Frederick was born 2nd September 1880 in Woodham Ferrers and baptised at St Mary’s on the following 24th December. He was the son of John Bover a shoemaker working on his own account, living in The Street, and a native of Woodham Ferrers.
His mother Mary was born in Rettendon. John had married Mary nee Tuley in 1857. John died in 1900 and was buried in St Mary’s Churchyard on 6th March. In 1904 Mary registered as a midwife having been in practice before July 1901. Previous to this there was no system of registration or training for midwives. According to her obituary in the Chronicle when she died in 1923 aged 87 Mary had given birth to fifteen children four of whom pre-deceased her. Mary was buried in St Mary’s Churchyard.
Fred married Eleanor Mary Carter at Christ Church, Erith in Kent on 2nd November 1901 both giving the same address there. Their first child Louisa Mary was born 7th January 1902 at Belvedere, Kent. The remaining children were all born in Woodham Ferrers and by 1911 the family was living at No 1 Woodland Cottages, near to The Brewers Arms. The couple went on to have at least eight children.
Fred is believed to have enlisted at Warley probably in late 1916 following the introduction of conscription earlier that year. He was posted to the 1st Battalion The Essex Regiment who were by then serving on the Western Front in France. There is a reference to him being attached to the 183rd Field Co. Royal Engineers, presumably the 183rd Tunnelling Company, but there are no indications of when.
Fred died on 4th March 1917 and was buried in Grove Town War Cemetery, Meaulte which was the burial ground for two casualty clearing stations so Fred presumably died of wounds received a day or two earlier. Although the battalion was not involved, at this time, in any major battle they were in the line for several days prior to Fred’s death. At the time of his death the government owed him £2.19s.8d which was paid over to his widow and she subsequently received a gratuity of just £3.0s.0d not a great deal for giving your life for your country and not a lot to support their ten children.
Fred was subsequently awarded the British War Medal and the Allied Victory Medal a paring popularly known at the time as Mutt and Jeff. The family was still living at Woodland Cottage in 1933. Eleanor died at the age of 83 at the Alexandra Annexe, St Faiths Hospital, Brentwood in 1963 having been a widow for forty six years.