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

Howard Layton Frazer joined the RAF at RAF Padgate sometime between September 1939 and February 1949 with a service number 1115084. To date, we don't have any further information about what he did, or where he served.

In 1941, Howard married Margaret Rhodes.

After the war

After the war, Howard returned from military service to the Wetherby area, and by 1951 he was living with his wife, Margaret, at Pasture House, East Keswick. They remained there through 1953, but by 1955, Howard and Margaret had moved, this time to Willow Cottage, Clifford. There was a further change of address between 1959 and 1960 as their address in 1960 was 1 Princess Avenue, Knaresborough.

Howard Layton Frazer died in 1996.

Biography last updated 27 January 2024 15:38:36.