Trafford

Born during the March quarter 1895 in the Altrincham R.D. - ref: 8a/181,
the son of William & Elizabeth Cockcroft (nee Mair).

1901 Census - Vicarage Lane, Bowdon.   Son - aged: 6 - born: Bowdon.   Head
of household - William Cockcroft - Married - aged: 52 - occ: Coachman
(Domestic) - born: Bollington (nr Macclesfield).    Also - Elizabeth
Cockcroft - Wife - aged: 46 - occ: Upholstress (own account at home) -
born: Altrincham.  Plus 5 siblings.

1911 Census - "Ashby Villas", York Road, Bowdon.   Son - aged: 16 - occ:
Gardener - born: Bowdon.   Head of household - Elizabeth Cockcroft - Wife -
aged: 56 - born: Altrincham.   Plus 3 siblings and a brother in law..   His
father was in residence at "West Bank", Richmond Road, Bowdon.   Servant -
aged: 62 - occ: Coachman (Domestic) - born: Bollington.   The masters of
the house must have been away as William had completed and signed the
census return form.

James' parents William & Elizabeth received financial support from the
"John Sington Fund".  Mr & Mrs Cockcroft had no fewer than 5 sons who
fought, including Frederick and his brother James.   Four of the brothers
served with the Canadian Division.  
 
The John Sington Fund - John Sington was the son of Adolphus Sington, a
Jewish Prussian shipping merchant who came to Britain and in 1845 became a
naturalised citizen.   Adolphus had his own company, involved originally in
the production of linen and cotton, and later the import and export of
machinery for the cotton industry.  John and at least one of his brothers
worked in their father's business in Princess Street, Manchester.

In 1885 John married Mildred Campbell Maclure, daughter of Sir John William
Maclure, Bt., who became MP for Stretford the following year.  John and
Mildred had two sons, Alan John Campbell Sington and Edward Claude Sington.
 In 1914 both sons enlisted in the British Army, and their father is listed
in The Gazette in 1915 as Major John Sington, Royal Engineers Territorial
Force Reserve.   In 1909 the Sington family moved from Whalley Range to
Dunham House, on Charcoal Road, Dunham.

When Major John Sington's two sons returned safely from active service
during WW1 he established a fund 'as a Thanksgiving Offering for their safe
return for the benefit of the wives, children and dependants of any men
who, as a result of service with His Majesty's Forces or the Mercantile
Marine, have died or been killed or disabled, and for the benefit of any
members of His Majesty's Forces or the Mercantile Marine who have been
disabled as a result of such service.'   The fund's scope was limited to
those who had been resident in the Urban District of Bowdon or the village
of Dunham Town for at least six months.

Six trustees were appointed, namely, John Bleckly, Henry Edwin Gaddum,
William Alfred Hampson, Joseph Kenworthy, Joseph Watson Sidebotham and the
Major himself.  The Clerk to the Trustees was Willis Paterson the Bowdon
UDC Solicitor, 11 Stamford Street, Altrincham to whom applications for
grants had to be made.    Information about the Fund and its beneficiaries
was kindly supplied by Cynthia Hollingworth from the records kept in
Trafford Local Studies Library.