Private
Albert BROWN
Infantry
Died: 18th April 1917 - Age: 39

Commemorated:

1. Book:The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918Pg.117
2. Memorial:The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour12B GQS
3. Memorial:Liverpool Masonic Hall War MemorialCol.1. Hope St.
    

Awards & Titles:

 

Early Life :

The majority of this legend is courtesy of Geoff Cuthill of the Province of West Lancashire, to whom the project is grateful.

Albert was born to Alfred and Sarah Brown on 22nd May, 1877 and baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter, Liverpool on 17 September of that year. His parents address was given as Richmond Row, and his father’s occupation as a Brass finisher. Albert’s parents had married at Birmingham in 1859, his mother being Sarah Wigley. They went to live at 86 Willis Street, Aston, where Alfred was a “brass lock maker”, and in 1860 their first child Alfred W Brown was born. After having a son, William in 1863, and daughter Sarah, 1865, both in born in Birmingham, their next child Mary A Brown was born at Liverpool in 1868 and Ada in 1871 with them living at 19 Kensington.

The 1881 census shows the family has re-located to Liverpool residing at 4 Kensington Terrace in Christ Church Parish, and the couple have produced three more children, Henry H in 1874, Albert in 1877, and Lilly in 1880. By the time of the 1891 census Albert is a scholar and his family are at 208 Phythian Street.

On 28 October 1896 Albert attested into the regular army with the King’s Liverpool Regiment. He is already a member of the 4th (Militia) Battalion of the Regiment and his sent immediately to the Regimental Depot at Warrington. He is described as 18 year 5 month of age, a plumber and painter and is given the rank and number of Private 5464. Standing at five foot four and a half inch and weighing 130 pound he has a sallow complexion with brown eyes and dark brown hair. His chest measurement is thirty-three inch, religion given as Church of England.

He is posted to the 2 Battalion from the Depot on completing basic training on 13 February 1897 and is appointed as a “Drummer” on 2 March 1898. This would also have meant his being able to play a bugle. On 27 March he goes to the Depot returning to the 2nd Battalion on 4 May 1898. He proceeds to South Africa 7 February 1902 with Mounted Infantry unit, returning 10 September. For service in South Africa he is awarded the South African medal with clasps for Cape Colony, Orange Free State and 1902, and gains his Mounted Infantry Certificate. On return to the 2nd Bn he continue to serves until transfer to Army Reserve. His first period of Home service was for 5 yr 102 days, South Africa 215 days, and the second period Home service was 6 yr 48 days, total service being 11 yr 365 days when he leaves on 27 October 1908.

The 1911 census shows Albert at home as a 33 year old ships steward stopping with his parents, and Harry and Lily, at 21 Arundel Street, Walton. This census also shows his parents as being married 52 years having produced eight children, six of who are still living.

Records of Albert for this period still survive in the Crew Lists for Liverpool. In 1912 he is found as a 32 year old Bugler of 21 Arundel Street aboard the Cunarder, “Carmania”. While serving as a Fourth Officer aboard another Cunarder, “Carpathia” the future Commodore of the Company Harry Grattidge made note of the ‘bugler’s’ rivalry. “At 6:30 P.M., a bugler sounded the dress call, which gave us just time to take our seats in the dining saloon as another bugle sounded at seven. At Genoa, where we lay alongside the White Star liner Canopic, the dinner bugle had provoked a long-standing feud. At the appointed hour the bugler from each ship would march solemnly on deck. To hail each other was beneath their dignity, nor did they even glance at each other, for, while our bugler had belonged to the Household Cavalry, the Canopic’s bugler had served with the Irish Guards. Instead they let the music signify their rivalry and the harbour rang with the shrill notes of “The Roast Beef of Old England,” each man contesting for the extra note until one felt that their lungs must burst under the strain. They were implacable, they would not give up, and more often than not the contest ended in a dead heat.

Service Life:

Campaigns:

Unit / Ship / Est.: Prince of Wales Volunteers (South Lancashire) Regiment 

Action : Accident 

Accidents were a minor factor in the casualty list. Our definition is deaths resulting from activities that were not directly associated with 'active service'. We have excluded Naval Accidents which are seperately identified because of their numbers and impact. Many accidents involved the aviators, operating at the the limits of technology.

Detail :

Not long after war broke out Albert enlisted at Liverpool on 10 December 1915 into the Kings Liverpool Regiment as Private 23104, address given as 21 Arundel St, aged 37 years and 7 months, and was placed into the Army Reserve. He is recorded as having previously served in the 1st Battalion of the Liverpool Regiment, but no date is given. His physical features are given as 5 foot, five and three quarter inch in height with a thirty six inch chest, and his next of kin being his sister Lily, of the same address. Albert was eventually mobilised on 23 March 1916, and moved to the 16th (Reserve) Battalion Liverpool Regiment on the 25 May of the same year. Around this period he was re-numbered as 39586 and on 1 July 1916 he was transferred to the recently embodied 23rd Works Battalion of the Liverpool Regiment.

On 22 December 1916, Albert was transferred to 1/5th Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment, Prince of Wales Volunteer’s, as Private, 60023, the battalion having just been formed at Bebington for work on the Mersey Docks. It was while working in this capacity that Albert lost his life due to an accident, and died on Wednesday, 18 April, 1917. The Lodge records have the date of death as 16 April, but the army records show it as the 18. Albert was laid to rest in Everton Cemetery in plot XI. CE. 359, at 4 p.m. on Saturday 21 April, where there are another fifty-four burials relating to the Great War.

In addition to masonic memorial, Albert is commemorated on a Framed Roll of Honour, Parish Church of St. Luke the Evangelist, Goodison Road, Walton and within illuminated leather bound book, in St. Luke’s.

Masonic :

TypeLodge Name and No.Province/District :
Mother : Downshire No. 594 E.C.West Lancashire

Initiated
Passed
Raised
16th April 1913
15th May 1913
19th August 1913
 


Albert Brown was initiated into Downshire Lodge No 594 on 16 April 1913, being proposed by William Alker Regan and seconded by Henry Smith. He is described as being 33 years of age, a Steward, residing at 21 Arundel Street, Walton, Liverpool. Albert was passed to the Second Degree on 15 May 1913, raised to the degree of Master Mason on 19 August 1913, with his Grand Lodge Certificate being issued on 21 January 1914. Albert was initiated on the same night as another Brother of Downshire Lodge who lost his life in the war, Frederick David Wycombe.

Lodge records at the United Grand Lodge of England show that Albert "Died on War Service April 1917"

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

Additional Source:

Last Updated: 2021-02-23 08:16:50