Peterborough & The Great War

Biography

Harold Roy Leach was born into a notable Liverpool family in 1899.  His father Harold was one of five brothers who all went to Marlborough College and who all played first class cricket for Lancashire.  Harold (Snr) worked in Liverpool before opening his own stockbroking business in Queens Insurance Buildings, Liverpool in 1892.  Harold (Jnr) was initially educated at Bilton Grange Prep School before progressing to Marlborough College from 1913 to 1917.

In 1917, he joined the Royal Flying Corps.  He was stationed at Stamford when he passed through Peterborough East Station and signed the visitors’ book in the rank of Air Mechanic 2^nd class on 12 October 1917.  He wrote “Kind hearts are more than Coronets”.

He was commissioned as a 2^nd Lieutenant, postings included 49, 58, 52, 20 and 201 Squadrons at Farnborough, Winchester and Reading.  In early 1918, he undertook training in aerial gunnery at Turnberry and then went to the School of Navigation and Bombers where he served as an RH4 Pilot.  He went on to join 18 Squadron flying DH4s and DH9A and would most likely have seen active service as a pilot.  He was subsequently discharged in April 1919.

After the war he returned to join his father’s business as a stockbroker in Liverpool, eventually taking over the company.  He married Sallie Francesca Minoprio in St. Pauls Church, Princes Park, Liverpool in June 1928 and they had three children, Harold D, Rosalie P. and Andrew R.

There are numerous records of Harold and Sallie sailing first class around the world to destinations such as Rangoon, Burma, Natal, South Africa, Buenos Aires, Argentina and New York, USA.

in 1939 the family are living at Dunstan Wood, Dunstan Lane, Neston, Cheshire.  Harold is listed as a company director and Member of the Liverpool Stock Exchange.  Also listed is a children’s nurse and various domestic servants.  From 1941, Harold served as an Acting Pilot Officer in the Training Branch of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.  He died in Hereford in 1991 aged 92.

His daughter Rosalie Prudence emigrated to the USA, where she married Henry Minet Hallmark in Texas in 1961, her death is recorded in California in 1987.

His son Andrew Roy married Pamela J Butler in 1963 in Halifax, his death is recorded in 1996 in Clywd.

The only information we have for his other son, Harold D, is from 1951 and 1954 passenger lists. He is listed as a 22 year old student travelling to Boston USA, in June 1951 and returning to Liverpool in September 1951.  In 1954  he travelled from Southampton to New York and he is listed as a student with his country of intended permanent residence as the USA.

Do you recognise any of these names?  Please get in touch if you can tell us more about Harold and his family.