Percival Charles Colton

Percival Charles was the eldest son of Arthur and Harriet Colton (née Ward). His father Arthur was born in Carrington, Nottingham, in 1871, the son of William and Eliza Colton. His mother Harriett Ward was born in Sheffield in 1872. Arthur and Harriet were married in 1888 (reg. Grantham) and had twelve children, two of whom died young: Percival Charles b. New Basford 1889 and eleven siblings who were born in Carrington, Eliza Emma b. 1891, Annie Mary b. 1895, Thomas Arthur birth registered 1898 (J/F/M), Constance Lilian b. 1899 d. 1900, Hilda Gladys b. 1903, Muriel Ethel b. 1905, Albert Edward birth registered 1908 (J/F/M), George Henry b. 1910, Frances E. birth registered 1912 (J/F/M) d. 1913, Frances E. b. 1915 and Kathleen Elsie b. 1919. Percival and Eliza were baptised at Carrington St John the Evangelist on 7 July 1891 and their siblings Annie, Thomas and Constance were also baptised in the parish church. Arthur volunteered to serve in the Militia in March 1889 but the following month enlisted in the army on a Short Service Engagement (7 years with the Colours, 5 years Army Reserve). He transferred to the Army Reserve in June 1894 but was recalled to army service in October 1899 and probably served continuously until May 1902 during which period he served in South Africa. (See extra information) In 1891, Harriet, a lace mender, and her son Percival were living with her parents-in-law, William and Eliza Colton, in Selkirk Street, Basford. However, when Harriet's two children, Percival and Eliza, were baptised at Carrington St John in July 1891 the family was living at 7 Spring Terrace, Carrington, but had moved to 15 Ramsay Street, Carrington, by 1898 when Thomas was baptised. Harriet was recorded at 15 Ramsay Street, Carrington, on the 1901 census; she was head of household and working as a lace mender. Also in the home were her four children Percy, Eliza, Annie and Thomas. Her third daughter Constance had died the previous year. Arthur was discharged from the army in May 1902 and in 1911 was employed by the General Post Office as a cleaner. He and his wife (a lace mender working at home) were living at 7 New Street, Carrington, with seven of their eight surviving children: Eliza a lace mender, Annie a textile worker, Thomas, Hilda, Muriel, Albert and George. Arthur and Harriet had three more daughters, Frances born in 1912 but who died the following year, Frances born 1915 and Kathleen born in June 1919, two weeks after her father's death. Percival married Ethel Mary Elliot (b. 1888) at Carrington St John the Evangelist in March 1908 and their son Leslie Arthur was born the following year. In 1911 Percival, a brass bobbin winder, Ethel, a lace mender, and their son were living at 4 New Street, Carrington. A notice of Percival's death in 1916 gave his address as 71 Constance Street, Basford. Percival's widow Ethel married Joseph M Allerton in 1917 (A/M/J). They had four children: Irene E. b. 1917 d. 1918, Vera E b. 1919, Alice E b. 1923 and Ronald J. b. 1928 d. 1928. The CWGC record gave Ethel's address as 71 Constance Street, Basford, and she and her husband Joseph were still living at the same address when the 1939 England & Wales Register was compiled. Ethel died in 1963. Arthur Colton died on 31 May 1919 and was buried in Basford Cemetery. His widow and their daughters Muriel, Frances and Kathleen were still living at 7 New Street, Carrington, in 1939. Harriet died on 25 July 1943. According to an 'In Memoriam' notice to Percival placed in the local paper in September 1917, his brother Arthur was serving in France and a notice in 1918 recorded that his brother Tom was serving in France and his brother Arthur was serving in Italy. However, although he had a brother Thomas Arthur (b. 1898), his only other brother was Albert (b. 1908). There is a medical record of a TA Colton, 24046 Private Notts & Derby Regiment, who was admitted to No. 11 Casualty Clearing Station on 9 June 1917 suffering from a gunshot wound to the nose and transferred the same day to No. 22 AT and a Medals/Awards record for TA Colton 24046/4960050 Private/Corporal. Percival's sister, Eliza Emma, married Arthur Rawson (b. 1892) in 1916 (J/F/M) and although no military record has been identified he may be the person referred to in the newspaper notice.

1911 - brass bobbin winder.

Enlisted Nottingham, residence New Basford

9th (Service) Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment). The Battalion was raised at Derby in August 1914 as part of Kitchener's First New Army and came under orders of 33rd Brigade, 11th (Northern) Division. It embarked at Liverpool in July 1915 for Gallipoli, landing at Suvla Bay on 7 August and evacuated from Gallipoli in the December. It moved to Imbros, leaving Imbros for Alexandria, Egypt, on 29 January 1916, disembarking Alexandria on 3 February. The Battalion left Egypt for France, disembarking at Marseilles on 10 July 1916. Percival served with the Battalion in Gallipoli and transferred with the Battalion to France in July 1916. He was killed at the Battle of Thiepval Ridge (26-29 September 1916), part of the first Battle of the Somme, on 26 September 1916 and is buried in Regina Trench Cemetery, Grandcourt, France (grave ref. IX.F.17). He is one of six 9th Battalion casualties buried in the cemetery. The history of the cemetery indicates that Percival's grave was brought in from the surrounding battlefields or small cemeteries after the Armistice. He qualified for the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. CWGC - History of Regina Trench Cemetery (extract): 'On 1 July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, Grandcourt village was reached by part of the 36th (Ulster) Division, but it was not until the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line, early in February 1917, that it was occupied by patrols of the Howe Battalion, Royal Naval Division. To the south-east of it is Courcelette, taken by the 2nd Canadian Division on 15 September 1916. Regina Trench was a German earthwork, captured for a time by the 5th Canadian Brigade on 1 October 1916, attacked again by the 1st and 3rd Canadian Divisions on 8 October, taken in part by the 18th and 4th Canadian Divisions on 21 October, and finally cleared by the 4th Canadian Division on 11 November 1916. The original part of the cemetery (now Plot II, Rows A to D) was made in the winter of 1916-1917. The cemetery was completed after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the battlefields of Courcelette, Grandcourt and Miraumont; most date from October 1916 to February 1917. Two considerable groups of scattered graves, classed as cemeteries, were concentrated in to Regina Trench Cemetery: Courcelette Road Cemetery, Miraumont, was on the west side of West Miraumont Road, between Courcelette and Miraumont, and in it were buried soldiers from Canada and from the United Kingdom, who fell in September-November 1916. Miraumont British Cemetery, on the east side of the same road, contained the graves of soldiers from Canada and from the United Kingdom, who fell in September-December 1916.' (www.cwgc.org)

Percival's cousin, Henry William Colton (b. 1883), the son of his father's sister Mary Colton (m. Dessaur 1894, m. Towle 1915), served with the 2nd Bn. Sherwood Foresters (8680 Private) and was killed in action in France on 9 August 1915. (See record on this Roll of Honour) Percival's father Arthur Colton enlisted in the Militia on 11 March 1889 (3720 Private 4th Bn. Notts & Derby Regiment). He was 18 years 11 months old and living at 4 Napoleon Square, Park Street, New Lenton, occupation joiner. He gave his marital status as single. Arthur then attested on 27 April 1889 in the Notts & Derby Regiment (23556 Private) on a Short Service Engagement (7 years with the Colours, 5 years with the Reserve); he declared his previous service with the 4th Notts & Derby Regiment. He was now 19 years old, still employed as a joiner and again gave his marital status as unmarried. He joined at the Regimental Depot and was posted to the 1st Bn. on 16 May 1889 with subsequent postings to the 2nd Bn. then 1st Bn and finally to the Depot on 24 June 1892. He was appointed paid lance corporal in 1892 and promoted corporal in 1893 but was reduced to the ranks in 1894 for drunkenness and breaking his arrest. He transferred to the Army Reserve on 12 June 1894 but was recalled to Army Service on 31 October 1899 under Special Army Order of the same date, and posted to the 1st Bn N&D the following day. He was discharged on 5 May 1902 on termination of his first period of engagement, total service towards engagement to 5 May, 13 years 9 days. He was paid a War Gratuity of £5 issued under Army Order 5 of 1901 and Special War Gratuity of £1 under Army Order 134 of 1902. Nottingham Evening Post, 'Roll of Honour' (sic), 3 June 1919: 'Coulton (sic) On May 31st at 7, New Street, Carrington, Arthur, the beloved husband of Harriett Coulton (sic), for 22 years employed at the GPO Nottingham. Deeply mourned by sorrowing wife and family. Military funeral at 3pm Wednesday, Basford Cemetery.' (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths,’ 27 July 1943: ‘Colton. July 25th, at City Hospital, Harriet, aged 72, passed peacefully away, after much suffering patiently borne. Loving sons, daughter (sic).’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) CWGC Additional information: Son of Arthur and Harriet Colton, of Carrington, Nottingham; husband of Mrs. E. M. Allerton (formerly Colton), of 71, Constance St., New Basford, Nottingham Nottingham Evening Post, 'Roll of Honour,' 23 October 1916: 'Colton. Killed in action September 26th 1916, Private PC Colton, Sherwood Foresters, 71 Constance Street, Basford, age 28. Wife, children. Father, mother, sisters, brothers Tom and Arthur.' (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, 'In Memoriam,' 26 September 1917: 'COLTON. In loving memory of Private Percival C. Colton, Sherwood Foresters, killed in action at Thiepval Wood, September 26th, 1916. Loved too well to be forgotten. Father, mother, sisters, and brothers Tom and Arthur (in France).' Above courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918 Nottingham Evening Post, 26 September 1918: ‘Colton.In loving memory of Pte PC Colton, SF., killed in action September 26th, 1916. Ever in our thoughts. Father, mother, sisters, brothers Tom (France), Arthur (Italy).’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Registers of Soldiers' Effects: his widow Ethel was his sole legatee