Private Fred Wright Greenwood, Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment. Service no. 5340 and 7080.
Fred’s photo in the Keighley News from 1916.
Early life:
Fred was born in Haworth in 1880, his birth was registered in Keighley in the third quarter of the year. His parents were James Wright Greenwood and Emma Greenwood née . James was a Stone Quarryman.
In the 1881 census he was just nine months old and living at Brow Top, Haworth with his parents and elder sister Hannah, aged two.
By 1891 they had moved to 7, Little Street in Haworth and along with Hannah who was now a worsted spinner aged twelve, Fred was ten years of age and had four more siblings: Mary aged eight, James aged six, William aged two and Lucy aged four months.
In the 1901 census the family were still at 7, Little Street in Haworth. Their father James was still at the quarry but was a stone dresser (above ground) and Fred had taken up the same occupation and was now twenty years old.
By 1911 the family had seen some tragedies as three of James and Emma’s eight children had died. James was still a stone dresser and Fred was a delver at the quarry and aged thirty, but still single.
War service:
Fred enlisted at Haworth late in the war. At the age of 35 years and five months, he attested with the 6th Reserve Battalion, West Riding Regiment on 4th December 1915 as part of the Derby Scheme, but he was not mobilised until 4th April 1916. After completing his training he was posted overseas on 31st July 1916 and attached to the 5th Battalion, West Riding Regiment and given a new service number of 7080. He served in France until 9th September 1916 when we was transferred to the 5th Battalion. After 43 days of overseas service, he died on 11th September of wounds received in action on 3rd September. He had been admitted to the 2nd West Riding Field Ambulance and on 4th September to no. 44 Casualty Clearing Station and then on to no. 20 General Hospital at Carniers where he died.
Fred was buried at Etaples Military Cemetery in France in plot X, row c, grave number 18. He had served a total of 162 days in the Army.
Keighley News 16th September 1916:
STANBURY
Private Fred Wright Greenwood, of the West Riding Regiment, who was formerly a quarryman at the “Smoker” Quarry on Stanbury Moor, where stone was obtained for the Keighley Corporation Sladen Valley Waterworks, has died in hospital from wounds received in action.
Keighley News 21st October 1916:
Private Fred Wright Greenwood, of Haworth, of the West Riding Regiment, joined the Army in April this year. He went to France in August, and died on September 11 from wounds received a few days previously.
Keighley News 8th December 1917, page 3:
WORTH VALLEY.
KILLED BY A SHELL.
News was received from the War Office on Wednesday of the death of Gunner James Edward Heaton, Royal Garrison Artillery, the Old School House, Stanbury. It is understood he was killed instantaneously by the bursting of a shell which fell on the shelter of the gun emplacement. Prior to joining the colours he was employed at the Sladen Valley Waterworks, being one of the little happy band of workers under John Nield at the Smoker Quarry on Stanbury Moor. Of these workmen four are dead. The manager, Mr. John Nield, died at Greenfield, in Cheshire, soon after the quarry was closed. The other three, who have all died in action in France, are: Fred Wright Greenwood, Lewis Butterfield, and James Edward Heaton. The last named, who was a widower, leaves two children.
After the war:
His father James received his personal effects on 26th June 1919. These were his identity disc, pipe, religious book, pouch and tobacco, knife, belt and a wallet.
He had also received the King’s Certificate and Memorial Plaque with Fred’s name on it along with the British War Medal and Victory Medal. His outstanding pay of £2 5s. 3d was issued in December 1916, followed by a war gratuity of £3 in 1919 which was also paid to James. A dependants pension was also paid to James until his death in April 1921, when it passed to Fred’s mother Emma.
The next of kin form was completed by his father James on 6th May 1919 and countersigned by William Backhouse, Methodist Minister at ‘Southlands’ in Haworth, indicating that the family were Methodists.
Their family grave is in the West Lane Chapel graveyard and it has a memorial inscription to Fred which says:
Also of their son Fred W. Greenwood, who died of wounds received in action in France. Aged 36 years.
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The Greenwood family grave at West Lane Chapel Yard in Haworth.
West Lane Methodist Chapel war memorial.
Fred is remembered locally on Haworth’s main war memorial on Bridgehouse Lane, near the railway station and on the West Lane Methodist Church war memorial.
Fred’s younger brother William Wright Greenwood also served as a soldier.
Source information:
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915
1881 England Census
1891 England Census
1901 England Census
1911 England Census
British Army World War I Service Records, 1914-1920
Commonweath War Graves Commission
Soldiers Died in the Great War
Family memorial at Haworth (West Lane) Methodist Chapelyard.
Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929
World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923
British Army World War I Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920
World War I Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920
Keighley News archives held at Keighley Library
