Photo: Jim Busby

Jean Longstaff has submitted the following:-

Born in Castle Gate, Stockton-on-Tees on 19th August 1871, Robert was the son of local groom Thomas Lackenby and his wife Mary Anne Elliott who had married in 1867. Robert had an older sister Sarah, and younger siblings William and Ada; the 1891 census shows that aged 20 he was still living with his parents and was working as a grocer’s assistant. In 1896 he married local girl Harriet Hannah Wardle in Middlesbrough and by 1901 they were living in Thornaby-on-Tees with their young son Joseph, and Robert was working in a draper’s shop.

1911 saw the family, including Joseph and two year old Robert Raymond, leave for Canada and by 1916 they were living in Lethbridge, Alberta, Robert was a policeman and Joseph was overseas with the Canadian Expeditionary Force.

Their young son Robert died in January 1916 and the following month saw Robert follow in his older son’s footsteps and enlist in the CEF, becoming Private 736450 of the 113th Battalion, and by October he was in camp at East Sandling on the Kent coast. Shortly after his arrival in England, Robert noticed that what he called his “smoker’s cancer” had returned when he discovered a lump in his neck. He had had an operation in 1915 which removed part of his tongue and lymph glands; he was hospitalised at Moore Barracks Hospital at Shorncliffe and then posted to permanent base duty at Bramshott.

By the turn of the year with the tumour rapidly growing Robert was boarded to return to Canada for further treatment as he was having difficulty speaking and swallowing. His return was delayed as Harriet was awaiting a passport so she could accompany him, so he made a last visit to his father in Stockton-on-Tees who persuaded him to apply for discharge in England. His papers were changed and he was about to be discharged on the same day that Harriet arrived in England, and after a discussion they decided to apply for discharge in Canada, so there was another delay as papers were changed yet again.

Robert and Harriet left Liverpool for Canada on the SS Letitia on 21st April 1917 and Robert died in Lethbridge on 6th June. His headstone also commemorates his son Robert.

Robert Featherstone Lackenby is remembered in Stockton-on-Tees S138.03

He is also remembered in Canada on their Virtual War Memorial and in their Book of Remembrance.

Canadian Book of Remembrance
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
The CWGC entry for Private Lackenby