Gunner Fred Finan, 1629365, 8th Reserve Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery.
Fred Finan was born in Dewsbury on the 18th September 1909, the son of John Finan and Emma Brown who married on the 28th September 1901 at Dewsbury All Saints Church. The Finan family lived at 27 Lacy Street, Dewsbury. In 1911, John Finan, a woollen spinner, and Emma were living at 27, Lacey Street, Dewsbury with their three sons: Willie, John and Fred.
Fred Finan first married 20 year-old Kate Auty of Nookin' Yard, South Parade, Ossett, in late 1934. Sadly Kate, the daughter of Kathleen O'Hare and Fenton Auty died soon after their marriage.
Fred Finan went on to marry spinster Mabel Charlton in the summer of 1939. Mabel was born in Ossett on the 14th August 1912, the daughter of fellmonger Thomas Charlton and his wife Dora, (née Messenger) who in 1939 lived in Back Lane, Ossett. A son, John James Finan was born on the 30th October 1939 who lived in Ossett and died on the 12th August 2022. It is likely that the marriage and the birth of a son were both in Ossett since by this time Fred and Mabel, were living at 27, Maypole Yard, The Green, Ossett and Fred was working in a rag warehouse as a layer-on. Following Fred’s death Mabel married Norman Brooke in summer 1944.
Gunner Fred Finan died on the 24th January 1941 aged 31 at Pinderfields Emergency Hospital, Wakefield and is buried Row 3, Grave 20 in Holy Trinity Church, Ossett.
In 1939, as a principal pioneering unit, Pinderfields Hospital became Britain's foremost Rehabilitation Centre. The majority of the patients were service personnel who had been wounded whilst on active service.
My thanks to Anne-Marie Fawcett for the additional information on the life of Fred Finan.
Stephen Wilson 16th February 2025
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