Richard Kelsall was born on the 8th May 1893 at 20 Bond Street, Burslem, Staffordshire to Richard Kelsall born 1858 in Burslem and Rhoda nee Simpson also born in Burslem on August 8th 1870. Richard and Rhoda were married on the 17th November 1889 at Cobridge, Christ Church, Staffordshire. They would go on to have 13 children. Eliza born 1890, Lucy born 1891, Richard 1893, Arthur born 1895, Thomas born 1897 died 1897,  Alice Ann born 1898 died 1900 aged 2, Rhoda born 1900,  Alice Ann born 1901, Moses Sandford born 1905, Wilfred born 18.09.1906, Martha born 1908 died 1909, Annie born 1911 and Doris born 17.03.1914 all born in Burslem, Staffordshire. 

The 1891 census shows Richard (28) a Potters Printer, Rhoda (20) a Potters Transferer and baby Eliza (1) living at 67 Pleasant Street, Burslem, Staffordshire. 

The 1901 census shows 7 year old Richard living with parents Richard (40) a Potter Printer, Rhoda (30), and siblings Eliza (11), Lucy (9), Arthur (6) and Rhoda (1) living at 49 Edward Street, Burslem, Staffordshire. 

The 1911 census shows Richard now 17 working as a Potters Turner living at 49 Edward Street, Burslem, Staffordshire with parents Richard (52) a Potters Printer, Rhoda (41) and siblings Lucy (19) an Electrical Presser Earthenware factory, Arthur (16) Pit Lad Waggoner, Rhoda (11), Alice Ann (9), Moses (6), Winifred (4) and Annie 3 months old. 

The census shows that his parents had been married for 21 years and had 12 children, 3 of which had died.

Richard joined the Army, according to contemporary newspaper reports, in January 1915 and he was allocated a place with the Royal Field Artillery as Gunner 76083 Kelsall. He would travel to France where he entered the Western Front on the 29th July 1915. He was killed in action aged 24 on the 4th September 1917. On that date the 2nd Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery, to which he was attached, was involved in the 3rd battle of Ypres, better known as Passchedaele. It is not often we are informed of the exact circumstances of a soldier's death but in Richard's case we are well informed by an article in the Staffordshire Sentinel dated 26th September 1917 where Richard's parents have received news of his death. 

The sad news has reached Mr. and Mrs Kelsall, 23, Wood Street, Burslem, that their son, Gunner Richard Kelsall, Royal Field Artillery, has been killed in action. He is the second son to have fallen in action, Pte. Arthur Kelsall, of the North Staffs. Regt., having been killed in action three months ago. Before he enlisted in January, 1915, Gunner Kelsall, who was 24 years of age, was employed by Messrs.Doulton, Burslem. The popularity which he enjoyed in the battery to which he belonged is emphasised in a number of letters of condolence received from his officers. His major writes: I beg to express my sincerest sympathy with you in your great bereavement. Your son was one of the best telephonists in the battery, and one of the bravest fellows I have met and his death has caused a very great loss to the battery. During the past six months his name has twice been mentioned for gallantry.". Another officer says: "While he was performing his duty in a telephone pit a shell pitched into it, and your boy was immediately killed. We buried him here by the battery, and the chaplain read the burial service in the presence of all the gunners, who were moved with deep emotion at the departure of one they liked so well. Fate has dealt very harshly with you lately, as I understand you had another son killed some time ago. In the face of such grief as yours, it would seem of little use to offer duty well done and a noble death as consolation; and as a remembrance to assuage your sorrow, yet when you meditate in love on your son will you cherish this thought that he was the bravest lad we have ever had. To his fellow-telephonists he was an example of piety and holiness in ordinary times, and in moments of extreme peril he showed a dauntless courage which conveyed itself to them all, and hence allowed them to perform their dangerous work with light and cheery hearts. The whole battery mourns his loss." The Chaplain also writes in sympathetic strain while Mr. Allan Doulton, in a letter to the bereaved parents, speaks of Gunner Kelsall in appreciative terms, as a workman. 

WW1 pension cards provide details of his mother Rhoda Kelsall as next of kin residing at 23 Wood Street, Burslem. She was granted a life pension of 15 shillings per week and a gratuity of £14.16 shilling and 6 pennies. 

Richards earned the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

Although initially buried where he fell he now has no known grave. The destruction of war as it moved back and forth on the battlefield led to the obliteration of some graves and bodies were never recovered or identified. He may well by lying where he was buried or may be in a grave marked ‘KNOWN ONLY TO GOD’ But he is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial Panel 4-6 and he is also remembered on the Royal Doulton War Memorial, Kilngate.

Richard's brother Arthur Kelsall also served and died in World War One. He served as Private 7963 of the 8th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment and was killed in action aged 22 on the 10th June 1917. He had entered France on the 1st April 1915 so was entitled to the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. Arthur was killed during the battle of Messines during the offensive to capture the village of Wytschaete on Messines Ridge.

He also lies in an unknown spot and is remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial Panel 55 . 

The Sentinel Newspaper reports;

KELSALL .-In loving memory of our dear son, Pte. Arthur Kelsall, North Staffs. Regiment, of 23, Wood-Street, Burslem, who fell in action June 7th, 1917, aged 22 years.

Nobly he lived, bravely he died. May his reward be as great as his sacrifice. From his loving Mother and Father, Brothers and Sisters, brother Richard (in France), Brother-in-law, Uncles, Aunts, and Cousins.

Memorial Service on Sunday, July 22nd, at Hill Top Chapel, at 6 o'clock.

The 1921 census shows the Kelsall family living at 23 Wood Street, parents Richard (62) still working as a Potters Printer, Rhoda (50) and remaining siblings Lucy (29) an Electricalware Presser, Rhoda (21) an Electricalware Fettler,  Alice Ann (19) an Electricalware Presser, Moses (16) a Potter Turner at Doultons Ltd, Wilfred (14) an Errand boy at Doultons Ltd, Annie (10) and Doris (7). 

Moses Sandford Kelsall an apprentice Pottery Turner of 23 Wood Street, Burslem died 23rd September 1923 aged 18 years of Phthisis ( Tuberculosis).  

Richard Kelsall died in 1924 aged 65 years. 

The 1939 Register shows widowed Rhoda Kelsall living at 12 Herbert Street, Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire with daughter Doris working as a Pottery Warehouse Sorter and Albert Eccles born 17.12.1922 an Electrical Die Fitter. 

Wilfred Kelsall can be found living at 41 Edward Street, Burslem working as a Potters Turner with his wife Sarah Ann nee Glover (born 24.01.08) working as an Electrical Porcelain Fettler and their son Wilfred. A. Kelsall born 11.02.1935, their is a further record redacted, Sarah Ann and Wilfred Kelsall married in 1929 and had three children Bernice born 1931, Wilfred born 1935 and Alan born 1937.

Rhoda Kelsall died aged 82 in 1953. 

SOURCES.

• Richard Kelsall birth https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=WzbAF8Cue3fo1yr6yS379w&scan=1
• Rhoda Simpson birth https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=RoNgWLJQHa%2FjXyeCa78Z7w&scan=1
• (R.Kelsall R. Simpson Marriage). Indexes created from Anglican Parish Registers held at Staffordshire Record Office; Stafford, Staffordshire, England. 
• KELSALL, RICHARD SIMPSON GRO Reference: 1893 J Quarter in WOLSTANTON Volume 06B Page 182
• https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000347/19170926/037/0002 (sentinel Newspaper 26.09.1917) 
• THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES WAR DIARIES WO95/2085/2
• The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891; Class: RG12; Piece: 2164; Folio: 40; Page: 31; GSU roll: 6097274
• Class: RG13; Piece: 2596; Folio: 12; Page: 15 
• The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
• The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; 1921 Census Returns; Reference: RG 15/12632, ED 18, Sch 335; Book: 12632
• https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000347/19170926/037/0002 (sentinel newspaper September 26 1917 )
• https://uk.forceswarrecords.com/record/735622724/kelsall-richard-uk-soldiers-died-in-the-great-war-1914-1919 
• https://uk.forceswarrecords.com/image/326894258/kelsall-richard-page-1-uk-wwi-british-army-medal-roll-index-cards-1914-1920?terms=kelsall%2C76083 
• Western Front Association; London, England; WWI Pension Record Cards and Ledgers; Reference: 705/06d
• https://uk.forceswarrecords.com/sub-image/619611446/kelsall-richard-uk-british-army-registers-of-soldiers-effects-1901-1929?terms=kelsall%2C76083
• https://uk.forceswarrecords.com/file/669047401?terms=7963%2Ckelsall 
• https://uk.forceswarrecords.com/image/326892373/kelsall-arthur-page-4-uk-wwi-british-army-medal-roll-index-cards-1914-1920?terms=7963%2Ckelsall
• The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/5283G
• https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=HXIfmGTc2OUewQbKORMJqg&scan=1
• https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=cbILAcaFXujM9LvnbuyVSA&scan=1