7th February 1935

Former Private Abraham Critchlow was the last known Solihull First World War veteran whose death was attributable to his war service. He died on 7th February 1935, aged 51, and was buried at Robin Hood Cemetery following a funeral service at St Alphege Church.

Abraham Critchlow was born in 1884 in Hartington, Derbyshire and was the second of the four children of farmer, James Critchlow and his second wife, Ann Elizabeth (née Cotterill) who had married in Buxton, Derbyshire on Christmas Day 1880. James’ first wife, Lucy (née Smith) died in 1876, leaving James with two sons aged four and two.

James and Ann had moved to Intake Farm, Taxal, on the Cheshire/Derbyshire border by 1891 and lived there until at least 1911. By the age of 16, Abraham was working as a labourer at the nearby gunpowder mill. When he married Susan Hannah Roberts at Burbage in 1906 he gave his address as Harpur Hill. Susan was born in Solihull in 1882.

The couple had moved to Blymhill, Staffordshire by the time of the 1911 census, and Abraham was recorded as working as a “cowman shepherd” on a farm.

Abraham Critchlow was living in Eccleshall, Staffordshire when he enlisted in the 13th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment in December 1915. He was working as an estate labourer, and his service record indicated that he had previously spent three years with the volunteers. He was posted to the Reserves the day after enlisting and was mobilised in March 1916. He undertook a general musketry course and qualified as a 1st Class Shot in May 1916.

He was posted to France in June 1916, serving with 3rd Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment, returning to England two months later after receiving a gun shot wound to his right shoulder and being gassed. After three months, he returned to France November 1916-August 1917, serving with 1st Battalion and then the 3rd Battalion. He was posted back to England August-December 1917 before returning to France for the final time in December 1917 with 3rd Battalion. He was posted back in England in February 1918 and was demobilised from 6th Battalion in September 1919. His service record notes a disability of chronic bronchitis after gassing.

It seems that he and his wife moved to Solihull sometime between 1915-1919. His service record has his Eccleshall address crossed out and replaced with “Fig Tree Cottage,” Warwick Road, Solihull. This address may be a misspelling of “Victory Cottage,” which is given as their address by 1921. Their only child, Ethel Mary Critchlow (1919-1982) was born in Solihull on 30th December 1919.

Announcing his death with the headline “War victim’s funeral,” the Birmingham Daily Gazette 12th February 1935, noted that Abraham Critchlow, of 567 Warwick Road, Solihull had suffered from ill health since being gassed three times during the war, as well as being wounded by shrapnel. The article noted that he was a well-known member of the Solihull branch of the British Legion.

With his death taking place 17 years after the end of the fighting, he is not recorded as an official casualty of the First World War, although the newspaper headline and obituary indicate that his war service contributed to his death.

If you have any further information, please let us know.

Tracey Williams
Library Specialist: Heritage & Local Studies

email: heritage@solihull.gov.uk