Percy Frederick 's Story.
Trooper Percy Frederick Preston of the Imperial Yeomanry, 1767, died of wounds at Springfontein on 19th March 1901. He was 24 years old.
What do we know about Percy?
Percy Frederick Preston was born in Northwich in the autumn of 1876, the third son of George and Sarah. He was baptised on 25th February 1877. He was younger brother to Lucy, Polly, Clifford, Frances, Ethel and John. He had another brother Arthur, born in 1879. The family lived in Castle Slopes, in the parish of Castle Northwich, Cheshire, where his father was a grocer and baker, according to the 1881 census. By April 1891, his father also kept a Post Office. Aged 14, Percy was a boarder at Victoria College Boarding School, (later West House) Congleton, Cheshire (below).
We know that Percy played for both Hartford Hill Football Club, and the Northwich Wednesdays. He was also an enthusiastic cyclist.
By the time he was 23, he was working as a jeweller for Matthias Elam, of 8 Witton Street, Northwich.
This is Percy with his sister Ethel:
On the 10th January 1900, at Chester, Percy enlisted into the Imperial Yeomanry, 22nd Company. Shortly afterwards, he travelled out to South Africa by steamship, a journey of about three weeks. The regiment left at the end of January aboard SS Erie, arriving in Cape Town on Saturday 23rd February., and disembarking from the ship on Sunday 24th.
SS Lake Erie
A letter from Captain Mosley Leigh mentions some of the activities on board, including boxing matches, cricket and concerts.
Another letter from the ship (Tom Baxter writing to his sister Alice) gives more details of the soldiers' experiences on the journey: the seasickness, dying horses, effects of innoculations .....
A year after arriving in South Africa, Percy died of wounds caused by a sniper's bullet at Springfontein on 19th March 1901. He was aged 24.
A NORTHWICH YEOMAN DIES OF WOUNDS.
The sad intelligence reached Northwich, on Thursday afternoon, through the medium of a War Office telegram, of the death from wounds, at Springfontein, of Trooper Percy PRESTON, son of Mr George Preston, of Hill Top Farm, Aston-by-Budworth, and the Post Office, Castle Northwich. The deceased was one of the first to respond to Captain (now Major) Moseley Leigh’s invitation for volunteers to accompany him to South Africa, and he left Northwich with the other members of the 22nd Company in January, 1900. At the time he volunteered for the front, Preston was in the employ of Mr M. Elam, Witton Street, Northwich, as a jeweller. He was exceedingly well known, and possessed quite a host of friends. For some time he was a playing member of the Hartford Hill Football Club, and also the Northwich Wednesdays. He was also an enthusiastic cyclist. He was 23 years of age. The deceased enjoyed a remarkable immunity from sickness whilst at the front, in marked contrast to a number of others. Immediately the sad news was made known at Northwich the flag on the Council Offices was hoisted half-mast. Much sympathy is extended to the members of the bereaved family. (Northwich Guardian, 25th March 1901)
His care in hospital
Another newspaper report from the Medical Officer in charge of the hospital where Percy was treated have more details of his wounds - a bullet to the base of his neck, causing brain injury. Mayor Longheed wrote that Percy had been "sniped by the enemy at Robert's Farm near Edenburg on March 10th. The bullet entered the back of his neck and came out at the side of his cheek, smashing his jaw and damaging the base of his skull."
(Northwich Guardian - Wednesday 15 May 1901)
His care in hospital
Another newspaper report from the Medical Officer in charge of the hospital where Percy was treated have more details of his wounds - a bullet to the base of his neck, causing brain injury. Mayor Longheed wrote that Percy had been "sniped by the enemy at Robert's Farm near Edenburg on March 10th. The bullet entered the back of his neck and came out at the side of his cheek, smashing his jaw and damaging the base of his skull."
(Northwich Guardian - Wednesday 15 May 1901)
Northwich Tribute Medal
In August 1901, a commemorative bronze medal was issued by the town of Northwich to honour local men who had served in the Boer War. It was presented to Percy's family, for his Meritorious Service in South Africa.
FETE AT BOSTOCK HALL. PRESENTATION OF IMPERIAL YEOMANRY MEDALS. A feature of the proceedings was the presentation to returned men of the 22nd Company Northwich Contingent of the Imperial Yeomanry, of the medals given by the town of Northwich as a memento of their valiant services. They were of bronze, and each was enclosed in a case. On one side appeared the recipient’s name, the arms of Northwich, and the words “Presented by the town of Northwich for meritorious service in South Africa 1900-1. 22nd Cheshire Company Imperial Yeomanry [&] Volunteers”, whilst on the reverse was a mounted Yeoman, and an Infantry soldier standing at attention.
(……….. )
Mr J. Arthur Cowley, clerk of the Northwich South African War Committee, called out the names of the men, who each presented themselves before the Colonel and received their medal: Farrier Sergeant HENSHAW, Bostock Green; Sergeant G. RAYNER, Marple, Stockport; Lance-Sergeant F. RIVETT, Heaton Chapel; Corporal C. EARLAM, Altrincham; Corporal KNOTT, Stockport; Bugler THURGOOD, Warrington; Bugler J. McDONALD, Liverpool; Pte. E.F. McCLURE, Stockport; Pte. F.W. APPLEBEE, Liverpool; Pte. ASHTON, Warrington; Pte. H.S. BAIRD, Knutsford; Pte. R. BARNES, Owen Street, Northwich; Pte. T. BAXTER, Dutton Hall, Warrington; Pte. J. BRATT, Little Budworth; Pte. BUCHANAN, Manchester; Pte. T. BURGESS, Mobberley; Pte. C. COWLEY, Moss Lodge, Hartford; Pte. R. CHARLTON, Redhill Hall; Pte. J.E. CLARKE, Dunham Town; Lance-Corporal G. CROSS, Hulme Mills, near Knutsford; Pte. DRINKWATER, Altrincham; Pte. A. HARLOW, Knutsford; Pte. J. HAWKSWORTH, Holmes Chapel; Pte. F.W. HICKSON, Rudheath, Northwich; Pte. J. HOPE, Ollerton, near Knutsford; Pte. S.S. HOWARTH, Knutsford; Pte. W.D. HUNTER, Shavington Lodge, Crewe; Lance-Corporal R. HULME, Middlewich; Pte. G. JONES, Knutsford; Pte. E.H. LORD, Knutsford; Pte. T. LIGHTFOOT, Pte. J.H. LOWERY, Winnington Cottage, Northwich; Pte. S.S.L. NEWTON, Knutsford; Pte. J. MORRIS, Hartford; Pte. C. OWEN, Didsbury; Pte. H. OWEN, Manchester; Pte. E.T. PHILBIN, Northwich; Pte. A. PICKERING, Northwich; Pte. J.A. PRINCEPP, 20 Thewlis Street, Warrington; Pte. H. REDFERN, Wellington, Salop; Pte. H.P. RIGBY, Winsford; Pte. A. ROYLE, Altrincham; Pte. C.E SMETHURST, Cuddington; Pte. H. SMETHURST, Kilworth, near Leicester; Pte. R. STUBBS, Winsford; Pte. A. WHITTINGHAM, Stapeley, Nantwich; Private E. WILLIAMS, Holywell; Private R. RICHARDSON, Holywell; Private H. LLOYD, Holywell; and Privates J. FORD, G. WALKER, and E. LEATHER, Northwich, men who served with the Volunteer Service Company, of the Cheshire Regiment.
(……….. )Mr J. Arthur Cowley, clerk of the Northwich South African War Committee, called out the names of the men, who each presented themselves before the Colonel and received their medal: Farrier Sergeant HENSHAW, Bostock Green; Sergeant G. RAYNER, Marple, Stockport; Lance-Sergeant F. RIVETT, Heaton Chapel; Corporal C. EARLAM, Altrincham; Corporal KNOTT, Stockport; Bugler THURGOOD, Warrington; Bugler J. McDONALD, Liverpool; Pte. E.F. McCLURE, Stockport; Pte. F.W. APPLEBEE, Liverpool; Pte. ASHTON, Warrington; Pte. H.S. BAIRD, Knutsford; Pte. R. BARNES, Owen Street, Northwich; Pte. T. BAXTER, Dutton Hall, Warrington; Pte. J. BRATT, Little Budworth; Pte. BUCHANAN, Manchester; Pte. T. BURGESS, Mobberley; Pte. C. COWLEY, Moss Lodge, Hartford; Pte. R. CHARLTON, Redhill Hall; Pte. J.E. CLARKE, Dunham Town; Lance-Corporal G. CROSS, Hulme Mills, near Knutsford; Pte. DRINKWATER, Altrincham; Pte. A. HARLOW, Knutsford; Pte. J. HAWKSWORTH, Holmes Chapel; Pte. F.W. HICKSON, Rudheath, Northwich; Pte. J. HOPE, Ollerton, near Knutsford; Pte. S.S. HOWARTH, Knutsford; Pte. W.D. HUNTER, Shavington Lodge, Crewe; Lance-Corporal R. HULME, Middlewich; Pte. G. JONES, Knutsford; Pte. E.H. LORD, Knutsford; Pte. T. LIGHTFOOT, Pte. J.H. LOWERY, Winnington Cottage, Northwich; Pte. S.S.L. NEWTON, Knutsford; Pte. J. MORRIS, Hartford; Pte. C. OWEN, Didsbury; Pte. H. OWEN, Manchester; Pte. E.T. PHILBIN, Northwich; Pte. A. PICKERING, Northwich; Pte. J.A. PRINCEPP, 20 Thewlis Street, Warrington; Pte. H. REDFERN, Wellington, Salop; Pte. H.P. RIGBY, Winsford; Pte. A. ROYLE, Altrincham; Pte. C.E SMETHURST, Cuddington; Pte. H. SMETHURST, Kilworth, near Leicester; Pte. R. STUBBS, Winsford; Pte. A. WHITTINGHAM, Stapeley, Nantwich; Private E. WILLIAMS, Holywell; Private R. RICHARDSON, Holywell; Private H. LLOYD, Holywell; and Privates J. FORD, G. WALKER, and E. LEATHER, Northwich, men who served with the Volunteer Service Company, of the Cheshire Regiment.
The event, although to the majority a very pleasing one, had its fringe of sadness, as was only to be expected, and it was very touching to see the fathers and brothers of those who lost their lives at the front come up for the medals so dearly bought by their beloved ones. The names of those who now lie buried where they fell are – Pte. F. DAVIES, late c/o his sister Mrs Brock, Lyndhurst, Northwich; Pte. A.A. CARRICK, 4 Willow Bank, Winsford; Pte. J.P. JONES (Northwich), sister, Miss J.R. Jones, 4 Well Street, Dolgelly; Pte. W.H. LISTER, 1232 Chester Road, Stretford, Manchester; Pte. E. PRITCHARD, Bickton Heath, near Shrewsbury; Pte. P.F. PRESTON, Hill Top Farm, Great Budworth, Northwich; Pte. G. WHITELEGGE, Barn’s Farm Lane, Warburton, near Warrington; and Pte. R. FURNIVAL, Batherton Hall, Nantwich. As the men advanced for their medals the Colonel individually congratulated them, and sympathised with the relatives of the deceased. (Northwich Guardian, 7th August 1901)
Percy's effects were returned to his family after his death
Percy's effects were returned to his family after his death
Percy's father, George, died on 8th December 1901, just nine months after Percy's death ....
Compiled by S.Lewington 2025