Photo: Pauline Priano
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Frederick William McGann, one of 9 children of whom only 8 survived, was the 3rd born of 4 brothers, he had 3 elder and 1 younger sister. His father Thomas McGann, born in 1854 at Morpeth, Northumberland, was brought as a young child by his family to Newcastle-upon-Tyne by 1861 where his father had found work as a coal miner. Thomas was married at Newcastle, May 2nd 1880, to Eleanor Adey, born, September 25th 1860 at Marylebone, London. They settled at Beech Street, Benwell, Newcastle, birthplace of their daughter Rebecca, February 17th 1881, Thomas John 1884, Edward 1886, Minnie 1887 and Eleanor, known affectionately as Nellie in 1890. By 1891 they had moved to Benwell Village, where Thomas continued to work as a coal miner and over the next 10 years his wife gave birth to 3 children, Frederick William 1892, Ada, April 14th 1895 and Ernest, December 25th 1897. Their eldest son Thomas John did not join his father at the colliery, by 1901, at the age of 17, he was employed as a sorting clerk post telegraphist, Rebecca (20) is listed as an ex pupil teacher, they were now living at 29, Tyne Street, Benwell. In the census of 1911 Eleanor McGann is listed as married, living in 5 rooms at 14, Derwent Street, West Benwell, with her daughter Rebecca (30), a certified assistant school mistress employed by the County Council Ada (16) and Ernest (14), a driver below ground at the coal mine, the whereabouts of Thomas McGann Snr, unknown. The remainder of her family had all gone their separate ways, Thomas John had married in 1907, Edward, unknown, Eleanor (20) as a servant in the home of school proprietors, Louisa Manin Jones and Adeline Dixon, at St. George’s Elenfield Road, Gosforth, Frederick William (19), employed as a rope lad at the colliery was living as a boarder in the home of coal hewer, Edward Lee, his wife and 5 children, in 3 rooms at 59, Beaumont Terrace, Westerhope, near Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland.
After the declaration of war with Germany, Fred, as he was known to the family, was one of the first to enlisted at Newburn, assigned to the 4th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, a Territorial Force posted to the Tyne defences. The Territorials were split into two lines during November 1914, the 1st Line for men willing to serve overseas, the 2nd Line for those unable or unwilling to serve overseas. His training complete, and having risen to the rank of Lance Corporal, he departed to France as part of “B’ Company, 1/4th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, 149th Brigade, 50th (Northumbrian) Division, April 20th 1915. The division landed in France and making its way to Belgium, without any nursery training or trench familiarisation was sent into the front line during the 2nd Battle of Ypres, April 22nd-May 25th 1915. The Germans had attacked using poison gas in the run up to the Battle of St. Julien, April 24th-May 5th, during which the 149th Brigade including the 1/4th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, was part of the British counterattack. Lance Corporal 738 Frederick William McGann Northumberland Fusiliers was killed in action, April 26th 1915, less than one week after his arrival at the front.
His sacrifice is recorded as one of the 54,395 names inscribed on the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing, Ypres, Belgium, commemorating those who died on the salient before August 15th 1917 whose bodies have never been found. Lance Corporal McGann was 23 years of age and single.
As per his will, as sole legitimate his mother Eleanor received all monies due to him from the Army and his awards of the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Although all of Fred’s brothers would have been eligible to serve no records have been found. His brother in law, George Gillinder, Nellie’s husband, survived the conflict having served with the Army Service Corps in Gallipoli and Egypt.
Thomas McGann died in 1936 aged 83 years, district of Castle Ward, (including Westerhope), Northumberland. His widow in 1939 was a patient at The Emergency Hospital, Ponteland, near Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Eleanor McGann nee Adey died aged 79 years during the 4th quarter (Oct/Nov/Dec) 1939, district of Newcastle.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Frederick William McGann is remembered at Whorlton on W53.01 as Magann
