Pte 24591 Arthur Cleverley

Arthur Cleverley was born in Eccleshill, Bradford in the December quarter of 1878, the son of Henry Cleverley and his wife Betsy (née Smith) who were married on the 17th September 1874 in a non-conformist ceremony in Bradford. Henry was a 24 year old butcher of Greengates, Apperley, father James, whilst Betsy was aged 21, father James.

Their first child, James, died aged 4 on the 21st April 1880. 

On the 1881 Census the family, all born in Eccleshill, are living at 38 New Line, Eccleshill. His father, Henry, is aged 28, and a butcher, mother Betsy is aged 26. They have three children in the household; Horace 4, Arthur 2, and Harry is aged 11 months. 

His mother died, aged 34, on 25th March 1887. 

Her death was noted in the Leeds Times on Saturday 02 April 1887: 

CLEVERLEY - March 25, aged 34, Betsy Cleverley, Simes Street. 

On the 1891 Census the family have moved to 37 Mill Fold Green, Idle(about 2 miles away). His father, Henry, is now recorded as a widow and is aged 39, a butcher. He has three children living with him; Horace 13 assisting father, Arthur 12 a scholar, and Harry 11 a scholar. 

His father remarried around 1892 to Hannah according to the declaration on the 1911 Census, but no record can be found. 

Arthur moves to Liverpool to find employment and is found on crew records in the late 1890’s. Whilst living at 10 Lytton Grove, Seaforth he was working on the Dominion Line ships running from Liverpool to Quebec and Montreal, Canada. He must have been at sea for the 1901 Census but his father, Henry, is now in Seaforth living at 11 Elm Road. He is aged 56, a butcher born in Apperley Bridge, Bradford. His wife Hannah is aged 57 born in Idle. 

Arthur married Martha Elizabeth Davidson in 1903 at St Nicholas' Church, Blundellsands. 

On the 1911 Census they are living at 4 Nelson Road, Litherland. Arthur is aged 33, a bottler for a wine and sprit store, born in Greengates, Bradford, wife Martha E. is aged 34, born Liverpool. Also present are brother Horace, aged 34, a van man for a grocery store, and Martha’s sister, Annie Elizabeth Davidson, aged 28 and a waitress.

His father Henry, aged 56, is living at 13 Elm Road, Seaforth with his wife of 19 years, Hannah aged 64. He has lost his occupation and is now a chimney cleaner.  

In the 1914 Gores directory his father, Henry, is a chimney cleaner living at 3 Ash Grove, Elm Road, Seaforth. He died aged 59(?) on the 15th March 1916 before Arthur was called up. The legatee his daughter-in-law Martha. 

Arthur enlisted in Liverpool with The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 24591. According to his medal roll he shipped to France with another draft of the 18th Battalion K.L.R. after the 01st January 1916.  

SDGW and CWGC suggest he transferred to 12/KLR, but his probate staunchly remains with the 18th. He went missing on operations around the 4th August 1916. 

12th Battalion War Diary

AUCHONVILLERS SECTION. 

Aug. 1st & 2nd - Weather fine, enemy very quiet except for counter battery firing - 1 man killed by premature bursting of one of our own shells. Squadron of 24 allied aeroplanes passed over our line at 7p.m. on 2nd inst. 

Aug. 3rd - Battalion relieved at 5a.m. by 7th Bn. K.O.Y(orkshire). L.I., 2 Coys remaining in support at ELLES SQUARE, remainder in Barracks near MAILLY-MALLET. Whole Coys employed at night reclaiming old front line trenches. 

Aug. 4th to 6th - Large parties employed nightly on old front line, exceptionally fine weather, considerable aerial activity  

Aug. 7th - Battalion relieved by 9 Bn. L.N. Lancs. Regt. (25th Division) and marched to Camp in Chateau grounds at COUIN. 

Arthur was initially declared Missing, and his name appeared as such in the list of K.L.R. casualties published in the Liverpool Daily Post on 18th September 1916.   

King’s(Liverpools) - Cloverley(sic), 24591, A.; Lewis, 35239, T.; Weeks, 35554, C.;   

Arthur’s service record has not survived but Soldiers Effects state his number was 18/24591 and death was presumed on, or since, the 04th August 1916.  

He received his two medals, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. 

Arthur’s body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and his name is recorded on the Thiepval Memorial. 

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.  

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”   

His widow Martha received his Soldiers Effects, £2 14s in outstanding pay and a £6 10s War Gratuity. She also received a pension of 12/- p.w.  

Probate 1918:- 

CLEVERLEY Arthur of 4 Nelson Road, Litherland near Liverpool private 18th Battalion K.L.R. died 4 August 1916 in France Administration Liverpool 12 January to Martha Elizabeth Cleverly widow. Effects £376. 

On the 1921 Census at 4 Nelson Road, Martha is living with her sister Annie Eliza Davidson and by 1939 they had moved to 28 Hawthorn Grove. She never remarried and died aged 89 in 1966. 

We currently have no further information on Arthur Cleverley, if you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.