Stockwell War Memorial

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St Michael's War Shrine

Cecil Ernest Philcox

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Cecil Ernest Philcox
Cecil Ernest Philcox

C. E. Philcox
Lieutenant (temp), South Staffordshire Regiment, 1st Battalion
Died on 24 May 1917, aged 21
Awards Military Cross; mentioned in despatches
CWGC: “Son of Alice E. and the late Alfred James Philcox.”
Remembered at Achiet-le-Grand Communal Cemetery Extension, France, on the war shrine at St Michael’s Church, Stockwell Park Road, London SW9 0DA and at family memorial at West Norwood Cemetery

Brother of Percy William Arthur Philcox

Cecil Ernest Philcox was born in 1895. After attending Dulwich College he worked in a timber broker’s office in the City (his father was a timber merchant). He enlisted in the ranks of 12th Battalion of the London Regiment (The Rangers). One of his two brothers, Percy William Arthur Philcox, was killed in action with the Rangers on 8 May 1915.

Cecil was transferred to the Inns of Court Officers Training Corps at Berkhamsted on 20 April 1915 and in July was given a temporary commission in the 10th (Reserve) Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment at Harrogate. He took part in action at High Wood, Mametz, Beaumont-Hamel, Arras, Serre, Martinpuich, Bullecourt.

In November 1916 Cecil was appointed Battalion Bombing Officer. He died on 24 May 1917 at No. 45 Casualty Clearing Station near Bullecourt of wounds received three days earlier when a defective No. 5 Mills grenade thrown by Private T. Hindley exploded during training, fracturing Cecil’s skull and injuring Hindley himself and Lance Corporal Carrington. A court of enquiry held in the field, at which three witnesses gave evidence, and Hindley made a statement, concluded that no one was to blame for Cecil’s death. All described how Cecil had given the order to throw, how Hindley’s throw was a good one and made in the “regulation manner” and how the grenade exploded only six feet away from the bombing party.

Cecil was mentioned in despatches and awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty.

Cecil’s family lived at 255 South Lambeth Road. His father, Alfred James Philcox, who died in 1913, was a timber merchant, originally from Kentish Town, north London. His mother, Alice Eliza Philcox was born in Lambeth. After Cecil and his brother Percy died in the war, two children survived: Alfred Reginald, who in 1911 was working as a clerks in a timber merchant’s office (presumably his father’s) and Ethel Beatrice Philcox.

Information from the censuses
On the night of the 1911 census Cecil Ernest Philcox, aged 15 and still at school (Dulwich College), was at his cousin’s house at 29 Kingsmead Road, Streatham. Leonard Wilfred Philcox, 13, was the son of Mervyn Philcox, 50, a watch and jewellery dealer born in Wandsworth, and Martha Jane Philcox, 51, from Lambeth. Meanwhile, his family were at 255 South Lambeth Road.

Alfred James Philcox, 59, was a timber merchant, born in Kentish Town, north London. His wife, Alice Eliza Philcox, 55, was born in Lambeth. They had five children: Cecil; Alfred Reginald Philcox, 22, and Percy William Arthur Philcox, 19, both clerks in a timber merchant’s office (presumably working with their father); Ethel Beatrice Philcox, 18; and one other. All the children were born in Lambeth. Florence Maud Philcox, 19, a niece born in Lambeth, lived with the family, as did Kate Elizabeth Percival, a 20-year-old single domestic servant from Rotherhithe, south-east London.

Henry John Penney

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H. J. Penney
Service no. 7074
Rifleman, London Regiment (Queen Victoria’s Rifles), 1st/9th Battalion
Enlisted in Putney; lived in Brixton
Died of wounds age 21 on 20 October 1916
CWGC: “Son of Henry and Louisa Mary Penney, of 29 Knowle Rd., Brixton, London. Native of London.”
Remembered at Etaples Military Cemetery, France and on the war shrine at St Michael’s Church, Stockwell Park Road, London SW9 0DA

Information from the 1911 census

Henry John Penney, 15 in 1911, was a goldsmith’s apprentice. He lived at 29 Knowle Road, Brixton where his family had four rooms. His father, Henry Penney, 42, was a stone mason from Southwark, and his mother, Louisa Mary Penney, 41, was from Lambeth. They had three surviving children (of four): Henry, born in Lambeth; Beatrice Jessie Penney, 10; Irene Grave, 8. Both girls were born in Brixton. There were two boarders: Elizabeth McCallum, 46, a married daily housekeeper from Tilbury, Essex, and Gladys Lilian McCallum, 6, born in Portsmouth, possibly Elizabeth’s daughter.

Hubert Mullett

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H. Mullett
Service no. 11626
Private, The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment), 11th Battalion
Died on 10 August 1917 aged about 25
CWGC: “Son of Mr J. E. Mullett, of 101 Stockwell Park Road, Brixton, London.”
Remembered at Godewaersvelde British Cemetery, France and on the war shrine at St Michael’s Church, Stockwell Park Road, London SW9 0DA

Information from the 1911 census
Hubert Mullett, 19, a clerk, lived at 101 Stockwell Park Road, an 8-roomed house. His father, James Edwin Mullett, 60, was an architect from Camberwell. His mother, Alice Mullett, 51, was from Marylebone. There were seven children (two siblings had died):
Edwin Mullett, 26, a clerk for the Author’s Society, born in Westminster
Maurice Mullett, 24, a clerk for an insurance company, born in Westminster
Hubert Mullett, 19, a clerk for an engineering company, born in Lambeth
Allen Mullett, 16, a solicitor’s clerk, born in Lambeth
Christine Mullett, 22, a teacher for London County Council, born in the Strand
Helena Mullett, 21, no occupation, born in the Strand
In 1901 the Mullets were living at 218 Wandsworth Road. The 1901 census includes Guy Mullett, then 18, was working as a surveyor’s assistant; born in Westminster.

Henry Louis Moss

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H. L. Moss
Service no. 11338
Private, Duke of Edinburgh’s (Wiltshire Regiment), 5th Battalion
Born at Walworth; enlisted at St. Paul’s Churchyard, London; lived at Clapham
Killed in action at Gallipoli on 10 August 1915 at about age 23
Remembered at Helles Memorial, Turkey and on the war shrine at St Michael’s Church, Stockwell Park Road, London SW9 0DA. (Note: The listing gives the name as Henry Moss, which could be either Henry Louis Moss or his father, Henry Thomas Moss. As Henry Louis Moss died before his father, our guess is that the listing refers to Henry Louis.)

Son of Henry Thomas Moss (their names are, uniquely, listed side by side).

William May

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W. May
Service no. 16628
Private, Royal Berkshire Regiment, 2nd Bn.
Died, aged 31, on 16 July 1916
Son of Henry and Mary Ann May; husband of Mary Ann May, of 22, Spring Grove, Reading.
Remembered at Thiepval and at the war shrine at St Michael’s Church, Stockwell Park Road, London SW9 0DA

Initial identification via family member Naomi Moghaddam:

William May, born 22 January 1885. Died aged 31, leaving behind a wife, Mary Ann May, and two children.