Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Grave: | Longuenesse (St. Omer) Souvenir Cemetery | V.A.31 | |
| 2. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.135 | |
| 3. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 5A GQS | |
| 4. Memorial: | Liverpool Masonic Hall War Memorial | Col.4. Hope St. | |
Awards & Titles: | British War Medal Victory Medal | ||
Family :
The majority of this legend is courtesy of Geoff Cuthill of the Province of West Lancashire, to whom the project is grateful.Arthur Thomas Simpson was born to Thomas Simpson and Mary Jane (nee Clapson) at Paddington, London in 1880, and baptised on 30th January, 1881 at St Peter’s Church, Paddington, with his fathers occupation ‘tailor’ and residing at 34 Edbrooke Road and later of of 197, Ashmore Rd., Paddington, London.
The census of 1881 confirms the address but also shows that Thomas Simpson, age 35 originated from the West Derby district of Liverpool, while his 27 year old wife is from Cranbrook in Kent. (The couple had married at Hastings, Sussex on 11 March 1874.) Their first child is shown as age six, Mary E, then Matilda Dora age two along with the recent arrival, Arthur Thomas Simpson. They are all next found at 31 Edbrooke Road in the 1891 census, Thomas described as Tailor, Coatmaker and Cutter, with no further addition to the family.
Arthur is not found in the following census of 1901 but his parents and Matilda Dora are still residing at 31 Edbrooke Road. Arthur himself is aboard the Cunard liner ‘Ivernia’ somewhere between Liverpool and United States of America working as a waiter. His first voyage was from Liverpool when he signed up for 10 April 1900, giving an address of 28 Ashfield Street, Liverpool. He is 20 years of age, and he gives his place of birth as London. He certainly took to his chosen career for he continued to re-sign for the “Ivernia’ for many years, later giving 243 Derby Road, Liverpool as his address, then 19 Malta Road in 1907. By this time he had taken a promotion to ‘linen-keeper’, which corresponds with the information given on his initiation into Ancient Union Lodge. In 1908, now age 28, he is at 1 Palmerston Road, Seaforth, Liverpool.
Information regarding Arthur becomes scarce after this date, although it is known his father died in the summer of 1908 at Paddington. He has not been found on 1911 census, but it is probable he was still working at sea.
Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: 4th Battalion Grenadier Guards |
4th Battalion Formed at Marlow. Moved overseas 14 July 1915. 19 August 1915 : attached to 3rd Guards Brigade, Guards Division. 8 February 1918 : transferred to 4th Guards Brigade, 31st Division. 20 May 1918 : transferred to GHQ Reserve |
| Action : The Battles of the Lys |
9 April - 29 April 1918. As the first phase of the great German campaign of 1918 lost momentum and failed in its objective to split the British and French armies, subsidiary attacks were shift the balance of the attack and to seek opportunities to exploit other sectors. On the Lys the Germans initially enjoyed spectacular success against a Portuguese Division but the gap was soon plugged and the advance halted.
Detail :
26099 Guardsman Arthur Thomas Simpson, 4th Battalion, Grenadier Guards.
Arthur enlisted at Stratford (London) into the 4th Battalion, Grenadier Guards, and his service number of 26099 indicates he joined between 21 June 1916 and 13 July 1916. The portrait photograph is a close up of Arthur sitting in uniform is from the brown family and is the last one taken of him while on leave, prior to returning to the front.
At this period the Battalion was involved at Ypres /Loos.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission shows Arthur as died 13th April, 1918 and buried at Longuenesse (St. Omer) Souvenir Cemetery in Plot V, Row A, Grave 31. The headstone contains the additional engraving “He willingly gave up all for the love of his country” which records show was at the request of Mrs M J Simpson of 197 Ashmore Road, London W 9.
For his service in the Great War he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Ancient Union and Princes No. 203 E.C. | West Lancashire |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
25th October 1907 | 19th December 1907 | 31st January 1908 |
Arthur was proposed for membership of ANCIENT UNION LODGE No 203 by W Bro Alfred Henry Roden, seconded W Bro Alfred Allsop, and balloted for on 18 October 1907. He was initiated on 25 October 1907, at an Emergency Meeting at the Liverpool Masonic Hall in Hope Street described as a Storekeeper, aged 27 years residing at 19 Malta Road, Bootle. He was passed to the Second Degree on 19 December 1907 and raised to a Master Mason on 31 January 1908, signing for receipt of his Grand Lodge Certificate on 16 July 1908.
Gren has dow St Omer 11 April 1916
The lodge received a letter from a Mrs A J Brown which was read at the meeting of 16 May 1918 saying that Bro A T Simpson had been killed in action on 13 April 1918. This is from Arthur’s sister, Mabel Dora, who had married Mr A J Brown.
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley