Trafford

Born during the March quarter 1894 in the Barton upon Irwell R.D. - ref:
8c/719, the son of John William and Eliza Ann Mears (nee Roper)

1901 Census - 45 Hayes Road, Irlam, Cadishead.   Son - aged: 7 - born:
Eccles.  Head of household - John Mears - Married - aged: 42 - occ:
Labourer (Ship Canal) - born: Hampstead, London.  Also - Eliza Mears - Wife
- aged: 37 - born: Sheffield, Yorkshire.    Plus 5 siblings.

1911 Census - 10 Whitfield Street, Cadishead.   Son - aged: 17 - occ:
General Labourer - born: Eccles.   Head of household - John Mears - Married
- aged: 53 - occ: Foreman Labourer (Ship Canal Coy) - born: Hampstead,
London.  Also - Eliza Mears - Wife - aged: 46 - born: Sheffield, Yorkshire.
   Plus 4 siblings.    His father, his two brothers and himself all worked
for the Manchester Ship Canal Company.

Two of their eight children had died by 1911 and all three of their sons
would be killed during WW1.

I am most grateful to Neil Drum & Pete Thomas for allowing me to use
verbatim the following extract from their superb 623 page book "A District
at War - Irlam & Cadishead's Part in the Great War", an incredibly detailed
and comprehensive book that is not only a credit to them, but a magnificent
memorial to the WW1 men of that district.

Private Stanley Mears (Service no. 19550) served with the 13th Battalion,  
The King's (Liverpool Regiment), 9th Brigade, 3rd Division.

Born in Weaste, he was the son of John William and Eliza Mears, of 10
Whitfield Street, Cadishead. Stanley was a labourer for the Manchester Ship
Canal Company and his father also worked for the company as a ganger in
charge of
bargemen.   He had two brothers: John Joseph and Thomas and three sisters:
Clara (born c. 1889), Minnie (c. 1895) and Gertie (c. 1898).

Stanley enlisted into the King's at Manchester on 8th September 1914.   He
was one of a large batch of men (about 300) from Manchester who, although
they all enlisted in Manchester between 7th and 9th September 1914, were
drafted directly to join the King's.   His description was recorded as 20
years and 1 month, 5 foot 5½ inches tall, with a fresh complexion, blue
eyes and brown hair. His religious denomination was Church of England.   He
had two tattoos on his left hand; one on the middle finger and one on the
thumb.

Stanley Mears was immediately posted to the Army Reserve and it was not
until 2nd October 1914 that he joined the King's for training, being posted
to 13th Battalion.   On  26th September 1915 he embarked with the battalion
for France. On 16th March 1916 he was admitted to 7 Field Ambulance, and
later that day to 142 Field Ambulance.    On 22nd March 1916 he was
admitted to the North Midland Casualty Clearing  Station.   It is not known
why he spent this period in hospital but by 26th March he was fit again and
rejoined the battalion.    On 10th July 1916 the battalion manned trenches
near Carnoy. At 9pm on 11th July, the battalion left these trenches for
some trenches about 1,000 yards away and remained in these throughout the
next day.    The battalion war diary records the following for the next two
days: 13th July:   "Left trenches to take part in the attack on German
frontline & Bazentin-Le-Grand; attacked at 3.30am & took German trench &
Bazentin-Le-Grand. 14th July:  In captured trench".  Stanley was reported
missing (later confirmed killed in action) on Thursday, 14th July 1916,
aged 22.    He was the first and youngest of three Mears brothers who gave
their lives during the war.   Sometime after the war the Mears family left
the district and, in the 1920s, they were residing at 8 Bemsley Street,
Salford.    Medal Entitlement: 15 Star Trio.