Frederick Bangham, born in 1879, was born into a family lineage from the glove manufacturing business. His grandfather, Joseph Bangham, originally from Worchester and born in 1789, owned a gloving factory in the town. He is also often credited with bringing the gloving industry to the town [1]. To follow on Fred’s father, Thomas Bangham, born in Torrington in 1838, is also listed as a “glove manufacturer” in the 1881 census. His mother, Elizabeth, born in 1843, was born in Barnstaple. Fred also has two older sisters at this time, Mary and Ethel, ages 8 and 4, who are both attending school. Like his sisters, Fred’s birth place is listed as Great Torrington. The final member of the household, Edith Ward, is a 15 year old domestic servant, again, originally from the town. The family home can be found at Furzebeam Row, New Street, Great Torrington.

The next decade sees a number of records worth noting. Fred attended the Great Torrington Council School (Boys) and was enrolled in 1885. His grandfather, the well known and respected businessman, passes away in 1889; his funeral being attended by a large number of friends and employees, which also saw his coffin covered in a large number of wreaths [2]. By the 1891 census, whilst Fred remains at school, both his sisters have moved on from school and become teachers; his father also remains in the glove manufacturing business. The household is now completed with a boarder, 25 year old Ella Hart from Cardiff who is an Assistant Mistress for a boarding school, and 70 year old Margaret Cann from Hartland who is “living on her own means”.

However, a gap in records concerning the Bangham family throws a cloud over them at the turn of the century. We can see from the 1901 census that Fred’s mother has now passed away and his father is recorded as a widower. Unfortunately, there is no record of the whereabouts of Fred. The family record still has the Bangham’s living at the 1 New Street, Furzebeam Row address, which has Thomas living with the eldest daughter, Mary, along with a boarder, Polly Cole and a visitor, Elizabeth Moore. Ethel (Gertrude) has moved to Kingston Hill, Coombe in Surrey and is working as a servant for the Bond family. Head of the household, Liverpudlian and retired architect, Erasmus Bond, lives at the address with his Irish wife, Maragret and his cousin, Richard, who is a printer and publisher. As well as Edith, there are two other servants living in the household, both with westcountry connections; Emily Barrett from Truro is a domestic cook and Minnie Webber from Barnstaple is a housemaid. Extensive searches have been undertaken for Fred, including similar spelling names, although this still revealed nothing further, so Fred’s life at this stage is a mystery.

Notwithstanding this short disappearing act, we find Fred back in Great Torrington in 1904 where he marries local girl Alice Furseman. As we progress through the histories of the town’s soldiers we will see a number of overlaps in families; in this case, one of Alice’s brothers is Bertram Furseman who also serves his country in the Great War and we will visit him again later. Like Fred, Alice is also in the gloving industry. The marriage takes place on the 3rd October at the town’s Baptist Church with the service being taken by Rev. G.F Owen [3].

By 1907 the Bangham couple had their first child, Rita Doreen and she would be soon followed by a son, Frederick Wilburn, born in 1909. The 1911 census shows the family living at 34 Mill Street, Great Torrington. Fred has moved away from the gloving business and is employed as a labourer in a brickyard. The children are aged 4 and 2 on this year. His father and sister are still living in the same household and are close by having moved to 13 Mill Street. Ethel has also moved back to the town and is living in New Street with the Bennett family, her occupation is a nurse.       

Exact details of Fred’s enlistment into the forces are not clear from records; however, there are some clues that can be weaned from newspaper articles. We can see that Fred had entered the forces by July 1915 where the Great Torrington Council School release a Roll of Honour of its past students, Fred Bangham is listed under the Royal Navy [4]. A further North Devon Journal article from 1916 relates to the death of Fred’s father, Thomas. The article, which outlines the cause of his death at the age of 78 years as a result of an asthma attack, highlights Fred being in the Naval Fleet Reserve at the time of his father's funeral [5].