Frederick Stooke and his younger brother Edgar died within two weeks of each other in April 1918. They were two of seven brothers to serve during the First World War, of which only three returned home. His elder brothers Frank and Arthur also died. Frederick was born in 1898 at Essendine, the son of John Robert and Christiana Charlotte Stooke. John was the headmaster of Essendine School for many years. When John retired the family moved a few miles to Carlby in Lincolnshire. Frederick was just 12 when his father died, and his mother took over running the Plough Inn in the village. Frederick joined the Coldstream Guards as a Private and was killed on 13 April 1918. He has no known grave but is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial. He was 20 years old. There is a memorial tablet to the four boys in St Stephen’s church in Carlby. The men’s mother Christiana is buried in St Stephen’s churchyard within sight of the memorial tablet.