BORN HULL 1893. ELDEST SON OF FRANK JAMES SIMPKINS (1866-1945) & ALICE MARY COLBECK (1866-1958), OF 16 CURZON STREET, ALBERT AVENUE, HULL. SON OF A POST OFFICE OVERSEER. HE HAD TWO BROTHERS, CECIL AND JACK AND A SISTER, NANCY.
HE WAS A ‘HULL HARRIER’ AND RAN IN THE EIGHT MILE HANDICAP RACE HELD ON THE 21/02/1914. HE WAS ONE OF SIX MEN OUT OF THE 19 RUNNERS IN THE RACE TO DIE IN THE GREAT WAR.
HE ENLISTED HULL. SERVED AS A GUNNER, WITH THE 251ST ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY. KILLED IN ACTION, ON 21/04/1917, AGED 24. HE DIED AT SAME TIME AS GUNNER, CHARLES MAJOR.
BEFORE THE WAR, HE WORKED AS A CLERK FOR THE IDEAL STANDARD RADIATOR COMPANY. HIS ARMY EFFECTS WERE LEFT TO HIS FATHER, FRANCIS JAMES SIMPKINS.
HIS NAME IS LISTED WITH 46 EMPLOYEES, ON HULL’S IDEAL BOLIER AND RADIATOR COMPANY MEMORIAL, NATIONAL AVENUE, HULL.
