Frederick Buckley

Frederick was the son of Anthony and Ann (Annie) Buckley (née Hardstone). Both his parents were born in Derbyshire, his father in Middleton, and his mother in Crich. They were married at Derby St Peter in 1871 and had eight children, the eldest of whom died in infancy: Elizabeth b. 1872 d. 1872, Annie Eliza, Thomas, Joseph, Bertha, Frederick birth registered 1885 (J/F/M), Rose and Elsie. All the children were born in Crich where the family lived at Park Head. Anthony Buckley died in 1919 and his widow Ann in 1929. Frederick married Annie Harrison (b. 1885, Crich) at Belper Baptist Chapel in 1906. They had four children, one of whom died in childhood: Harold b. 1906, Bertha birth registered 1909 (J/F/M) d. 1914 and John Robert b. 1911 who were born in Crich and Edith who was born in Mansfield in 1914. In 1911, Frederick, a coal miner hewer, his wife and their two children, Harold and Bertha, were living at Park Head, Crich. Bertha died in 1914 aged 5. Her death was registered in Belper (J/F/M) but her sister Edith's birth in April the same year was registered in Mansfield. The family was living in Mansfield at the time of Frederick's death in 1916. The CWGC record gives his widow Annie's address as 55 Brownlow Road, Mansfield, and Annie was still living at the same address in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled. Also in the home were her two youngest children, John Robert, a coal miner, and Edith, a hotel maid. Annie died in May 1958; she was still living on Brownlow Road. Her married daughter Edith (Ryalls m. 1946) had died earlier that year.

1901 - navvy. 1911 - coal miner hewer

Mansfield Nottinghamshire. Enlisted Mansfield

'B' Battery 110th Brigade Royal Field Artillery Frederick was killed in action on 30 July 1916 and is buried in Becourt Military Cemetery, Becordel-Becourt, France (grave ref. I.U.34). CWGC - History of Becourt Military Cemetery (extract). Becourt is 2km from the town of Albert. 'The Military Cemetery was begun in August, 1915, by the 51st (Highland) Division, and carried on by the 18th and other Divisions in the line until the Battles of the Somme, 1916. It continued in use, chiefly by Field Ambulances, until April, 1917; Plot II was made by the 18th Division at the end of August, 1918.' (www.cwgc.org)

CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'A silent thought a secret tear keep his memory ever dear' CWGC Extra information: 'Son of Anthony and Annie Buckley, of Park Head, Crich, Matlock Bath; husband of Annie Buckley, of 55, Brownlow Rd., Mansfield, Notts.' Derbyshire Courier, 12 & 15 August 1916. ‘Derbyshire Men on the Roll of Honour’: photograph with caption, ‘Driver F Buckley. Crich (Killed).’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Derbyshire Courier, ‘In Memoriam,’ 12 August 1916: ‘Buckley. In loving memory of my dear husband, Driver Fred Buckley RFA., who was killed in France, July 30th, 1916. He died that we might live; A voice we love is still. A place is vacant on our hearth, Which never can be filled. From his sorrowing Wife and dear little Children.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Mansfield Reporter & Sutton Times, 8 September 1916: ‘Roll of Honour. Killed. Royal Field Artillery. Dvr. F Buckley 62992, Mansfield.’