309841, Private, Frederick Lester RICKABY
Aged 23
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Born in Newmarket in Q4-1894 [Newmarket 3b:535] to Frederick Edward and Edith Florence RICKABY (née HEDGES) of Reydon Lodge, Bury
Road, Newmarket.
1901 census...Frederick L [6] was at Reydon Lodge, Bury Road, Newmarket with his father Frederick E [31], a jockey, born Lambourne, Berks, and his mother Edith F.{34] born Chilton Foliett, Wiltshire. His sister Florence Ruby [12], born Newmarket, was at school in Guildford. 1911 census... Frederick was boarding with the Hales family in Rous Road. Trainer Walter Earl was also a lodger there at the time. His parents and sister Florence and sister Lilian Iris [5] and Newmarket born (mother of Lester Piggott) , were at Marchetta, Bury Road, Newmarket. Married in 1915 to Grace Rosetta GRIGGS, later of La Hogue Hall, Chippenham, Cambs. Their two sons, Fred and Bill both became noted jockeys. Frederick was not at home in the 1911 census, but he did win 73 races that year. In his short career as a jockey he rode 5 Classics winners. Four successive generations of Fred Rickabys have been jockeys and this Fred's nephew appears to have been named after him, Lester Piggott. He was apprenticed to Felix Leach at Newmarket and took on the job of First Jockey at Stanley House for George Lambton at the age of 18. All his Classic wins were achieved on fillies. He won the Goodwood Cup on Magic in 1910, and the Oaks on Jest in 1913. He won the One Thousand Guineas four times in five years: on Mr J B Noel's Jest, 1913; Lord Roseberry's Vaucluse, 1915; Lord Derby's Canyon,1916; Lord D'Abernon's Diadem,1917. It is interesting to note that despite military service he was able to be at home in Newmarket for the 1,000 Guineas in at least 1916 and 1917. Being a retained jockey for Lord Derby, the Defence Minister, may have contributed to this dispensation. Sadly after questions were asked in Parliament, Fred was transferred to front line duties in the Tank Corps, where he met his death. There could not have been many Privates who left £11,796 in their will in 1918. |
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No doubt his profession was responsible for his enlistment in 1916 into the Veterinary Corps, and his stature made him suitable for transfer to the Tank Corps From 21 August 1918 to the Armistice on 11 November 1918, some 2,400 men and officers of the Tank Corps became casualties. In October 1918, during the final days of the war, Fred was wounded. He died on 11 October at one of the Casualty Clearing Stations at Doingt in France. Dying of his wounds, it is difficult to ascertain where and when Frederick was wounded, possibly in the battle at Bellenglise, and the Riqueval bridge. Why he sports Corporal's chevrons in the photo below and is only recorded as Private maybe due to the fact that CWGC tend to use only substantive ranks. By the looks of his uniform and spurs, this was while he was in the Veterinary Corps and would very likely have been transferred in his substantive rank, not as Acting Corporal. |
Fred Rickaby with another jockey to be, Bill Rickaby
photo: Rodney Gibson photo: Rodney Gibson
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details