Edwin LEEPER

10 May 1918

Private E. Leeper, Barnoldswick

Private Edwin Leeper, H.L.I. (signaller), son of Mr. and Mrs. George Leeper, Monkroyd, Barnoldswick, was killed in action on April 13th. He was 29 years of age, and leaves a wife and two children living at 17 Bairstow Street. Prior to joining up he assisted his father in the drapery business in Skipton Road, and was connected with the Baptist Church and Sunday School. He went out to France in December last. Two of his brothers are with the Army in Salonika and another is in training in England.

11 April 1919

BARNOLDSWICK

MARRIED FIFTY YEARS

On Saturday Mr. and Mrs. George Leeper, of ‘Monkroyd,’ Barnoldswick, celebrated their golden wedding. Coming to Barnoldswick from Luton (Beds.) early in the ‘sixties,’ Mr. Leeper made the acquaintance of Miss Martha Lancaster, and on April 5th, 1869, the marriage was solemnized at the Parish Church of St. Mary-le-Gill. Mr. and Mrs. Leeper have been the proud parents of ten children – eight sons and two daughters – of whom seven sons and one daughter still survive. One son (Edwin), of the Highland Light Infantry, gave his life for his country in France April 13th, 1918, and three others have served during the war, in the Royal Irish Fusiliers, South Wales Borderers and Loyal North Lancashire Regiments respectively. Of the surviving children, three sons (George, Frank and Martin) reside at Nelson; two (James and Rennie) at Barnoldswick; and two have made their home in the U.S.A. – Fred being engaged in evangelical work in the City of St. Louis, and Arthur in business at Malden (Mass.). The remaining member of the family is Mrs. Rennie Fletcher, of Fairhaven, Lytham. There are 16 grandchildren. Both Mr. and Mrs. Leeper are honoured members of Bethesda Baptist Church, with which they have been associated since 1869. Mr. Leeper holds the proud record of having been a Sunday School worker and occasional lay preacher for over 50 years, and to-day fills the office of trustee and deacon, assistant superintendent of the Sunday School and teacher of the senior male Bible class. The couple have been the recipients of numerous congratulations, but owing to the recent illness of Mrs. Leeper the traditional celebrations associated with so auspicious an event have of necessity been postponed.

18 April 1919

LEEPER – In fond remembrance of our dear brother, Signaller Edwin Leeper, of the 2/5th H.L.I., who died of wounds received in action April 13th, 1918.

“His life was a ray of sunshine.”

From Brother and Sister, 28 Parker Street, Barnoldswick.

LEEPER – In loving memory of our dear son, Signaller Edwin Leeper, who gave his life for us in France on April 13th, 1918.

We should like to have raised his dying head
And heard his last farewell;
The grief would not have been so hard
For those he loved so well.

“Gone, but not lost.”

From Father and Mother, Brothers and Sister.