Serjeant 33054 Arthur Aston

Arthur Aston was born at Sweetman Square, Newton, near Runcorn in the September quarter of 1893 and was baptised 30th August 1893 at the Wesleyan Methodist Church, Weston, Runcorn. He was the son of James Aston, a Newton born quarryman and his wife Margaret Catherine (nee Hussey). She was baptised on 05th March 1860 in Secunderabad, Madras. They married on 11 December 1883 at St Mary's Church, Edge Hill, Liverpool and had two daughters and two sons with Arthur being their fourth and final child. His elder brother named Faithful died aged 2 in 1895.

The 1891 Census shows the family living at 129 Sweetman Square, Weston, Runcorn. His father, James, is aged 37, a quarry labourer born in Newton, Cheshire, his mother, Margaret, is aged 35 born in Madras, India. They have three children in the household; Helen (Ellen) aged 5, born December 1887, Jane aged 3, born June 1887 and Faithful aged 4 months born March 1891.

In 1901 Arthur and sisters appear to be residents as paupers in the Runcorn Workhouse. There is no trace of their parents 1901 or 1911.

There is no trace of Arthur in 1911.

He was featured in the Runcorn Examiner on 10th May 1913

MAKING HIS WAY IN THE WORLD.

By dint of hard work Arthur Aston, a smart young man, 21 years of age, has improved his position so much that he can now claim that he has risen from Workhouse boy to butler-valet in a well-known Liverpool family. Mr. Spruce introduced the young man, who had expressed a desire to show how a former inmate at the house had made his way in the world. Mr. Spruce said his duty was a very pleasing one. The young man went from the house six years ago and, step by step, he had made his way until now he had obtained a highly respectable appointment. He was an ambitious young man and was determined to improve his position still further. So many of the inmates had gone out and had been returned because they had not done so well that he thought the Guardians would be glad to see an instance where one of their inmates had done really well. It was something to be proud of. The young man was not above owning his relationship with the Institution, for in his own words he said "because I was brought up in a Workhouse it is no reason why I should be kept down. " (Applause.) Mr. Aston created a good impression as he stepped into the room, and the Chairman said it was gratifying to see him come out in such a remarkable manner. They wished him well, hoping that he would always be prosperous. He was ambitious, and indeed they all ought to be ambitious. It was only that ambition to get on which had brought him to his present excellent position. In reply to questions, the young man stated that he entered the institution when he was three years old on account of having been neglected. He did not now know where his mother was. He had had a hard struggle. At first he went to a farm where he stayed for 15 months. He afterwards lived with his married sister at Widnes for two months. He obtained a situation in Liverpool at the Summer Camp, then he went as page to a private house. He also worked in a temperance hotel and finally secured his present post. The Chairman: Such berths are hard to get at such an age. His success was creditable to himself and was gratifying to the Board. (Applause.)

In September 1914 Arthur enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 17038. He was subsequently transferred to the 21st King's (Reserve Battalion) as Private 16295. A further transfer to the 13th Battalion of the East Lancashire Regiment saw him promoted to the rank of Serjeant with the service number 33054.

Whilst serving in Flanders he died of his wounds near Ypres on 29 September 1918, aged 25.

 

He now rests at the New Irish Cemetery in Ypres where his headstone bears the epitaph:

"TILL WE MEET AGAIN"

New Irish Farm Cemetery was first used from August to November 1917 and was named after a nearby farm, known to the troops as 'Irish Farm' (originally there was an Irish Farm Cemetery immediately South of the Farm. New Irish Farm Cemetery is about 300 metres North of the Farm at a crossing once known as Hammond's Corner). It was used again in April and May 1918 and at the Armistice it contained just 73 burials - the three irregular rows of Plot I - but was then greatly enlarged when more than 4,500 graves were brought in from the battlefields north-east of Ypres (now Ieper) and from other smaller cemeteries.

There are now 4,719 commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 3,271 of the burials are unidentified, but special memorials commemorate four casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of 30 casualties buried in four of the cemeteries removed to New Irish Farm whose graves were destroyed by shell fire.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.

On 3rd January 1920 his two sisters Mrs Ellen Williams and Jane Aston each received £9:16s:1d of his army pay and his mother Mrs Margaret Catherine Aston was paid £9:16:2d on 04th November 1920.

His mother, Margaret Aston, living at 37 Eleanor. Street, Widnes (the address of her married daughter Mrs Ellen Williams) was awarded a pension of 5/ per week from May 1920. She later lived at 3 Nelson Street, Wavertree.

His brother in law Ernest Williams wrote on 15th January 1923 to the Anglican Cathedral authorities in order to ensure that Arthur's name was added to the Scroll of Honour which the Cathedral was in the process of producing. He also advised that before the war Arthur had been employed as a Butler in Toxteth Park. 

Arthur's name is inscribed on the Scroll of Honour at Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral.