Arthur’s parents were Arthur, a joiner/carpenter born in Stamford and Harriet, born in Great Easton. They lived at 6 Tenter Lane and had 10 children all born in Stamford. Harriet died in June 1910 and from the census we know that one of the children had also died.

In 1911 Arthur Wardle’s father was still living at 6 Tenter Lane with 7 of the children but it seems as if one or more of the children spent time with their mother’s sister Jane Clarke Cooke who had no children of her own. Her home was at 1 Brazenose Cottages and in 1901 Arthur’s brother Joshua, then aged 11 years, was living with her. On the night of the census in 1911, Jane herself was staying at the George Hotel where she was a servant but 21 year old Joshua (a Nursery Gardner) and 16 year old Arthur, a tailor’s apprentice were at her home. (The address was incorrectly given on the census 1 Brazenose Lane but it was corrected on the front of the form.)

Arthur was recruited to Kitchener’s Army in September 1914 and served as a Private in the 6th Lincolnshire Regiment but no further military records have been found. He died in Stamford in 1967 aged 73 years

Brothers

Joshua Wardle, born 1890, joined the RFC in April 1917 and from 1918 to 1920 was a 1st Class Air Mechanic. He had married Sarah A. Crane in 1913 and after the war returned to Stamford. He was living at 63 St Leonard’s Street when he died in 1973.
William Wardle, born 1893, joined the 4th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment. He died of wounds on 14th August 1915 at the 18th Field Ambulance post and was buried at Hop Store Cemetery, Ypres. He is commemorated on St. George’s Memorial.

(More details and information about cousins in Folder 4)