Homepage FRANK AND BEATRICE FELLOWS AND THEIR CHILDREN JOAN AND BRIAN SAMUEL FRANK FELLOWS 1898-1942 Born: 4 December 1898, Smethwick, Birmingham. Died: 12 April 1942 aged 43 years. Buried Quinton Cemetery, Birmingham. Samual Frank was the only son of Samuel and Liza Fellows. The family home was in Salisbury Road, off Cape Hill, Smethwick. The grandparents lived in Frome, Somerset. Frank went to school in Smethwick and was awarded medals for perfect attendance: bronze for 3 years, silver for 5 years and gold for 7 years. I have these medals. Frank left school at 13 years of age and went to work at Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds, the screwmakers on Cape Hill, Smethwick, at first in a warehouse and then in the offices. Frank was particularly keen on carpentry, especially carving wooden ornaments and making pieces of furniture. We still have a grandmother clock that he made - actually Danny has it now. The War Frank joined the army in the First World War. He was in the 1st Battalion East Lancashire Regiment (usually referred to as the 1st Lancs Fusiliers) who were in the 4th Division in France in 1916. He was then just 17 years of age. This regiment was stationed at the most northern part of the Somme front near Serre when the big offensive started on 1st July 1916. Men of the East Lancs went "over the top", but few reached the enemy front-line. They were heavily machine-gunned in 'no-mansland' and casualties were very high. It may have been in this battle that my father was injured and lost his leg, but I am not sure. Here is a photo of my father aged 17 in uniform   My father's father, Samuel Fellows, also took part in the First World War, though I do not know in what capacity since he was probably then in his late 30s. All I know at present is that he was in the RAMC (Royal Army Medical Corps), and no doubt very busy! There is a web site which gives graphic details of their work during the 1914-18 war. http://www.1914-1918.net/ramc.htm Salisbury Road was decorated to welcome Frank's return from the war and a collection was made for him. He was fitted with an artificial leg, but had considerable difficulty getting used to it.   War Medals I have two sets of medals from the First World War with inscriptions around the edges. One set of two medals belonged to my father Samuel Frank Fellows (S.F.Fellows on the medals). He was always known as Frank. The other set of three medals belonged to his father, my grandfather Samuel Fellows (S.Fellows on the medals). Here are my father's medals with the inscription around the edge: 31196 Pte S.F.Fellows E. LAN. R   Here are my grandfather's medals with the inscription: 37838 Pte S.Fellows R.A.M.C   Here is a copy of Frank's medal card from the National Archives   I have another round pin-on type medal shown below with "For King and Empire Services Rendered" with the number B 49176 on the back. I don't know who this was awarded to. FLORENCE BEATRICE FELLOWS 1897-1989 Born: 21 September 1897, Edgbaston, Birmingham. Died: 15 May 1989 aged 91 years, Emsworth, Hampshire. Cremated at Chichester Crematorium. Ashes scattered on husband's grave in Quinton Cemetery. Frank met Beatrice when he was about 16 and they became engaged 3 years later. Beatrice was one of seven daughters (Lucy, Amy, Daisy, Beatrice, Carrie ? and ?) and two sons (Grenville and ?) of Margaret and William Waplington. They were married on 28th March 1921 at St Chad's Church, Smethwick. Frank aged 22 worked as a clerk and lived at 157 Florence Road, Smethwick. His father was Samuel Fellows (deceased) a sewer man. Beatrice aged 23 worked as an optician and lived at 204 Selsey Road, Edgbaston. Beatrice and her sister, Daisy were married at the same service.  Here is their wedding photo showing Frank and Beatrice on the left and Daisy and her husband Bert Powell on the right. Here is an old photo of Beatrice and Frank, probably in their early 30s. JOAN FELLOWS 1922-1974 Joan, their daughter was born 15 months after the wedding on 8th May 1922. She died at the age of 52 after a stroke. Here are a few black and white photos from an old Fellows family album dating back to the 1920s and 1930s, mainly showing Frank and Beatrice Fellows and their daughter Joan on family holidays. In the Bournemouth ones taken in 1932 Frank was 34, Beatrice was 35 and Joan 10 years old. Frank and Beatrice with Baby Joan (about 2) in Blackpool in 1924   Beatrice (age 35) (centre) Frank (age 34) and Joan (age10) on the beach at Bournemouth in 1932 with unknown lady and child on the left of the photo   Frank and Beatrice on the beach at Bournemouth in 1932   Joan and Beatrice on the beach at Bournemouth in 1932   Joan and her mother walking together in Bournemouth in 1932   Joan (aged 10) showing off her pretty dress with her Father in Bournemouth in 1932   Frank at Great Yarmouth in 1934 (aged 36)  BRIAN FELLOWS 1936 - Brian John was born on 12th August 1936, a good 14 years after Joan. Probably a mistake, but a fortunate one as it happened, since the Fellows family, as we know it, would not have existed without it! The rest is recorded in this web site. This is the earliest photo I have of myself, aged about 3 years.