Capt Cecil Rowley Bolton

• Age: 28
• From: Oxton
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 22nd February 1917
• Commemorated at: Agny New Milltary Cem
  Panel Ref: E.16

Cecil Rowley was born in the second quarter of 1889 in Oxton, Birkenhead the son of Walter Rowley Bolton and his wife Laura (née Hossell), who were married on the 05th June 1888 at St. John's Church, Perry Barr, Birmingham. 

Their marriage was described in the London Evening Standard on Saturday 09th June 1888; 

MARRIAGES. 

BOLTON-HOSSELL - June 5, at St. John's Church, Perry Barr, by the Rev. John Keble, assisted by the Rev. R. C. Farmer, vicar of Barlaston (brother-in-law), and the Rev. R. C. Bolton (brother of the bridegroom), Walter Rowley, second son of the late Rev. F. S. Bolton, Prebendary of Lichfield, to Laura, elder daughter of Henry Hossell, Bird's-hill, Perry Barr, Birmingham. 

Cecil was baptised on the 23rd April 1889 at St Saviour's Church, Oxton, his father was a cotton merchant of Talbot House, Fairclough Lane, Oxton. 

The 1891 Census shows the family are living at Beresford Road, Oxton. Cecil is recorded as being two years of age and he lives with his parents. His father, Walter R. is a 37 year old cotton salesman born in Willey, Shropshire in 1854, whilst his mother, Laura, is 26 years of age and was born on Moseley, Warwickshire. There are also two servants present in the household; a general domestic servant and a nurse/domestic servant.    

The 1901 Census finds the family living at 46 Beresford Road , Oxton, Cheshire - Both parents are present and his father Walter is now shown as a 47 year old cotton merchant. Their children are recorded as follows;  Cecil R. aged 12, Walter H. aged 9 and Joan M. aged 2. There are three servants present listed as housemaid, nurse and cook respectively.

By the time of the 1911 Census the family have moved to "Eastleigh", Storeton Road, Birkenhead. Cecil is now a 22 year old insurance clerk living with his parents and two siblings. His parents advise that they have been married for 23 years and have had three children, all of whom have survived. Cecil's siblings are recorded as; Henry a 19 year old student and Joan now 12 years of age and a scholar. The family have two servants living in the household; a cook and a housemaid.   

Cecil was educated at Birkenhead School from 1899 -1905, and after that continued his association with the school via the School Mission, founding a company of the Boys Brigade.

Cecil became an officer in the Boys’ Brigade: 

As reported in the Birkenhead News on Saturday 07th November 1914; 

BOYS' BRIGADE NOTES. 

NEW OFFICERS. 

The following are announced in the November Gazette. In the 4th Birkenhead Company, Mr. Harold D. Smith to be captain, and Mr. Cecil R. Bolton to be lieutenant. 

Upon leaving school he was employed by Royal Insurance for seven years and then for two and a half years for Messrs Boutcher, Mortimore & Company, Hide Merchants of Liverpool.

He was with the Territorial Force serving with the Royal Engineers, firstly for two years in the Cheshire Engineers and then three years in the 4th Battalion of The Cheshire Regiment. 

His service record shows:-

Born Oxton, Birkenhead, aged 19 years 3 months, a clerk with the Royal Insurance, height 5’5½” tall with a 35” chest. He enlisted on the 03rd July 1908, as Private No.145 with the 2nd Welch Field Coy Royal Engineers. (Previous service with 1st Cheshire Regt(V) from 21/3/1907 until 02/6/1908). Re-engaged as Pte No. 783 on 1st April 1909 with the 4th Cheshire Regiment.

Annual training at Conway (30/5/1909 - 6/6/1909), Aberystwyth (22/5/1910 - 29/5/1910), and Lovesgrove ( 10/6/1911 - 18/6/1911)

Appointed L/Cpl on the 08th March 1911.

On the outbreak of war he joined the ranks of the 17th Battalion The King’s Liverpool Regiment, but because of his previous experience he was immediately offered a commission and later Gazetted to the 19th Battalion. He was described as being 5’5½” tall with a 35” chest.  

Cecil Rowley Bolton married Gladys May Jackson on the 22nd March 1916 at St James' Church, Edgbaston, Warwickshire. Cecil was a 27 year old Captain in the 22nd King’s Liverpool of “Eastleigh”, Storeton Road, Prenton, his father, Walter, was a cotton merchant, whilst Gladys was aged 24 of The Firs, St. James Road, Edgbaston, her father, George, was a fruit merchant.

The wedding was reported in the Birmingham Daily Gazette on Thursday 23rd March 1916 as an Edgbaston Wedding;

COUNCILLOR'S DAUGHTER AND ARMY CAPTAIN

The wedding took place at St James's Church, Edgbaston yesterday of Miss Gladys May Jackson and Captain Cecil Bolton, 22nd King's Liverpool Regiment, of Birkenhead. The bride is a daughter of Councillor George Jackson of The Firs, Elvetham road. Lieutenant G Dawson was the best man. 

Cecil remained in the UK with the 22nd Battalion which was a reserve Battalion servicing the 19th and 20th Battalions. He was a Captain when he went to France in September 1916 and served with the 19th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment. 

The best man at the wedding was Lieutenant Gerald Moore Dawson, who was killed in action on the 01st July 1916, the opening day of the Battle of the Somme.

He is first mentioned in the Battalion War Diary on 10th November 1916, when he was ordered to Boulogne on escort duty returning to the Battalion ten days later, on 20th November. Although not mentioned again until his death in action on 22nd February 1917, he continued to serve with the 19th Battalion until then.

On that day, the Battalion was in the front line at Agny near Arras, where German Trench Mortars were particularly active. The day was spent repairing mortar damage in the trench sides and in the evening the Germans began to range on the front and support lines of the left hand Company in the line.

Captain Bolton was in a dugout at the Company Headquarters when a Minenwefer shell hit the trench, penetrated the roof and exploded, burying him totally. By the time he had been dug out he was found to be dead. He was aged twenty eight years of age. Another Officer, Second-Lieutenant H Foster Anderson was buried in the same explosion, but although wounded he was dug out alive.

Cecil now rests at Agny Military Cemetery in France in Grave 16, but his headstone does not bear the Eagle and Child of the Pals Battalions, but the White Horse of Hanover worn by the Regular and some Territorial Battalions. It has no private family inscription.

Agny Military Cemetery was begun by French troops, and used by Commonwealth units and field ambulances from March 1916 to June 1917. Two further burials were made in April 1918, and in 1923-24, 137 graves were brought in from the battlefields east of Arras. The 40 French graves have been removed. Agny Military Cemetery contains 408 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, 118 of them unidentified, and five German graves. The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens. 

In a letter to his parents the Battalion Commander Lieutenant Colonel G Rollo DSO wrote of him,

“ Your loss is a great one, and I too, of course to a much lesser degree, have suffered a great loss in losing one of best officers. Brave, intelligent and hard working to a degree, a man whom, though I had known only a few months, I had learned to love and respect. “

The Battalion Chaplain wrote:

“ I saw a lot of him at one time or another, and I well remember a long talk after dinner one day in his mess, where we spoke of the things that matter this life, and I shall look back on that evening as a memory of a good man: would that we were all like him “.

Cecil’s death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on Tuesday 27th February 1917; 

BOLTON – Feb 22nd Killed in Action age 28 years, Captain Cecil R Bolton, KLR. Elder son of Mr and Mrs Bolton, 8 Curzon Road, Prenton, Birkenhead.

The Birkenhead News also reported his death on Wednesday 28th February 1917; 

We are sorry to report that the death in action has occurred of Captain Cecil R.Bolton, of the King's Liverpool Regiment. He was the elder son of Mr.and Mrs.Bolton, of 8, Curzon-road, Prenton, and is an old Birkenhead School boy. Captain Bolton joined the Liverpool "Pals" in the early days of the war, and received his commission as a second lieutenant a few months later, and was promoted Captain in France, where he had been for many months. 

The Birkenhead News carried more details on 03rd March 1917:

The Late Captain Bolton

Another Birkenhead School "Old Boy" Falls

The late Captain Cecil Rowley Bolton, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Bolton, Curson Road, Prenton, whose death in action was recorded in Wednesday's "News", was attached to the King's (Liverpool) Regt.  Captain Bolton was at the time of his death, which took place on February 22nd, 28 years of age.  Born in Birkenhead and educated at the Birkenhead School, he began his business career with the Royal Insurance Company.  Prior to the war he was with Messrs. Boutcher, Mortimore and Co., hide merchants, of Liverpool.  Upon the outbreak of war he joined the Liverpool City 1st Battalion, and was granted a commission as lieutenant owing to his previous experience in the Territorials, having been with the Cheshire Engineers for two years, and three years with the 4th Cheshires.  In January, 1915, the deceased officer was promoted to captain with a company in the 3rd City Battalion, which lately became the 19th Battalion K.L.R.

When the Brigade left Knowsley for Grantham and later for France, he was left behind with several other officers in order to train recruits. He went to the front in September last and was then attached to command a company in the K.L.R.  He was in action with this company on several occasions.
 
Captain Bolton always evinced great interest in work amongst the boys of the town. He was connected with the Birkenhead School Club for working boys, being on the committee of this organisation.  It was he who founded the 4th Birkenhead Company of the Boys' Brigade, and during a few years he worked it up into a successful company, and held the post of captain at the outbreak of the war in 1914.  The gallant captain was in every respect a strong and fine personality, and his early death is deeply to be regretted. 

Probate was granted to Cecil's widow Gladys as follows:

BOLTON Cecil Rowley of 8 Curzon Road, Prenton, Birkenhead. Captain 19th Battalion King's Own Liverpool Regiment died 22 February 1917 in France on active service. Administration (with will) London 17 April to Gladys May Bolton widow. Effects £460 18s 11d.   

He earned his two medals, his widow’s address was Glenstone Court, Ross, Herefordshire. 

His Soldiers Effects, Army Pay of £156 19s went to his widow Mrs Gladys May Bolton, Pension record has no award. 

On the 1921 Census at 3 Calthorpe Road, Edgbaston, his widow, Gladys, is aged 29, born in Birmingham, and is visiting her married sister Ethel Violet Dunn. According to a family tree she remarried in 1922 to Marcos Gordon Mindelsohn in Marylebone, had three children, and died aged 75 in 1967 in Marlborough, Wiltshire. 

His father, Walter, died aged 86, on the 06th March 1940; 

His death was reorted in the Crewe Chronicle on Saturday 16th March 1940; 

VICAR OF GOOSTREY BEREAVED 

DEATH OF MR. BOLTON 

After an illness lasting several months, Mr. Walter Rowley Bolton died at Goostrey Vicarage on Wednesday week in his 87th year, and much sympathy is felt for his son, the Rev. W. H. Bolton, Vicar of Goostrey. 

Mr. Bolton spent the greater part of his life in business in Liverpool, where he was a cotton merchant for 55 years. Retiring some years ago, he came with his wife and daughter from Prenton, Birkenhead, to live with his son at Goostrey Vicarage. He was the eldest and only surviving son of the late Rev. F. S. Bolton, Prebendary of Lichfield. Mr. Bolton was for some years churchwarden at All Saints', Oxton, Birkenhead, and had also been secretary of the Church Council. He leaves a widow, son, and a daughter. His eider son, Capt. C. R. Bolton, was killed in action during the last war. 

 The interment was in Llwyngwril Churchyard, Merionethshire, on Saturday. Llwyngwril being a favourite spot of Mr. Bolton which he had visited every year with his family. The service in the church there was conducted by the Rector (the Rev. J. Hughes-Jones).  

Probate:- 

BOLTON Walter Rowley of Goostrey Vicarage, Holmes Chapel Cheshire died 6 March 1940 Probate Liverpool 11 June to Walter Armfield Hossell wool stapler Laura Bolton widow and the reverend Walter Henry Bolton clerk. Effects £3424 14s. 3d. 

His mother, Laura, died aged 91, in 1956. 

Probate:- 

BOLTON Laura of Goostrey Vicarage near Crewe widow died 24 January 1956 Probate Liverpool 23 April to the reverend Walter Henry Bolton clerk and Joan Mary Bolton spinster. Effects £675 9s. 10d. 

Cecil is commemorated on the following Memorials:

Holy Trinity C of E, Wavertree

St Saviour's Church, Oxton

St Andrew's WW1 Memorial, West Kirby 

St Stephen's, Prenton

Prenton War Memorial 

Birkenhead School Chapel

Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall Panel 15 Left  

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