Fred Mather, Royal Air Force; died 12.11.1942

Can anyone please help with identification of this young man? The inscription is on his parents' gravestone, in Haydock, near St. Helens. Perhaps Fred was his middle name?

 

Hello Berenice

Geoffs search engine shows 1 Mather and 2 Mathers in Nov 42 but not him

3 others called Frederick Mather for the whole war but not him

TD will be along shortly and will add more

I have a few headstones that state the individual was in service but not listed on CWGC.
Perhaps his death was not wartime related etc.

regards
Clive

 

Thanks, Clive. I think it's likely he's actually buried in that grave, as the inscription doesn't mention being on active service, at home or abroad.

 

I wonder if this is him, as you say CL1 he doesn't appear on CWGC (or not that I could find)

Fred Mather in the England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
Name: Fred Mather
Birth Date: abt 1921
Date of Registration: Dec 1942
Age at Death: 21
Registration district: Ince
Inferred County: Lancashire
Volume: 8c
Page: 52
It would hopefully tell us what he died of

There is at least 2 x James Mather born in St Helens around 1900ish, - do you have more info about him from the headstone - trying to find info on James from his father (perhaps)

TD

 

The only other info on the headstone is that his parents were James and Mary Ann Mather. I only came across this on Monday, and wasn't able to use the local studies section in St. Helens Library, but next time I go there I'll look up that date.

 

Looks like Fred was named after his Uncle

1911 Census:
Name: James Mather
Age in 1911: 18
Estimated birth year: abt 1893
Relation to Head: Son
Gender: Male
Birth Place: St Helens, Lancashire, England
Civil Parish: St Helens
Search Photos: Search for 'St Helens' in the UK City, Town and Village Photos collection
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England
Street address: 98 Merton Bank St Helens
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Miner (hewer)
Registration district: Prescot
Registration District Number: 456
Sub-registration district: St Helens
ED, institution, or vessel: 49
Piece: 22803
Household Members:
Name Age
Henry Mather 49
Sarah Mather 29
James Mather 18
Thomas Mather 14
Ruth Mather 12
Joseph Mather 10
Fred Mather 8

TD

 

James Mather in the Lancashire, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1936
Name: James Mather
Gender: Male
Age: 28
Birth Year: abt 1892
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 25 Dec 1920
Parish: Parr, Lancashire, England
Search Photos: Search for 'Parr' in the UK City, Town and Village Photos collection
Spouse: Mary Ann Chesworth
Spouse Age: 28
Father: Henry Mather
Spouse Father: William Smiths
Register Type: Parish Register

2 points of interest
1. The wedding date
2. Her fathers surname - do we assume this was her second marriage, perhaps her first husband died in WW1 or Spanish Flu ???

Unfortunately no family trees to help

TD

 

Well done TD and thank you

 

Had quick look in AIR 78 but there are hundreds, if not thousands of RAF men (and women) with the surname "Mather". There are 10 Fredericks (that I've found so far), plus many records for "F. Mather" and then there are the Alfreds and the Wilfreds, never mind the Charles Fredericks and the George Fredericks and the like. Bit of a needle in a haystack!

As for whether Fred Mather is actually buried there, I've seen civilian gravestones like this (as opposed to CWGC headstones) and it isn't always the case that the serviceman is buried there. It may just be a commemoration and he may be buried somewhere else (or have no known grave).

And there doesn't seem to be a Fred Mather on the Runnymede memorial.

Finally, there is a birth in 1921 in Prescot registration district, Lancs. for an Alfred Mather. Mother's last name given as Wellings. Vol 8B, page 1527. Could this be our man?

 

Have a look at this thread I found an RAF chap .I sent off for his death cert which even stated death was due to war service.
Was in the RAF but death deemed by CWGC not to be service related.
Quote
Air Historical Branch at RAF Northolt,state he had just been discharged when he died and they do not have any details that his death was attributed to any events whilst in RAF service.

Godwin-Monck: Casualty 6/12/40

Assume Mather is the same death not deemed as in service or had already left the RAF.
Death cert would give a clue

 

DaveB and I came across a RAAF member not on the Roll of Honour and therefore not on the CWGC website. If I remember the details correctly, we gather he was on sick leave. He was discharged from the RAAF however he died the same day. Dave B's work with this had him listed as was the case with more than a few more.

 

TD, don't know if this helps. From the GRO site, James date of birth is 27 Apr 1894 and Mary Ann was born 9 Jan 1892.

 

Thanks amberdog so that means, assuming he was born in Lancashire and he was registered in the second quarter of that year (Apr/May/Jun):

James Mather
1894 Apr-May-Jun Bolton Lancashire

James Mather
1894 Apr-May-Jun Prescot Lancashire

James Henry Mather
1894 Apr-May-Jun Bolton Lancashire

Not sure I want to go down the road of checking Smiths (if thats her maiden name) in 1892 born in ?? Lancashire, if not then where ??

TD

 

GRO has her year of birth wrong against her death entry. Mary Ann Chesworth was born September 1893 in Prescot.

Edit: TD, I can see birth entries for Durham area, mother's name Chesworth, for a Harry Mather an an Oliver David Mather on Ancestry. The FreeBMD at GRO don't list these births. Can you see birth years on Ancestry?

 

James Mather (father) may be the J. Mather whose name is on the Haydock Primary School WW1 roll of honour, as having served.

I'll see if I can get down to St. Helens' Local Studies on Saturday, 11th February.

 

The births you are after are i.e Mather born with mothers maiden name Chesworth:
Harry Mather Sep 2004 Stockton Durham

Oliver David Mather May 2001 Stockton Durham

TD

 

The St. Helens Newspaper had no mention of Fred Mather's death, funeral, or interment, for the two weeks after the date on the gravestone. The microfilm reel for the other local newspaper, the Reporter, was missing from St. Helens Library for that period.

I wonder if the parents remembered the year wrongly?

 

Extract from 1939 National Register
227 West End Road, Haydock

James Mather, 27/04/1894, Coal Hewer
Mary A Mather, 06/01/1892, Unpaid Domestic Duties
Alfred Chesworth, 24/07/13, Tank & Gun fitter and Erector
plus two "closed" entries

 

Found this topic after the grave came up on another forum...

Based on the marriage info above and the 1939 Register I assume the correct birth is Fred Mather, mother's maiden name Smith, registered at Warrington in the fourth quarter of 1921.

Mary's first marriage would therefore have been to Anthony Chesworth in 1913 at St Peter's Church, Parr, St Helens. Anthony Chesworth served with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers during WW1 and was killed in action at Mametz on 10 July 1916: Casualty Details | CWGC

Would be interested to see how Fred Mather died, but as speculated above it could be that he was already discharged from the RAF and died from an unrelated cause.

 

The DC states that he was an Air Force pensioner, he died at Wrightington Hospital from sarcoma of left ilium.