Some of the archives refer to Mr Atkinson as Alfred, but Grainger and all the census records name him as Fred or Fredrick.
He was born in Hibaldstow in 1859 the son of Tidal Atkinson (Agricultural Labourer) and his wife Caroline (nee Whelpton).
In 1881 he was living with a farm bailiff in Redbourne, as a farm servant.
He married Mary Trafford, the girl from next door, in 1881 in Redbourne, where they lived afterwards and brought up four children. He was a agricultural labourer until 1901, when he started work as a road labourer, becoming foreman in 1911.
He died in Redbourne in 1914 at the early age of 54.
He gave Grainger eight songs, at the folk song competitions in Brigg in 1905 and 1906, and later in 1906 at a neighbour's house in Redbourne.