Pte 52026 Peter Peterson

Peter was born in the summer of 1888 in Toxteth Park, Liverpool the son of Peter Peterson and his wife Ursula (nee Johnston) both of whom were born and married in the Shetland Isles. His older brother John was also born in Shetland, and by 1879 the family had moved to Liverpool. Peter was the youngest of five surviving children; brothers John and James and sisters Jessie and Ursula (May/Mary).

 

In 1891 the family is living in court housing at 8 H, 3 Ct Pembroke Street, Liverpool – Parents, Peter and Ursula with children John J, Jessie, James R, Ursula M and Peter age 2. Father is a dock board labourer. 

 

In 1901 they are living at 9 Upper Warwick Street, Toxteth. Parents Peter and Ursula with children Peter, Jessie and Mary. Father is a dock labourer. Peter is 12.

 

Peter is not found on the 1911 census, but there are crew lists showing a seaman by that name and of the right age and birthplace, employed in the transatlantic run between 1907-1912.

 

He enlisted in Liverpool joining the 20th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regimant as Private 52026. He died of wounds on 18/04/1917 aged 27 and now rests at Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension in France.

For much of the First World War, Abbeville was headquarters of the Commonwealth lines of communication and No.3 BRCS, No.5 and No.2 Stationary Hospitals were stationed there variously from October 1914 to January 1920. The communal cemetery was used for burials from November 1914 to September 1916, the earliest being made among the French military graves. Abbeville Communal Cemetery contains 774 Commonwealth burials of First World War and 30 from the Second. The Extension contains 1,754 First World War burials and 348 from the Second. The Commonwealth sections of both cemetery and extension were designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.

Soldiers’ Effects show his beneficiaries as sisters Jessie Tiffin and Mary Richards, his brother John, and sister in law Catherine (wife of brother James) for the benefit of his nephew Thomas. Jessie Peterson married Joseph Charles Tiffin on 24/1/1904 at St Peters, Liverpool. She was living at Bridgewater Street at that time.

 

Trees on Ancestry show both the parents returning to Shetland, and their deaths are recorded there during the war years.

Peter Peterson is commemorated at Liverpool Town Hall.

We currently have no further information on Peter Peterson, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.