Alexander Carr (known as Alec) was born in 1886 in Claxby (near Market Rasen). The family moved to Caythorpe soon afterwards and by the time he was 14 in 1901 Alec was working as a telegraph messenger (telegram boy). He later started work in the ironstone mines.

He enlisted in the Lincolnshire Regiment in 1915, later transferring to the Machine Gun Corps. He saw a great deal of service in Selonkia (Greece) and was hospitalized with malaria in 1916. In Sep 1918 he came home on 28 days leave but contracted a bad cold. His health became worse and he was sent to hospital on Cannock Chase, where he died on 16th November. His body was brought back to Caythorpe and buried in the same grave as his father. His sisters were too ill to attend the funeral and his elder brother was still serving in France.  His name is on the Caythorpe War Memorial.

Carr Family
Alec’s father, John George Carr was coal miner’s son from Little Hetton Durham, born abt 1840. After following his father down the pit he married (Jane Brown) and became a mine agent in Yorkshire. By 1881 they’d moved to Claxby, Lincs where John became manager of the ironstone mines. Presumably Jane died soon afterwards, as John married Emma Turner (from Caistor) in 1884.

By 1890 the family had moved to Caythorpe were John managed the ironstone mines for the Yorkshire Ironstone company. John George was a prominent figure in Caythorpe and served on the parish council. He died on 30 Mar 1912. In 1918 his widow Emma was living at 1 High Street, Caythorpe. She also lived with her son John George at Holy Cross Cottage (the same place?) until her death in Sep 1927.

Their children were:

• John George, born Claxby about 1885
• Alexander, born Claxby 1886
• Marianne, born Caythorpe about 1890
• Nelly, born Caythorpe about 1902

John George (junior) was a grocers and bakers apprentice when he was 15, but later became a post office assistant. He joined the Army Service Corps during WW1 and also served in France.