married Arthur Leslie Wing, also in 1906, and they had had a son, Ronald Leslie in 1910 (reg. Ecclesall Bierlow-Sheffield). Included in the household were a lady's help, a cook, housemaid and two domestic nurses.
The eldest son James Henry was living with his family on Mansfield Road, Nottingham. Ronald was a brewer with Plymouth Breweries Ltd and boarding in East Stonehouse, Devon, with a schoomaster in the employ of the Admiralty (Royal Marines). The youngest son James Hugh had married Edith Margaret Warwick in 1907 and they were living with their infant daughter in East Heckington, Boston, Lincolnshire, where James was a farmer.
His mother Lucy died in 1912.
A later record showed that in 1913/14 Francis was living at 5 Ebers Road, Mapperley Park, Nottingham, but he was living at 3 Ebers Grove, Carrington, when he attested in 1915. Francis' father, whom he named as his next of kin, was living at The Elms, Cropwell Butler.
His father completed a form for the army in September 1919 listing his late son's surviving blood relatives:
Parents: James and Lucy (sic) Shipstone The Elms Cropwell Butler
Brothers: JH Shipstone (45) Mansfield Road Nottingham, RA Shipstone (38) St George's Terrace Plymouth and JHG Shipstone (36) East Heckington Lincolnshire
Sisters: Edith Mary Morley (44) Dovercourt Essex and ACE Wing (34) Ranmoor Sheffield
James Shipstone snr. died in September 1922.
Ronald Arthur Shipstone served in the war in the 4th Battalion Rifle Brigade (S/26693 Rifleman). He enlisted on 3 June 1916 and served overseas. Ronald was severely wounded on 15 April 1918 and discharged unfit in May 1919 (Silver Badge No. B.203906). He was a director of the Shipstone Brewery Company until his death in 1944.