Trafford

Born during the September quarter 1884 in the Manchester R.D. - ref:
8d/288, the son of Alfred & Catherine Pearson (nee Kelly).

1891 Census - 36 Sudbury Street, Harpurhey, Manchester.    Son - aged: 6 -
Scholar - born: Manchester.   Head of household - Catherine Pearson - Widow
- aged 39 - occ: Machinist, Born: Manchester.  Plus 3 siblings (Maud -
aged: 16, Flora - aged: 13 & Alfred - aged: 10) and 1 boarder.   The
enumerator entered "Machinist" as the whole family's place of birth -
following on from his mother's occupation.  This was obviously meant to be
Manchester.

1901 Census - 5 Rocester Street, Harpurhey, Manchester.    Son - aged: 16 -
occ: Assistant in a Drapery Warehouse - born: Manchester.   Head of
household - Catherine Pearson - Widow - aged 50 - occ: None listed - born:
Manchester.  Plus 3 siblings (Maud - aged: 25, Flora - aged: 23, Alfred -
aged: 20)..

1911 Census - 4 Baywood Street, Harpurhey, Manchester.   Step-son - aged:
26 - occ: Tramway Motor Man on the Corporation's Trams - born: Hulme,
Manchester.    Head of household - John Cassidy - Married - aged: 60 - occ:
Marble Mason - born: Chorlton on Medlock, Manchester.   Also - Catherine
Cassidy (Albert's mother) - Wife - aged: 60 - born: Liscannon, Co. Clare,
Ireland.   Plus 1 elder sister (Maud - aged: 34).

Employed as a Manchester Corporation Fireman.

MIC - Albert J. Pearson - Territorial No. 1598 - later No. 440291.  Driver
with Royal Engineers.  Awarded a SWB.   Awarded the BWM & the VM.

The 431st Field Company, Royal Engineers was one of a number of Companies
that was allotted early in the war to serve with the regular Divisions.  
The Companies were numbered in 1917.   The 431st Company served with the
66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division.  

Albert J. Pearson - Died at Baguley Sanatorium during the December quarter
1918 in the Bucklow R.D. - ref: 8a/434 - aged: 33.  His brother in Law -
Fred Yearsley, registered his death.

Pension Records - Died of (1) Tuberculosis & (2) Influenza.  Dependent: His
mother - Mrs. Catherine Cassidy, 4 Baywood Street, Harpurhey, Manchester
who was awarded a weekly pension of 7/6d w.e.f. the 30th October 1918.

According to the family, he had been wounded in France and had been sent to
a South Manchester Hospital to recover.   One day he decided to travel to
North Manchester to see his fiancée, but had to return to hospital
overnight.   He missed the last tram (presumably from central Manchester)
and had to walk in the rain back to the hospital.

He had been gassed during his service in France.  Baguley Sanatorium was a
TB hospital, so would have had the expertise to also deal with gas
casualties.   The Sanatorium is about ten miles from Manchester City
Centre, how he managed to walk that far in his condition, defies
imagination.