The War and St Martin's

Henry Goodrich (1844-1893) and Sarah Ann Blankley Lister (c1841-1918) married at Christ Church, Leicester in October 1871. They had three sons – Harry (1874-1947), Albert Edward (1876-1965) and Arthur William (1881-1967) and three daughters, Caroline Jane (1876-1959), Gertrude (1879-1961) and Eliza Lister (1882-1965). At the time of their marriage Henry was a Corporal in 77^th (East Middlesex) Regiment, living in barracks at Portsmouth.  Soon after he returned to civilian life and settled with his family in Leicester.  From circa 1876 to 1879 Henry was a grocer and beer seller with his own premises at 51 Gresham Street, moving to at 23 Checketts Road and obtaining a beer license in October 1879.  He remained a shopkeeper there for at least a couple of years, but the business appears to have failed and so by at least 1891 and probably as early as 1889 Henry was working as a shoe finisher.  Having been born in Leicester, Henry may have worked in the shoe trade before becoming a soldier.  From at least 1891 the Goodrich family lived at 8 Chandos Street.  However, Henry died in 1893.  All of Henry’s sons joined the army – Harry in 1893 and Albert Edward in 1895.  Arthur William remained with his mother, living together at 19 Curzon Street until his marriage.

Although she had not married at St Martin’s or had her children baptised there, Sarah was a member of the St Martin’s congregation in 1909.

Arthur William Goodrich was born in Leicester in 1881.  In 1901 aged 19 he was working as an engine cleaner on the railway and living alone with his mother at 19 Curzon Street.  He moved to 124 Upper Conduit Street shortly before marrying domestic servant Mary Jephson (1880-1970) at St Peter’s on 17^th July 1909.  Their daughter Gertrude Elizabeth (1910-1917) was born in 1910 and baptised at St Peter’s on 26^th May 1912.  Arthur continued working for the railway and lived at 124 Upper Conduit Street for the rest of his life.  By 1909 he was a loco fireman for the Midland Railway.  During the war he served as Battery Quarter Master Sergeant in the 7^th Brigade Royal Field Artillery (no 910775), enlisting on 11^th May 1915.  He served throughout the war but was invalided out of the army on 1^st July 1919 and was awarded the Silver War Badge.  He suffered sickness which precluded him from future service.  Sadly Gertrude died at Leicester Royal Infirmary in August 1917, aged seven.  She was buried at Welford Road Cemetery.  It is possible that Gertrude died whilst Arthur was away on active service.

Mary and Arthur do not appear to have had any more children together after Gertrude, but they were joined at Upper Conduit Street by Arthur’s mother after the war and until her death.  Arthur died in Leicester in 1967, Mary in 1970.

Albert Edward Goodrich was born on 25^th March 1876 and baptised at St Peter’s, Belgrave, on 12^th July 1883 along with sisters Eliza and Caroline.  After finishing school he began working as a tailor’s cutter and then, like his older brother, enlisted into the 1st Leicestershire Regiment, in 1895.  He served in South Africa 1899-1900 and then settled back in Leicester, where he married Annie Green (c1877-1954) at St Leonard’s on Christmas Eve, 1903.  Both gave their address as 6 Harrison Street.  Albert and Annie had four surviving children – Lawrence Edward (1903-1965), Horace Edward (1905-1993), Albert Leonard (1908-1990), Gladys Annie (1910-1995) all born in Leicester and living at 150 Surrey Street in 1911.  Albert returned to his civilian job as a tailor’s cutter.

When the new 11^th (Midland Pioneers) battalion was raised in 1915 Albert joined, enlisting on 18^th November 1915 aged 38.  He was then in “A1” health.  Albert landed in France on 26^th March 1916, serving there until March 1919 with a 15 day break in 1918.  He and his comrades carried out road building and trench construction, often under fire, and was part of the Advance in Flanders.  He was a good soldier who committed no recorded offences during his service.  During active service he contracted bad teeth meaning that he needed dentures, which were themselves in poor condition upon leaving the army.

After demobilising in 1919 Albert returned to 150 Surrey Street and to work as a tailor’s cutter.  In time their daughter Gladys’s husband moved in and they both remained with Albert and Annie until Albert’s death in 1965, Annie having died eleven years previously.  Son Horace also married and moved in next door with his new wife, remaining until after the death of his parents.  Albert died in October 1965 aged 85 and was buried at Welford Road Cemetery.

Harry Goodrich was born in Leicester on 30^th September 1874.  He began his career as an apprentice in the shoe trade, serving for four years under Mr Rawson before becoming a shoe clicker, but in 1893 joined the 3^rd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, aged 19 with a height of just 5’3”.  In 1910 he served with the 1^st Battalion.  By the time Harry ended the first term of his engagement in May 1913, he had achieved a good level of education and served in South Africa and India.  He was a good soldier, never drunk on duty and reprimanded only once for drunkenness in barracks, in 1897, and was decorated with both a host of medals and several tattoos.  In 1913 Harry was given a reference which described him as “honest, sober, industrious, intelligent and always a good disciplinarian…..will make a good clerk.”  By October 1915 Harry was a warrant officer.  Between 1906 and 1915 he served at home, for example he was based at Aldershot in 1911.

Harry married Ada Mary Bristow (1873-1955) in Ealing in 1909.  Ada was born in Lincolnshire and was a housemaid in Leicester in 1891 – perhaps Ada and Harry had been sweethearts for a long time.  They had three children – Lilian Evelyn (1910-1996) who was born in Aldershot and twin boys Eric Montague (1913-1981) and Leonard Roland (1913-1936) who were born in Leicester on 17^th April and baptised at St Thomas’s Wigston on 25^th May 1913.  Father Harry’s address at that time was Glen Parva Barracks.

In November 1915, aged 41, Harry joined the 11^th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment (Midland Pioneers) and shortly afterwards, in March 1916, set sail from Southampton for France, where he served until October 1919.  He was eventually demobilised for the last time in March 1919 with the rank of acting Regimental Sergeant Major.  He returned to Leicester Road, Oadby and then moved to 71 St Saviours Road East, Leicester.  Despite many years of active service Harry claimed no disability or ill health.

After the war Harry set up as a tobacconist – in 1922 still at 71 St Saviour’s Road, moving in around 1931 to number 329 St Saviour’s Road.  After the death of his son Leonard in 1936 Harry retired and moved to 111 Scraptoft Lane, where he died on 3^rd July 1947 aged 72.  Harry and Leonard are buried together at Welford Road Cemetery.  Ada lived on until 1955 and was not buried at Welford Road, though she is commemorated on their gravestone which reads:

In Loving Memory of/Our dear son/Leonard Roland Goodrich/Who died March 26^th 1936 in his 23^rd year/At rest/Also Harry Goodrich father of the above/Who died July 3^rd 1947, aged 77/Ever in our thoughts/also Ada Mary Goodrich/Beloved wife of Harry/and mother of Leonard/Died Jan 10^th 1953 aged 81 years/Always in our thoughts/Reunited

 

Sidney Robert Goodson was the eldest of the two children of Robert Goodson (1861-1922) and Eve Jane Mills (1858-1943) who married in 1886.  Robert and Eve moved to Leicester from their native Nottingham between 1886 and 1890, when their daughter Eva Mary (1890-1977) was born, though she was baptised at St Mary de Castro in February 1890.  From 1890 to at least 1896 they lived at 26 Gerrard Street.  Between 1897 and 1900 they lived at 6 New Park Street (near Braunstone Gate) and this is where Sidney Robert was born, in 1897.  He was baptised at St Mary de Castro on Boxing Day in 1897.  Eva attended King Richard’s Road School, graduating from the infants’ department in 1896, so it is quite likely that Sidney also attended.  From 1901-1908 the Goodsons lived at 9 Norman Street, moving later in 1908 down the road to number 13 Norman Street where Sidney spent the remainder of his childhood.  Sometimes the family had a boarder living with them.  Robert Goodson worked as a bookbinder and later on daughter Eva worked as an elementary school teacher.

Nothing is known about Sidney’s early work experiences and not much is known about Sidney’s military experience during the war.  He enlisted at Leicester and first served as a private in the Cheshire Regiment 291962, then transferring to the 1/4^th Kings Shropshire Light Infantry no 28289.  He took part in the fighting around Messines in April 1918.  The days immediately preceding Sidney’s death were spent in reorganisation and training.  At 7am on 10^th May 1918 his battalion travelled by light railway to the front line at Dickebusch, relieving the 9^th Royal Welsh Fusiliers.  Sidney was one of nine members of C Company who were killed during the relief, in the early hours of 11^th May 1918.  He left effects of £14 13s 7d which was sent to his mother in September.  A War Gratuity of £7 10s was paid to Eve in August 1919.  He is commemorated at Tyne Cot memorial to the missing of Ypres, suggesting that his death was caused by a direct hit on his trench by a German shell.

On the 31^st May 1918 the Leicester Mercury reported “GOODSON – Killed in action, in a place not stated, on May 10 or 11, Private Sidney Robert Goodson, age 20, KSLI, dearly loved and only son of Mr and Mrs R Goodson, 13 Norman-street.”

Robert and Eve continued to live at 13 Norman Street, where Robert died in June 1922.  Eve stayed on for a while but between 1925 and 1928 moved elsewhere, possibly to live with her daughter Eva who by this time lived at 281 Hinckley Road.  Eva Mary was confirmed at St Martin’s in 1920.  Eve died in Leicester in 1943 and Eva in 1977, unmarried.

William Francis Green (1863-1921) and Florence Williams (1866-1948) had eight children, all of whom were born in Syston except the eldest child, William Henry, who was born in Nottingham but baptised later that year in Syston.  William Henry (1886-1936), Ernest (1888-1956); James (1890-1917); Minnie (1893-1930); Blanche (1895-1979); Amy (1898-); Charles “Charlie” (1903-) and Florence (1905-) were all of William and Florence’s children were baptised at the parish church of Syston, St Peter’s – James on the 9^th April 1891.  The family lived in Syston until at least 1911, sharing a small house of six rooms.  William Francis worked as an iron moulder and after they left school, the children worked in the shoe trade.

It is not clear when the Green family moved to Leicester, but they may have relocated to find work, which was very plentiful in Leicester during the First World War.  Certainly they lived at 94 Bardolph Street in 1918, but not in 1914.

James, who worked as a shoe riveter, may never have lived in Leicester.  He married Scottish woman Ellen Chawner Elks,known as “Nellie”, in Scotland, probably at Glasgow.  He enlisted into the Seaforth Highlanders at Glasgow in 1915 and served first in the 1^st Battalion, transferring to the 5^th and finally the 2^nd Battalion.  He first arrived in France on 3^rd November 1915.  There is no evidence that either of his brothers joined him, though it is difficult to be sure as Green is such a common surname.

James lost his life during the Battle of Passchendaele, later described by Lloyd George in his memoirs as “one of the greatest disasters of the war….No soldier of any intelligence now defends this senseless campaign.”  At zero hour, early on the 4^th October 1917 the 2^nd Seaforth Highlanders, flanked by the 1^st Hampshire Regiment on their right and the Royal Dublin Fusiliers on their left, attacked a German position at Langemarck, four miles north east of Ypres.  It was raining and ground conditions were poor. The return machine gun fire was heavy and there were many casualties.  The objective of taking 19 Metre Hill was achieved with difficulty but the Germans launched a counter attack later that day.  James’ body was not found and he was later commemorated at Tyne Cot memorial to the missing, one of 132 men of his battalion to die that month.

James’ effects of £6 12s were sent to his widow Nellie in two instalments, June and October 1918.  A War Gratuity of £10 10s was sent in November 1919.  By this time Nellie had remarried a Mr G Hall and lived at 24 Mathieson Street, Glasgow.

William Francis and Florence remained at 94 Bardolph Street until at least 1925 but had moved by 1932.  They died in Leicester in 1921 and 1948 respectively and were buried at Belgrave Cemetery.

Frederick William Hardyman (1858-1913) married Easter Helen Santer (1860-1931) in Leicester in 1883.  Not long after, their first child Albert Edward was born and Frederick took over the management of his father’s cheese, bacon and general provisions business at 5 Victoria Parade.  Albert was baptised at St Peter’s on 24^th August 1884.  Frederick and Easter had ten children, eight surviving past early infancy:  Albert Edward (1884-1951); Frederick William (1887-1960); Edith Helen (1885-); Lilian (1888-); Florence Muriel (1891-1983); Louisa (1894-1975); Margaret Emily (1897-1898); Mildred Agnes (1900-1992); John (1902-1903) and Mary Eugenie (1906-1982).  The family connection with St Martin’s seems to have begun with the baptism of Louisa on 28^th December 1894 – thereafter all the children were baptised at St Martin’s.  Frederick, Easter and Albert Edward all attended St Martin’s as worshippers in 1909. After the death of Frederick’s father in 1908 he took over the business at 5 Victoria Parade, but the family always lived elsewhere.  Frederick knew William Stafford of 2 Victoria Parade as in 1890 he witnessed Frederick’s will.

The family lived Firstly at 2 Portland Terrace, (number 4) Melton Road then from 1897 at 8 Fosse Road, moving to number 31 Fosse Road in 1900.  In 1902 an advertisement appeared in the Leicester Chronicle – “Hardyman: The Only Cheesemonger in Leicester”.  Around 1905 Frederick went into partnership with Sidney Lowe and the shop at 5 Victoria Parade was styled “Hardyman & Lowe” from that time onwards.

Albert Edward did not intend to follow his father into shop keeping.  Instead, he served an apprenticeship in the boot and shoe trade.  From at least 1909 and certainly by the time of his marriage to Lily Amelia Whitfield (1887-1947) at St Martin’s on 5^th December 1910, he was living independently in Town Hall Lane (now known as Guildhall Lane).  They moved in together at 23 Stuart Street and Albert continued working as a foreman finisher.  The following year their first child Enid Mary (1911-1967) was born on 18^th June 1911.  Lily must have been about three months pregnant at the time of her marriage.  Enid was baptised at St Martin’s on 20^th August 1911.

Frederick William Hardyman senior died in 1913 aged 55.  The business of Hardyman & Lowe continued, perhaps managed by Frederick junior, until around 1941. Mother Easter gave Albert and Frederick £200 and £250 respectively – taken from their future inheritance – to set themselves up. At this time Albert Edward moved away from the shoe business and became a fruit merchant for John E Walker Ltd, keeping his position until he had risen to the position of Director by 1947.  Their offices were at 46 Halford Street. Albert and Lily lived at 60 Evington Road, remaining there until c1930.  Mother Easter lived nearby at number 56 until 1927, when she moved to Kennington, Westleigh Avenue.  She died there in 1931.

At the outbreak of war Albert was 5’7” tall, weighing 165lbs.  He was already a skilled motorcyclist at a time when this was fairly unusual, so understandably he joined the Motorcycle Corps, Royal Engineers Special Reserve CMC Section.   He joined a special Service rest camp at Bletchley.  Albert landed in France in June 1916 and was promoted corporal soon after, in November 1916.  Albert demobbed on 20^th July 1919, claiming no disability or illness.  He returned to Leicester and to 60 Evington Road.

Albert and Lily’s son John Anthony (1923-1946) was born in 1923 and baptised at St Martin’s on 1^st April 1923.  In the same year Albert’s sisters Mary Eugenie and Mildred Agnes were confirmed at St Martin’s.  The family moved to Woodlands, Glen Hill, Blaby c1930 and remained there until at least 1941.  In 1933 the Hardyman family must all have been affected when a woman successfully claimed over £9000 damages from Albert’s older brother Frederick William – a very large sum – for the death of her husband who had been run over and killed by the manager of Frederick’s car spares business, Stanley George Bingham.

By the time of Lily’s death in 1947 she and Albert lived at 113 Leicester Road, Blaby.  Albert died on 12^th April 1951 at Kirby Muxloe.

Leonard Hunt Hargrave (1860-1938) and Jessie Mary Eugenie Bonner (1867-1945) were publicans and hotel keepers.  They married in Paddington in 1889 and had four children, the first three born in Paddington and the youngest in Leicester:  Leonard Oswald (1890-1976); Oswald John (1891-1969); Gordon George (1893-1974); Alan Evelyn (1908-1987).

In 1891 the Hargraves kept The Mitre, 13 Edgware Road, Paddington.  Leonard was a licensed victualler. His mother Eliza Ann lived with them, as did Jessie’s sister Mary Elizabeth and two barmaids, a barman and two domestic servants.  By 1893 they had moved to 26 Chippenham Road and by 1897 were settled at The Rose Hotel, Folkestone.  In November 1897 moved to The Bell Family and Commercial Hotel at 26 Humberstone Gate, which Leonard purchased at auction in January 1897 for £16,000, taking out a £12,000 mortgage with the Stamford, Spalding and Boston Banking Co Ltd.  It was a complex operation: In 1901 24 servants and other hotel workers looked after the Hargrave family, guests and boarders.  Leonard Hunt was licensed victualler and Jessie was manageress.  There were 37 bedrooms, a coffee room, commercial rooms, bars, two billiard rooms and a large banqueting room which was mostly used for auction sales and the meetings of the Chambers of Agriculture, Boards of Directors etc.

 

The Hargrave family were very keen on sports.  Father Leonard played golf at Birstall and his sons all played cricket, hockey and football.  As they grew up they took different career paths – Leonard trained as an accountant, Oswald as a machine repairer and Gordon as a razor maker.  Leonard Hunt Hargrave occupied quite an important position in Leicester and was nominated for various roles such as Vestryman at St Margaret’s.  However, in December 1914 Leonard was charged with allowing gambling to take place in the vaults of The Bell.  Although he had a clean record of over 17 years at The Bell, Leonard was convicted and fined £5 and his barman £10 plus costs.  The Barman – Clarke – seems to have been chiefly, if not wholly, responsible for the gambling but Leonard’s lack of supervision and position of responsibility meant that he had to be fined.  This was a serious offence which would have affected Leonard’s reputation, so perhaps it is not a surprise that by 1918 he had left The Bell.  Leonard and Jessie seem to have lived in various seaside towns including Skegness and Torquay before settling in St Leonard’s on Sea, where they both died.  They were buried at Kensal Green Cemetery in London along with their eldest son and his wife.

Oswald John Hargrave was born in Paddington on 20^th September 1891.  He attended Kempston School, a middle class boarding school in Bedfordshire between March 1905 and March 1907.  He seems to have been captain of at least one school sports team.  After leaving school he lived at home and worked as a machine repairer.  He played Rugby Union for the Leicester Team between October and December 1913.  Early in 1914 he went to the Malay States, presumably for work, arriving at Penang.  Oswald’s father had given him a ring which he had found at Birstall Golf Course as a parting gift.  Whilst in Penang Oswald encountered another Englishman who spotted the ring on his finger and claimed it as his own – he had accidentally put the ring into Leonard’s pocket in the changing room, thinking it was his own coat.

After war broke out Oswald returned to England was appointed temporary Second Lieutenant in the 4^th Leicestershire Regiment alongside his brother Gordon from February 1915.  He was promoted Lieutenant in the 2^nd Garrison Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers in July 1916.  He then served with the Royal Flying Corps (later the Royal Air Force) and was promoted to the position of Flying Officer in November 1917.  A few weeks later on the 14th of December 1917 Oswald was invalided back to England, unfit for any duties for four weeks and only fit for light duties for another eight.  In 1918 he was out of action for 4 weeks and on leave for a further three before returning to light flying duties in May.  By February 1919 he was on the RAF “aeroplane officers” list and by December 1919 was on the RAF “unemployed” list.

In 1918 Oswald married Edith Annie Jobling (1889-1967) in Newcastle upon Tyne.  Edith worked for herself as a milliner in Newcastle.  She lived with her parents and sisters in a nine roomed house which they shared with five young male boarders.  Edith and Oswald had no children together.

After 1919 Oswald returned to civilian life, working for the British United Shoe Machinery Co Ltd at Union Works in Belgrave Road.  During the 1920s he and Edith lived in Northamptonshire. He remained an exceptionally keen sportsman, playing football, golf, cricket and squash.

In October 1938 Oswald was caught committing adultery with Mrs Doris Evelyn Watkins (1895-1971), wife of William John Watkins, at Tinkle Lane near Northampton.  Both Edith and William used this as grounds to divorce their spouses in November 1939.  Edith moved to Whiteley Bay and Oswald married Doris in Leicester in 1941.  Doris had two children by William Watkins –  Iris Brenda (1923-1996) and Betty Maureen (1927-1995), who lived with her and Oswald.  Edith did not remarry.

Oswald and Doris lived at The Brown House, Brixworth from 1947 to 1955. Oswald worked as a director and often travelled abroad.  He died at St Matthews Nursing Home in Northampton on 18^th June 1969.  Doris died two years later.

Gordon George Hargrave was born in 1893 and baptised at St Peter’s, Paddington on 17^th April 1893.  He followed brother Oswald by being part of Howard house at Kempston School, beginning in March 1907 just as Oswald was leaving and also being captain of a sports team.  In 1911 Gordon worked as a razor maker, living at home. In December 1913 he played Hockey in the Leicester team against Nottingham at Aylestone.  He also played football for Leicester.  At some point Gordon lived in France and learned to speak French well.

He enlisted as a Private in the 4^th Leicestershire Regiment on 10^th August 1914 and was appointed temporary Second Lieutenant alongside his brother Oswald from 26^th February 1915.  An article appeared in the Leicester Chronicle on 27t February 1915:

LEICESTER FOOTBALLERS COMMISSIONED

Following upon the announcement that we were able to make a few days ago, that Gordon Salmon had been commissioned as second lieutenant in the army, we are now able to state that O J Hargrave and Gordon Hargrave, sons of Mr Hargrave of the Bell Hotel, have been offered and have accepted commissions of lieutanants in the army.

He served in France from July 1915 and was promoted to Lieutenant in the 9^th Leicestershire Regiment, attached to the Royal Flying Corps.  He spent six months at Brooklands flying training centre and a further three at Hendon.  In November 1917 he was promoted Lieutenant. He was admitted to Paris Stationery Hospital for a week in April 1919, perhaps suffering with influenza.  He returned twice in July of that year.  In October he transferred to the unemployed list.

In 1926 Gordon married Ailsa Mary R Craig (1901-1979) in London.  They settled at Greenlands Farm in the village of Prestwood in Buckinghamshire, taking an active part in village life.  Gordon entered prize vegetable competitions and acted in amateur productions in aid of the village hall – of which Gordon was treasurer of the management committee.  He was also an extremely keen golfer.  Gordon worked as an advertising consultant.

Gordon served his country again during the second world war.  In June 1941 he was appointed Sqaudron Commander of Amersham and Chesham Squadon Air Training Corps.  By 1946 Gordon was Flight Lieutenant.

Gordon died on 30^th May 1974, still living at Greenlands Farm.  Ailsa died in 1979.

Born on 25^th January 1896 at 2 Littleton Street, Wilfred was the younger of the two sons of Arthur James Harris – a pawnbroker – (1868-1953) and Mary Chamberlain (1862-), who married at Stapenhill St Peter (Mary’s home parish in Derbyshire) in December 1891.  Arthur Leslie Harris (1892-1952) was the eldest.  Wilfred was baptised at St Leonard’s on 23^rd February 1896.

The four lived at ‘Ivydene’, 320 Fosse Road North from at least 1901.  Arthur James was sidesman at St Martin’s from 1906 until shortly before his death and served on the PCC during the 1920s.

By age 15 Wilfred was attending school part time.  He began work as a commercial traveller soon after 1911.  He enlisted at the start of the war as a Private in the Leicestershire regiment.  He was promoted to the rank of corporal in January 1916.  He transferred to the Royal Engineers wireless signal department and promoted to s/Sergeant in August 1917.  Wilfred’s supposed A1 health on enlisting did not last in service.  He had very poor teeth, which had been unsuccessfully treated in 1913.  He suffered chronic supparation (pus) of the maxillary sinus, which must have been very painful especially in cold weather.  He was discharged with impaired health in March 1919 having served for over four years, the vast majority of it on active service abroad.  The army awarded Wilfred a small pension in recognition of his temporary poor health in 1919 and he returned to his parents at 320 Fosse Road North.

Wilfred worked as a salesman after the war.  He married Margaret Dorothy Humphreys (1896-) at St Martin’s on 12^th December 1922 and together they had a daughter Mary Julianne (1924-2010) who was baptised at St Martin’s on 7^th December 1924.  Audrey Bernadine (1924-) was baptised on 2^nd September 1928.  They lived at 38 Sykefield Avenue 1924-28. By 1932 he had been promoted to sales manager and lived at 9 Evington Lane, moving by 1936 to 31 Park Hill Drive.  Some time around 1937 Wilfred and his family moved to Bebington in Cheshire where they lived at 40 Croft Avenue.  Wilfred was a food manufacturer.

At some point after the war Wilfred and his family adopted the name Kellam-Harris.  They settled in Putney but maintained close links with Leicester – daughter Audrey married in Leicester.  Wilfred died on 2^nd January 1954 living at 11 Hazlewell Road in Putney.  Margaret died in 1998.

Everard Harrison was born in Leicester on 24^th March 1880 and baptised at St Margaret’s on 5^th June.  He was the youngest son of Stockdale Harrison, an architect and surveyor (1846-1914) and Marianne Bailey (1848-1923) who had six children: James Stockdale (1874-1952); Shirley (1876-1961); Marianne (1878-1971), Everard (1880-1917), Gregory (1883-1886) and Priscilla (1885-1975).  The whole family lived at number 7 St Martin’s East from before 1877.

A daughter who lived just one day, Margaret, was baptised at St Martin’s privately on 5^th October 1891, and Stockdale was a sidesman at St Martin’s during the mid 1890s but the family seem to have worshipped at St Margaret’s until the 1910s when Marianne (but probably not Stockdale) again became involved.  Stockdale was an architect of some local importance, being involved in many projects including the Holy Cross schools (1886), Vestry Street swimming baths (1891), St Thomas’s Church, Wigston (1892) and St Guthlac’s, Knighton (1912).

Everard was the only son not to follow his father in becoming an architect and surveyor and join his practice.  After attending Wyggeston Boys’ School between 1890 and 1897 he studied medicine at Trinity College Cambridge, graduating in 1904.  He served first at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, then as Senior House Surgeon at Scarborough Hospital, House Physician at the Hospital for Women, Soho, London and then in 1910 as deputy medical officer at HM Prison, Leicester.  During this time he married Sarah Grace Muriel Rogers (1879-1964) at All Saints Church in Blackheath on 20^th February 1913.  Sarah was a staff nurse in the Royal Army Medical Corps, who had been stationed in Malta in 1911.  They lived together at 1 de Montfort Street from 1913-1917.  Together they had a daughter Vanessa who was born in Leicester on 20^th December 1915 and baptised at St Martin’s on 23^rd January 1916.

At the very beginning of the war in September 1914 Everard helped at a volunteer recruiting station for Kitchener’s Army recruits established by St Martin’s stalwart Miss Catherine Flude of The Hollins, New Street at buildings attached to her premises.  Along with several others, Everard carried out medical examinations of potential new recruits.

Everard’s father Stockdale Harrison died shortly after, on 10^th Nov 1914.  His obituary in The Leicester Mercury the following day said that his “genial and kindly nature endeared him to a large circle of friends.”  Yet his will makes uncomfortable reading, especially in the light of Everard’s subsequent death.  Stockdale referred to his wife, all of his children, his servants and assistants past and present by name.  He made many small gifts, such as a gold watch to James Stockdale.  He left James Stockdale and Shirley his share in the business, of which they were all partners.  He left a small annual income to his daughters.  Each child was given £200 in cash and presumably Everard received this, but he was not mentioned by name at all in the will and he was the only child not left anything else.  Clearly there was some distance between father and son.

In January 1915 Everard was one of two medical doctors who worked at Knighton House, a new VAD Hospital established for the care of wounded soldiers.  However, at some point he left England to serve as a Captain in the Royal Army Medical Corps, attached to the 1^st/6^th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment.  He was killed in action on 18^th April 1917 in France, when a mine exploded at premises recently taken from the Germans, which were being used as an advance dressing station by the British.  He left all his worldly goods to Sarah in a will he made in 1913.  The Leicester Mercury printed an obituary on 24^th April 1917:

DEATH OF CAPTAIN EVERARD HARRISON, RAMC

We deeply regret to hear that Captain Everard Harrison, of the RAMC, attached to the Gloucesters, is reported to have been killed in France.  Mrs Harrison has not yet been officially informed of the sad event, but she has received a letter from a non-commissioned officer of the detachment which goes to show that Captain Harrison, with some officers, was sheltering in the cellar of a building when an explosion occurred, shattering the apartment and causing his death.

The deceased officer was the son of Mr Stockdale Harrison, architect, and educated at the Wyggeston School and at Trinity College, Cambridge.  He took his medical course at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, and had been in practice in Leicester since 1908.  He was in partnership with Dr Moore but had been at the Front since July last year.  His widow and daughter reside at 1 de Montfort Street, and with them and the bereaved family the greatest sympathy will be felt.

He is buried at Villers-Faucon Communal Cemetery, Somme and also commemorated on Trinity College Cambridge War Memorial.  A memorial plaque was also placed at St Martin’s which reads:

 

Everard Harrison / Captain RAMC / attached to the 1st/6th Battalion / Gloucester Regiment /Killed in action in France / April 18th 1917 aged 37 years / In loving remembrance

Everard’s widow Sarah lived at ‘Aspens’ Woodhouse Eaves in 1922, where she received her husband’s medals.  She remained a widow until her death in Dover in 1964.  Vanessa received a legacy of £200 in 1930 from her father’s former partner in medical practice, Dr Charles Arthur Moore of 21 de Montfort Street.

Everard’s mother Marianne had the choice to continue to live at 7 St Martin’s under the terms of Stockdale’s will, but she decided to move and lived at 58 Knighton Drive until her death.  She was buried with her husband at Welford Road Cemetery in 1923.

Charles John Henton (c1834-1921), a commercial traveller who eventually set up a successful business as a saddler, and Matilda Rebecca Leftwich (1842-1919) married at Holy Trinity, Lee, 1866.  They had children Charles Leftwich (1867-1868), Percy (1869-1870), Albert Ernest (1870-1933), Frank Kenneth (1871-1929) and Rose Matilda (1877-1964).  Charles and Matilda moved in with his parents at 268 Westminster Road, Lambeth.  In around 1875 they moved to a house of their own – Belvedere Lodge, Upper Richmond Road, Putney where they lived until 1885.  They then moved to Cumberland House, Richmond Road, Kew, keeping 5 servants.  At some point between 1901 and 1909 Charles and Matilda moved to Leicester, possibly to join Rose Matilda and her husband who settled in Knighton shortly after their marriage in 1904.

Charles and Matilda were members of the St Martin’s congregation in 1909 and in 1911 lived at Ragdale, Knighton Grange Road.

Albert Ernest Henton, the first surviving son of Charles and Matilda, was born on 7^th January 1870 and baptised with his brother Frank .at St George the Martyr, Southwark, on 5^th December 1875.  In September 1885 he was admitted to New College, Eastbourne, but ‘went on leave’ and did not return, having been kept at home by his parents.  This didn’t seem to affect his educational progress as by 1891 he was a student engineer but changed his mind and instead trained as a doctor, lodging at 89 Portland Road and attending St Mary’s College.

On 22 April 1897 Albert married doctor’s daughter Helena Louise Kent (1873-1937) by license at St John the Evangelist, Ladbroke Grove.  They moved to Morningside, Edinburgh, while Albert continued his training at the university, before returning to West Kensington and then Putney and eventually Steyning.  Albert worked for two months at St Mary’s Hospital, during which Helena lived with Albert’s parents.  When Albert returned, Helena refused to live with him and went to live at Barnes.  In July 1903 he qualified, and went on a voyage to China and Japan with a view to becoming a ship’s doctor.  On his return he discovered that Helena had been living with a man called Fiori Albert Colarossi at Steyning, near Brighton.  Fiori Albert Colarossi (1866-1946) was the brother of Angelo Colarossi, the model for the famous statue Eros.  They had been calling themselves Mr and Mrs Henton.

Albert filed for divorce on 26^th February 1904, which was uncontested and granted on 16^th January 1905.  Helena married Fiori later that year.

Albert did become Surgeon on the SS Glenshields (Glen Line) and resident casualty in-dresser at St Mary’s Hospital. LSA 1903.  He married fishmonger’s daughter Edith Alice Browne (1882-1954) at Bath Registry Office in 1905.  Together they had a son, Reginald Charles Leftwich (1910-), who was born at The Limes, 46 Geraldine Road, East Hill, Wandsworth.  By 1911 they had all moved to Ashford.  Albert worked as a general physician and surgeon.

Albert joined the RAMC at Leicester Town Hall on 15^th May 1915, as temporary lieutenant.  On 1^st April 1918 he joined the RAF at Hampstead as temporary Captain (medical).  He then served with the RAF in a variety of hospitals and depots until 8^th July 1925, when he resigned his commission and was permitted to retain his rank.  During this time Albert and Edith lived at Ragdale, Clifford Grove, Ashford.  In 1930 they moved to The Old House, Naughton, Suffolk, where Albert died on 30^th December 1933.  His estate was valued at just £175.  Edith lived on at Naughton until her death in 1954.

Younger brother Frank Kenneth Henton was born on 5^th February 1871 and baptised at St George the Martyr, Southwark, on 5^th December 1875 along with Albert.  Upon leaving school he became a student veterinary surgeon, living with parents.  In 1893 Frank took part in Hampton Court and Ditton annual regatta.  He came first in his heat for the Gentleman’s Double Sculls, with sister Rose Matilda as cox – they came third overall.

Frank purchased a veterinary business from Mr H G Rogers, MRCVS, in 1898.  The premises, at 170 Brompton Road Kensington, also included a shoeing forge. In December 1899 Frank subscribed to the Telegraph Soldiers’ Widows and Orphans Fund.  He gave 42 shillings, his clerk Cecil Welbank Smith (1870-1951) gave a shilling and his cat Minnie gave half a shilling.  Welch, Harry and Bill (possibly Frank’s dogs) gave a shilling a piece.  Cecil also lived with Frank at 170 Brompton Road.  Frank had business premises in Lambeth (58a York Road) and at Howley Place, Belvedere Road, and another shoeing forge at 43 Chapel Place, Brompton.  By 1904 Frank had moved a short way away to 9 Beauchamp Place, where he lived until the start of the war.

He was a member of the Freemasons between 1899 and 1902. In 1899 Frank owned a pedigree Borzoi named Imperial Caesar, which he showed at Crufts in 1904.

On 11^th August 1914 Frank was appointed temporary Lieutenant in the Army Veterinary Cops (which later became the Royal Army Veterinary Corps). The AVC cared for the many animals used by the army during the first world war, mostly horses but also mules and pigeons.  He arrived in France on 23^rd September 1914 and would have treated a large number of sick and wounded animals, perhaps at the Front as part of a mobile unit evacuating animals or perhaps at one of the many veterinary hospitals.  August 1915 Frank was promoted to Captain.  At the end of the war the Quartermaster General wrote that the “high standard which [the Royal Army Veterinary Corps] has maintained at home and throughout all theatres has resulted in a reduction of animal wastage, an increased mobility of mounted units and a mitigation of animal suffering un-approached in any previous military operation.”  Frank relinquished his commission on 8^th April 1919, retaining the rank of Captain.

After the war Frank changed professions.  There was reduced demand for vets as the transition from horse to motor transport was gathering pace, which may have influenced his decision to become a merchant.  During the early 1920s Frank visited Gibraltar, Morocco and Casablanca in this capacity.  In 1923 Frank was granted a patent for trouser stretchers.

Frank died on 29^th April 1929 while living at 87 Cambridge Gardens North Kensington, leaving £765 to his brother Albert.  He is buried at Kensal Green cemetery.

Thomas Henry “Harry” and Frank were the only children of Thomas Henry Hipwell (1875-1928), a tinplate worker with his own general dealer business, and Elizabeth Jane Cooper (1876-1949).  The boys were born at 23 Battenburg Street, Harry on 21^st February 1897 and Frank on 20^th May 1899.  Frank and Harry were baptised together at St Leonard’s on 30^th July 1899.  By 1908 the family lived at 129 Harrow Road and Thomas Henry had established the business Hipwell & Waters and by 1916 they lived at 32 Welland Street.

Thomas Henry Hipwell – known as Harry –  was the first to join up when war broke out, in early September 1914.  He had been working as a clerk when he joined the 8^th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment as a private solider.  He was sent straight to the front and rose in rank during 1915 and 1916.  He had been confirmed in the rank of Corporal for less than a month when he was reported killed in action on 15^th July 1916 during the attack on the village of Bazentin-Le-Petit, part of the first battle of the Somme.  His battalion had orders to withdraw to a position near Maretz Wood before returning to Bazentin-Le-Petit Wood.  “Nothing of importance happened after this until the Battalion was relieved except continual sniping from the enemy.”  Therefore either Harry was killed by a sniper on the 15^th July, or else he in fact died during the preceding days when there was significant fighting and heavy bombardment of the woods, but was not reported as dead until after the chaos had subsided.  His body was not recovered.  A notice reporting his death was printed in the Leicester Mercury on 24^th July 1916 and his photograph appeared in their roll of honour on 3^rd August 1916.

Harry is commemorated on the St Martin’s war memorial – no evidence remains to show why this is the case, as there is no obvious link between the Hipwells and St Martin’s.  He is also remembered at St Peter’s, just around the corner from Welland Street.

On the 14^th July 1917 The Leicester Mercury printed three memorial notices “In loving memory of Lance-Sargeant T H (Harry) Hipwell (8^th Leicesters), killed in action, July 15^th 1916, Ever in our thoughts – from his mother, father, brother, Uncle Tom, Auntie Lizzie, the Girls, Maurice, his loving Uncle and Aunt, and cousins Mabel and Will.”  Thomas’ medals were sent to his father in 1921 as he was unmarried.  Thomas senior also received a war gratuity of £9 10s.  Harry is one of over 72,000 commemorated at Thiepval, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.

Frank Hipwell attended Wyggeston Boys School, passing the Oxford local examination in 1913.

Frank, a tall man (6 feet) with dark brown hair and a dark complexion, joined the Royal Navy in October 1917.  He was stationed on land at HMS President II in the Crystal Palace, then on land at HMS Daedalus.  He transferred to the RAF after its formation in 1918, completing his service as Air Mechanic 3^rd Class.  After the war ended he married blouse machinist Olive Mary Armstrong (1897-1970) by license at St Andrew’s Church on 5^th July 1919.  They lived together with Frank’s parents at 136 Narborough Road and had a child together, Joyce (1919-2004) who was born on 27^th December 1919.  Clearly the dates involved show that Olive was already pregnant at the time of marriage.  The marriage was unsuccessful.  In May 1927 Frank left home and went to live with Florence Sarah Barringer (1902-1966).  Together they had two sons, Barry (1929-) and David (1932-2008).  Olive petitioned for divorce in 1937, citing adultery, and Frank remarried in 1938, to Florence known as “Sally” or “Florrie”.  By that time Olive had returned to her parents at 124 Grasmere Street and Frank and Florrie lived at “Selbrooke”, Leicester Road in Groby. The divorce was uncontested and it seems very likely that an agreement had been reached by Olive and Frank as in July 1938 an alimony order was made for £26 per annum to Olive, payable weekly.  Frank carried on the sheet metal business of Hipwell & Waters from premises where the library now stands.  Frank died in 1968 and Florence in 1966.  Frank’s first wife Olive did not remarry.

Thomas senior and Elizabeth Jane moved from 129 Harrow Road in 1915-16, firstly to 32 Welland Street in Highfields where they were to learn of their son’s death, then to 136 Narborough Road.  By the time of Thomas’ death in 1928 they had moved house and business to 17 Leicester Road, Groby, but Elizabeth returned to Leicester and died there in 1949.  Frank left his estate to Frank, providing an income in the meantime for Elizabeth during her lifetime.

Louis Beaumont Moore Hodges (1843-1916) and Jane Banks (1847-1925) married at Spalding on 8^th April 1874.  They had children Edith Banks (1875-1886), Amy Gertrude “Gertrude” (1877-1947), Harold Vincent (1878-1897), Cyril Evelyn (1881-1967), Claude Vivian (1884-1962) and Elsie Doris (1886-1960).  Both Louis and Jane were school teachers when they married and, unusually, Jane continued in her profession whilst also having a family.  Louis became headmaster of St Martin’s School, Friar Lane, in 1877 on the retirement of the Reverend Edward Atkins and remained there until his own retirement.  Jane also became headmistress, of Syston Street School from 1879 until her retirement in July 1911 after a total of 43 years teaching service.  It was very unusual for a married woman who was also still bearing children to continue teaching – Jane must have been a remarkable woman.

By the time Cyril Evelyn Hodges was born Louis and Jane lived at 109 Cobden Street.  They moved to 21 Garendon Street in 1882 and remained there until around 1893 when they settled at 70 Melbourne Street. Louise and Jane would live there until their deaths.  The children were baptised in their home parishes but by 1905 Louis and Jane worshipped at St Martin’s.  Daughter Amy Gertrude married at St Martin’s and they appeared on the 1909 testimonial to Canon Sanders.  Louise served as sidesman in 1909 and Jane was a member of the PCC between 1921 and 1924.

Like his brothers, Cyril first attended St Martin’s School and then Wyggeston Boys’ School, from 19^th January 1892.  Cyril was an exhibitioner, that is he was awarded a scholarship after successfully passing an examination in December 1891.  In 1905 he graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge, with an MA in Modern Languages.  Upon leaving Cambridge he took up a position as assistant master at a secondary school in Wanstead, which he kept until 1918.  He also wrote educational papers and was assistant editor of educational books.  Cyril was 5’10” and had a large scar on his right shin as well as a scar over his right eyebrow.

Cyril married Clare Humphreys (1882-1963) at St Peter’s Belgrave on 26^th June 1909 and the couple lived at 40 Belgrave Road Wanstead.  They had children Clare Joyce (1911-1996) and Sheila (1914-) who were both born at West Ham.  Sheila was baptised at St Peter’s, Leicester, on 3^rd September 1914.

On 25^th November 1915 Cyril attested at Stratford, London.  He spent time with the Officers Training Corps before transferring to the London Regiment in April 1917 and then the newly established Royal Flying Corps armament school at Perivale.  Its purpose was to provide training for technical staff handling bombs and guns for air combat.  In 1916 Cyril took part in a fundraising event in aid of St Dunstan’s Home for soldiers blinded during combat.  Later that year his father Louis Hodges died suddenly at The Queensborough Hotel, Eastbourne.  On 10^th March 1918 joined the Royal Flying Corps/RAF armament school as assistant instructor in gunnery, after first taking the full course in aero gunnery, which began on 27^th December 1917 following the disbanding of the armament school at Perivale a few days earlier.  He was appointed temporary lieutenant on 1^st March 2018, having spent several months on probation.  He worked at the new armament school at Uxbridge and during this period Cyril and Clare and the children lived at address Copshall Farm, Harefield Lane, Uxbridge.  He transferred to the unemployed list on 11th July 1919.

After the war Cyril began working as a journalist, in particular writing for children.  He worked for the London Evening Telegraph and London Evening News, where he wrote a column for children called “Uncle Peter.”  This was hugely popular and as a result, in 1925 Cyril was asked by the BBC to undertake the development of Children’s Hour, taking his “Uncle Peter” character with him.  Initially the role was part time but from 1^st January 1926 he became a full time official, reporting direct to John Clarke Stobart, the first Director of Education for the BBC.  “His cheery voice is probably more familiar than that of any other member of the BBC staff” said the Sheffield Independent of Cyril on 6^th Dec 1928, shortly before he resigned.

After leaving the BBC Cyril concentrated more on travel writing than on children’s stories.  In 1930 he gave a lecture in Dundee “An Englishman Looks At Germany” – introduce his audience to the scenic beauty and mediaeval picturesqueness of that country.  By means of special films he will also deal with the country’s quaint corners and customs, its winter sports and spas”.  In 1933 he gave the same lecture at Swanwick, saying that Hitler had “given hope back to Germany” – the Great War had cut Germany in half, partly because of the war itself and partly because of the way the world had developed since the war.  He spoke of the resulting unemployment and reduction in living standards in Germany.  Cyril also made travelogue films for example “The Lure of the Far North Trail” (1931) and “A Century of Miracles” (1938) and also continued writing for the London Evening News.

During this time Cyril, Clare and the children lived at Journey’s End, 87 Sharp’s Lane, Ruislip, and then from 1937 at The Long House, Charlton Avenue, Walton on Thames.  Cyril and Clare moved to Chimneys, Simplemarsh Road, Addlestone in Surrey at some point after the war.  Cyril continued writing until his death in 1967.