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 300177 Peter Atherton
- Age: 42
- From: St Helens, Lancs
- Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
- K.I.A Friday 7th December 1917
- Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
Panel Ref: Panel 31-34
Peter Atherton was born on the 22nd June 1875 in Parr, St Helens and was the son of Thomas Atherton and his wife Ann (née Ashcroft) who were married on the 01st December 1867 at St Thomas’ Church, Eccleston. Thomas was a 22 year old ropemaker of Eccleston, his father, John, was a miner, whilst, Ann, was aged 20 of Windle, her father, James, was a collier. Peter had nine siblings; Mary, Ann, John, James, Ralph, Alfred, William, Ruth and George. He was baptised on the 28th January 1877 at the Parish Church, Parr, his father was a ropemaker.
The 1881 Census finds Peter aged 5 and a schoolboy living with his parents at 87 Glover Street, St Helens. His father, Thomas, is aged 33, he was born in Wigan, his mother, Ann, is also aged 33, born in St Helens. His siblings listed in the household are; Mary E. aged 12, at school, John T. aged 10, at school, James aged 8, at school, Ralph aged 2 and Ann J. aged 6 months . All of their children were born in Parr.
By the time of the 1891 Census, Peter, is 15 years of age and is employed as a glass maker. He is living at 92 Glover Street with his parents, Thomas, aged 45, his mother, Ann, aged 44, and seven siblings; John T. aged 20, is a miner, James aged 18, is also a miner, Ralph aged 12, is at school, Alfred, aged 10, is also at school, William aged 6, is at school, Ruth aged 4, is at school, and George aged 1.
Peter enlisted as Private 3857 in the 21st Lancers on the 28th September 1894 at Warrington and was aged 19 years and three months. He was described as being five feet six and half inches tall, weighed 138lbs, with a 34” chest, had a florid complexion, blue eyes, dark brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England. He declared he had previous service in the 2/King’s Liverpool Regt.
His service record shows the following;
He is not found on the 1901 Census having been in the Army. His parents were still at Glover Street, with Alfred aged 18, William aged 16, Ruth aged 14 and George aged 12.
He married Mary Ellen Roylance/Rylance on the 09th October 1904 at St Thomas’ Church, Eccleston.
All of the subsequent children were born to mother maiden name “Stubbs”. Mary Ellen’s first marriage was to Peter Rigby Rylance on the 12th May 1900 at St Peter’s Church, Warrington. Peter was a 25 year old labourer of 32 Stevenson Street, his father, Edward, was a deceased plumber, whilst Mary was aged 23, same address, her father, Peter Stubbs, was a labourer.
On the 1901 Census they are living at 56 Bronte Street, St Helens, with Peter a yard labourer at a Bottle Works.
Her husband, sadly died, aged 27, a few months later.
He married Mary Ellen Roylance on the 09th October 1904.
The 1911 Census shows the family living at 65 Lyon Street, St Helens. Peter is aged 35, born 1876 in St Helens and a general labourer. His wife, Mary Ellen, is aged 34, born in 1877 in Liverpool. They have been married for seven years and have four children, Ruth is aged 6, born in 1905, Peter is aged 4, born in 1907, May is aged 2, born in 1909 and Mary Ellen, is aged 1, born in 1910. They also had the Wareing family boarding at the house, Mary Ellen, is aged 47, born in 1864, John, is aged 22, born in 1899 and is a bottle blower, Elizabeth, is aged 20, born in 1891 and is a coal pit brow and Hannah is aged 16, born in 1895 with no occupation listed.
When war broke out Peter re-enlisted on the 05th September 1914, at Knowsley he was aged 38 and was serving as 1115 (SDGW) and Private 250389 in the 1/1st Lancashire Hussars Yeomanry before transferring to the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 300177.
When war broke out Peter re-enlisted on 05th September 1914 at Knowsley aged 38 and was serving as Private 1115, in the Lancashire Hussars Yeomanry before transferring to the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 300177.
Peter was killed in action on the 07th December 1917, aged 42.
Peter has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, in Belgium.
Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after August 16th 1917 are named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war.
The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Joseph Armitage and F.V. Blundstone, was unveiled by Sir Gilbert Dyett on 20 June 1927.
The memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, which was established around a captured German blockhouse or pill-box used as an advanced dressing station.
His death was reported in the St. Helens Newspaper & Advertiser on Friday 25th January 1918;
LOCAL CASUALTIES.
The following local casualties are reported under various dates:-
KILLED.
King's Liverpool R. - Atherton, 300177, P. R. E.(sic); Scott 113570, Corpl. J.
He earned his two medals.
His Soldiers Effects, Army Pay £11 15s 7d and a war gratuity of £15 went to widow Mary E., who also received a pension of 46/3 pw for herself and 7 children, 65 Lyon Street, St Helens.
On the 1921 Census at Lyon Street, his widow, Mary, is aged 44, born in St Helens, her children; Ruth, is aged 16, Peter, is aged 15, and is a coal bagger, May, is aged 13, Mary, is aged 11, Maggie is aged 9, Arthur is aged 6 and Edith is aged 4. She never remarried, and was still at the same address on the 1939 Register, living with just Ruth.
Her date of birth, 23rd June 1876, is at odds with the pension record of 1875.
She died aged 79 in 1955.
Alfred Atherton the younger brother of Peter, was also lost to the family. He died of wounds on 11th October 1918 whilst serving with the Cheshire Regiment. He now rests at St Sever Cemetery Extension at Rouen, France.
Grateful thanks are extended to Ancestry member Ann Elizabeth Aveyard Swift for her kind permission for use of the photograph of Peter.
We currently have no further information on Peter Atherton, 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.
(109 Years this day)Friday 15th June 1917.
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