Army Service Corp, Service no. 277870
Born: 5th July 1893. Died: 1976.
Story
Mark was the son of Thomas Wilson Longbottom (1855-1916) and Mary Ellen Dibb (1854-1915). In 1911, Thomas was a coal miner, living at 6 Side Row, Great Preston, whilst Mark was an apprentice Butcher. Father and son became milkmen, and in the well-known picture below, taken around 1913, at the top of Butt Hill, with the church just visible in the background, the milkman stood in the cart is Thomas Wilson Longbottom. His son Mark is standing at the back, holding a milk churn.
Mark was baptised in Kippax on 12th September 1913. After both his mother and father passed away within one year, Mark enlisted in the Army Service Corp, and was promoted to the Rank of Lance Corporal. As his role in the War largely consisted of ensuring food, ammunition, and supplies were delivered to front line troops using horse and cart, it would seemingly have been a good role for Mark.
During the War, Mark married Alice Louisa Clark (certificate below). The army records for Mark’s military service have not survived, so this is the only record:
Mark was holding on to the Milk Churn in the 1913 picture, and on 12th May 1920, he was prosecuted for holding on to them for too long, not returning them, and using them for his business:
Mark and Alice stayed in Kippax, living at 4 Bickerdike Row, until 1930. They had a son, Thomas Wilson Longbottom, whom they named after Mark’s father, on 13th June 1919. He passed away in 1991. They also had two daughters: Joyce Longbottom (24th May 1922-1980) and Dorothy Irene Longbottom (26th January 1927-1980). In the 1930s, the family moved to 40 Thomas Street, Lincoln, closer to Alice’s birthplace. Mark had given up the milk trade, and was working as a Builder’s labourer. He passed away in Grimsby at the age of 83.
Kippax Roll of Honour 