Frank Lionel Jackson was born on 29th December 1893, the son of John Jackson (born Weston) and his wife Helena (nee Norman) who was born in Preston Brook.
The census of 1901 showed the family living on Chester Road in Preston on the Hill and that the father was working as a railway signalman. Helena was the sub-postmistress in Preston Brook. At this time they had two sons, Frank L. aged seven years and John N. aged four years. Both boys were born in Preston Brook. A year later they had another son Wilfrid. This completed their family.
Ten years later they were still living in the village, John still working as a railway signalman, but Helena was no longer the sub-postmistress. Frank Lionel was an apprentice to a grocer and the two younger boys were at school. By this time their parents had been married 26 years.
Frank attested to join the Grenadier Guards at the age of 21 years, in November 1915 at Warrington. He was given the service number 24403 and the rank of Private. He was 5’10’’ in height and was assessed as medical category A1. Frank did not go to fight for another year. In October 1916 he went to France with the British Expeditionary Force. After one year he was promoted to Corporal (in the December of 1917) and almost immediately to the rank of (unpaid) Lance Sergeant. By mid- July 1918 he was being paid, but only for three weeks, by which time he was on his way home to England, possibly as he was suffering from being gassed. He did not return to fight and was eventually transferred to the Class Z Army Reserve in February 1919.
Frank was finally discharged in March 1920 and awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal for his service in the Great War. His brother John Norman also served.
In 1921 Frank was serving as a police constable, apparently joining the force around the time of the start of the Great War. He was living on Elm Road in Hale near Altrincham. On 23rd July 1921 he married Ivy Such of Wharton, part of Winsford. She was nearly two years younger than Frank and lived at Laurel House in Wharton, where her father was a builder.
Frank had started his career in the constabulary at Winsford and then served at Buglawton, Crewe, Nantwich, Willaston and Waverton. He was in charge of the Runcorn Division for eight years and from 1932-1936 he was Chief Inspector at New Ferry.
In 1922 the couple had their first child, Peter L. and in 1927 Geoffrey was born.
Frank’s father died on 24th February 1928, aged 70 years and his mother Helena died on 12th June 1929 at the age of 67 years.
The 1939 register showed the family living at Mersey Road in Runcorn, Frank being employed as a Superintendent in the Cheshire Police. He retired in 1944 at the age of 50 years, after serving 30 years in the Cheshire County Constabulary.
By the time of his death on 3rd July 1957 Frank was living at Laurel House on School Lane in Wharton, which had been his wife’s parents’ home. He was 63 years old. He was buried at Wharton Parish Church the following Saturday. Ivy died on 22nd March 1975, at the age of 79 years, also of Laurel House.