Stockwell War Memorial

Friends of Stockwell War Memorial & Gardens

K names

John Frederick King

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J. F. King

Service no. 231178
Private, London Regiment, 2nd Bn. (Royal Fusiliers)
Died 21 March 1918, aged 39
Remembered at Chauny Communal Cemetery British Extension, Aisne, France

John Frederick King, a carman, joined the Army twice. First he volunteered for the Army Service Corps (Horse Transport) on 5 January 1915. His medical description paints a picture of someone short and stocky: 5 feet 2¼ inches tall with a 40-inch chest. He had a mole on the back of his neck and scars on the left side of his back and left leg. At the top of his form he has signed a note: “I am willing to allot from date of enlistment 6d. [sixpence] per day of my pay to support my wife and family.” He had left behind Jenny (née Hawkins), Frederick Ernest, 9, and Agnes Louise, 8.

This period of service lasted a mere three days. On 7 January he was discharged as “not likely to become an efficient soldier.” As the war progressed, however, this opinion may have been revised or King may have been subject to the compulsory draft. Whatever happened, he later joined the London Regiment and died near Aisne in March 1918.

William George King

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W. G. King
Service no. 51125
Private, Royal Army Medical Corps, 30th Amb. Train
Born in Chelsea; enlisted in London; lived in Lambeth
Died in an accident on 10 January 1917, aged about 40
Remembered at St. Pierre Cemetery, Amiens, Somme, France

National Roll of the Great War 1914-1918

KING, W. G., Private, R.A.M.C.
He volunteered in January 1915, and shortly afterwards crossed to France. Whilst in this theatre of war he was engaged on duties of an important nature on the ambulance trains, by one of which he was unfortunately run over and killed in January 1917. He was entitled to the 1914-15 Star, and the General Service and Victory Medals.
“His memory is cherished with pride.”
23, Wilcox Road, Wandsworth Road, S.W.8.

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 William George King, 33, lived in 3 rooms at 23 Wilcox Road, Stockwell. William was born in Chelsea and earned his living as a house painter. His wife Margaret Annie King, 28, was born in Lambeth. They had a one-year-old daughter, Edith Mabel King, born in Lambeth. Seilia May Mitchell, a 22-year-old “needlewoman” from Stoke Newington, boarded with the family.

Frank Radcliffe King

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F. R. King
Second Lieutenant, The King’s (Liverpool Regiment), “D” Coy. 14th Battalion
Killed in action at age 30 on 14 September 1916
CWGC: “Son of George Edward King, J.P. (Alderman and Guardian for the Borough of Lambeth and Mayor of Lambeth 1928-29), of 57 Aytoun Road, Stockwell, London, and the late Julia Constance King.”
Remembered at Doiran Memorial, Greece

Information from the South London Press, October 1916

The South London Press reported his death in October 1916 and quoted from a letter from King’s Commanding Officer Colonel Lambert to his father “I regret to say your son was killed two days ago fighting gallantly. We had taken a position held by the Germans, and he and the bombers guarded our right flank and did great execution. He will be a great loss to the regiment, as he was so keen, and a most promising officer, but he died a soldier’s death. The regiment fought splendidly, and though we had heavy casualties – four other officers in the battalion being killed – we caused great losses to the Germans. My sincere sympathy in your bereavement.” A friend stated that King had been made Bombing officer of his battalion, but did not want his parents or sisters to know as this would have worried them. 

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 Frank Radcliffe King, 25, was working as an insurance clerk with the Law Union and Rock Insurance Company. He lived with his parents and 3 of his siblings at 57 Aytoun Road, Stockwell, where the family occupied 8 rooms. Frank’s father, George Edward King, 57, described himself as a schoolmaster and headteacher working for London County Council. He was born in Gorleston, Suffolk. His mother, Julia Constance, 54, was from Islington, north London. They had 5 children, 3 of whom lived at home:
Constance Dorothy King, 30, a schoolmistress and assistant teacher working for the London County Council, born in Brixton
Frank Radcliffe King, 25, born in Stockwell
Kathleen Muriel King, 23, a schoolmistress and assistant teacher working for the London County Council, born in Stockwell
Information from the 1901 Census
The family lived at 57 Aytoun Road in 1901. The census includes Frank’s other siblings
Ethel King, 18, a pupil-teacher, born in Brixton
Ernest King, 16, a clerk with an insurance company, born in Stockwell

William G. Kightly

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W. G. Kightly
Service no. 127770
Private 2nd Class, Royal Air Force, 2nd Aircraft Depot
Died 11 December 1918, aged about 34
Remembered at Terlincthun British Cemetery, Wimille, France

This identification is somewhat tentative as there is no supporting evidence that the W. G. Kightly listed on the CWGC database is the man listed on the 1911 census at Clyston Street. However, there is only one entry on the CWGC database for that name and none in the Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914-1919 database.

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 William G. Kightly, 26, was living with his wife and child at 2 Clyston Street, Clapham, where they had 1 room. He gave his occupation as bottle washer and his place of birth as Battersea. His wife, Florence May Knightly, 23, was born in Peckham Rye. They lived with Lilly Annie Stocks, 10 months, a “nurse child” (foster child) born in Clapham, London.

Information from the 1901 Census

In 1901 William G. Kightly was a 17-year-old errand boy living with is family at 31 Motley Street, Battersea. His father, William F. Kightly, 51, was a blacksmith, labourer and “hammerman” born in Wolverton, Buckinghamshire, and his mother, Mary A. J. Kightly, 47, was born in Lambeth. Their daughters Emily Knightly, 19, and Jessie Kightly, 14, were general domestic servants. Other children named on the census were Harry Kightly, 13, May Kightly, 9, and Jennie Kightly, 6.

William Keys

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W. Keys
Service no. 2009
Lance Serjeant, Seaforth Highlanders, 4th Battalion
Enlisted in London
Killed in action age 34 on 9 May 1915
CWGC: “Son of William Keys, of 18, Mandalay Road, Clapham, London, and the late Nancy Kelly Keys.”
Remembered at Le Touret Memorial, France

Information from the 1911 censusIn 1911 William Keys was 29 and working as an assistant schoolmaster at a London County Council school. He lived at home with his parents and siblings at 5 Grantham Road, Stockwell, where the family occupied 7 rooms. His father, William Keys, 59, described himself as a miller at a grain drying works. He was born at Glenavy in County Antrim, in Ireland. His mother, Agnes Keys (who may also have been known as Nancy) was 55 and came from Ballynahinch in County Down. They had had 9 children, of whom 8 survived in 1911 and 7 lived at Grantham Road:
Sarah Keys, 31, a telephone supervisor for the National Telephone Company, born at Riverstown Killucan, County Westmeath
William Keys, 29, assistant schoolmaster, born at Riverstown Killucan, County Westmeath
Emily Ann Keys, 27, a clerk at the Post Office, born at Riverstown Killucan, County Westmeath
Agnes Dorothea Keys, 25, no occupation given, born in Leixlip, County Kildare
David Keys, 22, a clerk at a glass merchants, born in Lambeth
Francis Herbert Keys, 20, a student, born in Lambeth
Edith Mary Keys, 18, a “civil service student”, born in Lambeth

Alfred Henry Kent

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Currently being researched.

A report in the South London Press (5 January 1916) states that Alfred Henry Kent appeared on a commemorative crucifix, now lost, outside St Anne’s Church, South Lambeth Road, London SW8.