Alan James Derrick

Alan James was born in 1889 in Nottingham and was the only son of James Oscroft Derrick a master baker and Mary Elizabeth Derrick née Spendlove of Lowdham Nottinghamshire and the husband of Alice Oldrid Derrick of 'The Nook' Hunstanton Norfolk. His father was born in 1865 in Nottingham and his mother Mary Elizabeth Spendlove was born in 1867 in Nottingham , they were married in 1888 , their marriage was recorded in the Basford Registration district, they went on to have 4 children , Alan James b1890, Hilda May b1893, Edith Elsie b1897 and Grace Kate b1903, all the children were born in Nottingham. In the 1911 census the family are living at 8 Canal Street, Nottingham, and are shown as James Oscroft Derrick 46 years head of the family a master baker, he is living with his wife Mary Elizabeth 44 yrs and their children , Alan James 21 years a student at Oxford, Hilda May 18 years a shorthand typist, Edith Elsie 14 years and Grace Kate 8 years. In 1916 he married his wife Alice Olrid , the marriage is recorded in the Guisborough Registration District, North Yorkshire. His probate was proved in London on 4th January 1919, and shows him as Alan James Derrick of Arden House, Henley in Arden, Warwickshire, Second Lieutenant 7th battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers died on or since 15th November 1916 in France, his effects of £125 6shillings and 11 pence went to Alice Olrid Derrick widow.

Educated Mundella School, Meadows, Nottingham and went on to Wadham College, Oxford, where he graduated and took his B.A., He subsequently held an appointment on the staff at Henley-in-Arden school He was an accomplished musician, and frequently deputised as organist at Boston parish church. He was the church organist at St Marks Church , Windsor Street, Huntingdon Street, Nottingham , between 1907–1909, the church was closed in 1927 and demolished in 1958

He joined the Inns of Court Officer Training Corps,in October, 1915, as Private 6817 and receiving a commission in July of the following year was attached to the Northumberland Fusiliers as a Lieutenant. He was killed in action on 15th November 1916, he has no known grave, his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.

Mundella Magazine, Christmas 1918, ROH: 'Derrick, Alan, Lieut, Northumberland Fusiliers.' Family headstone, St Mary's Churchyard, Lowdham: 'Also Alan James, only son, 2nd Lieut RAF (sic), killed in action France 15 November 1916, age 27 years.' (Source: Nottingham Family History Society: St Mary, Lowdham) He is also commemorated on the Boston (Lincolnshire) Town Memorial. Obituaries published in the Nottingham Evening Post dated 20th June 1918: - “DERRICK. – Alan James Derrick, B.A., Oxon., Second-Lieut., Northumberland Fusiliers, previously reported wounded and missing November 15th, 1916, now officially reported died of wounds. Husband of Alice, third daughter of the late John Oldrid, J.P., Boston, and only son of Jas. Oscroft Derrick, Canal-street.” This was accompanied by an obituary in the same edition of the newspaper. “DIED OF WOUNDS. “SEC.-LIEUT. JAMES DERRICK, Northumberland Fusiliers, reported wounded and missing in November, 1916, and now officially reported died of wounds, was the only son of Mr. James O. Derrick, Canal-street, Nottingham. Deceased, who was 27 years of age, was educated at Mundella School and Wadham College, Oxford, where he graduated and took his B.A., and subsequently held an appointment on the staff at Henley-in-Arden school. He joined the Inns of Court O.T.C. in October, 1915, and receiving a commission in July of the following year was attached to the Northumberland Fusiliers. Lieut. Derrick was an accomplished musician, and frequently deputised as organist at Boston parish church.” Above obituaries courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918.