Trafford

Born during the September quarter 1884 in the Chorlton R.D. - ref: 8c/833,
the only child of William & Emily Ann Broomfield (nee Prosser).

1891 Census - 10 Poynton Street, Hulme, Manchester.    Son - aged: 7 -
Scholar - born: Hulme.    Head of household - Married - aged: 31 - occ:
Lithographer - born Stockton on Tees, Staffordshire ???   Also - Emily A.
Broomfield - Wife - aged: 32 - born Herefordshire.

1901 Census - 19 Poynton Street, Hulme, Manchester.    Son - aged: 16 -
occ: Boot Finisher - born: Hulme.    Head of household - Married - aged: 41
- occ: Lithographic Printer - born Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire.   Also -
Emily A. Broomfield - Wife - aged: 42 - born Hereford, Herefordshire.

Married - Lydia Perks at St. James' P.C., Broughton on  the 22nd April 1905
during the June quarter 1905 in the Salford R.D. - ref: 8d/9.

1911 Census - 1 Mytton Street, Hulme, Manchester.    Son - Married - aged:
26 - occ: Book Binder's Finisher - born: Manchester.   Head of household -
Married - aged: 51 - occ: Chrono Lithographer - born Stoke on Trent,
Staffordshire.   Also - Emily A. Broomfield - Wife - aged: 52 - born
Hereford, Herefordshire.   Plus - Lydia Broomfield - Married - Daughter in
Law - aged: 26 - born: Manchester.     Plus their three children:- Albert
Broomfield Jnr. - aged: 5 - Harry Broomfield - aged: 3 - Emily Broomfield -
aged: 1.

WO363 - Attested from 18 School Road, Sale on the 11th November 1915.  
Mobilised on the 26th June 1916 and into the Royal Garrison Artillery at
No.2 Depot, Fort Brockhurst, Gosport.    Aged: 31 years 144 days, employed
as a Book Finisher.   Height: 5 feet 6¾ inches - Expanded chest: 36 inches
with a 2 inch expansion.   At the time of his enlistment, he had four
children:- Albert (b.29/05/05) - Harry (b.24/10/1907) - Emily
(b.09/07/1909) - Margery Annie (b.14/11/1914). 

Leaving No.2 Depot, he embarked for France on the 10th November 1916 and
was posted into the Field on the 30th.     Granted Good Conduct award on
the 4th December 1917.     Given 14 days leave to the UK on the 29th
December 1917.    Wounded on the 23rd March 1918, but returned to duty on
the 29th.   Went to the 4th Army Rest Camp on the 18th September 1918,
returning to duty on the 3rd October 1918.    Given leave to the UK via
Boulogne on the 28th November 1918.

On the 14th February 1919, Lydia Broomfield was informed by telegram that
her husband - Albert was dangerously ill with Bronchopneumonia, but she
could not be permitted to visit him in Germany.   She next receives a
telegram dated 12th March 1919 informing her that Albert had died of
Bronchopneumonia on the 1st March at the No.21 C.C.S. (Casualty Clearing
Station), France.  [The reference to this CCS being in France is confusing
and at odds with where he was eventually buried.  No.21 CCS closed down at
Caudry, France on the 18th December 1918, re-opening at Bonn, Germany in
February 1919].   On the 14th March, Lydia wrote to the R.G.A., Dover, a
very courteous letter (under the circumstances), saying that she was sorry
that the War Office would not allow her to visit her husband before he died
- she considered that there was ample time for her to do so.   On the 30th
June Lydia wrote to the R.G.A. again stating that four months  had passed
since her husband's death and yet she still hadn't received his personal
effects and asked for early dispatch of them.   There is a note at the
bottom of the letter "Effects in Office 1-7-19".   [So why could they not
have sent them before?].   MIC -  Awarded the BWM & VM.

Death reported in the 21/03/1919 edition of the Altrincham Guardian.    The
report states that he was admitted to hospital with influenza on the day he
received his demobilisation papers and died later of Pneumonia.    Parents
had, for many years, been the proprietors of the 'Gem' tobacco and sweets
business in Sale.   He had enlisted in June 1916 and had been through most
of the heaviest fighting of the war.     Before moving to Sale he was in a
bookbinding business in Manchester and was an old boy of Ducie Avenue
School, Manchester.     He left a widow and four children.

CWGC - Son of William and Emily Broomfield, of Sale; husband of Lydia
Broomfield, of 18, School Rd., Sale, Cheshire.