Yarm 1914

Laurence was born in Eaglescliffe in 1896 to Albert Edward Ward aged 27, a secretary in a Saltworks and his wife Cicely aged 28. They married in 1893 when Cicely was a servant at Woodside Hall in Preston on Tees where the Mayor of Stockton Richard H Appleton lived. They moved to Highfield Villas and in 1895 their first daughter Frances Cicely was born. Their second daughter, Freda Margaret was born in 1901.The family were wealthy enough to have their own servant Nora Flyn. By 1911 Albert was the manager at the saltwork and the family had moved to a 7 roomed house on Yarm Road called Woodlands. The family understood the importance of a good education and Frances was a residential pupil at Barnard Castle school. The servant was now Annie Dualey

Laurence was 18 at the outbreak of war and signed up with the Border Regiment with army number 4181/241752 reaching the rank of corporal before being commissioned on 30th October 1917 with 4th Yorkshire Hussars (Alexandra Princes of Wales Own). He was killed in action on 10th April 1918 and remembered on Ploegsteert Memorial in Belgium.
He is remembered on the Egglescliffe War memorial and Middlesbrough High School memorial plaque which is displayed in Middlesbrough College. yarm1914 believe it is likely that he attended Yarm Grammar School as well and therefore remembered on the board in Conyers School.

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Yarm 1914 Research ________________

The Yarm 1914 Commemoration Group is carrying out research on the soldiers listed. We are finding where they lived in Yarm and will represent the findings in a wall of poppies presentation. More details will be posted on Facebook, Twitter and this web site. If you have any information please contact us. Left click on the picture below.