Alfred Amos's Story.
Alfred Amos Carrick was born in the summer of 1880, the eldest of Alfred Carrick and Mary Ann nee Slack's ten children. He grew up in Over, near Winsford, Cheshire and in 1881 was living at 498 Victoria Terrace, High Street, Over. By April 1891, the family home was at 4 Willow Bank, Over. His nine siblings were Mary, William, Sarah, Elizabeth, Eliza, Cecilia, Nellie, Edith and Edna. His father Alfred was a salt boiler.
Alfred joined the 3rd Volunteer Battalion of the Cheshire Regiment, and then on 10th January 1900, when he was 19 years and 7 months, he signed his attestation papers in Chester for the Imperial Yeomanry, regimental number 1709. Within a few days, he had sailed to South Africa, arriving on 30th January. He died on 13th May 1900 at Draghoender, Northern Cape, and was buried in the military cemetery.
Winsford Tribute Medal “Presented by the town of Winsford to Alfred Carrick in recognition of his patriotism and valour in serving in the Transvaal War as a Trooper in the 22nd Imperial Yeomanry”.
In June 1901, the town of Winsford issued a tribute medal for soldiers who had served in South Africa. This article in the Northwich Guardian, 29th June 1901, describes the presentation of the silver medal pictured above to Alfred's family:
MEDAL DISTRIBUTION.
At half-past ten Lord Dundonald re-entered the room, and was again heartily cheered. The distribution of medals, subscribed to by the town in recognition of the services of the Yeomen and Volunteers, then took place.
Mr Cooke occupied the chair, and explained that there were two classes of medals – silver and bronze ones. The silver ones were for the Yeomanry and Volunteers belonging to Winsford, and the others for those who had been associated with the town and had been connected with the 22nd Company Imperial Yeomanry. For instance, Dr FELTON, who resided in this district originally, went out as a trooper, and not only did his work as a trooper, but also as a surgeon, without any pay. They were recognising his services and a few others like Sergeant-Major BARRATT. Mr Cooke then called out the names of the recipients: –
Sergeant-Major BARRATT
Sergeant HOPLEY
Trooper H.P. RIGBY
Trooper J.K. COOKE
Trooper STUBBS
Trooper Dr FELTON
Father of Trooper CARRICK (deceased)
Private HULSE
Private S. BENNETT
Private O. RIGBY
Private PLANT
Private R. BENNETT
Private TIMPERLEY
Private ROBERTS
Private HATTON
Father of Private JOHNSON (deceased)
Private (Ambulance) F. CURZON
Private (Ambulance) D. McKELVIE
As each man ascended the platform he was loudly cheered. In handing them the town’s gift, Lord Dundonald had a personal chat with each as to his South African experiences, and in the case of the parents of CARRICK and JOHNSON he offered consoling words, and warmly shook them by the hand.
Mr Cooke thought his lordship had distributed the medals to the satisfaction of everybody. (Hear, hear). Winsford had been exceptionally honoured in his visiting the town, and he was sure those present would give him three hearty cheers, and that would be some recompense and some recognition for the trouble he had taken.
The cheers were enthusiastically given, followed by the singing of “For he’s a jolly good fellow”.
On silence being restored, Lord Dundonald said it had been an intense pleasure to him to distribute the medals to those great men. It was a sort of medal he prized, and he envied them. It was a recognition of the town that their duty had been well done, and, moreover, was a gift they might hand down from generation to generation. (Loud applause). …….
DESCRIPTION OF THE MEDALS
On one side of the medal was the figure of a Yeoman on horse back and a Volunteer, and around the border the words: The Transvaal War in South Africa, 1900-1901. The reverse, in the case of the Volunteers, contained the inscription: “Presented by the town of Winsford to _______ in recognition of his patriotism and valour in serving in the Transvaal War as Private in the V.C. 2nd Cheshire Regiment”; and in the case of the Yeomanry: “Presented by the town of Winsford to _______ in recognition of his patriotism and valour in serving in the Transvaal War as a Trooper in the 22nd Imperial Yeomanry”.
Northwich Tribute Medal
In August 1901, another commemorative bronze medal was issued by the town of Northwich to honour local men who had served in the Boer War. It was presented to his father Alfred, as his next of kin, for Meritorious Service in South Africa.
FETE AT BOSTOCK HALL. PRESENTATION OF IMPERIAL YEOMANRY MEDALS.
A feature of the proceedings was the presentation to returned men of the 22nd Company Northwich Contingent of the Imperial Yeomanry, of the medals given by the town of Northwich as a memento of their valiant services. They were of bronze, and each was enclosed in a case. On one side appeared the recipient’s name, the arms of Northwich, and the words “Presented by the town of Northwich for meritorious service in South Africa 1900-1. 22nd Cheshire Company Imperial Yeomanry [&] Volunteers”, whilst on the reverse was a mounted Yeoman, and an Infantry soldier standing at attention. (……….. )
Mr J. Arthur Cowley, clerk of the Northwich South African War Committee, called out the names of the men, who each presented themselves before the Colonel and received their medal. They were as follows: – Farrier Sergeant HENSHAW, Bostock Green; Sergeant G. RAYNER, Marple, Stockport; Lance-Sergeant F. RIVETT, Heaton Chapel; Corporal C. EARLAM, Altrincham; Corporal KNOTT, Stockport; Bugler THURGOOD, Warrington; Bugler J. McDONALD, Liverpool; Pte. E.F. McCLURE, Stockport; Pte. F.W. APPLEBEE, Liverpool; Pte. ASHTON, Warrington; Pte. H.S. BAIRD, Knutsford; Pte. R. BARNES, Owen Street, Northwich; Pte. T. BAXTER, Dutton Hall, Warrington; Pte. J. BRATT, Little Budworth; Pte. BUCHANAN, Manchester; Pte. T. BURGESS, Mobberley; Pte. C. COWLEY, Moss Lodge, Hartford; Pte. R. CHARLTON, Redhill Hall; Pte. J.E. CLARKE, Dunham Town; Lance-Corporal G. CROSS, Hulme Mills, near Knutsford; Pte. DRINKWATER, Altrincham; Pte. A. HARLOW, Knutsford; Pte. J. HAWKSWORTH, Holmes Chapel; Pte. F.W. HICKSON, Rudheath, Northwich; Pte. J. HOPE, Ollerton, near Knutsford; Pte. S.S. HOWARTH, Knutsford; Pte. W.D. HUNTER, Shavington Lodge, Crewe; Lance-Corporal R. HULME, Middlewich; Pte. G. JONES, Knutsford; Pte. E.H. LORD, Knutsford; Pte. T. LIGHTFOOT, Pte. J.H. LOWERY, Winnington Cottage, Northwich; Pte. S.S.L. NEWTON, Knutsford; Pte. J. MORRIS, Hartford; Pte. C. OWEN, Didsbury; Pte. H. OWEN, Manchester; Pte. E.T. PHILBIN, Northwich; Pte. A. PICKERING, Northwich; Pte. J.A. PRINCEPP, 20 Thewlis Street, Warrington; Pte. H. REDFERN, Wellington, Salop; Pte. H.P. RIGBY, Winsford; Pte. A. ROYLE, Altrincham; Pte. C.E SMETHURST, Cuddington; Pte. H. SMETHURST, Kilworth, near Leicester; Pte. R. STUBBS, Winsford; Pte. A. WHITTINGHAM, Stapeley, Nantwich; Private E. WILLIAMS, Holywell; Private R. RICHARDSON, Holywell; Private H. LLOYD, Holywell; and Privates J. FORD, G. WALKER, and E. LEATHER, Northwich, men who served with the Volunteer Service Company, of the Cheshire Regiment.
The event, although to the majority a very pleasing one, had its fringe of sadness, as was only to be expected, and it was very touching to see the fathers and brothers of those who lost their lives at the front come up for the medals so dearly bought by their beloved ones. The names of those who now lie buried where they fell are – Pte. F. DAVIES, late c/o his sister Mrs Brock, Lyndhurst, Northwich; Pte. A.A. CARRICK, 4 Willow Bank, Winsford; Pte. J.P. JONES (Northwich), sister, Miss J.R. Jones, 4 Well Street, Dolgelly; Pte. W.H. LISTER, 1232 Chester Road, Stretford, Manchester; Pte. E. PRITCHARD, Bickton Heath, near Shrewsbury; Pte. P.F. PRESTON, Hill Top Farm, Great Budworth, Northwich; Pte. G. WHITELEGGE, Barn’s Farm Lane, Warburton, near Warrington; and Pte. R. FURNIVAL, Batherton Hall, Nantwich. As the men advanced for their medals the Colonel individually congratulated them, and sympathised with the relatives of the deceased. (Northwich Guardian, 7th August 1901)
Alfred's name appears on the Boer War Memorial in Winsford, erected in 1905.
Compiled by S. Lewington 2025