Alonzo Frederick Mantle

Alonzo Frederick was the eldest son of Samuel Mantle and his wife Flora Phydo Mantle nee Walker. Samuel was the son of Frederick and Eliza Mantle and born in Nottingham in 1877 (O/N/D Radford). Flora Walker was born in Nottingham in about 1879. They were married at St Peter's parish church, Radford, on 2 May 1896 (A/M/J Nottingham). The 1911 Census was completed by Flora as head of household and she declared that she had been married for 14 years and had had seven children, one of whom had died. The surviving children were: Alonzo Frederick birth registered 1897 (J/F/M Nottingham), Grace birth registered 1898 (J/F/M Nottingham), Florence {Flora) Annie b. 1900 (A/M/J Nottingham), Susannah b. 1901 (J/A/S Nottingham), Frederick birth registered 1905 (J/F/M Nottingham) and Leonard b. 1909 (J/A/S Nottingham). A report in the local paper in 1919 when Flora summoned Samuel for desertion included the information that her husband was not the father of her youngest child, Leonard (see 'Extra Information'). In 1901 Samuel (23), a baker, and Flora (22) were living at 10 Chancery Place, Broad Marsh, Nottingham, with their three children, Alonzo (4), Grace (3) and Florence (1). Samuel left Flora in April 1906 and later enlisted in the army as a single man. He served in India and although he left the army in 1913 he transferred to the Reserve and so was mobilised in 1914. Samuel was captured in October 1914 and remained a prisoner of war until the Armistice. On his release he returned to Nottingham and lived in Beeston. (See 'Extra Information' - newspaper report 16 May 1919). By 1911 Flora (32) and her children were living at 61 Lower Eldon Street, Sneinton. She was a lace worker and of her children only Alonzo (14) was in work, employed as a wood sawyer at a joinery works. Grace (13), Florence (11), Susannah (9) and Frederick (6) were still at school while her youngest child, Leonard, was only one year old. At the time of Alonzo's death in July 1916 the family home was at 8 Rathbone Place, Middle Hill, Nottingham, although by 1919 Flora was living on Elgin Street, Broad Marsh. When Alonzo's sister Grace married William Allen in March 1918; her address was given as 6 Knotted Alley and her father's occupation recorded as 'soldier'.

Attended the Bluecoat School. Member of 2nd Nottingham Company Boys' Brigade (Dakeyne Street Lads' Club). In 1911 he was a wood sawyer at a joinery works.

'C' Coy, 15th Bn SF. 15th Battalion was originally a 'Bantam' Battalion. He died of wounds received in action and is buried in Abbeville Communal Cemetery (grave ref VI. A. 9). He qualified for the British War Medal and Victory Medal.

Variant spellings of first name: Alonza, Alonso, Olanzo Personal inscription on CWGC headstone: 'As long as life and memory last we will love and remember thee' A family gravestone in Nottingham Church (Rock) Cemetery has an inscription commemorating Alonzo. His grandfather, Alonzo Williams, purchased a plot in the cemetery, 'adjoining St Peter's Walk being the second space in front of grave No. 9496' in November 1916. The inscription on the headstone reads: 'In sacred memory of Sergt. Alonzo Frederick Mantle, 15th Batt S.F. (Bantams), the dearly loved grandson of Alonzo and Susannah Williams, who died of wounds at Abbeville, France, July 23rd 1916, aged 19 years. Interred at Abbeville Communal Cemetery, France. Too far away thy grave to see, but not too far to think of thee.' Alonzo Williams (b. Belper, Derbyshire) had married Susannah Walker (b. Nottingham) in 1885 (O/N/D Nottingham). According to the 1911 Census they had had one child who had died. It is likely, therefore, that Flora Walker was Susannah's child born before her marriage to Alonzo. In 1911 Alonzo and Susannah lived at 19 Elgin Street, Broad Marsh, Nottingham. Alonzo Williams died on 20 October 1917 and was buried in the family grave. Nottingham Evening Post, 'Roll of Honour', 31 July 1916 (abridged). 'Mantle. died of wounds July 24th, Sergeant Alonso F Mantle, Sherwood Foresters, 8 Rathbone Place, Middle Hill, age 19. Mother, sisters, brothers, grandparents [Alonzo and Susannah Williams].' Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 5 August 1916: 'Mantle. Died of wounds, July 24th, Sergt. Alonzo F Mantle, Sherwood Foresters, 8, Rathbone-place Middle-hill, late of Bluecoat School, aged 19 years. From loving mother, sisters, brothers, and grandparents.’(www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) In memoriam published 23rd July 1917 in the Nottingham Evening Post:- “MANTLE. – In sweet and sacred memory of my beloved son, Sergt. Alonzo F. Mantle (Lon), Sherwood Foresters, who died of wounds July 23rd, 1916, aged 19. As long as life and memory lasts, I will remember thee. – From his loving mother and little brothers Fred and Len. “MANTLE. – In loving memory of our dear brother, Sergt. A. F. Mantle, died of wounds July 23rd, 1916, aged 19 years. – Dearly loved and sadly missed by his sisters France, Florrie, and Susie. “MANTLE. – In loving memory of our dear grandson, Sergt. Alonzo Frederick Mantle, Sherwood Foresters, died of wounds July 23rd, 1916, aged 19 years. Sleep on dear one in a hero's grave, a grave we may never see, but as long as life and memory last, we will love and remember thee. – Sorrowing grandad and grandmam Williams.” In memoriam published 23rd July 1918 in the Nottingham Evening Post:- “MANTLE. – In sweet and sacred memory of my beloved son, Sergt. Alonzo F. Mantle (Lon), Sherwood Foresters, who died of wounds July 23rd, 1916, aged 19. As long as life and memory lasts, I will remember thee. – From his loving mother and little brothers Fred and Len. “MANTLE. – In loving memory of our dear brother, Sergt. A. F. Mantle, died of wounds July 23rd, 1916, aged 19 years. – Dearly loved and sadly missed by his sisters Grace, Florrie, and Susie. “MANTLE. – In loving memory of our dear grandson, Sergt. Alonzo Frederick Mantle, Sherwood Foresters, died of wounds July 23rd, 1916, aged 19 years. Sleep on dear one in a hero's grave, a grave we may never see, but as long as life and memory last, we will love and remember thee. – Sorrowing grandad and grandmam Williams.” Above in memoriam are courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918 Nottingham Evening Post, 16 May 1919: ‘For the Children. Nottingham Wife’s Excuse for Adultery. To consider the legal aspect the magistrates at the Nottingham Guildhall to-day adjourned a case in which Flora Mantle of Elgin-street, Broad-marsh, summoned her husband, Samuel Mantle, of 20, Crown-yard, Beeston, for desertion. Mr F Clayton appeared for the woman, and Mr RA Young for the defendant, the former’s version being that Mrs Mantle had been married 23 years, and that in April, 1906, her husband left home and never returned. Sometime later she heard he had enlisted in the army as a single man, and upon writing to his commanding officer and verifying the fact, was given an allowance of 3s. 9d. a week on which to keep herself and six children, who ages ranged from 14 months to nine years. The allowance continued for a few months, and she was then told that defendant had gone to India and that she must look to the India Office for her allowance which went on at the rate of £1 per month for over two years before being stopped on the ground that she had not got a maintenance order against her husband. Since he left she had not received a penny, and had had to bring the family up herself. Nothing was heard of the man, until a week or so back when the wife learned of his living at Beeston, and going over found him at Crown-yard with a woman who made a certain statement to her. As the result of that she asked Mantle why he had reported himself to the woman as single, bought her a wedding ring, and taken her to Weston-super-Mare. The man gave no reply. Witness said it was true that in June, 1909, an illegitimate child was born to her, but her adultery was only committed for the sake of her children, the man with whom she misconducted herself helping to bring them up. She was never told that her army allowance was stopped because of the adultery. For the defence,,Mr Young contended that plaintiff got all the army allowance she was entitled to, until, on her own confession, she had committed adultery, and it then ceased.. Defendant was in the forces until 1913, when he was placed on the reserve, but in 1914 he was mobilised for the present war and on October 30th of that year taken prisoner by the Germans near Lille, remaining in the hands of the enemy up to the time of his release after the signing of the armistice. It was said that plaintiff being neglected had been driven to adultery, but that was not true, and, to the credit of English women, they could not be driven to adultery in that way. There were Boards of Guardians and other methods for obtaining relief, and a woman who wanted to keep herself straight would do anything rather than commit sin. The fact of her husband joining the army was not neglect at all.’ (britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)