Frank's Story.
EARLY LIFE
Frank Warrington was born in Macclesfield in 1881, the son of Louisa (née Wilshaw) and William Warrington, a cattle dealer of 107 Mill Lane, Macclesfield. Frank and his sister Bertha were baptised together at St Peter's Church, Macclesfield on 29 October 1882.
By 1891 the family had moved to Danes Moss, and nine-year-old Frank was living there with his parents and siblings Fred (16), Bertha (14), Eleanor (11), John (7), May (5) and Emma (2). Ten years later the family had moved back to Macclesfield, living at 10 Mill Lane which was also home to another daughter Florrie, aged 9, and Frank's widowed paternal grandfather, William Warrington, a retired cattle dealer, aged 76.
Frank was educated at St George’s School and was a member of the Young Men’s Class at St Paul’s Church. After leaving school he served an apprenticeship in butchery with the Macclesfield Equitable Provident Society and was subsequently manager of the society’s retail butchery shop in Bollington for some years, before going into business on his own at 81 Buxton Road, Macclesfield. In 1903 Frank married Annie Royle, of Bollington (born Wigan) at St John's Church, Bollington, and two years later their son, Eric, was born. The 1911 census records the family living at 56 Black Road, Macclesfield and they attended services at St Paul’s Church.
WW1 SERVICE
War service intervened and Frank was conscripted into the Army in January 1917.
Frank's death was reported in The Times & East Cheshire Observer of 29 June 1917:
LOCAL BUTCHER'S FATE: SUCCUMBS TO WOUNDS IN FRANCE
Mrs Warrington, Buxton Road, Macclesfield, has received news... that her husband, Private Frank Warrington, of the Cheshire Regt, died on June 16th from wounds received in action in France. The deceased soldier was about 34 years of age and leaves a widow and a twelve-year-old boy. He was the son of the late Mr William Warrington, Allen House, Mill Lane and was educated at St George's Day School under Mr A. Salt. He served an apprenticeship to the butchery trade with the Macclesfield Equitable Provident Society and was subsequently manager of the Society's butchery branch at Bollington for a good number of years. He afterwards went into business on his own account at 81 Buxton Road, but had to relinquish it owing to the claims of Army service. He joined the forces last January, and had only been in the firing line about a month, having spent four weeks at the base after being drafted out. Private Warrington was in the Messines fighting and wrote home to his wife stating that he had come through safely. His nephew, Private William Warrington, only 19 years of age, was wounded in both legs with shrapnel some time ago, and is now serving on the East Coast. The deceased soldier was a member of the Young Men's Class connected with St Paul's Church.
His death was also reported in The Macclesfield Courier & Herald of 30 June 1917.
COMMEMORATION
Private Frank Warrington is buried in Grave Ref. II. D. 35. in Kandahar Farm Cemetery, Belgium.
In Macclesfield, Private Frank Warrington is commemorated on the Park Green, Town Hall, St Michael’s Church and St Paul's Church war memorials.
NOTES
Note there were two men named Frank Warrington in the Macclesfield area at the time of the Great War; the other Frank Warrington lived in Sutton and Prestbury, attended Macclesfield Modern Grammar School and was killed in action 17th October 1917.
SOURCES
GRO (England & Wales) Index: Births, Marriages
Cheshire Parish Baptism Registers: St Peter’s Church, Macclesfield
Cheshire Parish Marriage Registers: St John's Church, Bollington
Census (England & Wales): 1891, 1901, 1911
Commonwealth War Graves Commission website
Lives of the First World War website
Macclesfield Times: 29 June 1917
Macclesfield Courier: 30 June 1917
Photo by kind permission of the Dorey family.
Research by Peter Ramsden and Rosie Rowley.