1885 - 1916
CPL David Wallace Crawford
1887 - 1916
Lce-Corpl John Joseph Nickle
1894 - 1916
Pte 17911 Morton Neill
1897 - 1916
Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft
1883 - 1918
Pte 59428 Richard Williams Hampson
- Age: 28
- From: Liverpool
- Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
- Died Saturday 7th July 1917
- Commemorated at: Longuenesse Cem, St Omer
Panel Ref: IV.C.48
Richard Williams Hampson was born on the 15th September 1888 in Liverpool and was baptised on the 24th September 1889 at St Peter’s Church of England Church, Liverpool. He was the son of Thomas Hampson and his wife Martha Jane (née Brown) who married on the 05th November 1877 at St Nicholas’ Church, Liverpool. Thomas was a tobacconist of Highfield Street, father William a pavior, whilst Martha was also of Highfield Street, father Joseph a warehouseman. Richard was the sixth of nine children. He had older siblings Georgina, William, Thomas, Robert, and Susannah, and younger siblings James, Daisy, and Elizabeth.
By 1901 Richard, 13, with his mother and siblings Susannah, Elizabeth, Daisy, Robert, and James, are boarding with his married sister Georgina Gillespie, her husband and daughter, at 20 Arundel Street, Everton. His mother, aged 42, is listed as married, but his father is not in the household, and does not appear on further censuses. On the Electoral Roll at Pickering Street he is Thomas. W. Hampson until 1898-99, there is a possible death record for him in 1901, aged 43.
His father died, aged 43, in the June quarter of 1901.
The 1911 Census shows they are still living with Georgina and her family in 1911. His mother is listed as married by her son-in-law who completed the census form, and corrected to widowed. The head of household is Robert Gillespie aged 35, born 1876 in Liverpool, occupation labourer. He lived with his wife Georgina and their five children. Richard was a boarder aged 22, and occupation tobacconist in a factory, also boarding at the property was his mother Martha a widow, aged 53, born 1858 and his brother Robert aged 27, born 1884, occupation labourer on the docks, James aged 20, born 1891 a case maker in a tobacco factory, Daisy aged 18, born 1893 and Elizabeth aged 16, born 1895.
His mother appears to have died in the September quarter of 1911, aged 53.
He married Annie Walsh on the 31st July, 1915 at St Chrysostom's, Church of England Church, Everton. Richard was a 26 year old tobacco worker of 4 Solva Street, father Thomas a tobacco worker, whilst Annie was aged 23 of 17 Dido Street, father James Walsh, a coach-painter.
Richard enlisted in Liverpool joining in the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 59428. The amount of the War Gratuity suggests that he served for 12 months, enlisting or being conscripted in about July 1916.
Richard died of bronchial pneumonia at the (58th) Scottish General Hospital, St. Omer on the 07th July 1917, aged 28.
He now rests at Longuenesse Cemetery, St Omer, France.
St. Omer was the General Headquarters of the British Expeditionary Force from October 1914 to March 1916. Lord Roberts died there in November 1914. The town was a considerable hospital centre with the 4th, 10th, 7th Canadian, 9th Canadian and New Zealand Stationary Hospitals, the 7th, 58th (Scottish) and 59th (Northern) General Hospitals, and the 17th, 18th and 1st and 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Stations all stationed there at some time during the war. St. Omer suffered air raids in November 1917 and May 1918, with serious loss of life.
The cemetery takes its names from the triangular cemetery of the St. Omer garrison, properly called the Souvenir Cemetery (Cimetiere du Souvenir Francais) which is located next to the War Cemetery.
The Commonwealth section of the cemetery contains 2,874 Commonwealth burials of the First World War (6 unidentified), with special memorials commemorating 23 men of the Chinese Labour Corps whose graves could not be exactly located. Second World War burials number 403, (93 unidentified). Within the Commonwealth section there are also 34 non-war burials and 239 war graves of other nationalities.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.
His death was reported in the Liverpool Weekly Courier on Saturday 21 July 1917:
FALLEN HEROES.
Pte R. W. Hampson, who died in hospital in France on July 7th, 1917, previous to joining the Army was employed by Messrs. Hignett Bros. for 14 years and resided at 12 Northcote Street, Everton. He leaves a wife and one child.
A notation on the pension card (showing her as “guardian of child”) states “widow awarded Alternative Pension” of £1-1-7d from October 1918. Annie received Richard’s Army effects, Army Pay of £2 13s and a War Gratuity of £3.
“In loving memory of Private Richard Hampson, K.L.R., who died of pneumonia in France, July 7, 1917. Never forgotten by his Brother Jim (in France) and Sister-in-law Bella.
In 1939, Annie, 47, with her husband and daughter Eva is living at 23 Landseer Road, Liverpool. Eva is 22, a shorthand typist.
Annie appears to have died, in 1977, at the age of 85.
Eva married Thomas J. Brown in 1940, had a son and a daughter, and died in 1993, aged 76.
We currently have no further information on Richard William Hampson. If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.
Killed On This Day.
(108 Years this day)Sunday 16th June 1918.
Pte 57615 Fred William Preddy
23 years old
(105 Years this day)
Thursday 16th June 1921.
Captain Leonard George Duncan
43 years old