Walter's Story.
EARLY LIFE
Walter Cox was born in Macclesfield and baptised on 1 June 1884 at St Peter's Church, Windmill St, Macclesfield, the son of Mary and Abraham Cox, a provision dealer of Mill Green, Macclesfield. In 1891, when his father was a grocer and corn dealer, six-year-old Walter was living at 92 Mill Lane with his parents and siblings Jane (21), George (20), Abraham (16), William (13), Eleanor (12) and Thomas (8). By 1901 Walter's father had retired and his brother, William, had taken over the business. Walter had left school and was employed as a draper's shop assistant.
By 1911, Walter was boarding in Blackburn, employed as a draper's assistant. On 19 December 1916, Walter, who said he was a draper living at 92 Mill Lane, Macclesfield, married Marie Forrest Fairclough, of 13 Bright Street, South Shore, Blackpool, by licence at Holy Trinity Church, South Shore, Blackpool.
WW1 SERVICE
Walter enlisted in Blackburn, at first serving with the Royal Field Artillery with service number 161220, later being transferred to the Yorkshire Regiment.
Lance-Corporal Cox was killed in action on 9 October 1917; his death was reported in the Macclesfield Times on 26 October:
PRIVATE COX DIES
Information has this week been received of the death of a Macclesfield soldier named Cox. The deceased was a native of the town and a relative of Mr Cox, corn merchant, Mill Lane, Sutton.
COMMEMORATION
L/Cpl Walter Cox has no known grave and is commemorated on panel ref. Panel 52 to 54 and 162A. on the Tyne Cot Memorial, West Vlaanderen, Belgium. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission holds casualty details for L/Cpl Walter Cox, and he is listed on the Imperial War Museum’s Lives of the First World War website.
Locally, Walter Cox is commemorated on the Macclesfield Park Green, Town Hall and St Michael's Church war memorials.
SOURCES
GRO (England & Wales) Index: Births, Marriages
Census (England & Wales): 1891, 1901, 1911
Lancashire BMD: Marriages
WWI British Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects
WWI British Army Medal Rolls Index Cards
Commonwealth War Graves Commission website
Lives of the First World War website
Macclesfield Times: 26 October 1917
Research by Rosie Rowley, Macclesfield.