Frank Morris
This soldier was difficult to find, the best ‘fit’ was Roman
Catholic and so I assumed that he wouldn’t have been on the St James Memorial.
However, research has revealed that his mother was not Catholic and furthermore
when she had the Eligibility Forms signed she went to the vicar of St James
Church. They lived very close to St James Church at the time Frank was alive
and I believe all the evidence supports him being the Frank Morris named on the
memorial (There is also a Joseph Morris on the memorial, Frank had a brother
Joseph who served pre-war with the KLR, I am looking for evidence of Joseph
being killed in the war).
Family Life:
Frank Morris was born on 26th October 1885 and christened
in St Patrick’s (RC) Church in Liverpool on the 8th November that
year. Catholic baptisms are recorded with latin names so he was baptised as
Franciscus Morris, his parents were John Morris and Esther (Griffiths). There
is a note written in the margin “mother protestant, 38 Fletcher Street”
In the 1891
census the family of 4 occupied 2 rooms of 51 Fletcher Street, the other 3 rooms were the
home of a family named Griffiths. Fletcher Street was off Windsor Street,
Toxteth, very close to St James’ Church. In this census Frank was enumerated as Francis
(the only time this name is recorded) he was 5 years old. The rest of the
household consisted of his father John Morris, aged 35, born in Liverpool and
occupation dock labourer; his mother Esther aged 34 and also born in Liverpool;
and his younger brother Joseph aged 1.
At the time of the 1901
census the family had grown to 5 people and now had a house with 4 rooms – at 8house
6 court, Hampton Street. These ‘court dwellings’ were notoriously unsanitary.
The father, John, was still employed as a dock labourer. Frank (aged 15) was
employed as a ‘steam lift operator’ , Joseph was there aged 11 and there was an
addition of a younger sister Mary aged 3.
1911 census
records show that Esther had been widowed. The family were living at 58
Stanhope Cottages, Upper Stanhope Street and Frank was the head of the
household. Aged 25 he was employed as a ‘general labourer’. Joseph was working
as a dock labourer. Their mother Esther (aged 54) and sister Mary (13) also
lived there but were not in employment.
Despite being widowed, Esther completed the columns for children born/alive/died
showing that of 8 children only 3 were still alive.
Military Service
Frank’s service papers have survived for two enlistments in
wartime. He first enlisted in 1914 and was posted to the Royal Inniskilling
Fusiliers with the regimental numer 15133. His attestation paper shows that he
enlisted aged 28 years on 7th October 1914, which means that he was
a volunteer. His address was 36 Stanhope Cottages, Upper Stanhope Street, his
next-of-kin was his mother Esther of the same address and his occupation was
labourer.
The medical report for Frank Morris shows that he was 28
years old, 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighed 126 lbs, his physical development
was ‘fair’. His complexion was ‘fresh’ his eyes hazel and his hair dark brown.
His religion was R.C. , he had no distinguishing marks and was passed fit for
the Army.
After only 45 days Frank Morris was discharged on 20th
November 1914 as unlikely to make an efficient soldier, medically unfit. His
records show that he was found medically unfit but don’t say why. According to reports he then went back to
working on the docks.
On 27th July 1915 Frank Morris re-enlisted (again
as a volunteer) and was posted to the 2nd Battalion, South
Lancashire Regiment with the regimental number 19939. A note at the top of the
paper says ‘enlisted for Home Service, duration of war only’ so at some point
he must have signed the general service agreement to be sent overseas. His
attestation papers show that he was living at 61 Wesley Street (his
next-of-kin, Esther, was given at the same address), was 30 years 270 days old
and a labourer. He declared his previous service with the Royal Inniskilling
Fusiliers. The mystery of his reason for discharge may be explained by the form
he signed at attestation, consenting to dental treatment. Deficient teeth were
a cause for discharge as soldiers had to be able to eat field rations which
often included hard biscuits.
He was unmarried and had no children. The medical report
shows he was 5 feet 3 ½ inches tall and weighed 123 lbs, his physical
development was ‘fair’. Frank made an allotment from his pay to his sister, her
address was given as 22 Avison St, Upper Stanhope St.
He joined his regiment at Warrington on 29th July
1915. After training (during which he passed as a second class shot) he
embarked at Southampton on 28th April 1916 and disembarked at Rouen
the following day where he joined the 3 Infantry Base Depot. He proceeded to
the front on 13th May 1916 and joined his battalion (2nd ,South
Lancashire Regiment) the following day.
On 13th July 1916 Private Frank Morris was
injured with GSW (Gun Shot Wounds) and was admitted to the 113 Field Ambulance.
He was evacuated to 36 Casualty Clearing Station and died of wounds there. He
was buried in Cemetiere du Bois, Hareng, Heilly, 2 ½ miles nne of Corbie. His
body was later exhumed and reinterred at Heilly Station Cemetery, his family
were notified of this fact and assured that “the work of reburial has been
carried out carefully and reverently, special arrangements having been made for
the appropriate religious services to be held.”
The records show that the M.O.D. had some trouble sending
the relevant forms to Esther and Mary as they had moved several times. Forms were
originally sent to Wesley St, then Avison St before finally reaching them at 117
Towson St, Everton, Liverpool. Esther
completed the form showing that Frank’s only family were his mother and sister,
suggesting that his younger brother Joseph had also died.
These forms had to be certified by a clergyman or magistrate
as they formed part of an application for a pension. Esther had her form signed
by Fred W. Lloyd of 88c Huskisson St, Clerk in Holy Orders for St James Church,
Toxteth, Liverpool on 15th October 1919.
Newspaper reports of Frank’s death show that his family were
informed that he died on his way to hospital – technically true as the Field
Ambulance and Casualty Clearing Station were stops along the route of
evacuation to a military hospital. This cutting is from the Liverpool Echo 1st Sept 1916.
