Private Carl Deuxberry
38244 North Staffordshire Regiment
In 1911 Carl Deuxberry was living in Laverick Road at the home of his father, Charles Clapham Deuxberry, a widower aged 58 from Barton-under-Needwood, employed as a grocer’s manager. Carl’s occupation is given as grocer’s assistant. Carl’s mother Mary Deuxberry (nee Frankland) died in February 1896, aged abt. 39, when Carl was only seven years old. She had been mother to at least seven children; Alice b. 1881 Leicester, Frankland b. 1883 Leicester, Arthur b. 1885, Eleanor Louisa b. 1887, Carl b. 1889 Greenhills Lane, Riddings, William b. 1892 and Grace b. 1895.
Photo: Carl as a boy pictured with his sister.
In 1906 tragedy struck the family as reported in the Ripley & Heanor News on 3rd August, ‘Codnor Park Young Man Drowned in Canada. On Saturday morning Mr C.C. Deuxberry of Jacksdale, received the sad news that his son, Mr Arthur Deuxberry, aged 21, who only a few weeks ago went to Canada, had been drowned whilst bathing, and was buried. Deceased, who resided with Mr Charles Howards at Copley, Manitoba, and was learning farming, had gone with Mr Howards’ two sons, aged 11 and 15 years, to a stream called South Antler, which ran close by the farm, for the purpose of bathing, which they frequently did. On this occasion the stream was considerably swollen by heavy rains. Deceased entered the water, and swam across the stream and back, and was making a second attempt when he was seized with cramp when about eight feet from the landing stage. He went down and upon coming up again cried for help, but before assistance could reach him he sank. Life was extinct when the body was recovered. The funeral took place in the cemetery at Lyleton, about nine miles from Manitoba.’
In 1908 a murder took place in Laverick Road and Carl’s brother, Frankland was called as a witness, ‘ On the way there they were seen by a young labourer, Frankland Deuxberry, who lived across the road from the Holden’s and had been awoken by the screams of Mrs Holden about 11pm. He followed them into the house, where he saw Barlow lying in his blood on the floor. Seeing Deuxberry there, Holden turned and spoke to him and to David, who was also present, telling them: ‘There is only God and myself knows what I have had on my mind for this last two months. They called me a liar, and I could not help it. I saw them together last Friday, and I leave you to judge.’ Deuxberry, who had never seen any impropriety between the two victims, said nothing.’
In 1915 Carl Deuxberry married Florence Wilbraham but it seems there were no children.
Deuxberry family marriages are recorded at St. Mary’s, Westwood for two of Carl’s elder sisters, Eleanor Louisa aged 26 who married Oscar Best aged 25 in 1913 and also Alice who married Albert Dawes in 1911. His brother William married Marian Bower in Bradford, Yorkshire in 1919. Carl’s brother Frankland died in 1945 at East Retford, aged 61.
Unfortunately we have no details of Carl’s military service. He was awarded the British War and Victory Medals. He died in 1962 at Swanwick, Derbyshire aged 73.