Samuel Ellis Ravenscroft

Samuel was born in Boars Head, Wigan in 1894. His parents were both born in Cheshire, his father, John Henry, in Bostock Green and his mother, Emily, in Cheadle.

On the 1901 census, the Ravenscroft family was living in a cottage in the stable yard of the ‘Oaklands’, and John was working as a railway signalman. By 1911, his occupation was recorded as chauffeur, and they had moved to a cottage in Chester Road, in Daresbury.

At the outbreak of WW1, Samuel enlisted in the Royal Engineers. In his papers he is described as a joiner, 5 feet 10 inches tall and of good build. However his time in R. E. came to an end in early 1915, when the extent of the problem with his eyesight was discovered, and he was discharged. In 1916, he joined the Royal Army Service Corps, and served as a driver, wearing glasses, for the duration of the war.

He was married to Isabella Davidson in 1916, at Frodsham, and they lived in Townfield Lane. In his working life, he was employed as a joiner at the Deeside Sawmill at Mickle Trafford. He belonged to two lodges of the RAOB, and acted as secretary of the Frodsham branch of the British Legion for several years, and also of the Frodsham 1914-18 War Veterans’ Association. He took an active part in many of the early Frodsham carnivals,

In 1966, Samuel and Isabella celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary at a hotel in Frodsham, and with a family party at their son’s home in Daresbury.

Samuel Ravenscroft died in January 1971, in Dutton hospital. His funeral was held at All Saints, Daresbury, followed by cremation at Walton Lea.