Frank ( Jack)'s Story.
EARLY LIFE
Frank Staniar was born in 1884 and baptised at St Paul's Church, Heaton Moor on 13 June 1885, the son of Mary Ellen Staniar of Condor House. In 1891, six-year-old Frank was living at Trafford Road, Alderley Edge, with his grandfather James Peter Stanier, a buyer for a shipping house, but stated to be his nephew. The same year, Frank's mother Mary Ellen and sister Gladys (aged 2) were living at Hough Road, Alderley Edge with a boarder, James Gemmell, and Gladys and James were both stated to have been born in Scotland.
In 1898 James Peter Staniar, said to be a cotton buyer of "The Firs", Alderley Edge, died at Handforth railway station after rushing to catch the train to work at Alderley Edge. At the inquest, a daughter named as Mrs Mary Gemmell of "The Firs", Alderley Edge, was called as a witness.
In 1901, a five-year-old Frank Stanier was living at 116 Great King Street, Macclesfield, with his widowed mother Mary, a draper, and twelve-year-old sister Gladys; all three were stated to have been born in Manchester. It's not known whether this is the same Frank Stanier as was living with his grandfather ten years earlier or another boy with the same name.
In 1911, Frank and Gladys were living at 43 Beech Lane, Macclesfield with Miss Emma Matilda Ward, a single woman living on her own means. They were named as Gladys M S Gemmell, aged 21, general servant, and Percy Frank S Gemmell, aged 15, errand boy at a cotton mill. It seems likely that the initial S in both names stands for Staniar.
The birth of Percy/Frank/Jack Staniar/Stanier/Gemmell around 1896 cannot be found under any of these names; nor can Gladys Staniar/Stanier/Gemmell around 1888.
Frank and Gladys' mother Mary Ellen Staniar died in Macclesfield in August 1912; the executor of her will was Emma Matilda Ward.
WW1 SERVICE
Jack enlisted with the 10th Cheshire Regiment in Macclesfield on 1 September 1914 when he was still only nineteen years of age, receiving service number 13961; despite his young age he was appointed Lance-Corporal just one month later. In his service records Jack was described as 5 feet 5½ inches tall, weighed 124 pounds and had a 31 inch chest. He had blue eyes, auburn hair and a florid complexion, and named his sister, Gladys Staniar of 43 Beech Lane, Macclesfield, as his next of kin.
Jack was transferred to the Royal Field Artillery in February 1915 and was drafted to France with the 19th (B) Battery of the RFA in September of that year. He was granted ten days' leave to the UK in June 1917 and was killed in action on 5 December 1917.
Jack's death was reported in the Macclesfield Advertiser on 21 December 1917:
GUNNER-SIGNALLER J (JACK) STANIAR
News was received on Tuesday by Miss G Staniar, 43 Beech Lane, Macclesfield, that her brother, Gunner-Signaller J Staniar had been killed in action on the evening of December 5th. He was with two of his comrades, also signallers, when a shell fell beside them, killing all three.
His officer... says: "Gunner Staniar has left behind him a record of which his relatives may be proud. He had been with us over two years, and was an example of quiet bravery and duty done. He was very popular with all ranks, and neither officers nor men will forget the cheerful way he undertook his signalling duties, which are not too pleasant at times. We buried the three side by side, their graves marked by simple wooden crosses, and their exact position reported to the War Office..."
Gunner Staniar enlisted in the Cheshires just after the war broke out. He went through a course of training in various parts of the country, and was ultimately transferred to the RFA at Preston. Two years ago last August he went to France, and had seen much active service; and his letters home were typical of the British soldier, cheerful and confident. In civilian life he was clerk in the offices of the Globe Spinning Company, Macclesfield. He was a member of the Young Men's Class of Townley Street Sunday School, and had a host of friends in the town...
His death was also reported in the Macclesfield Times on 28 December 1917:
EXAMPLE OF QUIET BRAVERY - RFA SIGNALLER KILLED
Miss G Staniar, 43 Beech Lane, Macclesfield, has received official confirmation of the death in action... of her brother, Gunner-Signaller Jack Staniar, Royal Field Artillery... Gunner Staniar was born at Alderley Edge 22 years ago, but had lived in Macclesfield since boyhood. He was educated at Mill Street Wesleyan School under Mr T H Hewitt, and was connected with Townley Street Sunday School and the Young Men's Class...
Miss G Staniar, 43 Beech Lane, Macclesfield, has received official confirmation of the death in action... of her brother, Gunner-Signaller Jack Staniar, Royal Field Artillery... Gunner Staniar was born at Alderley Edge 22 years ago, but had lived in Macclesfield since boyhood. He was educated at Mill Street Wesleyan School under Mr T H Hewitt, and was connected with Townley Street Sunday School and the Young Men's Class...
According to his service records, Jack was originally buried close to where he fell, at Abraham Heights, Passchendaele, 1 mile north of Zonnebeke and 4¾ miles north-east of Ypres. After the war ended, his body moved to Tyne Cot Cemetery.
COMMEMORATION
Driver Jack Staniar is buried in grave ref. XX. E. 12. in Tyne Cot Cemetery, West Vlaanderen, Belgium.
In Macclesfield, Driver Jack Staniar is commemorated (as Gunner Frank Staniar) on the Park Green, Town Hall and St Michael's Church war memorials and on Christ Church School roll of honour.
SOURCES
GRO Indexes: Births, Marriages, Deaths
Census (England & Wales): 1891, 1901, 1911
England & Wales Government Probate Death Index 1858-2019 (Find My Past)
WWI British Army Service Records 1914-1920
WWI British Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects
Soldiers Died in the Great War (Find My Past)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission website
Lives of the First World War website
Alderley & Wilmslow Advertiser, 25 March 1898
Macclesfield Advertiser: 21 December 1917
Macclesfield Times: 28 December 1917
Research by Rosie Rowley, Congleton.
Research by Rosie Rowley, Congleton.