Trafford

Born on the 1st February 1881, the birth registered as Frederick COCKCROFT
during the March quarter 1881 in the Altrincham R.D. - ref: 8a/187, the son
of William & Elizabeth Cockcroft (nee Mair).

1881 Census - 7 Vale Cottages, Bowdon.   Son - (Listed as Frederick
COCKCROFT) - aged: 2 months - born: Bowdon.   Head of household - William
Cockroft - Maried - aged: 33 - occ: Coachman - born: Bollington.  Also -
Elizabeth Cockroft - Wife - aged: 25 - born: Altrincham.   Plus 1 elder
brother.

1891 Census - 7 Vale Cottages, Bowdon.   Son - (Listed as Frederick
COCKCROFT) - aged: 10 - Scholar - born: Bowdon.   Head of household - NOT
PRESENT.   Also listed is Elizabeth Cockroft - Wife - aged: 35 - occ:
Upholstress - born: Altrincham.   Plus 4 siblings.

Attended Bowdon School. 

1901 Census - No Trace - Presumably in South Africa at this time, as he had
served as a Staff Sergeant with the 3rd Battalion, Cheshire Regiment in the
Anglo-Boer War.
His parents were residing at Vicarage Lane, Bowdon at this time.   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 including James Cockcroft who was also
killed during WW1.

A member of the Bowdon P.C. Choir.     He emigrated to Collingwood, Canada.
where he had a wife and one child.

1911 Census - No Trace - Presumably in Canada at this time ???
His mother and his siblings were residing at "Ashby Villas", York Road,
Bowdon.   Head of household - Elizabeth Cockcroft - Wife - aged: 56 - born:
Altrincham.   Plus 3 siblings including James Cockcroft who was also killed
in WW1 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.

His Canadian attestation form, signed on the 23rd September 1914, at
Valcartier, Quebec, states that he was aged 32 years 7 months, 5 feet 6½
inches in height, had a 39/3½ inch chest (fully expanded).   His
complexion was: medium, his eyes: brown and his hair: brown.    The papers
also state that he was a Carpenter by trade and that, he had served for 2
years in the 3rd Bn Cheshire Rgt and 6 years with the D.C.O.R.

Religion - C of E.   His wife - Florence Cockcroft, Collingwood East,
British Colombia, was listed as his next of kin.

His bugle was found, slightly battered and was returned to his widow.

One of five brothers who served - two were killed.    Four of them served
with the Canadian Division.  

Commemorated on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial AND the CWGC under the
surname of COCROFT.

Death reported in the 29/10/1915 edition of the Altrincham Guardian.

Frederick's 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.