Motor Fitter. Army Service Corps (MT) Regimental number: M2/130543.
Early life:
Frank’s parents were John Baxandall and Zillah Baxandall née Sugden. They were married in Keighley on the 11th of January 1876. John was a 24 year old bachelor and farmer of Dean Lathe and Zillah was a 22 year old spinster and worsted twister of Spring Vale.
Frank was born on the 13th of November 1888 at Oakworth and his birth was recorded at Keighley.
In the 1891 census he was aged two and living at Holme House in Oakworth. His father John was 39 and a farmer. Mother Zillah was aged 37 and looking after the home and family. Their children were Ada, aged 14 and a paper maker. The next four children were Annie aged 12, Sarah aged nine, William aged six, Mary Ellen aged four, who were all attending school. Frank at just two would have been home with his mother along with the baby of the family, Wilson aged just five months. (on the census sheet Wilson is named William, which is probably just a typographical error)
By the time of the 1901 census Frank was aged twelve and living with his family at 8, Holme House on Holme House Lane, which leads down into Goose Eye from the Slaymaker Lane junction. John was 49 and still a farmer, Zillah was 47. living here were Ada, aged 24 and employed as a paper sorter at a paper mill, Sarah aged 19 was a rag sorter at a paper mill; William aged 16 was a butcher’s apprentice; Mary Ellen aged 14 was a paper finisher, Frank aged 12, Wilson aged ten and Clifford aged six were probably still attending school whole-time and Foster was just three so would have been at home with his mother.
Note:
The Paper Mill mentioned above is probably the Turkey Paper and Rag Mill located about 500 metres away at Goose Eye which made high quality paper for bank notes.
Two tragedies hit the family when their mother Zillah died at the age of 48 on the 5th of January 1902 and about eight months later their father John died aged 51 on the 19th of August 1902. This left the older siblings having to care for the younger ones and they would have had to move away from the farm to 13, Griffe View which is near Lane Ends in Oakworth village.
Frank was aged about thirteen at this time.
In the 1911 census Frank was aged 22 and employed as a fitter for a crane maker. He was living with his sister Sarah, a rag sorter aged 29, who was the head of the household. Also here were Wilson aged 20 and an iron turner for a tool makers; Clifford aged 16, and a plumber and Foster aged 13 and employed as a doffer at a worsted spinning mill.
War service:
His brothers Clifford and Foster also served in the Army during the Great War.
Frank was aged 26 years 10 months when he attested at Keighley on the 29th September 1915. He was living at 37, Commercial Street in Oakworth. He was a constructional ironwork fitter when he joined the Army Service Corps and he had not previously served in the Armed Forces. His next of kin was his older sister Mary Ellen Waterhouse and his regimental number was M2/130543.
Frank’s enlistment for the duration of the war was approved on the 6th of October 1915 at Grove Park. This was a large camp near Lewisham, South of London and a training base for the Army Service Corps.
Grove Park camp used the public park road to house many motor transport buses and ambulances and the grass area was home to many Army bell tents for the soldiers accommodation. It became known as Pennington Camp after it’s Captain’s surname and was used by the Army Service Corps to train their drivers. Keighley man Hudson Wharton also served here and this postcard was sent home by him in 1915:
Frank was aged 26 when he enlisted and was tall at 5 feet 11 inches. His chest was 39 inches and he weighed 144 lbs or ten stone. He had grey eyes and was of fairly good physical development and had not been vaccinated. He was given the medical rating ‘A’. He was inoculated on the 27th of October 1915.
He began his overseas service when he embarked on S.S. Nestor at Devonport and arrived in Alexandria on the 2nd of January 1916. when he was posted to 493 Company. On the 29th of January he was attached to 378 Company at Ismalia on the West bank of the Suez Canal about 50 miles or 83km South of Port Said and then to 493 Company on the 10th of February. (these changes were probably for administration and pay purposes)
Frank was appointed to Lance Corporal (acting, unpaid) on the 18th of February 1917. He was awarded a Good Conduct Badge in the form of a stripe or chevron which would be attached to his lower left sleeve.
He was promoted to Sergeant (acting, paid) on the 20th of March 1918 and to full sergeant on the 22nd of June 1918 at Kantara (El-Qantara). He spent five days in the 493 (MT) Hospital with Influenza from 3rd to 8th September 1918 then rejoined his unit.
He embarked on the 14th of June 1919 for the United Kingdom and was allowed leave at home in the UK from 30th June to 29th June 1919. He remained in this country until his discharge to the Z Reserve on 28th July 1919.
He served almost the whole of his service overseas with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, between the 20th of December 1915 to the 13th of June 1919, a total of three years, five months and 25 days.
His military character was described as ‘Very Good.’
He was issued with Army Form W.3226 on 6th June 1919 which was a character reference to help him find employment after the war.
It described him as a Fitter. He was sober, reliable and intelligent and suitable to be a motor fitter. It goes on to say that he would make a good foreman in a motor repair shop and had a good power of command and was tactful in his way of handling his men.
This was signed by Lieutenant G. S. Richards for the commanding officer of 493 MT Company, Royal Army Service Corps.
Post war:
Frank received the British War Medal and Victory Medal for his war service.
Frank Married Mary Sunderland in 1923 and their marriage was registered at Keighley in the third quarter of that year.
In the 1921 census Frank was boarding at 37 Lane Ends in Oakworth with Wright and Mary Ellen Waterhouse. (Mary Ellen was Frank’s older sister) The household comprised of: Wright Waterhouse, aged 42 and a grocer; Mary Ellan aged 35 and a grocer’s assistant; Frank aged 33 working as a motor engineer for Grace and Sutcliffe Motor Engineers on Cavendish Street in Keighley. Clearly the Army’s character reference letter worked!
In 1923, Frank married Mary Sunderland and their marriage was registered at Keighley in the third quarter of that year.
They appears to have had two daughters who were Hilda, born at Burnley in the second quarter of 1924 and Doris, born in Burnley in the first quarter of 1927.
In the 1939 Register they were living at 108 Oak Street in Colne and Frank was aged 51 and a maintenance engineer for ‘transport and works.’ (Does this suggest he was working for the local council?) He was also serving as an ARP Warden during the Second World War.
Also here were Mary on unpaid home duties, one redacted record which must have been for Hilda who would have been aged fifteen; and Doris who was aged twelve and attending school.
On the 16th of November 1948, Mary (of 108, Oak Street in Colne) died aged 48 and her death was recorded in Nelson during the last quarter of that year.
Her probate record shows she left the sum of £278 2s 4d to her husband Frank, Motor Engineer.
Frank remarried in 1953 to Isabel Duerden and their marriage was registered at Nelson in the third quarter of that year.
Frank (of 104 Oak Street in Colne) died at the age of 76 on the 18th of September 1965, registered at Nelson in the third quarter of the year. He died at the Hartley Hospital in Colne and his probate record shows he left the sum of £2660 to Isabel Baxandall widow and Hilda Morris and Joyce Wharton.
Isabel otherwise Isabelle (of 104, Oak Street in Colne) died at the age of 85 on the 22nd of September 1987 and her probate (registered at Bradford and dated 10th November) shows she left a sum not exceeding £70,000.
Information sources:
West Yorkshire, Non-Conformist Records, 1646-1985.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915.
1891 England Census.
1901 England Census.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915.
1911 England Census.
British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920.
British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920.
WWI Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005.
1939 England and Wales Register.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005.
England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995.
West Yorkshire, England, Electoral Registers, 1840-1962.
Bradford Council – January 2008 Goose Eye and Laycock Conservation Area Appraisal (Turkey Mill).
