Albert's Story.
EARLY LIFE
Albert Whiston Dawson was born on 6 May and baptised on 4 June 1876 at the Trinity Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Macclesfield, the son of Sarah Ann (nee Whiston) and Edward Dawson, a platelayer of Macclesfield. Sarah Ann died two years later, and in October 1878 his father married Ellen Barr at St Peter's Church, Prestbury.
In 1881, five-year-old Albert was living at 2 Dalton St, Gorton, Lancashire with his parents and siblings Sarah Ann (11), Laura (7) and Edward (3 months). Ten years later the family had moved to 10 Wesley St, Salford, and Edward was employed as a 'drawer in.' By 1901 the family had returned to live at 36 Nixon's Yard, Macclesfield, where Edward Dawson had a greengrocery business and Albert was employed as a bricksetter's labourer. The 1911 census shows that Nixon's Yard had been renamed Thomas Street, so Edward and Ellen were living at the same house but the address was then 36 Thomas Street. In 1911, Albert was working as a hawker.
WW1 SERVICE
Albert enlisted with the 1st Battalion of the Monmouthshire Regiment with service number 230081, but was later transferred to the 233rd Company Labour Corps with service number 463592. He was not awarded the 1914/15 star medal so he could not have been drafted overseas until at least 1916.
It is not known when Albert became ill, but he is recorded as having died of pneumonia at his parents' home at 36 Thomas Street, Macclesfield.
The interment of Rifleman Dawson was reported in the Macclesfield Times on 14 March 1919:
INTERMENTS AT THE CEMETERY: DAWSON - March 12th, at 36 Thomas St, Albert Dawson, aged 42 years.
COMMEMORATION
Rifleman Albert Dawson is buried in grave ref. D. 3864 in Macclesfield Cemetery. The grave is marked by a private family memorial with the inscription "... Pte Albert Dawson Monmouthshire Regt. beloved son of Edward and Ellen Dawson died March 8th 1919 aged 42 years..."
Rifleman Albert Dawson is commemorated on the Park Green war memorial.
SOURCES
GRO (England & Wales) Index: Births, Marriages, Deaths
Cheshire Non-Conformist & Roman Catholic Baptism Registers (Find My Past)
Census (England & Wales): 1881, 1891, 1901, 1911
WWI British Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects (Ancestry)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission website
Family History Society of Cheshire (FHSC): Macclesfield Area Monumental Inscriptions
Macclesfield Times: 14 March 1919
Research by Rosie Rowley, Congleton.