Tags
Alfred Blood, Border Regiment, East Indies, Grimstone Street, Malta, Merridale Street West, Pool Street, South Africa, Wednesfield Road
Alfred Joseph Blood was born in Wolverhampton in 1869. He was the son of John (a railway worker) and Mary Ann Blood. In 1871 Alfred was living at 13 Grimstone Street with his parents and sisters, Mary Ann and Elizabeth. By 1881, they had moved to 82 Wednesfield Road, and the family were joined by an additional daughter, Agnes, and four sons, George, Charles, Bert and an unnamed baby aged 14 days. Alfred married Floribel Dunn in 1899, and the couple moved to 92 Pool Street. By 1911, they were living at 127 Merridale Street West with four of their children. In all, they went on to have eight children between 1902 and 1920 – John, Agnes (who unfortunately died a few months later), Alfred Joseph, Alfreda, Clara, Albert, Daniel and Ralph.
Alfred enlisted in the 34th and 55th Border Regiment on 5 November 1888 (number 2604). He served in Malta, the East Indies and South Africa. In 1902 he was in hospital in the Transvaal (South Africa) with pheibitis. On being discharged later that year, Alfred signed a declaration to the effect that he was willing to remain on the Army Reserve to be called for service in the event of further conflicts. Thus, he re-enlisted into the Border Regiment at the age of 45 on 30 September 1914 (number 5604). During this service he was promoted to Lance Corporal. He survived the war and was discharged on 19 January 1919. He died in 1931 at the age of 62.