FLORENCE B. FAIRCLOUGH 

St. Mary’s Weaverham WW1 R.o.H. records 8 ladies including Florence B. Fairclough. The 1901 census has a Fairclough family living at Mere House, Weaverham. James, father, aged 34 is Head of the family, Gentleman Farmer, at home, born, Burtonwood; Mary, wife aged 32, born Liverpool; three children Kathleen Mary, aged 4, Rowland Broadhurst, aged 3 and Maxfield Hayes aged 1, all born Great Sankey.

The 1901 census information on Florence B. Fairclough finds her at St. Cubert's School Lytham as a boarder, she was 8. The 1911 census was proving difficult to locate Florence, so back to the 1901 census to see if the system gave connections to other possible records, one came up for a Florence Broadhurst Morris in Australia!

After quite some time and a few revisits to Weaverham Library, Florence was found in the 1911 census. The name Fairclough had been transposed to Farmborough. It was the address route of Mere House, Weaverham, Cheshire and still with an element of luck the family turned up. This confirms Florence's family was still in Weaverham prior to the start of WW1. In this case, James is recorded as a widow, now 44, still a Farmer at Home; Florence Broadhurst, aged 18 (not working); Maxfield Hayes, aged 11, at school and Margaret aged 2. The 1911 census records Rowland at a boarding school in Lytham.

Searching under “WW1/British Red Cross” we find a Miss Florence B. Fairclough of Mere House Weaverham (mis-spelt Wearesham & Weavenham) Northwich, Cheshire (Mere House is on Station Road and part of the Mere Bank and Mere Brow properties.) Florence was aged 23 at her Engagement with the Red Cross. Florence had two service records. Her service period was from 1915 (there are two cards with different dates, the second gives a start date of 27/7/1916), completing her service in 1919 (the second date of termination is 09/04/1919). Working as a VAD Nurse at Military Hospitals, Whole time.

The hospitals Florence worked at starts locally at Raddon Court, Latchford and Annex, Stockton Heath. The documentation also states a previous engagement at Over. (There was a hospital at Colshaw Hall, Over Peover.) Particulars of her duties were as a V.A.D. (Voluntary Aid Detachment) Nurse at Military Hospitals, working “Whole time” Raddon Court Aux. Hosp. Warrington from the 27th July 1916 till 12th June 1917. From there at the Bagthorpe Military Hosp. Nottingham, 18th Aug. 1917 till 19th Aug. 1918 and from the 8th Oct. 1918 till 9th April 1919 at 5th Northern General. Hospital Leicester. The documentation records the department Florence was with as J.W. V.A.D., Ches./118; Commissioned: Cheshire Branch;

The WW1 Medal Rolls (National Archives) do not record a Florence Fairclough. There are just two F. Fairclough, both appearing to be male, otherwise over 500 Fairclough.

Inputting Broadhurst Fairclough into the medal search engine I came across Rowland Broadhurst Fairclough, brother (see census information). He was with the South Lancashire Regiment with the Rank of Captain. He received the Victory and British Medals with the entry date of 16/2/1917. Rowland is listed on St. Mary's Roll of Honour Plaque. See comment on Rowland at the end of Florence’s story. Forces war records do not have reference to a Florence Fairclough.

Raddon Court Hospital which was on Knutsford Road, was loaned to the Red Cross in 1914 by Greenall Whitley. It was the first military Hospital in Cheshire and was finally closed in the first half of 1919. Warrington Library and Museum hold some records of the Hospital. (Ref. WMS 2538, account information and in the archives, ask at the museum.) The accounts show that Fairclough & Sons supplied the hospital with flour and a Mrs Fairclough, through, what appears to be a monthly subscription, donated between £1 / £1-1s / £1-5s on a monthly basis to the hospital. The expenses did not include records of wages! (Onward research suggest that Florence Fairclough and Mrs Fairclough may have no immediate family connection as Florence mother had passed away in 1910.)

Bagthorpe Military Hospital, Nottingham, was Nottingham City Hospital. At the outbreak of the war the Military Authorities took over the hospital which at the time provided 600 beds for wounded soldiers. The hospital had its own railway station were the injured would be brought in and transporting into the hospital.

5th Northern General Hospital at Leicester is now the University's main administration building, known as the Fielding Johnson Building, it originates from 1837 and when built was Leicestershire Lunatic Asylum.

In the research on the Fairclough family it was understood that Maxfield, brother, had gone to Australia and the link, noted above on Florence, suggested she had also gone there. This proved to be the case as the Australian Marriages Records do record a Florence B. Fairclough marrying Alfred E. Morris in 1929 in the Burwood District of New South Wales. Searching the same site for deaths “Findmypast” records a Florence Broadhurst Morris death in 1941 at Tamworth Registration district.

Rowland Broadhurst Fairclough

Rowland Broadhurst Fairclough is named on the “Roll of Honour” Plaque. Rowland’s detailed information is included in his own story, the following is part of Rowland’s story as supplied by Jane Davies, Curator, of the Lancashire Military Museum at Fulwood Preston;

“Colonel Fairclough was born in Warrington on 4th Dec. 1897 and lived in Weaverham, Cheshire. He attended “Seafield” Lytham, Liverpool College. His legal qualifications were in Company & Mercantile Law. He was awarded the M.C. 2nd Dec. 1918. Colonel Fairclough died December 1987 aged 90 years.”

Research Bob H.