Frank Myers 1889-1916 age 26

Barnsley Independent 18th March 1916
Thanks to Barnsley Archives

Born: 1889 in Barnsley Q4 

Son of: Walter and Annie Myers. Walter died in 1907 at the age of 47 and the family lived at a number of addresses: 10 Albion Terrace, Tune Street, Barnsley in 1891, 16 Longcar Street in 1901 and 1 Havelock Street at the time of Walter's death. They had 7 known children:

• Mary Agnes 1889 born in Sheffield
• Walter 1886, born in Sheffield
• Albert 1888 born in Barnsley
• Frank 1889-1916 WW1 death.
• Alice 1891-1892, died age 18 months
• Charles 1893 served with the 2nd Barnsley Battalion abroad. 
• Annie 1900 

Husband of: Florence Myers nee Osterfield. The couple married in 1910 in Barnsley and initially lived with Florence's parents at 108 Racecommon Road, later moving to number 120. They had 2 children: 

• Mary 1910
• Dorothy 1914

Frank's widow Florence later married William Chappell in 1919 Q3. 

Military Service: Frank was a 2nd Air Mechanic in the Kite Balloon Section of the Royal Flying Corps, previously of the 2nd/6th Black Watch Regiment, Service number 21275.   

Death: 12th March 1916 in Richmond Military Hospital from cerebro spinal fever. 
Buried: Barnsley Cemetery in plot ZA. 196.

Find a grave link: here 
Commonwealth War Graves Commission link: here  

Notes: Articles about Frank appear in the Barnsley Independent and the Barnsley Chronicle. The Barnsley Chronicle on 18th March 1916 reports:

Barnsley Soldier Dies in Hospital

A Fatal Illness

The death occurred in Richmond Military Hospital on Sunday of 2nd Air Mechanic Corporal Frank Myers of the Kite Balloon Section, Royal Flying Corps, whose home was at 120 Racecommon Road, Barnsley where his widow and two daughters, aged 2 and 5 reside. The news, which was received by telegram on Sunday night, came as a great shock, for only the previous day a letter had been received from deceased in which he stated that he was in the best of health. The cause of death was cerebro spinal fever. The deceased soldier who was only 26 years of age enlisted in the 2nd 6th Black Watch about 14 months ago and he had been on training with them in Scotland until a few weeks ago, when he was sent to Larkhill Cap(sic) Salisbury Plain, and two or three days later was transferred to the Royal flying Corps. Prior to enlisting Corporal Myers worked as a slater. A brother of the deceased is serving abroad with the Barnsley battalion. The body was removed to Barnsley on Thursday  and the funeral takes place at the Cemetery on Saturday afternoon at 4 o'clock. A letter of sympathy has been received from deceased commanding officer and wreaths have also been sent from the officers of his old company, and his former platoon comrades of the Black Watch. 

Note 2: The Barnsley Chronicle of 25th March 1916 also adds that wreaths were received from Shaw Hand Laundry, from members of the Slaters and Filers Society of which Cpl Myers was secretary, and from Holy-Rood Football Club. 

Note 3: The Barnsley Independent of 18th March 1916 also tells us that Frank was employed by Flemings, slaters of Eastgate, and was the Captain of the Holy-Rood football team. 
   
Research by KingstoneHistory