Arthur Firth was born on the 9th August 1892, the son of George Thomas Firth a miner and Emma Firth of Cumberworth. His baptism took place at Cumberworth St Nicholas Church on 2/4/1893.

The PGS admissions records for Arthur state that his father was employed as a Tenant Farmer, of Upper Cumberworth. He was admitted to the school on the 17/1/1907, and left on the 29/7/1911.

He was awarded a bursary in 1909 and left school in 1911 to train as a student teacher at Leeds Training College.

The 1911 census finds Arthur (18) at home working as a student teacher and lists father George Thomas (43) Emma (44), siblings Marion (14), Frank Vincent (9), Ann Eliza (6), and Laura Gwendoline (2).

There are various mentions of Arthur in the *****tonian School magazines, ie in 1909 accepted by the WRCC as a teacher, Vice Captain of the football club during the Xmas terms of 1909 and 1910, and in the spring of 1912 accepted at Leeds T.C.

The UK Soldiers who died in the Great War records state that Arthur enlisted at Leeds in the KOSB.

Janet Dyson