Fred Alma Stamp
FAMILY LIFE
Fred Alma Stamp was the son of Robert and Mary. He was born in Ashby in 1882. His parents were both born around 1840 and Robert, according to the census returns, hailed from Poolthorne which is a hamlet between Howsham and Cadney.
Mary Hill was from Ashby and they were married in 1864.
Robert’s father, John, was a shepherd and seems to have moved around the area near Brigg quite a bit.
Like many families the Stamps wanted to keep family names and they christened their children in memory of their ancestors.
Robert’s youngest brother was called Alma Stamp and he was 21 years younger than Robert himself.
In 1911 when Robert was still living with his parents Alma was married and living at 69 Fox Street in Scunthorpe. His eldest son, Fred’s cousin was Charles Alfred Stamp and he enlisted into the army in January of 1916.
So now we can understand at least in part why Fred Alma Stamp had such an unusual name.
Fred was a joiner and we can see from the census returns how he served his apprenticeship and then went on to work at his trade, so that by 1911 he was shown to be working in house building while his father Robert, aged 67, was a labourer on the blast furnaces.
Robert and his family lived in different parts of Ashby at different times, no doubt moving to better housing as the years progressed. In 1881 they were in Wells’ Yard (which is roughly where Emmanuel Court is today). In 1891 they lived in Queen Street. By 1901 they had moved again, this time to Maniwells and in 1911 they were in North Parade.
Sadly, we do not have any photographs or family heirlooms to include in this part of Fred’s story and we have been unable to trace any descendants of his family.
MILITARY SERVICE
It seems that Fred enlisted into the Lincolnshire Regiment in January 1916 along with his cousin Charles. It is probable that they were both conscripts. Charles survived the war but as we know, Fred was one of those who never returned.
From Fred’s regimental service number we can deduce that he was assigned to the 11th Battalion which was a training reserve unit. Eventually he was transferred to the 2/4 Berkshire regiment. Such transfers became regular practice after 1917 and he was then given a different service number. Unfortunately none of his personal service records have survived but he does have a grave and we know from the 2/4 Battalion Berkshire regiment war diary that he was wounded on the 1st of April and died two days later. The diary reads as follows:
“GENTELLES Apr 1 During the day work was carried out on the Trenches for the Defence of the Village and an Outpost Piquet furnished.
The Village was shelled intermittently, the Battalion sustaining losses 1 killed, 5 wounded.
Fred is buried at the Vadencourt British cemetery at Maissemy.
Photos of the cemetery at Maissemy.
