Born Weaste, Manchester, January 1890; his birth was registered at Salford. Only son and eldest of 4 children of Joseph, a cab driver, and Mary Agnes nee Foley (hence Richard’s middle name). In 1891, Joseph and Mar Ashworth are living at 56 Tithebarn Road, Meols, with their one year old son, Richard Foley Ashworth. By 1901, the family had moved to 12 Bury Road, Southport, by which time Richard had three younger sisters (Ruth, Mary and Doris). By 1911, they had moved to 33 Tulketh Street, Southport and the Census Return, completed by Mary, shows that she was married (although Joseph is not shown in the Return); Richard, now 21 years old, is shown as “out of work” though this seems to have been struck out by the enumerator. On 24th March 1915, Richard married Edith Marian Ostle in Ormskirk and two months later, on 20th May 1915, enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery as Gunner 24474, stating that he was 25yrs 5mths old, a police constable and married. His enlistment papers show that he was 5’11” tall, weighed 130lbs and had light brown hair and blue eyes. He was posted to 171st Brigade. On 27th January 1916, he was sent to Egypt where he served with the Royal Horse Artillery, 169th Brigade. After a period of home leave in December 1916, Richard was posted to France but less than three months later, on 14th April 1917, he was wounded in action by an enemy gash shell. He was taken to 42nd Casualty Clearing Station at Aubigny, a few miles west of Arras, where he died the same day. His widow received a war pension of 13s 9d per week. She and Richard had no children. Edith, who was living at 49 Lawson Street, Southport, the home of her parents, also received Richard’s effects – two wallets, photographs, letters, cards, a drinking cup, a diary, a belt “with badge”, purse, broken watch, gold ring, cigarette case, keys, a photo case and a pen – more than most families received. Edith, like many others of the bereaved, found it difficult to accept that her husband had died and wrote to the Royal Artillery HQ at Woolwich in April 1917, querying whether there could be some mistake as the telegram which she had received informing her of his death showed him as being with 171st Brigade, though he “had not been in that Brigade for many months, having moved to 169th Howitzer Brigade in December 1916…please make quite certain as I need to make certain as soon as possible and have wired the officer to whom he was an orderly”.  The reply stated that there could be no doubt that her husband had died. Edith also wrote to query the fact that a watch appeared to be missing from her husband’s effects, although there is no reply shown in his file and his effects did include a watch, albeit broken. Richard Foley Ashworth was buried in Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension, Grave II C 40, and on his headstone are the words “One of the best always remembered by mother, wife and sisters”. It would appear that by 1921, Richard’s father had passed away. Edith received her husband’s medals in 1921 – his British War Medal and Victory Medal – and died in Southport in December 1956.       On the 8th of June Insp Wignall of Merseyside Police held a plaque in Richards’s memory, as part of a film Merseyside Police are making for the Centenary.

Merseyside Police