#England #Kent #KIA #Military #WWI
Fred AMOS was the second youngest of five children born to Thomas AMOS (1847 – TBA), an agricultural labourer, and Maria BEER (1854 – 1931).
The families of Thomas and Maria seem to have been from in and around Dover, Kent, England. They married on 05 February 1879 in Hougham which is just outside the town. They were both in their 20s.
Fred had an older sister, Maria Isabella AMOS (1880 – 1928). She married George Frederick CASTLE and they seem to have moved towards Thanet. Think they had a couple of children.
He had three brothers – Ernest Richard AMOS (1881 – 1991) who was killed in the war, Frank AMOS (1882 – 1882) who died in infancy and Richard E AMOS (1887 – 1959).
The 1871 Census has his father Thomas living in Martin, Kent, England [yes it is a place] with his parents. Both Thomas and his father Abraham AMOS (1821 – 1881) are described as agricultural labourers (although Abraham seems paralysed) and his mother Isabella COCK (1815 – 1908) is the Village School Mistress.
His mother Maria is working as a domestic servant for Thomas PAIN, a Mason, and his family. They are based in Biggin Street, Dover. Not sure how Thomas and Maria would have met to have got together but they clearly did.
In the 1881 Census Thomas, Maria and the two eldest are living in a Cottage in Martin, Kent, England. They then had and lost another boy before Fred was born. His birth was registered Q3 1884 in Dover District and he was christened on 03 August 1884.
In the 1891 Census they are possibly living at the same place but there aren’t any specific details given apart from the fact it only has 4 rooms. There is no occupation given for the 7-year-old Fred or his surviving brothers and his sister Maria is with her elderly grandmother and her lodger a couple of properties away.
In the 1901 Census Fred, aged 15, seems to be working as a Houseman for William EASTES, a Farmer, and his family. He is listed as Frederick but this is presumably an assumption on their part as he was definitely registered as Fred. The property is Langdon Court, East Langdon so still near his family.
In 1911 Census he is back living with parents at 3 Prospect Place, Martin. He is still described as single. There is a 7-year-old girl called Edith “Edie” AMOS who it would appear is a child of his sister Maria.
As they also have a lodger there are 5 of them in a three-room dwelling. Fred’s employment is now shown as Horseman on a farm.
Fred joined up and it appears that in the South Staffordshire Regiment 1 his number was 5595. He was a Private. Have not been able to find his enlistment papers so no more information about his movements or personal details available.
His Service number then changed to 27607 and he was then a Private in the 1st Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. He was killed in action on 10 December 1916 2and buried in Thiepval cemetery in France on 17 December 1916. He was awarded the Victory and British War Medals.
Three months earlier his brother had also been killed in action so very sadly his parents Thomas and Maria lost three of their children before they themselves passed away.
Unfortunately, not been able to confirm Thomas’ death. We know he was alive in 1911 and 1915 so the most logical entry for a Thomas AMOS death after that is Q3 1923 in Eastry District, aged 79, but that implies born in 1844 so not confident.
Fred AMOS was a 3C 3R to myself through his paternal grandmother. I believe the shared ancestors to be my 5x Great Grandparents Simon COCK (c1752 – 1842) and Dorothy PARKER (1754 – 1793).
Footnotes –
Most research undertaken using Ancestry, FreeBMD and Google Maps. Additional resources listed below if utilised.
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