Albany Chadwick

Albany was the son of Tom and Sarah Chadwick and one of nine children, two of whom died in infancy or childhood. He was born in Lofthouse, near Wakefield, Yorkshire, on 28 September 1889 (reg. Wakefield) and baptised at Lofthouse Christchurch in June 1894. In 1901 Thomas, a coal miner, his wife and four of their children, including Albany, were living at Booth Cottages, Lofthouse, Rothwell. His parents were still living in Lofthouse in 1911 but Albany had moved Shirebrook, where he was living on Vernon Street, a boarder in the household of another miner, Ben Hartley, and his wife who were also from Lofthouse. Albany married Alice Birch at Shirebrook Parish Church on 13 July 1914, both were resident in Shirebrook. Alice (b. 1885), a domestic servant, was the daughter of Thomas Keeling Birch, a coal miner. Albany and Alice had two children, Walter b. 1914 and Edna b. 1916. Both children were born in Shirebrook and the family was living on Byron Street when Walter was baptised at Shirebrook parish church in November 1914. However, they were living at 62 Austin Street, Shirebrook, when Albany was killed in 1916. His widow married Elijah Cooper in 1918 and they probably had two sons, Sydney b. 1919 and George b. 1925.

1911 - coal miner. At the time he enlisted he was working at Warsop Main Colliery.

Residence Shirebrook, enlisted Mansfield

'C' Coy, 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment) The 2nd Battalion was mobilised in August 1914 and moved from Sheffield to Edinburgh before moving to Cambridge. It came under 18th Brigade, 6th Division, and landed at St Nazaire on 11 September 1914. In October 1915, the year that Albany joined the battalion in France, the battalion transferred to 71st Brigade, 6th Division. Corporal Albany Chadwick enlisted in November 1914 and served in France from 29 June 1915. He was killed in action on the Somme on 15 September 1916. Albany has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France. He qualified for the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

CWGC: 'He was the husband of Alice Cooper (formerly Chadwick) of 62 Austin Street Shirebrook Mansfield.' Albany Chadwick is not commemorated on either the Rothwell or Lofthouse war memorials. “Corpl. A. Chadwick, Notts. and Derbys., 62 Austin Street, Shirebrook, has been killed in action. Lieut. A. Cowley, in a letter to Mrs. Chadwick, states: “It is with a feeling of deep regret that I have to inform you that your husband was killed in action on the morning of the 15th ult. Unfortunately, there are none left who can give any full detail, but from the accounts of D Co. did, I can assure you that your husband died a soldier's death to the glory of the cause in which God had sent him.” Deceased, who leaves a widow and two children, was 26 years of age and enlisted in Nov., 1914. He worked at Warsop Main Colliery.” Above courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918