Fred Antrobus was born in early 1889 at Rocksavage near Runcorn. He was the son of William Antrobus who was born at Sutton Weaver c. 1853 and his wife Harriet (nee Worrall) who was born at Frodsham c. 1853.
The 1891 Census recorded the family as living on Weaver View in Clifton village. The father was a chemical labourer. At this time, they had five children: Samuel (11), Mary E. (9), Emma J. (7). Thomas W. (5) and Fred W. who was two years old.
Ten years later they were living on Company’s Row in Weston village and there were two more daughters: Dora (10) and lvy E. who was six years old. The father was now employed as a sandstone quarry labourer as was Samuel. Thomas was an errand boy on a farm. Emma had left home to work as a servant in Runcorn.
The 1911 Census showed that there were now only three of the children left at home. They were living on Granville Street in Runcorn and William was still working as a chemical labourer, as were Thomas and Fred. Samuel, Emma and Mary were now married, and Dora was not living at home. lvy was still living at home and would marry in 1-916. Fred never married.
Fred Antrobus, who enlisted at Liverpool into the lrish Guards, was given the service number 8399 and the rank of Private/ Guardsman. He served in the 1st Battalion. He was serving in France and Flanders when he was injured and died of wounds on 5th November 1918, a few days before the Armistice. His next of kin was given as his father William who was living on Dover Street in Runcorn. Fred was buried at Villers-Pol Communal Cemetery Extension in Nord-Pas-de-Calais. He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
William Antrobus died in L927 and his wife Harriet in 1929. Fred Antrobus was 29 years old when he was killed. His brothers Samuel and Thomas were also both killed in the Great War in 1916 and 1918
respectively.
(Another Fred Antrobus appeared on the absent voters list of the Electoral Roll in the Spring of 1919 for Aston-by-Sutton and was stated to be in the 5th lrish Guards with a service number 13625. His address was given as Sutton Weaver. A Fred Antrobus had been born to lsaac and Elizabeth Antrobus in 1887 at Aston, but it is not clear if this was the one on the absent voters list).