Frank Featherstone

Family also used the surname CLARKE or CLARK. Frank was the youngest son of John William Featherstone Clarke and his wife Hannah (née Adkin). His father was born in Mansfield in about 1844 and his mother in Epperstone, Nottinghamshire, in 1845, the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Adkin. John Willilam and Hannah were married in 1865 (reg. Mansfield) and had at least seven children, two of whose births were registered as Clark or Clarke: James (also John) William b. 1866, Mary Ann birth registered 1868 (J/F/M), Elizabeth b. 1869, Martha Hannah Clark b. 1871 d. 1899, George Clarke b. 1873, Joseph birth registered 1875 (J/F/M) possibly died 1903 and Frank b. 1876. All the children were born in Mansfield. The family was recorded on the 1871 Census as Clark, John (27) a butcher, his wife and three children, William (4), Mary (3) and Elizabeth (1) were living at 31 Church Street, Mansfield. Also in the home on the night of the census was John's mother-in-law, Elizabeth Adkin. William (sic) and Hannah were still living at 31 Church Street in 1881 but using the surname Featherston (sic). Only four of their seven children were in the home on the night of the census: James (sic), Mary, George (7) and Frank (4). The three other children, Elizabeth, Martha (9) and Joseph (6) - all recorded as Clarke - were at their maternal grandparents home in Epperstone. Hannah died later that year (reg. 1881 June Mansfield, Featherston). In 1891 the widowed John (Clarke) was living at Church Street with five of his seven children: Elizabeth a dressmaker, Martha, George a butcher, Joseph a butcher's apprentice and Frank who was still at school. John William (Featherston), a butcher, had married Sarah Ann Lees in 1888 and they and their daughter Winifred were living on Balfour Street, Mansfield. Mary Ann had married John William Bull at Mansfield Unitarian Chapel in 1890 and they were living in Commercial Square, Mansfield. The youngest daughter, Martha, died in 1899 and her father William died in January 1901. Recorded using the surname Clark, Frank, a pork butcher, was living at 27 Church Street, in 1901 and head of household. Living with him were his two sisters, Elizabeth Clark, whose occupation was given as housekeeper, and Mary Bull and her three children John, George and Dorothy. Mary was separated from her husband John who was living with his parents in Mansfield. Frank's brother John William also used the surname Clarke on the 1901 census although George, who had married in 1898, was recorded as Featherstone. Joseph has not yet been traced on the 1901 Census and may have died two years later in 1903. By 1911 Frank, a farm labourer, and Elizabeth, both using the surname Featherstone, together with their sister Mary Bull and her four children (a third son, Robert Bull, had been born in 1910), were living at 14 Bowling Street, Mansfield. Their brother John and his wife were living at Frank's former home at 27 Church Street. Frank's nephew, George Bull (b. 1892, birth reg. 1893 J/F/M), served in the Royal Engineers during the war. He attested in December 1915 and was moblised in May 1916 serving with the Royal Engineers (sapper, later promoted corporal). He was drafted to Salonika in January 1917 where he spent 2 years 7 months then two months in Constantinople [Istanbul]. George was invalided to the UK on 25 September 1919 and admitted to Netley Hospital. He was discharged from the army in 1919.

1901 - pork butcher. 1911 - farm labourer.

14 Bowling Street, Mansfield.

1st Bn Connaught Rangers. Formerly Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment). The 1st Bn served in Meospotamia (Iraq) from January 1916. Frank died in Baghdad Hospital on 5 December 1917; the city had been captured from the Turkish army earlier in the year. He is buried in the Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery, Iraq (grave ref. XII.G.7). Connaught Rangers: 'The regiment was established during the British Army reforms of 1881. The 88th Regiment of Foot (Connaught Rangers) merged with the 94th Regiment of Foot to form a new two-battalion unit. This new unit took its title from the 88th Foot, which traditionally recruited in the Irish province of Connaught ... Both battalions served on the Western Front in 1914-15. 2nd Battalion suffered such heavy casualties that in December 1914 it had to merge with 1st Battalion. This was redeployed to Mesopotamia (now Iraq) in January 1916 … In 1922, the Irish Free State gained independence and all five British regiments that were recruited there, including the Connaught Rangers, were disbanded.' (www.nam.ac.uk/explore/connaught-rangers) CWGC - History of Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery, Iraq (extract): The cemetery is in the Waziriah area of the Al-Russafa district of Baghdad. 'In 1914, Baghdad was the headquarters of the Turkish Army in Mesopotamia. It was the ultimate objective of the Indian Expeditionary Force 'D' and the goal of the force besieged and captured at Kut in 1916. The city finally fell in March 1917, but the position was not fully consolidated until the end of April. Nevertheless, it had by that time become the Expeditionary Force's advanced base, with two stationary hospitals and three casualty clearing stations. The North Gate Cemetery was begun In April 1917 and has been greatly enlarged since the end of the First World War by graves brought in from other burial grounds in Baghdad and northern Iraq, and from battlefields and cemeteries in Anatolia where Commonwealth prisoners of war were buried by the Turkish forces.' (www.cwgc.org)

Mansfield Reporter, 3 December 1937: a report following news of the death of John William Featherstone, ‘but better known in his cycling days as Clarke, who was a pork butcher in Church Street until he sold the business to the late Mr Jackson.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Mansfield Reporter, ‘Deaths’, 14 December 1917: ‘Featherstone. In loving memory of our dear brother, Private F Featherstone, younger son of the late W Featherstone, pork butcher, Church Street, who passed away on December 5th, at Basra, Mesopotamia. ‘Life’s work well done.’’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Mansfield Reporter, ‘In Memoriam’, 6 December 1918: ‘Featherstone. In loving memory of Pte. Frank Featherstone, who died in Bagdad (sic) Hospital, on 5th December, 1917. RIP.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Mansfield Reporter, ‘In Memoriam’, 5 December 1919:’ Featherstone. In loving remembrance of Pte. F Featherstone, who died in Baghdad Hospital, December 5th , 1917. ‘Sunset and evening star, and one clear call for me.'‘ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Quotation from ‘Crossing the Bar’, Alfred Lord Tennyson. Mansfield Reporter, ‘In Memoriam’, 3 December 1937: ‘Featherstone. In loving remembrance of Private F Featherstone who passed on December 5th 1917 in Baghdad. ‘Up from Earth’s centre through the Seventh Gate I rose and on the Throne of Satum sate, And many a Knot unraveled by the Road; But not the Master-knot of Human Fate.'’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Quotation from Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyam. Probate: Featherstone Frank of Bowling-street Mansfield Nottinghamshire private in HM Army died 5 December 1917 at Bagdad Turkey Administration (with Will) Nottingham 12 July to Mary Ann Oscroft (wife of George Oscroft). Effects £2014 16s. 3d. Registers of Soldiers' Effects: His sister Mary Ann Bull (later Oscroft m. 1919) was his sole legatee. WW1 Pension Ledgers Index Card: sister Mary Ann Bull, residence Mansfield.