Midwinter, Arthur (Mac)

We know that Mac was born in 1919. His parents were Walter Midwinter (1886-1960) and Rose nee Malin (1887-1972). At the time of the 1911 Census, Walter and Rose were living at 26 Sanders Street, Warwick and had one son, Frank who was 10 months old. Another of Mac’s brothers, Walter junior, was born in 1911.

Mac was a pupil at All Saints School and was a well known local sportsman, excelling at golf and football

Listed in the 1939 register are Mac’s parents, Walter and Rose Midwinter and three daughters – Lily (b. 1915), Peggy (b. 1920) and Betty (b.1925). Their married names were Lily Babb, Peggy Wright and Betty Eales.

The Warwick Advertiser article from 1940 tells us that Mac had six brothers and sisters so there is a third brother of whom we have no details. The Advertiser ran a regular feature on local men serving in the forces, as well the Roll of Honour column which generally featured those who had died.

Mac is commemorated on the Yeomanry Plaque in St Mary’s Church:

Mac left his effects to his father, Walter, who was a housepainter – sum of £146 8s 4d

Keith Claridge wrote to us after seeing an article in the Warwick Courier about the Warwickshire Yeomanry “I went to the Website specifically to check on Arthur Midwinter because he was the same age as my late father Victor Dennis Claridge and they lived next door but one to each other. My father lived at No 55 Beauchamp Road,Warwick.

The other man I am particularly interested in is Robert Williams who was a close friend of my father….. I think it is highly likely that Robert was living at 56 Beauchamp Road in 1939, (right opposite to my father’s house), as in a letter my Dad wrote to Robert he mentions the happy times they had spent together “Over the Bull Fields.  My Dad also said that the 3 friends joined the Forces at around the same time and I assume that Arthur Midwinter was the third of the trio.”

Mac was commemorated in the Warwick Advertiser on 15th and 22nd June 1945: