Frank's Story.
EARLY LIFE
Frank Crowder was born in Macclesfield in 1879, the son of Rachel Crowder, a silk piecer. In 1881, two-year-old Frank was living at 16 Waters with his grandmother, Alice Crowder, mother Rachel (23), uncle John (21) and aunt Alice (14).
On 1 December 1900 Frank married Alice Taylor at St Michael's (temporary) Church, Macclesfield - at the time, St Michael's Church was undergoing rebuilding work and the church was using a temporary building. Frank, then aged 20, was working as a blacksmith. The couple set up home at 38 Brunswick Hill, but by 1911 they had moved to 10 Lower Exchange Street and had two daughters, Florence and Nellie. A son, Harold, had died at the age of two.
WW1 SERVICE
Frank’s death was reported in the Macclesfield Times of 26 January 1917:
Corporal Frank Crowder, of the RFA, son of Mrs Crowder, 16 Waters Green, Macclesfield, died in hospital at Colchester on January 20th from injuries received while in a dug-out in France. It appears that on the 10th January the deceased soldier was placed in a dug-out for the night. A creaking noise was heard, and the men rushed out for safety, but a beam struck the Corporal, crushing his hip and back severely. He was sent to the base for a week, and was two days at Rouen. Later he was transferred to Southampton, and from thence to Colchester. On January 18th his wife paid him a visit and was with her husband when he died.
Corporal Crowder was 36 years of age, and leaves a widow and two children. He was a native of Macclesfield and received his education at the Fence and Mill Street day schools. The late Corporal served his apprenticeship as a farrier with Mr B Goulden, Hurdsfield, and was afterwards in the employ of Mr F J Woodcock. He enlisted on August 11th, 1914, and was drafted out to France on November 5th of the same year. The deceased soldier was last home on furlough twelve months ago.
The body was conveyed from Colchester by rail, and the interment took place at Macclesfield Cemetery yesterday afternoon with semi-military honours. The coffin was covered with the Union Jack, and on it was the deceased soldier’s cap… the bearers [were] Corporals H W Bullock and Luck, Lance-Corporal Leary and Private Roone. The last rites were performed by the Rev A M Pocock, and at the conclusion of the burial service the “Last Post” was sounded by Scout Albert Parker, of the Christ Church troop. The local branch of the Master Farriers’ Association was represented at the funeral, and the immediate relatives of the deceased were present.
Mrs Crowder has received [a] letter from the Macclesfield Branch of the National Farriers' Association, of which her husband was a member...
An announcement of his death was also printed in the Births, Marriages and deaths section of the Macclesfield Courier on 27 January 1917:
CROWDER - on January 21st, at Essex County Hospital, Colchester, Frank Crowder, aged 36 years.
COMMEMORATION
Cpl Frank Crowder is buried in grave ref. G. 5803 in Macclesfield Cemetery. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission holds casualty details for Cpl Frank Crowder, and he is listed on the Imperial War Museum’s Lives of the First World War website.
In Macclesfield, Cpl Frank Crowder is commemorated on the Park Green, Town Hall and St Michael’s Church war memorials.
SOURCES
GRO (England & Wales) Index: Births
Census (England & Wales): 1891, 1901, 1911
Commonwealth War Graves Commission website
Macclesfield Times: 26 January 1917
Macclesfield Courier: 27 January 1917
Research by Rosie Rowley, Macclesfield.