Peter Scragg Roughsedge was born on 29th March 1892 at Preston Brook. He was the son of Thomas Henry (born Dutton) and his wife Sarah Agnes (nee Scragg) who was also born in Dutton. The father was a canal porter.
The 1901 census recorded the majority of the family living at Tunnel Top in Dutton. The two eldest children, Henry and Clara, were living with their maternal grandparents, Peter and Elizabeth Scragg, a few doors away. Peter Scragg was the captain of a canal barge. The others who were living at home were Elizabeth (13), Sarah (11), Peter (10), Mary (8) and Sydney (4). All the seven children would survive to adulthood.
Ten years later Henry and Clara had left home. Henry was working as a clerk at Whiston Institution and Clara was a sick nurse at Congleton Union Workhouse. Sarah was recorded as working as a housemaid at the fever hospital in Dutton, but may still have been living at home. Peter was now working as a joiner/carpenter. Henry and Sydney would both enlist in the Great War. Henry was killed in 1917.
Peter attested in February 1916 at the age of 23 years and 11 months. He was 5’10’’ tall and gave his occupation as wheelwright. He was assigned to the Royal Field Artillery as a Gunner and given the service number 179301. He was given training to be a wheeler and was tested and passed at Woolwich Ordnance College on 31st October 1916. However he never changed rank. He was sent to France with the British Expeditionary Force in late April 1917 and spent nearly all the rest of the war there until early January 1919. He was allowed back to England for two weeks at Christmas/ New Year 1918-1919 and was eventually demobilized on 17th March 1919.
Peter returned to civilian life as a joiner and in 1921 he married Winifred Done of Poplars Farm in Keckwick. She was three years younger than him. They would have two daughters: Josephine was born in 1925 and Barbara in 1933.
Sarah Agnes died in 1934 and Thomas Henry died in 1944.
The 1939 register showed that Peter was living with his family at Yew Tree Cottage, Daresbury, near The Old Vicarage. He was an estate joiner and both the girls were at school. His widowed mother-in-law Alice Done also lived with them.
Peter died in early 1963, predeceasing Winifred by four years. He was 71 years old.