Biography
Francis Cubberley was born in 1879, the son of James Cubberley, a cab proprietor and coachman, and his wife Elizabeth. He was baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 20th April 1879, when the family were living at Pump Street, North Malvern. By 1911, both his parents had died and Frank, now a groom, was living with his sister brother-in-law, the Halls at St Peter’s Villas, Cowleigh Bank.
First World War
Frank was 35 years old when the war broke out. He continued to work as a groom and on 2nd August 1915 married May Oliver at St Matthias, Malvern Link. The couple adopted a son, Donald.
Frank was conscripted into the army and joined at Worcester in 1916. Given his age, he was placed in a Labour unit, rather than a front-line infantry unit.
He served overseas with the 12th (Labour) Battalion, of the Royal Berkshire Regiment which had been formed at Freshwater in June 1916 and landed in France in August of that year. In April 1917 the Labour Corps was formed and Cubberley’s unit became 162nd and 163rd Labour Companies – so Cubberley would have been a member of one of these. He fell sick in late 1917 and died of pneumonia at Calais on 3rd December 1917.
Commemoration
Frank Cubberley was buried at Calais Southern Cemetery and is also remembered on a family grave at Great Malvern Cemetery, along with his parents.
His wife May never re-married.
Mrs S Smith 2005
St Matthias-in-the-Link Parish Registers
Berrow's Worcester Journal Picture Supplement
James, Brig E A British Regiments London 1993