Robert Plowright was born in Stamford in early 1896. His father Robert Henry, who was a woodwork machinist for a coachbuilder, and mother, Alice. Bertie had a younger brother Robert and a sister Elizabeth. (There may have been another son, born in 1901, who died soon after birth.)

Robert Henry was 27 years old and was born in Elton, Northants, in 1911 the family were living at 8 Vine Street.

Bertie’s younger brother Robert was killed in April 1918 during the Battle of the Lys and is buried is in the Nord-Pas de Calais region of northern France, his name is on the Outersteene Cemetery memorial.

Robert living relatives, who received a plaque and scroll in May 1919, were his parents, Robert Henry and Alice, and his sister Elizabeth 21 years all living at 12 Stanley Street and his brother, Bertie aged 24 years who was then living at 69 Ripon Street, Attercliffe, Sheffield.