BORN BARTON ON HUMBER 1871. SON OF JOHN WILLIAM HANDSON AND ELIZA WRIGHT KEEL, OF GOXHILL, LINCS.
HE MARRIED DINAH EMMA LANGTON, IN 1892. THEY HAD EIGHT CHILDREN. THEY MOVED TO HULL IN 1901 AND LIVED AT 22, PARK VIEW, SCULCOATES LANE, HULL, (HIS NAVAL ADDRESS). THEY ALSO LIVED AT 3 & 9 NICHOLSON STREET AND 55 LIDDELL STREET. HE WAS A GAS STOKER BY TRADE.
HE KNOCKED SIX YEARS OF HIS AGE TO ENLIST IN THE NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS, ON 08/09/14 -10/9/14. TRANSFERRED TO THE ROYAL NAVY VOLUNTARY RESERVE, AT CRYSTAL PALACE ; JOINED THE ANSON BATTALION, ON 03/11/1914 AND WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TO LAND AT GALLIPOLI. HE CONTRACTED ENTERITIS ON 04/08/1915 AND WAS INVALIDED TO THE UK ON 17/08/1915 ; HE WAS DISCHARGED AS MEDICALLY UNFIT, ON 06/10/1915 (cause not stated on papers).
HE DIED OF TUBERCULOSIS/INFLUENZA, ON o4/06/1918, AGED 47.
HIS MILITARY FUNERAL WAS REPORTED IN THE HULL DAILY MAIL, ON 10/06/1918. HIS NAME IS LISTED ON SCULCOATES LANE ROLL OF HONOUR.
TWO OF HIS SONS ALSO DIED IN THE WAR – PTE, GEORGE FREDERICK HANDSON, 13TH EYR IN 1916 AND JOHN WILLIAM HANDSON , DRAGOON GUARDS, ON 13/05/1915. THEIR NAMES ARE INSCRIBED ON THE PILLARS OF ST MARY’S CHURCH, SCULCOATES LANE, HULL.
Rejected for commemoration by CWGC in May 2006 (insufficient documentation) ; 23/06/1919 Informed by Next-of-Kin rating died ; Born in 1871 (he claimed June 17th 1879 when he enlisted) in Barton-on-Humber, Lincolnshire, son of Alfred Handson and Eliza (nee Keal, formerly Handson) Welsh of Goxhill, Lincs. Stepson of John Welsh, brickyard labourer. Husband of Dinah (nee Langton) Kitchener of 22 Park View, Sculcoates Lane, Beverley Road, Hull, Yorkshire (married in June quarter 1892). Father of 8418 Private John William Handson, 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen’s Bays) (killed in action in the Ypres sector, Belgium, on May 13th 1915), and Hetty Ileen Cox of 8, Poplar Grove, Sculcoates Lane, Hull (born in Hull in December quarter 1893). In civil life he was employed as a fireman ; ADM/171 = St.V.B. issued to Widow. (IC1433/1919) ; GRO = June Qr.1918, age 47, Sculcoates, Vol.9d, p.270, Occupation: Naval Pensioner. Informant: Daughter, Hetty Cox, of 8 Poplar Grove, Sculcoates Lane, Hull, present at death.
