Trafford

Born during the March quarter 1881 in the Birkenhead R.D. - ref: 8a/559,
the son of George & Mary Brownhill (nee Bamford).

1881 Census - 45 Cherry Back Road, Poulton with Seacombe, Cheshire.    Son
- aged: 0 - born: Seacombe.    Head of household - George Brownhill -
Married - aged: 31 - occ: Bricklayer - born: Sale Moor.   Also - Mary
Brownhill - Wife - aged: 33 - born: Sizergh, Westmorland.   Plus 7 elder
siblings, 2 of whom do not appear on the familiy's 1891 census return.

1891 Census - 25 Egerton Street, Sale.    Son - aged: 10 - Scholar - born:
Seacombe, Cheshire.     Head of household - Mary Brownhill - Married -
aged: 43 - occ: Charwoman - born: Sizergh, Westmorland.   Plus 7 siblings
and 1 nurse child.  No trace of his father - his WO363 states that his
father was in America, but does not state when he went.

1901 Census - Tournay Barracks, Hartley Wintney, Farnborough, Hampshire.   
Private in Infantry - aged: 20 - born: Seacombe, Cheshire.
His mother and 2 of his siblings were Boarders at 8 Upper Medlock Street,
Chorlton, south Manchester.   Mary was recorded as Married - aged:  54 -
occ: Charwoman - born: Sizergh, Westmorland.    Still no trace of his
father.

The ages and birthplaces of the children indicate that the family resided
at:- Hulme, Manchester c1869 - Milne, Westmorland c1872 - Sale Moor c1874 -
Nottinghamshire c1875 - Urmston c1877-1880 - Seacombe c1881 - Sale c1882-
1891.   Wherever there was a need for a bricklayer!

1911 Census - 6 Holly Grove, Sale.   Head - Married - aged: 30 - occ: House
& Shop Window Cleaner - born: Seacombe, Cheshire.   Also - Ellen Brownhill
- Wife - aged: 30 - born: Sale.
His mother - Mary Brownhill was a Cook at Raglan House, Raglan Road, Sale. 
 Recorded as Married - aged: 66 - born: Sizergh, Westmorland.

No further trace of his father.  His mother died in 1915, aged: 68.

Married - Ellen Donaghue at Sale on the 5th October 1907, during the
December quarter 1907 in the Bucklow R.D. - ref: 8a/347.

Sale Evangelical Church Newsletter - April 2009.  Parents residing at 25
Egerton Street, Sale in 1891with their quite large family.   By 1901 David
was a regular soldier - a private in the 3rd Bn Royal Lancaster Rgt, based
at Tourney Barracks, Farnborough, Hampshire.   He and his wife Ellen,
resided at 51 Roebuck Lane, Sale and in 1911 they were residing at Holly
Grove, Sale where his occupation was given as Window Cleaner.    At the
outbreak of the war in August 1914, he was stationed at Londonderry.

WO363 - Enlisted on the 14th February 1900, aged: 18 years 11 months,
employed as a Bricklayer.   Height: 5 feet 5 inches - Weight: 125 lb -
Expanded chest: 34 inches with a 3 inch expansion - Complexion: Fair -
Eyes: Hazel - Hair: Brown - Church of England.   Served in the 3rd
Battalion, Royal Lancashire Regiment.    Posted to Malta on the 19th
November 1901.  Posted to India on the 17th September 1903.    Transferred
into the 1st Battalion, Cheshire Regiment on the 1st January 1904.   
Transferred into the Army Reserves on the 9th March 1905.   Mobilized at
Chester on the 5th August 1914 and drafted to France on the 12th September
1914.   One of England's "Contemptible Little Army", most of whom had been
killed by the end of 1914.   His son - George Brownhill was born at Sale on
the 14th April 1913.

MIC - Formerly 6237 Royal Lancashire Rgt.     France 12/09/1914.   Awarded
the 1914 Star, the BWM & VM.

Arrived Abbeville during evening of the 7th October 1914 and marched to
billets; Buses to La Thieuloye and then to Béthune on the 11th.  Moved
into firing line at Festubert on the 12th October , then to Rue d'Ouvert on
the 16th.  Unsuccesful attacks towards Violaines on the 17th October. 
Unsuccessful attempt made to occupy La Basse, sustaining 32 casualties on
the 19th.   Held positions outside Violaines - enemy attack repulsed at
15.00hrs sustaining another 29 casualties on the 20th.   Made another
attack on La Basse which failed on the 21st.   Heavy attack by the enemy,
on the 22nd, who took the trenches "at the point of a bayonet".  The
Battalion fell back to Rue du Marais under heavy fire with 18 wounded and
216 missing, one of whom was David.