Selected Biographies

Mothersole, George Henry – Born: Shimpling, Suffolk in 1831.  Parents: James Mothersole of Hartest, Suffolk (Gamekeeper) and Sophia [née Cadge].  Home: Acton Place, Acton, Suffolk (1841), HMS Cressy, Mediterranean Sea (1861), 14 Jessamine Street, Deptford, London (1871).  Occupation: Agricultural Labourer (1841), Greenwich Pensioner (1871).  Service Record: George enlisted with the Royal Marine Light Infantry at Bury St Edmunds in 1848.  He rose to the rank of Sergeant serving on HMS Cressy in Mediterranean in 1861, receiving his discharge in 1870.  In 1871 he is recorded as a Drill Instructor with 27^th Kent Volunteers.  Died: Deptford, London on 8.9.1871.

Mothersole, Herbert William ‘Willie’ – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk in 1874.  Parents: Henry Mothersole (Coconut Mat Weaver) and Mary Ann [nee Allen].  Home: White Hart Yard, Hall Street, Long Melford (1881), Lecture Hall Yard, Hall Street, Long Melford (1891), Hall Street, Long Melford [1906]. Occupation: Ostler at a Public House (1891), Groom to F. Young at the Plough Inn, Chelmsford, Essex [1906].  Service Record: William enlisted in February 1906 as Pte.7095 with 3^rd [Militia] Battalion, Suffolk Regiment.  His medical report shows that he was a little over 5 feet tall with a 32-inch chest measurement and was considered unfit for military service and immediately discharged.  It is not known if William Mothersole saw service during the First World War as no definitive record has been found.[1]

Mothersole, Robert Smith – Born: North Leith, Scotland in 1884. Parents: Willoughby Mothersole of Long Melford and Robina [née Smith].  Family Connections: Brother of Willoughby Kennedy Mothersole [b1879].  Home:  6 Wilkie Place, North Leith (1891), 46 Bangor Road, Leith, Scotland (1901), 21 George Street, Leith [1921].  Occupation: Joiner’s Machinist (1901).  Married: Jessie Ferguson Porter in 1907.  Service Record:  Robert enlisted in 1902 as Pte.8234 with 1^st Battalion, Princess Louise’s [Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders], being posted to India between 1904 and 1906 with 2^nd Battalion, transferring to the Army Reserve in 1910.  He was reengaged in January 1914 joining 3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, Royal Scots [Lothian Regiment] stationed principally at Glencorse Barracks in Edinburgh.  He was transferred as Pte.T39446 to 242^nd [Horse Transport] Company, Army Service Corps in May 1917, receiving his discharge in November 1917 being declared unfit for further military service due to tuberculosis of the lung.[2]  Died: Leith, Scotland on 28.5.1921.

Mothersole, William ‘George’ – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk in 1879.  Parents: Henry Mothersole of Acton, Suffolk (Coconut Mat Weaver) and Mary Ann [née Allen] (Coconut Mat Weaver).  Home: White Hart Yard, Hall Street, Long Melford (1881), Lecture Hall Yard, Hall Street, Long Melford (1891), Smaley Lane, Long Melford (1901), lodging with Mrs G. Cook in Hall Street, Long Melford [1920], lodging with Mrs Sarah Ann Allen in Sargents Yard, Long Melford (1921).  Occupation: Groom (1901), Horsekeeper (1921).  Service Record: No definitive military record has been found to suggest that William saw service during the First World War.  He may have however been excused duty on account of his poor health being recorded in July 1920 as infected with tuberculosis.[3]  Died: Long Melford on 23.2.1921.

Mothersole, Willoughby Kennedy – Born: North Leith, Scotland 1880.  Parents: Willoughby Mothersole of Long Melford and Robina [née Smith].  Family Connections: Brother of Robert Smith Mothersole [b1884].  Home: 7 Lapicide Place, North Leith (1881), 6 Wilkie Place, North Leith (1891), 13 Graham Street, Leith [1918 to 1932], 61 Restalrig Road [1933 to 1937], 167 Crewe Road, Leith [1938 to 1950].[4]  Service Record: Willoughby enlisted in 1915 as Pte.1284, later renumbered as Pte.300171 with 1/7^th Battalion, Royal Scots [Lothian Regiment], being posted to Gallipoli on 12.6.1915 as part of 156^th (Scottish Rifles) Brigade, 52^nd (Lowland) Division.  In December his unit was evacuated to Egypt where it took part in the Palestine Campaign of 1917, before it was redeployed in France in 1918, seeing action there on the Somme at Arras and in the Battles of the Hindenburg Line.[5]   Died: Leith, Scotland in 1950.

Notes – [1] See his Militia Service Records 1806-1915 [WO 96].  William, who was unable to write his own name placing a ‘X’ to sign his Attestation Papers.  He may also have given a false age.  [2] www.longlongtrail.co.uk, Soldiers’ Documents, First World War ‘Burnt Documents’ [WO 363], Soldiers’ Documents and Pension Claims, First World War [WO 364], Medal Roll [WO 329], and Medal Index Card [WO 372].  [3] Tuberculosis: Register of Notification from Medical Practitioners [Bury Record Office ref; EF501/4/23].  [4] Some addresses taken from the Electoral Roll.  [5] Medal Roll [WO 329] and Medal Index Card [WO 372].