GWGC Headstone
Medal Index Card
Rev. David Youngson has submitted the following:
185494 Gunner Dance Alfred
Royal Field Artillery
122nd Battery 52nd Brigade
Alfred Dance was born in 1883 to George and Isabella Dance [nee Hart], married 1864, one of nine children, Elizabeth, James, Edwin, George, John E, Margaret, Thomas and William Dance.
Alfred married a Rhoda Dance [nee Thornton], in 1906. Rhoda was born 2nd July 1884. They had one child, called Elsie Doreen who was born 31st March 1913. Another child died before 1911. They were residing at Rose Cottage New York.
In 1911 Alfred was residing at 2 Logans Buildings, New York Shire Moor, Northumberland. A Butcher residing at Newcastle he was Initiated into 3586 Lodge Vandeleur, Masonic Hall, Seaton Delaval, Northumberland on the 13th October 1915; Passed 8th December 1915 and Raised on the 2nd February 1916. Enlisting at Whitley Bay he was killed in action on the 26th September 1918 aged 35. He was the husband of Rhoda Dance of Rose Cottage, New York, Shiremoor, Northumberland. He is buried in Cagnicourt British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France, Grave Reference I.B.11.
Alfred Dance is recorded in the Masonic Roll of Honour in Freemason's Hall, London, published in 1921, as being a member of the 3586 Lodge Vandeleur which met in the Masonic Hall at Seaton Delaval.
Shields Daily News 5th October 1916: TYNEMOUTH APPEAL TRIBUNAL. Mr S.R. Holliday appeared for J and B. Miller, New York, who appealed against the Earsdon Tribunal in respect of Alfred Dance, 32, slaughterman, who they claimed as indispensable. They stated that the butchers' staff had been reduced to one-third of the normal. They supplied customers over a wide area from butchers' vans, and if they lost customers for butcher meat they would also lose them as customers in other departments, and would be unable to fulfil their obligations to their customers to whom they guaranteed a dividend of 3s in the pound. The Chairman said they did not consider the van business absolutely necessary, and the appeal was dismissed.
Alfred Dance is remembered at New York on N53.02 and N53.03.
