Home Children CanadaAlso in: War Service Index
Name & Birth
BHC Registry ID #: 52121- Surname
- SPRIGGS
- Given Names
- Frederick George
- Born
- 4 Oct 1895
- Gender
- Male
- Born at
- Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England
- A.K.A. Surnames
- SPRIGG
- A.K.A. Given Names
- George
Death
- Died
- 2 Oct 1916
- Age at death
- 20
- Died at
- Vimy, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France
- Cause
- Killed in Action
- Died in war service
- Yes
- Cemetery
- Vimy Memorial
- Cemetery Location
- Vimy, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France
- Cemetery Plot
- Final resting place unknown
- Find-A-Grave ID
- 56683900
Emigration
Military Service
- Country Served
- Canada
- Service Number
- 53738
- Regiment
- 18th Battalion
- Rank
- Private
- Attestation Date
- 3 Nov 1914
- Attested at
- Clinton, Ontario, Canada
- City of Residence upon Enlistment
- Belfast, Ontario, Canada
- Next of Kin
- Albert ALTON
- Next of Kin Address
- Belfast, Ontario, Canada
Sources and Notes
Record Title: List of children transcribed from ledgers kept at the National Children's Home in Hamilton: Frederick George SPRIGG - Date of Birth: 1895-10-04 - Year of Arrival: 1911 - Ship: DOMINION - Date of Departure: 1911-03-09 - Sent by: National Children's Home - Notes: The list contains no other details about this child. Records are in the custody of Action for Children, London, England --- Source: Library and Archives Canada - Database Item Number: 151503
UK GRO Birth Registration Index: Frederick George SPRIGGS - Mother's Maiden Surname: (blank) - Registration Year: 1895 - Registration Quarter: Oct-Nov-Dec - Registration District: Hitchin - Inferred County: Hertfordshire - Volume: 3a - Page: 515
WW1 Canada Military Attestation / Service Record: George Frederick SPRIGGS - Birth Date: 04 October 1895 - Birth Place: "Hitchin near London England" - Killed in Action: 02 October 1916 - NOTE: page 7 (of 30) names Next of Kin as Ernest SPRIGGS, General Delivery, Wellington, New Zealand
From the War Service Index (see the entry)
Mother: Harriet Mary Spriggs (1869 - )
1895 Birth: 04 Oct 1895. Registered as Frederick George, 'George Frederick' given at attestation.
1896 Baptism: 03 Jan 1896 at the Holy Saviour Church, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England
1901 Census England: Hitchin Union Workhouse, Hertfordshire, England. Harriet Mary Spriggs, domestic cook, b. Donisthorpe, Northamptonshire. Ernest Arthur John Spriggs son, 9. Frederick George Spriggs, son, 6.
Named on the War Memorial with other boys from the National Children's Home & Orphanage, Edgworth, Frederick George Spriggs was resident at the Home some time between the Workhouse in 1901 and leaving for Canada in 1911. The National Children's Home at Edgworth, Crowthorn near Bolton, Lancashire is about one mile outside the village of Edgworth, on the moors. F G Spriggs, NCH Edgworth
1911 Emigration: aged 15 by the National Children's Home, departed Liverpool, England aboard the SS Dominion on 09 Mar 1911. Arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada on 19 Mar 1911. Transferred to the NCH, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada to be placed and indentured as a farm labourer. BHC Registry ID # 52121: G F Spriggs
1911 Census Canada: Mary A. Alton (50) and Albert Alton (35) noted Frederick was born in Ontario [sic] and an immigration date of 1911 was added but was subsequently crossed out. He was visited at the farm and it was noted on his records that he was on Active Service.
1914 Enlisted: at Clinton, Ontario, Canada on 03 Nov 1914 aged 19. Single, farmer, 5’ 7”, fair, ruddy complexion, blue eyes, light brown hair, previous experience with the Militia and was a Wesleyan Methodist. Next of kin: Placement family: Albert Alton, Belfast, Huron County, Ontario, Canada.
Rank/Unit: Private, 18th Battalion, Western Ontario Regiment, Canadian Infantry. Service No: 53738
1915 Embarked: aboard the SS Grampian from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada to Avonmouth, Bristol, England 18-29 Apr 1915. Mobilized with 33rd Huron Regiment. The 18th was posted to West Sandling Camp, Shorncliffe, on arrival.
1915 to France: on 14-15 Sep 1915, the 18th Battalion proceeded to France as part of the 2nd Canadian Division, from Folkestone, England to Boulogne, France.
1916 Death: Killed in Action at Courcelette on 02 Oct 1916, Battle of the Somme. No known grave. Commemorated on the Vimy Memorial, Pas-de-Calais, France. CWGC Commemoration: George Frederick Spriggs Findagrave # 56683900 George Frederick Spriggs
Commemorated on the War Memorial at the Methodist Church, Edgworth, Lancashire, England
Grave registration sent to brother Arthur Ernest Spriggs of 5 Grove Road, North Finchley, London, England but was undeliverable. Ernest's contact as NoK after 23 Sep 1915 was given as: - brother, Ernest Spriggs, General Delivery, Wellington, New Zealand.
Photo Credit: from the collection of B Nuckowski – Wes(ley) Alton Family Tree, friend of George
From the British Home Children & Child Migrants Registry, Home Children Canada: https://www.homechildrencanada.com/registry?id=52121. Printed Nov 15, 2026. For personal family research. Please credit Home Children Canada and the original sources named on this sheet.
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