Richard Frederick Robert Disley, known as Fred, was born in Southport, Lancashire in 1886. He was the first of three children of Richard Disley, a general labourer, and his wife Ellen Clarke who married on 2 March 1885 in Thornton. Fred had two younger sisters born in Thornton: Jane Anna in 1888, and Margaret Ellen in 1890.
In the Census on 31 March 1891 the Disley family were recorded at Occupation Road and Ellen and her three children continued to live there after the death of Richard on 10 April 1898. By the time of the next census on 31 March 1901, Fred had become a blacksmith's apprentice.
In 1907 Fred married Jennie Pearson Gorst. Jennie was born on 2 April 1887 in Great Eccleston, the second of seven children of James Gorst, a joiner, and his wife Ann Porter who married at St. Michael on the Wyre on 14 May 1884. Fred and Jennie had four children, all daughters. The eldest Margaret Annie was born in 1907 and died in infancy. Gladys Margaret was next, born on 2 October 1908; Dorothy was born on 6 August 1910 and finally Kathleen Maud on 16 June 1912. In the 1911 Census, the Disley family lived at Poulton Road, Carleton. Fred had become a bricklayer's labourer.
Fred's war service record has not survived. He enlisted in Fleetwood as a Private in the Royal Lancaster Regiment and onn 13 June 1915 he embarked for Egypt with the 6th Battalion. Sadly, he died soon after on 1 August from enteric fever (typhoid). Fred was aged 29.
Private Richard Frederick Robert Disley, 14713, Kings Own Royal Lancaster Regiment is buried in Plot J, Grave 164 at Chatby Military and War Memorial Cemetery, Alexandria, Egypt. Jennie Disley remarried in 1922 to Peter Sanderson Penswick.
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