FARR, Allan
No. 74955, Private, Allan Thomas FARR
Aged 28
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Born in Hereford on 27th September, 1890,[Hereford 6a:437] the third son of Edward O. and Mary Agnes FARR (née HOPSON) of 42 Eign Street, Hereford All Saints.
Mary was Edward's 2nd wife, 1st wife Rosa Lavinia Bigglestone, by whom he had 3 sons, Edward F., William James and Albert Percy From Allan's old school we have the following:- " Allan Thomas FARR born 27/09/1890 entered school on 21/5/1894 His father was Edward FARR whose employment was a Mason. Allan Thomas FARR moved up to senior school on 01/05/1899 that being Lord Scudamore Boys School. He left the school on 10/08/1906 and according to our records he left to be an Apprentice Jockey." 1891 census...at 1&2 Anthony Cottages, Eign Street, Hereford were Allan Thomas[7 months] with his father Edward [37] a builder, born Hereford...mother Agnes [27] born Hereford and 1/2 brothers Edward F. [14] railway clerk, William James [11], Albert Percy [10], brothers James Henry [9], Harold John [3], all born in Hereford 1901 census...at 42 Eign Street, Hereford were Allen [10], his parents, brothers Percy, Harold, Reginald[9], sisters Mabel [6], Violet [5] and brother Ethelbert [3], Claud [1] all born Hereford 1911 census...Allan was a stableman (as Thomas Allen) in Newmarket, working for Tom Leader at Wroughton House, Newmarket His parents and brothers James (now a widower) a railway inspector, Harold, a builders improver, Reginald, a clerk, Claude [12] sisters Mabel, Violet and Maude Adelaide [8] and Ivy Mary [4] were at 39 Baysham Street, Hereford. Arthur died in 1895 and Dorothy 1901, making 15 children for Edward up to 1911 census Allan had married Mildred Maud SARGENT [13-10-1893] , Exning born daughter of Susannah SARGENT of Frogmore, Exning in St Martins Church, Exning in Q2-1913. They had three children, all born in Exning/Newmarket: Allen Edward who died in 1913 aged 1, Reginald James [29-4-1916-1999] and Thomas Victor [9-12-1918-1992], born after his father's death. They lived in Frogmore, Exning. In Q2-1934 Mildred married his brother Ethelbert, marriage registered Newmarket. He enlisted in Army Remount Service as Private RX/199000 Army Service Corps at Newmarket in July 1916. CWGC has him in RASC, but the Royal appendage was not added until the end of the war. He was sent to France in 1916. Allan's entry in"Our Exning Heroes" reads as follows: Farr, A. Private Allan Farr joined up in July, 1916, and in September of the same year went out to France. He was killed on October 12th, 1918, less than a month before the Armistice was signed, but no particulars of his death have been received. He was a married man and leaves two little children, one of whom was born after his death. He was an expert runner and especially good as a sprinter, and won a great number of prizes. In 1918 he won the hundred yards flat handicap at Cleethorpes from scratch. He was educated at Scudamore School at Hereford, and is on the Roll of Honour in that school. He was also a chorister in a church choir in Hereford, and a Prayer Book given him by his choirmaster when he left was greatly treasured,and accompanied him to France, and is now in the possession of his widow. The Cambridge Daily News on 1st November 1918 recorded:- Pte.Allan (Tom) Farr - Mrs Farr, of Frogmore, Exning, Newmarket has received official news of the death of her husband, Pte. Allan Farr, of the Manchester Regimet, on October 12th. Pte Allan Farr, who was kown as "Tom" came from Hereford when quite a boy, and was apprenticed with Mr. Leader. He left there to join Mr. William Jarvis, and when that trainer was called up, Farr came to Harraton House, Exning with Mr. Percy Peck. He was 28 years of age. He married Miss Sargent, of Frogmore, Exning, who he leaves a widow with one child of 2 1/2 years. Pte. Farr was placed in the Remounts at Market Harborough, but was subsequently drafted thence to the Manchesters. He left England for France on September 21st, and was killed three weeks later (sic), on October 12th. He was very well known in Newmarket as a steady reliable stableman and an excellent athlete. He won many prizes at the Stablemens' Sorts and other athletic meeting. He was a member of Court Victory of the Ancient Order of Foresters. |
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On the 12th October 1918 the 12th Manchesters were crossing the River Selle near Neuvilly. They came under rifle & grenade atatck as they were getting across,and
snipers once they were over. They tried to consolidate, but then came under machine gun & artillery fire, forcing a withdrawal almost back to the river bank.
280 casualties were reported. CWGC reports 83 killed.
Allan was found north of Avesnes-sur-Helpe and re-interred in Montay in 1920 |
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details