Harry was born around 1884 and was the second child of Joseph and Eliza Clare. Joseph had been born in Hatton about 1860 and was working as a milk dealer. Eliza had been born around 1854 in Whitley.
Joseph’s older sister, Mary Alice, had also been born in Stretton, around 1882. By the time his brother Joseph Victor had been born in 1887 the family moved to 1 White Street Warrington. Other children followed; Percy was born around 1889, William was born on the 5th September 1891 and Nellie was born in 1895.
By 1911 the family had split. Joseph had moved to Morris Brook Farm, Grappenhall with three of the boys (all now young men) working on the farm for their father; young Joseph was a cattleman, Percy as a teamster and William as an agricultural labourer. Nellie, now aged sixteen, was also living at the farm, although their mother was living in Blackpool as a housekeeper.
Harry was in lodgings in Newtown, Wigan. He stayed with Mrs Ellen Moss and her three children at 32 Westminster Street and was a theatre violinist.
William joined the Army in March 1915 as a gunner in the Royal Field Artillery and was sent to the Front in November 1915.
Harry enlisted in June 1916 by which time the family had moved again; this time to Glebe Farm in Newton by Daresbury.
Joseph, still unmarried, was conscripted in 1918 at the age of 31.
By this time William had broken his leg and was in a hospital in Leeds whilst Harry was also in hospital in Cambridge.
06/09/2016