Thursday 30 July 2015

Another story from Tony Goulding .............. the tragic death of Peter Mee

The Mee family are an old Chorlton family so I was drawn to Tony's latest story.

The Mersey by Jackson's Boat
In November 1923 a promising young footballer, Peter Mee, died tragically near this celebrated Chorlton-cum-Hardy landmark.

He was last seen on a very foggy "Guy Fawkes" day and his body was recovered from the River Mersey adjacent to Sale Golf Club some 6 weeks later.

Peter was born on March 30 1899 and christened at St.Clements the following month on April 30.

His parents were Thomas, a carter/"night soil man", for the various local authorities who ran the township at the turn of 19th-20th centuries, and his wife Jane (nee Pennington).

From the Hartlepool Mail, December 17 1923
At the time of the 1901 census the family were residing in Brownhill's Buildings off Sandy Lane but by 1911 they had moved to 31 Zetland Terrace, on the Green

On leaving school Peter became an apprentice in an iron works before seeing service in the fledgling Royal Air Force - - his 6 months engagement neatly spanning the armistice of November 1918 ending World War 1.

After demobilisation Peter's football career blossomed; he was for a time on the books of Manchester City although he never made an appearance for their first team.

Third Division North Final 1923-4
In July 1923 he was transferred to Southport F.C. (then in the Football League 3rd Division North)  for which club he made an impressive start scoring half a dozen times in just the 13 games he played for them, prior to his untimely demise.
 
Peter was buried in Southern Cemetery on December 19 1923 in S 512 the grave of his father, who had proceeded him in April 1918.

Peter's details are not visible on the headstone however, and there is no way of knowing the reason for this.






©Tony Goulding 2015

Pictures; Tony Goulding

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