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Frederick HillFrederick Hill was born in Frampton in 1881 to John Hill, by then a mariner, and Sarah née Guy. His parents had married relatively late in life; Sarah was 49 by this time having given birth to Fred's older brother, Henry John, five years earlier. After leaving school Fred worked as a general labourer, although at the time of his marriage to Ada Jackson on 6 April 1904 he was a sailor. Their wedding took place at All Saints, Gloucester, and Fred and Ada settled into family life in Frampton with the successive arrivals of Ada Matilda, Margaret Annie, Helen and Edwin Frederick John. In 1911 they were living at Ward's Court at the south end of the village green with Fred as a grocer's assistant, perhaps at the neighbouring Ward's shop (in recent years a restaurant). On 21 October 1912, however, Ada died, leaving Fred as a single parent. Their home was in a very poor condition, and on 26 February 1915 Wheatenhurst Rural District Council issued a closing order to the landlord to make necessary repairs. The following month Fred's children were sent to the workhouse at Eastington for a few weeks during the work.
Fred was initially exempted from conscription on the grounds of his employment as a cowman, but on 26 October 1917 he enlisted at Stroud and was medically assessed as Cii (i.e. able to walk five miles, to see and hear sufficiently for ordinary purposes and therefore suitable for service in garrisons at home). He gave his next of kin as his eldest daughter, Ada Matilda; the children were under the care of their Jackson grandmother in Saul. At 37 years of age, with his medical category and perhaps given his family circumstances, he was not sent overseas. Instead Fred was posted to the 608 Agricultural Company of the Labour Corps, working in the Bristol area, perhaps even closer to home. On 23 July 1918 his medical category was raised to 'A', rendering him liable to front line service, but he was not posted overseas. At that time considerable controversy had arisen about the 'optimistic' gradings awarded to soldiers and recruits by Medical Boards, and a month before his discharge Fred was re-graded Bii (suitable for lines of communication in France). He was demobilised on 22 March 1919 and transferred to the Reserve. His war service is commemorated on the plaque in the village hall. After the war Fred returned to Ward's Court to resume family life. Frederick Hill died at The Elms, Swindon Road, Cheltenham, and was buried in St Mary's churchyard, Frampton, on 16 June 1947. |