ARCHIBALD VERE SIMPSON 1889–1976

All Photographs courtesy of the family

Born 19th December, 1889 in Nottingham

Baptised 23rd April 1890 St Nicholas Church, Nottingham. Home address, 13 Cecil Street, Nottingham

Married 1: Jane Jones Oct-Dec 1913 in Basford district, Nottingham

Married 2: Millicent M. Freeman Oct-Dec 1927 in Nottingham

Son Leslie Colin, born 27 March 1920, and baptised 13 April 1920 at St Mary’s Church Radcliffe on Trent

Died December 1976 in Rushcliffe, age 87

1891 Census

Age 1 living with father William a foreman, mother Frances, and brothers Lewis 15 and William Francis 4 at 13 Cecil Street, Lenton.

1901 Census

Age 11 living at 18 Cecil Street, Lenton with father William a foreman at ale stores, mother Frances, brothers William 14, an errand boy, Leslie 9 and sister Dorothy 6.

1911 Census

Age 21 living at 18 Cecil Street, Lenton, with brothers William a leather grainer and Leslie Colin 19 a tobacco mixer.

Archibald was employed by the county council as an asylum clerk at Notts County Asylum.

Military Service

Rank: Lieutenant (seniority date 1.7.1917)

Military Unit; 1st and 2nd Battalions, Northumberland Fusiliers, 9th Brigade, 3rd Division on seniority in 1917 (source: Forces War Records). Previously 24th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers.

Theatre of War: France and Flanders, date of entry not known

29.9.15: Applied for a commission. References provided by S. Lloyd Jones, Medical superintendent, Notts County Asylum, who certified to his good moral character ‘for the last six years’. Former headmaster Edward Francis certified that he had received a good standard of education at People’s College. Permanent address: Notts County Asylum, Radcliffe on Trent.

His application form states that he joined the Nottingham University Officers’ Training Corps on 5th July 1915 was still a cadet and had been  a Private in the Nottingham Robin Hoods (1/7th Battalion) from 1905 to 1906 as a volunteer.

28.10.15: Temporary 2nd Lieutenant, 30th Local Reserve Battalion (Tyneside Irish), Northumberland Fusiliers. Based in the U.K.

8.11.15: To report to The Commandant, School of Instruction, Fort Purbeck, Portsmouth between 2 and 4 p.m.

5.6.17: Left Unit (abroad). ‘Cause: P.U.O. (Pyrexia of unknown origin): Trench Fever?’ Regiment and Brigade: 24th Northumberland Fusiliers (1st Tyneside Irish), 103rd Brigade 34th Division (the 24th was amalgamated with the 27th Northumberland Fusiliers (4th Tyneside Irish) in August 1917 to form the 24th/27th Battalion).

11.6.17: Embarked for England from Calais on HMS Brighton

11.6.17: Disembarked at Dover and admitted to Horton (County of London) War Hospital, Epsom, Surrey

1.7.17: Temporary Lieutenant

18.7.17: Medical Board: ‘Unfit General Service & Home Service 4 months in & by; Unfit Light Duties 3 months. In an Officers’ Convalescent Hospital 2 months’

16.8.17: Medical Board: ‘Unfit General Service 2 months in & by; Unfit Home Service & Light Duties 1 month’. In King’s Lancashire Military Convalescent Hospital, Squire’s Gate, Blackpool Attached 24/27th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers.

2.10.17: Medical Board at King’s Lancashire Military Convalescent Hospital: ‘Unfit General Service 2 months in & by; Fit Home Service; Recommended 3 weeks leave; Grant leave from 11.6.17 to 23.10.17’. Attached 24/27th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers.

3.12.17: Medical Board: ‘Fit A’

12.4.19: Commission relinquished. To retain rank of Lieutenant. Regiment: Northumberland Fusiliers; Unit with which last serving: 52nd Rifle Brigade; Occupation in civil life: Assistant clerk and steward; Medical category: General Service; Married; Permanent address: Radcliffe on Trent

Medals Awarded: Eligible for British War and Victory, medals record not found

Military Personnel Address on 1918 Electoral Register:

Notts County Asylum, Saxondale, Notts.

Click here to read a memoir of Archibald Vere Simpson written by his grandson

1921 Census

Address: Notts County Mental Hospital, Radcliffe on Trent

Employment: assistant clerk and steward

Household: living in hospital with wife Jane.

1922 Electoral Register

Address: Notts County Mental Hospital, Saxondale, Radcliffe on Trent

1939 Register

Address: Greneleigh, Cropwell Road, Radcliffe on Trent

Occupation: Clerk to the committee at Saxondale Hospital

Household: Living with wife Millicent

Other information

His first wife Jane died on 14th August 1921. Address at date of death: County Mental Hospital, Radcliffe on Trent.

Moved to Radcliffe on Trent from West Bridgford in the late 1920s and lived at Greneleigh, 66 Cropwell Road.

Listed in Kelly’s 1941 directory  as clerk and steward to the Notts County Mental Hospital.

Reasons for inclusion on Radcliffe on Trent Roll of Honour

Worked in Radcliffe on Trent at Nottinghamshire County Asylum, later renamed Saxondale Hospital.

Photographs courtesy of the family