Pte 235237 Arthur Lee

Arthur Lee was born in the December quarter of 1881, in Lockwood, near Huddersfield, Yorkshire, the son of  John Lee and Ellen (née Mowbray). His parents married in 1877 and had six children, two of whom died young.  Arthur had older siblings Albert and Miriam, and a younger brother Frederick. 

In 1891 the family is living in Meltham Road, Lockwood, with three children. His father and Albert works in a woollen mill, Arthur is 9.

 

The 1901 census finds the family at 6 Shoulder of Mutton Yard, Lockwood.  His father, Albert, and Miriam, work in the woollen mill, Arthur is 19, and employed as a cloth finisher.  

 

They are still at 6 Shoulder of Mutton Yard in 1911.  His parents are both 58. His father, Miriam, 31, and Arthur, 29, are woolen cloth weavers, Frederick, 17, is a grocer’s assistant. 

 

Arthur married Lily Storey in 1912 in Huddersfield district.    

 

Arthur joined the 19th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 235237.

 

He survived the war but succumbed to injuries on 17th January 1921, aged 39. It is not clear whether Arthur died at home or in hospital near Blackpool, Lancashire.

Arthur now rests at All Hallows Churchyard in Bispham where his headstone bears the epitaph:

"UNTIL THE DAY DAWNS".

 

There are 13 burials from the First World War in the Churchyard.

 

The pension card in his parents’ names shows disability nerves, pension refused, disability contracted after discharge. Another pension card shows cause of death Bright’s disease (nephritis).  A third pension card in the name of his widow Lily, living at 10 Hesketh Place, Bispham, Blackpool, shows pension refused, but another shows she was granted a pension of £1-6s-8d a week. 

 

His younger brother Frederick served with the Seaforth Highlanders, and was killed in action on the 01st August 1917, aged 24. He is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing, Ypres.

 

Sadly, Arthur has not been found on any memorial.