The Grandsons of William Briggs
Published in CHG newsletter October 2024 - updated
William Briggs was schoolmaster of Viscount Beaumont's School for 35 Years till 1900 and was church organist at St Mary's for 40 years. He and Emma, his wife who was the school mistress, lived at the School House attached to the main school building. There they bought up their family, daughter Agatha and son Francis born at Staunton Harold before they moved to Coleorton, Eleanor, Alice and Constance born at Coleorton.
Agatha and Alice both became pupil teachers in their parent's footsteps, Constance died aged 25, we don't know the cause. But what of son Francis?
Francis was a railway engineer and moved to Redditch where he married Ruth Blundell. Presumably looking for better prospects they moved with their young daughter to South Africa for a while where sons Frederick and Francis were born. They returned to Redditch where another two daughters were born.
Perhaps looking to start a new life after Ruth’s death in 1906 Francis and sons moved to Western Australia in 1908 followed by the girls in 1909.
War broke out in Europe and the two brothers answered the call. Francis's company was one of the first to go ashore at Gallipoli and he was initially posted as missing but was later listed as killed in action on 25 April 1915. He was 21 years old.
A year later his brother Frederick was killed in action at Fleurbaix in France on 5 July 1916, aged 23.
Both Frederick and Francis Brigggs are commemorated on Coleorton War memorial.
