Alexander Booth

Alexander, also known as Alec, was born in 1897 (J/A/S) the son of George Booth and Priscilla Booth nee Hopcroft. Both his parents were born in Nottingham, George in 1863 and Priscilla in 1864. They were married in 1886 (marriage registered J/A/S Basford). According to the information they provided on the 1911 Census, they had been married for 25 years and had had 10 children of whom only seven were still living at the time of the census. Eight children were named on the census between 1891 and 1911: Elizabeth Ellen (b. 1886 J/A/S), Florence Gertrude (birth registered 1888 J/F/M), Mabel (b. 1889 (J/A/S), Beatrice Mary (birth registered 1894 (J/F/M), Alexander (b. 1897 J/A/S), Grace (b. 1899 J/A/S), Stanley (b. abt 1901) and Ethel (b. 1904 J/A/S); all were born in Nottingham. All the children apart from Elizabeth have been traced up to and after the 1911 census which suggests that Elizabeth probably died after 1901 but before the census of 1911. George and Priscilla were living at 8 Bank Terrace, Carrington, Nottingham, in 1891, but by 1901 were living at 5 Oxford Terrace, Hyson Green in the ecclesiastical parish of St Stephen. George (37) a corporation labourer, and Priscilla (36) had six children by now: Elizabeth (14) and Florence (13) who were both in work, and Mabel (11), Beatrice (7), Alexander (3) and Grace (1). Mabel married Robert Pearson in 1908 (marriage registered O/N/D Nottingham) and in 1911 they were living at 7 Forster Grove, Forster Street, Radford. Mabel (21) was a slip winder and Robert (24) a tool maker. They had had one child who had not survived infancy. Florence married Walter Atherton at Nottingham Register Office on 23 October 1909. When Walter, a plasterer, attested in 1915 they were living at 2 Rochdale Terrace, Kirkstead Street, Nottingham, and had three children, Stanley Walter (b. 16 April 1910), Albert (b. 3 October 1912) and Annie (b. 15 September 1914). Walter joined the Royal Engineers (176953 Lance Corporal) and served in France from 5 May 1917. He survived the war. By 1911 George and Priscilla had moved to 28 Bateman Street, Hyson Green. Only five of their surviving children were still at home on the night of the census: Beatrice (17) a slip winder, Alex (15), Grace (11), Stanley (9) and Ethel (6). In May 1919 Alexander's mother provided information for the army of her son's surviving blood relatives. Priscilla signed the form 'with her mark' and the document was witnessed by Rev J Williams of 24 Noel Street, Hyson Green. Priscilla and George, were now living at 14 Bateman Street, and Priscilla only named four of Alexander's siblings: Stanley (17), Beatrice (25), Grace (19) and Ethel (14), all of whom were still living at home. Priscilla therefore did not include Alexander's married sisters, Florence and Mabel, both of whom were still alive in 1919. Alexander's father George probably died in 1929 aged 65 and his mother Priscilla in 1938 aged 74. Of Alexander's siblings: Florence Atherton died in 1945 aged 57 (death registered December, Nottingham) Grace married Henry Mason in 1923 (marriage registered O/N/D Nottingham). Stanley married Mary E Longdon in 1923 (marriage registered O/N/D Nottingham). He died in 1943 aged 42 (death registered December, Nottingham).

He lived in Sneinton and enlisted in Nottingham

He completed the Territorial Force Attestation (Imperial Service Battalion) on 11 May 1914 when he was 17 years old. Embodied service counted from 5 August 1914 and he served at home until going to France on 28 February 1915. He was killed in action five months later after serving 1 year 82 days. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.

Nottingham Post notice (abridged), 16 August 1915: 'Booth. Killed in action July 31st, Private A Booth, 1/7th Sherwood Foresters, aged 19. Mother, father, brother, sisters.' In memoriam notice published 31st July 1917 in the Nottingham Evening Post :- BOOTH. – In loving memory of Private A. Booth, Sherwoods, killed in action July 31st, 1915, aged 18 years. We often speak his loving name, and shed a silent tear; time cannot alter love so deep and true, two years but brings to us our grief anew. Nobly he lived, a hero he died. – Mother, father, sisters, and brother.” Above in memoriam is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918