Private George Kelsall, 1st Bn., The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment was killed in action, 7th Mar 1917, age 22. He was born in Preston in 1895, the son of Joshua and Catherine Kelsall (nee Schofield). He was buried at Assevillers New British Cemetery, near Peronne, France.

Joshua Kelsall, a cotton weaver and Kate Schofield who were married 5th August 1882 at the register office, Preston. Kate was Catholic, born in Dublin in 1861, where her father was formerly head Cork Cutter at the Guinness brewery. Joshua was Quaker, born in Preston, the eldest son of Joshua and Jane Howard. He had been educated at Penketh Quaker School, near Warrington

In the first months of their marriage, Joshua and Kate worked as weavers at Horrockses, a large Preston cotton mill. Times were hard and wages were being cut. Kate used to later recall how Joshua attempted to organise a protest by haranguing fellow workers from a box in the mill yard. This resulted in their both being immediately ‘sacked and blacked’ and never afterwards able to obtain employment in the cotton trade. Joshua, a keen botanist (probably arising from his Penketh education) turned to landscape gardening and became quite successful, he and Kate working and ‘living in  (she as a domestic) at various large residences in the county.

This working arrangement was soon to end when Kate began to have children. A house was found in Ribbleton, Preston, and while Kate was involved with a growing family, Joshua worked away most of the time due to the nature of his job. As the family grew larger, a move was made to less expensive accommodation at 29 Snowhill (long since demolished) in one of the older and poorer parts of town near Preston market.

Joshua and Kate had 13 children, 11 of which survived, six boys and five girls. Joshua was the eldest and Eileen the youngest with 23 years difference in age.

On the outbreak of war in August 1914, Kate’s eldest son Joshua a reservist (and now a family man), was immediately recalled to the colours. His brothers William, Joseph and Alfred volunteered and were soon in the trenches.

George aged 18 and Robert 14 remained at home. George wanted to volunteer but was strictly forbidden by his mother. After conscription was introduced in 1916 George received his call up notice. Kate growing increasingly concerned about her sons at the front, would not allow him to report. When the men in uniforms called at the house to take him, she made George hide in the attic. But he was later apprehended, taken into custody and held in the local barracks on Stanley street. Kate was incensed. “They” already had four of her sons and, the odds being against them all returning, it was time to draw the line! With a number of her women neighbours who had lost sons and husbands, she led a protest group on a march to Stanley street where they demonstrated outside the barracks with placards. Kate continued her public protest alone when her neighbours eventually gave up.

But to no avail. George was sent to the Somme and was soon killed as her intuition had told her. She later informed that he died on the night of the 7th March 1917 trying to carry his wounded officer back to the lines after a bombing raid, both being killed by the mine. George served with The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, 1st Bn. and is commemorated at Assevillers New British Cemetery

Kate’s remaining sons survived, but on Sunday, 5th of September 1920, she was to receive a further blow when the police informed her that her husband Joshua had met with a sudden and violent death in Brockholes Wood on the outskirts of Preston. He had been shot by one Robert Hargreaves of Raikes Road, Preston mistaking the sleeping Joshua for a rabbit in the dim early morning light! Hargreaves it transpired, Had bought his first shotgun only the previous day. He was promptly arrested. After a three-day inquest Hargreaves was discharged, the chairman sympathetically remarking that “The affair had been a great shock for the accused.” (What Kate must have felt was not recorded!).

Kate had 43 grandchildren. She died in 1939 aged 76 keeping secret to the day she died the fact that she had been married in a register office. Her coffin was covered in white roses. She was buried in her parent’s grave in the Catholic part of Preston old cemetery. Joshua rests alone among the Nonconformists close to Brockholes wood.

Joshua Kelsall was descended from a family of Quakers who settled in Wyresdale. Their story is told here.

George’s story is adapted from a Family History supplied to Phil Kelsall by his father’s cousin George Adamson. The story was told in the Lancashire Evening Post on 10 March 2021 contributed by Peter Adamson, George’s son.

Joshua kelsall_Lancs Evening Post