Biography

Family background

The Frazer family provided three sons who all had connections with Collingham and who all served in World War 2. The three children, Phillip Layton Frazer, Howard Layton Frazer and Clifford Layton Frazer were all born in Collingham, the sons of Wilfred and Frances Gertrude Frazer (nee Gibson). Wilfred and Frances had married on the 17th July 1913 in St.Oswald's Church, Collingham. Wilfred had been born in Leeds, but Frances Gibson was a village girl, having been born in Collingham in 1887.

An early record of the Frazer family in Collingham is found in the Register of Alehouse Keepers of West Yorkshire, where Wilfred is shown as holding the licence for The Barleycorn Inn between 30th December 1915 and the 7th February 1918.

Wilfred and Frances' first son, Phillip Layton Frazer, was born on the 8th December 1916. About 18 months later, a second son, Howard Layton Frazer was born on the 11th May 1918. Finally, on the 16th November 1920, a third son, Clifford Layton Frazer, was born to Wilfred and Frances.

In 1921, in the census taken that year, the family were recorded in Collingham where Wilfred was described as a motor mechanic working for Frazer and Gibson of Collingham.

The family must have moved house in Collingham sometime before 1938, as Wilfred, Frances and Phillip are all recorded in the Collingham electoral roll for that year at Greystones, Collingham. Only about a year later, Wilfred Frazer died on the 29th August 1939, leaving Frances a widow. By 1939, at the time of the 1939 National Registration, and living at Greystones, Collingham were Frances, described as a garage proprietor, Howard, described as a motor car and lorry engineer, and Clifford, who was an apprentice motor engineer. Phillip is not on the register and it is likely that as the eldest son, he may already have been called up and gone to military service - Howard and Clifford were soon to follow him.

Service record

We believe that Clifford Layton Frazer served in the RAF as a sergeant with a service number of 1534116, but we have no further details of his service.

After the war

Clifford's military service did not end immediately the Second World War ended, and his name continues appearing on the Service List of the Collingham electoral roll through to 1948. In 1950, Clifford married Joan Carnes, a local Collingham girl. Joan and Clifford then lived at 8 Garth End for a few years with Joan's parents (electoral rolls in 1952), but they then got their own place at Littleholme, Scarsdale Ridge, Bardsey where they were living briefly at the time of the 1953 electoral roll. In 1953 they were at 2 Prospect Place, Collingham, and then from 1958 until at least 1960, at Westholme, The Avenue, Collingham.

Clifford Frazer died on the 15th March 2003.

Biography last updated 27 January 2024 15:38:30.