F.+HARCUP

Harcup, Francis, Stoker, Merchant Navy (Identified with thanks to Derek Hathaway)

Francis was the second son of Frederick Albert (1880-1960) and Ellen (née Cooke, 1889-1959) Harcup. Born on 27 December 1909, he was one of 12 children, all born in the Manchester and Salford area. By 1930, he had moved to the Derby area, marrying Annie Perry in Long Eaton in 3Q1930. In 1939, they were living in Holbrook Cottages, 30 Moor End, Spondon, with Francis working as a labourer at a “public works contractor”. Their oldest child, Francis was born in 1930, back in Manchester (perhaps Annie had gone to stay with the in-laws) but the subsequent 6 children were all born in the Spondon area. Annie died in 1962. Frank was a stoker in the Merchant Navy and died at sea on 27th July 1944. It is unclear from online transcriptions whether he died near Tobruk (on the North African coast) or on a boat called either Iobruk or Iobrick. His older brother, Frederick was in the 2nd battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers and was killed in Belgium on 22 May 1940, part of the withdrawal to Dunkirk. He is buried in Waarmaarde Cemetery.


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