H. W. Carter
Service no. L/6227
Fitter, Royal Field Artillery”C” Bty. 93rd Bde.
Killed in action age 33 on 24 November 1917
Son of Henry William Carter; husband of Grace Elizabeth Carter, of 25 Aldebert Terrace
Remembered at Ruyaulcourt Military Cemetery, France
C names
Herbert Carey
H. Carey
Able Seaman (RFR/CH/B/5028), HMS India
Service no. 212125
Killed in action on 8 August 1915, aged 31
Remembered at Narvik Old Cemetery, Norway
Chris Burge writes:
Herbert Carey was born on 27 November 1883 in Holloway, north London, the third of Thomas George and Mary Carey’s five known children. Herbert was still living in Islington when he joined the Navy on his birthday in 1901. His occupation was recorded as ‘Engine Cleaner’ and Herbert was described as 5ft 11in tall, with brown hair, blue eyes and a fresh complexion. Advancement in the Navy was slow and Herbert was not rated as AB seaman until 1903. He served on several ships with HMS Pembroke being the last before he was placed on fleet reserve and left the service on 6 April 1908.
On 2 May 1909 Herbert Carey married Susan Ethel Parnell St Barnabas, South Lambeth. He gave his address as 43 Lansdowne Gardens, and described himself as a labourer. Susan Ethel was from Bristol but had lived in Lambeth for at least a decade before they married.
In the 1911 census, Herbert and Ethel were living in just two rooms at 46 Priory Road off the Wandsworth Road. Herbert worked as a printers warehouseman. Their daughter Irene Maud Carey was born at home on 12 May 1912.
As a naval reservist, Herbert Carey was called up at the outbreak of war, serving on the old cruiser HMS Sutlej from 2 August 1914 until part of a draft of 88 men that joined the crew of the HMS India on 8 April 1915. The total crew numbered 32 officers and 270 men. The India was an Armed Merchant Cruiser, an ex-passenger ship, part of the 10th Cruiser Squadron Northern Patrol safeguarding shipping between Britain and Norway.
Official reports stated: ‘While on duty intercepting and inspecting neutral shipping, HMS India was torpedoed by German submarine U22 near Helligvaer, Norway, on August 8, 1915. The ship broke in two and sank quickly.’
Some 160 men were lost, and those washed ashore were buried at Narvik Old Cemetery.
After the war, Susan Ethel lived at 290 South Lambeth Road with her brother Frederick and his wife until just before she died in 1938, aged 53. Her daughter Irene, died aged 80 in 1992.
Frederick Harold Capewell
F. H. Capewell
Service no. G/75140
Private, Royal Fusiliers, 17th Battalion
Died age 18 on 1 April 1918
Son of Brian Charles and Lily Rosina Capewell of 35 Union Road, Clapham.
Remembered at West Norwood Cemetery and Crematorium
Brother of Brian Harvey Capewell
Information from the Capewell family
“Fred was due to take over his father’s business and his father never got over their deaths. Their sisters did well – Isabel read Geography at University, quite something for a working class girl of that time, and went on to become a headmistress in Palmer’s Green. The other boys became bank managers or civil servants. The last survivor, Richard Thomas, died in 1986. Their second cousin was Sir Malcolm Sargent, the famous conductor via their grandmother.
The family originated form Fradswell, near Stone in Staffordshire and their grandfather Brian Capewell came down to London and worked in a variety of jobs including as a muffin man.”
Information from the censuses and from the family headstone in West Norwood Cemetery
In 1901 Frederick Harold Capewell was living with his family at 68 Paradise Road, Lambeth. By 1911 they had moved to 24 Union Road, London SW4 where they had 7 rooms.
In 1911, Frederick’s father, Brian Charles Capewell, was a 47-year-old master plasterer born in Finsbury. The headstone states that he died on 20 October 1939, aged 76.
Frederick’s mother, Lily Rosina Capewell (also shown on the headstone) was 47 in 1911. She was born in London. The children listed on the census were:
Isabel Capewell, 20, a college student, born in Battersea. She died 8 April 1963, aged 72.
Brian Harvey Capewell, 17, born in Clapham. He is shown on the headstone: “BRIAN HARVEY CAPEWELL. KILLED IN 1914-1918 war (NAVY) AGED 22”
Harry James Capewell, 15, born in Clapham. He died 27 November 1965, aged 70. (The headstone includes Harry’s wife Grace, who died 8 July 1988, aged 93.)
Frederick Harold Capewell, 12, born in Clapham. He shown on the headstone: “FREDERICK HAROLD CAPEWELL. KILLED IN 1914-1918 WAR (ARMY) DIED 6 APRIL 1918. AGED 19”
Richard Thomas Capewell, 2, born in Clapham.
The 1901 census also lists
Lily E. Capewell, 3, who died aged 7 October 1904.
Daisy Capewell, 8
The headstone includes
Sidney G. Capewell, who died 10 February 1905, aged 7 months.
Brian Harvey Capewell
B. H. Capewell
Service no. M/15985
Ship’s Steward Assistant, Royal Navy, H.M.S. “Vala.”
Died age 23 on 21 August 1917
Son of Brian Charles and Lily Rosina Capewell, of 35 Union Road, Clapham, London.
Remembered at Plymouth Naval Memorial, West Norwood Cemetery, London SE27
Brother of Frederick Harold Capewell
HMS “Vala” was a Q boat was torpedoed on 21 August 1917.
Information from the Great War Forum
The Q boat “Vala” was sailing from Milford Haven to cruise between the Fastnet and the Scillies, she was one day out when last heard from. When she never returned to Queenstown, Q Ship Heather went to search for her in the Bay of Biscay. On 7th of September the German Government announced by wireless that the former English Steamer Vala had been sunk by a U-Boat (UB.54) . Commander Leopold A. Bernays CMG was in command.
Information from the censuses and from the family headstone in West Norwood Cemetery
In 1901 Brian Harvey Capewell was living with his family at 68 Paradise Road, Lambeth. By 1911 they had moved to 24 Union Road, London SW4 where they had 7 rooms.
In 1911, Brian’s father, Brian Charles Capewell, was a 47-year-old master plasterer born in Finsbury. The headstone states that he died on 20 October 1939, aged 76.
Brian’s mother, Lily Rosina Capewell (also shown on the headstone) was 47 in 1911. She was born in London. The children listed on the census were:
Isabel Capewell, 20, a college student, born in Battersea. She died 8 April 1963, aged 72.
Brian Harvey Capewell, 17, born in Clapham. He is shown on the headstone: “BRIAN HARVEY CAPEWELL. KILLED IN 1914-1918 war (NAVY) AGED 22”
Harry James Capewell, 15, born in Clapham. He died 27 November 1965, aged 70. (The headstone includes Harry’s wife Grace, who died 8 July 1988, aged 93.)
Frederick Harold Capewell, 12, born in Clapham. He shown on the headstone: “FREDERICK HAROLD CAPEWELL. KILLED IN 1914-1918 WAR (ARMY) DIED 6 APRIL 1918. AGED 19”
Richard Thomas Capewell, 2, born in Clapham.
The 1901 census also lists
Lily E. Capewell, 3, who died aged 7 on October 1904.
Daisy Capewell, 8
The headstone includes
Sidney G. Capewell, who died on 10 February 1905, aged 7 months.
George Herbert Canham
G. H. Canham
Service no. 3861
Rifleman, London Regiment (Queen’s Westminster Rifles), “D” Coy. 1st/16th Battalion
Born in Chelsfield, Kent; enlisted in Westminster; lived in Stockwell
Killed in action on 10 September 1916, aged 21
CWGC: “Eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Canham, of 35, Mordaunt St., Stockwell, London.”
Remembered at Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France
National Roll of the Great War 1914-1918
CANHAM, G. H., Rifleman, 16th London Regiment (Queen’s Westminster Rifles).
He volunteered in March 1915 and was drafted to the Western Front the following year. He took part in several important engagements and was killed in action on the Somme on September 10th 1916. He was entitled to the General Service and Victory Medals.
35, Mordaunt Street, Stockwell, S.W.9.
George’s brother William James Canham, who survived the war, also appear in the National Roll, as does A. H. Canham of the same address.
British Army WWI Service Records 1914-1920
George Herbert Canham enlisted at 58 Buckingham Gate on 1 March 1915. He was 20 years and 5 months old, stood 5 feet 9 inches and had a 36½ chest (which he could expand by 3½ inches). His physical development was judged to be “good”.
Canham’s file does not include much more than the basic details of his movements. He was Home from the day of his enlistment to the Territorial Force until 21 April 1916, when he embarked for Rouen. He was deployed in the field from 4 May 1916, and survived there until 10 September, when he was killed in action at the Battle of the Somme.
Information from the 1911 census
In 1911 the Canham family inhabited 5 rooms at 4 Tivoli Road, West Norwood. William Canham, 41, was a brewer’s drayman, born in Wenhaston, Suffolk. Clara Amy Canham 43, was born in Farnborough, Kent. They had had 6 children, 5 surviving at the time of the census
George Herbert Canham, 16, a shop porter, born in Chelsfield, Kent
William James Canham (cited in the National Roll), 14, an office lad, born in Farnborough, an office lad
Arthur Kitchener Canham, 10, born in Chelsea
Florence Maud Canham 7, born in Chelsea
Maurice Gordon Canham 3, born in Brixton
Arthur Sidney Candy
A. S. Candy
Private no. A/201081
Rifleman, King’s Royal Rifle Corps, 7th Battalion
Died age 23 on 22 October 1917
Son of Amelia S. Candy, of 7 Tregothnan Road, Stockwell, London.
Remembered at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium
Information from the 1911 census
In 1911, the Candy family was living in 17 Trevelyan Road, Tooting, where they occupied 4 rooms. William Robert Candy, 67, was an out-of-work plasterer. He was born in Southampton. His wife, Amelia Sophia Candy, 59, was born in Lambeth. Charles James Candy, 23, was a printer’s labourer. Arthur Sidney Candy, 16, was apprenticed as a compositor; Lydia Amelia Candy, 33, was a tobacco weigher. All were born in Lambeth. William and Amelia had had 10 children, of whom 6 had survived.
Information from 1901 census
In 1901 the Candy family was living at 22 Griffen Street. William Candy, 57, was a plumber born in Southampton; Amelia Candy, 48, was from Lambeth. The children registered on the census were
Phoebe Candy, 25, stationary folder
Lydia Candy, 23, tobacco sorter
Emily Candy, 21, tobacco sorter
Charles Candy, 13
Arthur Candy, 6