| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
Francis was born in Beverley on May 26th 1891 and baptised at St Mary's Church on June 20th of that year. He was the eldest of four children born to Francis W Lockyear (1864-1913) and his wife Ada (1865-1932) nee Thirsk. Francis, a marine engineer, was originally from Christchurch in New Zealand; Ada was the daughter of a local corn miller and local councilor, John Thirsk. Francis was brought up on Saturday Market and later in Hull. Nothing is known of Francis' education but by the time of WW1 he was working as a municipal clerk in Beverley, either with Beverley Council or the East Riding County Council. He lodged with his maternal grandparents at 7 Westwood Road, Beverley. Francis was married at St Mary's Church, Beverley, on September 6th 1917. His new wife, May Appleby, a shop assistant, was from Beverley, born in 1892, and daughter of an outfitter and tailor of 19 Toll Gavel. No record of any children has been found.
Virtually nothing is known of Francis' war record save that in 1917 he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 4th Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment (148th Brigade, 49th Division). He arrived in France on December 17th 1917. His regiment took part in the Battle of the Lys in 1918 in Belgium and then were involved in the autumn advance into Picardy in France and in actions at Selle and Valenciennes. He was awarded the War and Victory medals.
In the inter-war period Francis moved to Hull and worked in the Housing Department of the council. He later moved to Scarborough where he died age 77 on November 7th 1968.
Francis' younger brothers also served in the war: Noel M Lockyear, born in 1899, served as a lance-corporal in the Royal Scots and the Royal Marines; Horace Lockyear (ww1 lives 794) born in 1897, served as 2nd Lieutenant in the Lincolnshire Regiment and was killed in action on May 20th 1918.
Includes information taken from census, military records |