SPOFFORTH, Edward Reginald

Edward was the only son of Edward and Mary Darley Spofforth. He was born in York on 15/06/1891 and baptised at St. Olave’s church York on 14/07/1891. The baptism was performed by Edmund S Carter. The family lived in Grosvenor Terrace and Edwards father’s profession was given as “gentleman”.

By the 1901 census the family were living at 17, Westbourne Grove, Scarborough. Mary was widowed and described as living on her own means. Francis her daughter aged 11, and Edward her son aged 9 were on the return. Also living in the house were S.Fligg, grandmother, H. Etherington ,servant and M. Abraham,sick nurse/domestic.

According to the 1911 census the family had moved again and were living at 9, Granville Road. Mary and daughter Francis were still living on private means. Edward then 19 was working as a insurance clerk. Edward spent two years of his education at Oundle which he entered in September 1906 and let in December 1908.

Edward joined the 5th battalion Yorkshire Regiment which was mobilised in Scarborough on August 4th 1914.They sailed from Southampton to Le Havre on April 17th 1915. Within a week of landing in France he was in action along with his men in the second battle of Ypres and by the end of April they were in the trenches near the Menin Road.Soon after the first battle lieutenant Spofforth contracted scarlet fever and was invalided home for a month. He returned to France in January 1916 and was was fatally wounded by a trench shell on March 2nd 1916 he apparently died within an hour of being wounded.

A report of his death in the Yorkshire Post dated 8/03/1916 tells us a little more about him, it reads….
“Lieutenant Edward Reginald Spofforth of 5th Yorkshire Regiment who was killed in action in Belgium on 2nd inst. was the only son of the late Edward Spofforth of York and Mary D Spofforth ,9, Granville Road Scarborough. He was educated at Giggleswick and Oundle school and previous to the war was on the staff of the Yorkshire Insurance Company. He obtained his commission in the Territorials in March 1913.

Lieutenant Spofforth was buried in Poperinghe New Military Cemetery ref ll H 38 He is also remembered on Oliver’s Mount was memorial,the Roll of Honour at Oundle school and the family gravestone in Dean Road Cemetery ref HB 8.