| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
David William Lancaster was born in Beverley the 22 Feb 1888, and baptised at St Mary's Church, Beverley the 29 Mar 1903 aged fifteen. He was the youngest child of John Lancaster, a groom, and his wife Elizabeth (nee Megson). The Lancaster family were long-term residents of Harrison's Yard, North Bar Within, Beverley. David had two brothers, Charles Ernest and John Benjamin (known as Jack) and three sisters, Susan Elizabeth, Christiana Mary and Annie Louisa. David's mother died aged 54, in Sep 1905. By the time of the 1911 Census, his father was living in lodgings at The Red House, 97 Flemingate and David was a boarder with his eldest married sister, Susan and her husband Ernest Hudson, at their home 8 Pasture Terrace. Beverley. David was employed at Richard Hodgson and Sons Limited as a tanner's labourer.
David enlisted as a Territorial in the 2nd/5th Battalion, Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment. This 'Home Service' Battalion was stationed in Darlington, Benton (near Newcastle) and Catterick during 1914 to 1916. In Jul 1916 Private Lancaster became available for overseas service and on arriving in France was attached to the 1st/4th (Hallamshire) Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment. The Battalion, part of the 148th Brigade of the 49th (West Riding) Division, moved to the Thiepval Sector on the Somme front in early Sep 1916. It was here that David Lancaster was seriously injured, dying of his wounds at the 49th Casualty Clearing Station, Contay, Somme, on 7 Sep 1916. He was buried in Contay British Cemetery.
Before embarkation for France, David married Florence Mary Foster, second daughter of Edward and Isabella Foster, on 16 Mar 1916 at St Paul's Church, Darlington. By Sep, Florence Lancaster, David's bride of six months was left a widow. She was eighteen years old. The Reverend A J Perry, Chaplain of the 49th Casualty Clearing Station wrote Florence a letter of condolence. In sending her his deepest sympathy, he said her husband was brought into hospital in a serious condition and all their efforts towards his recovery were in vain
Mrs Florence Lancaster married Gilbert Warriner in 1917. They subsequently had five children, four sons and a daughter. The Warriner family moved from Darlington to Stockton on Tees. Florence died aged 59, in 1957
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |