Name
Frank Farr
18 Mar 1881
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
14/04/1917
35
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
3/8784
Bedfordshire Regiment
3rd. Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
MARKYATE (ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST) NEW CHURCHYARD
B. 234.
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
REST IN PEACE
UK & Other Memorials
Markyate Village Memorial, St John The Baptist Church Memorial, Markyate, Luton Hoo Memorial, Luton, Beds.
Pre War
Frank (Francis) Farr was born in Markyate on 18 Mar 1881 (baptised 7 Sep 1881) to Joseph Farr, Timber Merchant, and Martha Dell.
On the 1881 Census the family of parents, William (born 1869), Mary (born1875), Alice )born 1877), Joseph (born 1879) and frank were living at Humbershoe, Luton.
On the 1891 Census the family of parents, William, Mary, Joseph, Frank, Ellen, Levi (Leonard) were living at High Street, Markyate, Caddington.
On the 1901 Census the family of parents, Mary, Alice, Joseph, Frank, Ellen (born 1884), Lucius Leonard (born 1886) were living at Mount Pleasant, Markyate.
Frank married Maria Toyer in 1904.
On the 1911 Census Frank and his family of Maria (wife), son Frank(born 1906), Edward (born 1907), Hilda (born 1908) and Elsie (born 1910) were living at 26 Pickford Road, Markyate. Frank's parents together with Joseph and Ellen were living at 6 Pickford Road , Markyate.
Worked on the Golf Links on Luton Hoo Estate.
Wartime Service
No Service Record was found for Frank. Frank enlisted in Nov 1914 as Private 3/8784 in 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. (3rd Battalion was mainly composed of reservists and term served Militia). He went to France in Apr 1915 probably as a reinforcement for 1st Battalion at Ypres. He was wounded on 9 Mar 1915 (GSW right leg) and was evacuated to UK. He was discharged on 14 Jan 1916 and died at home on 15 Apr 1917.
Although Frank has a CWGC grave stone there seems to be no record in Soldiers died in the Great War nor does he seem to have received a Silver War Badge.
Additional Information
Mrs M Farr, 26, Pickfords Road, Markyate, St. Albans. ordered his headstone inscription which reads: "REST IN PEACE".
War Gratuity of £4 10s was paid to his widow Maria.( arrears would have been paid on his discharge.)
Brother Leonard served as Private 8780, 2 Battalion Highland Light Infantry as a regular soldier from 1903 and was killed in action on 17 Apr 1916.
Brother Joseph served as Private 27747 Bedfordshire Regiment from Feb 1916, wounded right leg and left arm in Sep 1916, discharged with pension as ’Unfit for further service’ on 20 Sep 1917.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild, Anne & Gordon Mead, Felicity Brimblecombe
