Trafford

Born during the December quarter 1892 in the Salford R.D. - ref: 8d/161,
the youngest son of John & Lucy Herrity (nee Fletcher).  Grandson of the
late John & E.M. Fletcher of Bowdon.

1901 census - Henry Street, Hale.   Son - aged: 8 - born: Bowdon.   Head of
household - John Herrity - Married - aged: 34 - occ: Railway Signal Man -
born: Timperley.   Also - Lucy Herrity - Wife - aged: 34 - born:
Altrincham.   Plus - 4 siblings.

His father, John died 21st June 1902 - aged: 35.    In 1906, his mother -
Lucy Herrity married Randle Turner.

1911 Census - 11 Eaton Road, Bowdon.   Son - aged: 18 - occ: Apprentice
Nurseryman - born: Bowdon.    Head of household - Lucy Turner (previously
Herrity) - Wife - aged: 44 - born: Altrincham.   Plus - 4 siblings, 1
step-brother and 1 step-sister.

His sweetheart was Miss Bertha ????, Trafalgar Rd, Sale.

He was on duty in one of the mine craters, when a trench mortar came over
and killed him.

Death reported in the 24/03/1916 edition of the Altrincham Guardian

His brother John was KIA on the 1st June 1917 serving with the
Northumberland Fusiliers.     Two other brothers were also serving -
Corporal Harry Herrity was a Musketry Instructor with the 14th Bn Cheshire
Rgt and Lance Corporal Walter Herrity was with the South Lancashire Rgt.

Commemorated on the family gravestone in St. Mary's PC, Bowdon.  M.I. -
"Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his
Friends".

Listed simply as Fred Herrity on the Roll of Honour.  Listed in the
Guardian Year Book - Roll of Honour for 1917.

M.I. - "He has fought the good fight and sleeps with the brave".

Mrs Lucy Herrity, a widow, needed financial help after two of her 4 sons,
who all served in the army, were killed in 1916 and 1917.  She was left
with a 'simple-minded' daughter to care for, long before the welfare state
came into being.  Lucy was a recipient of financial support from the "John
Sington Fund".

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.

His mother, Lucy Turner (previously Herrity), died 23rd July 1934 - aged
67.