Frederick was born on 5th September 1899 in Audenshaw, Manchester, Lancashire to parents Thomas and Elizabeth and baptised on 18th October at St Stephen’s Church the same year. He was first recorded on the 1901 census aged five months old; he had an older brother and sister and lived with his family at 6 Earl Street, Audenshaw, his father working as a minder in a cotton mill to support the household. In the next ten years the family had grown and Frederick had a further two sisters but they had remained at the original address. He was attending the St Stephen’s Church and School by the 1911 census, aged 11.
Frederick was working in a cloth mill when he decided to join the Navy and sign up for 12 years service. He was recorded as being 5’2” tall with brown hair, hazel eyes and a fresh complexion. He joined HMS POWERFUL as a Boy 2nd Class on 27th June 1916 until 1st January 1917, rising to Boy 1st Class on 9th December 1916.
He transferred to HMS VANGUARD on 2nd February 1917 for six days before heading to HMS VIVID I from 9th February to 17th February 1917. He returned to Scapa Flow in Orkney on 18th February and remained with the ship until her explosion.
His father received his son’s Victory and British war medals following his death. He is remembered nationally on the Plymouth Naval Memorial and locally on the Audenshaw War Memorial.
(# 313 - 123/843)
Sources:
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915 Free BMD
1901 & 1911 England Census
Manchester, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1915
Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services, 1848-1939 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services; Class: ADM 188; Piece: 755
British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Admiralty: Naval Casualties, Indexes, War Grave Rolls and Statistics Book, First World War.; Class: ADM 242; Piece: 007 (1914 - 1919)
CWGC Register
Naval Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1972 Class: ADM 171; Piece: 97
Royal Navy and Royal Marine War Graves Roll, 1914-1919 TNA Series: ADM 242/7; Scan Number: 0565
Photo sources - British Newspaper Archives
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