Percy's Story.
Son of Mr. George Hollinshead and Mrs. Sarah H. Hollinshead of 37, Antrobus Street, Congleton, Cheshire. He had one sister, Margaret Ellen Hollinshead, and two half-sisters, Annie and Helen Hollinshead, along with four brothers, John Thomas, Edward, Joseph and George Hollinshead, and two half brothers, Charles and James Hollinshead. His father George was previously married to Emily Hunt who died in 1869. In 1901, he was employed at a Silk Mill doing Hand Spin Cleaning, but by 1911, he was a Warehouse Manager in a Silk Mill. In November 1912, he left Glasgow to go to Canada on the Saturnia arriving at St John, New Brunswick on the 4th December 1912.
He enlisted in the Territorial Army with the 1/7th Battalion, The Cheshire Regiment, at Congleton on the 10th of December 1913, at the age of 26, having already served 3 years in the 5th V. B. Cheshire Regiment. He was promoted to Lance Corporal on the 30th of April 1913. He was transferred to the 3/7th Battalion on the 1st of May 1915. On the 27th of April 1916, he transferred to the Royal Engineers at Oswestry, with the rank of Pioneer. He was accidently injured while on duty on the 6th of January 1918 and was consequently admitted to hospital from where he returned to England on the 14th of March 1918. He was discharged from the Army on the 15th of March 1919 with severe disability.
Extract from the Congleton Chronicle 1920.
The death occurred on the 11th of March 1920, at the age of 33 years of Pioneer Percy Hollinshead, of Antrobus Street, Congleton, at the Royal Infirmary, Manchester, where he had undergone a serious operation. Deceased was demobilised about 12 months ago, having served in the Army during the war from August 1914. He was a popular member of Mrs. Saxon's Gymnastic Class and from childhood had been closely associated with St James Church and Schools.
The funeral took place at Astbury Church on Tuesday afternoon, the service being impressively conducted by the Rev. J. H. Barr, Vicar of St James Church, Congleton. The coffin was wrapped in the Union Jack and the bearers were representatives of the Congleton Branch of the Comrades of the Great War. Preceding the hearse were Mrs. Saxon and representatives from the St James' Bible Class. The mourners were, Mr. J. T. Hollinshead, Mr. Joseph Hollinshead, Mr. William Hollinshead, Mr. George Hollinshead (brothers) Mrs. and Mr. Ashley (sister and brother in law), Joseph Hollinshead, Misses. Hollinshead and Mr. T. Hollinshead, (Biddulph) and Mr. T. Bailey, (Swan Street). Many beautiful wreaths were laid on the coffin, including floral tributes from the members of the family, the Directors of Messrs' Reade and Company, Brook Mills, (where the deceased was formerly employed) also from the employees and the picking room, Brook Mills, Members of Mrs. Saxon's Sunday School Class, and the Congleton Branch of the Comrades of the Great War.
Cheshire County Memorial Project would like to thank John and Christopher Pullen for this information on Percy.