Stockwell War Memorial

Friends of Stockwell War Memorial & Gardens

T names

Albert John Tooley

by

A. J. Tooley
Service no. 1797
Private, London Regiment (County of London), 20th Battalion
Born in Stockwell; enlisted in Blackheath; lived in Brixton
Killed in action on 23 January 1916, aged 23
CWGC: “Only son of John and Bessie E. Tooley, of 44 Stockwell Green, Stockwell, London.”
Remembered at Maroc British Cemetery, Grenay, France and St Andrew’s Church, Landor Road, London SW9

Information from the censuses

Albert John Tooley, 18 in 1911, was a student teacher born in Stockwell. He lived in a three-roomed apartment at 14 Kimberley Road, Stockwell with his parents John Tooley, 56, a railway guard from Stockwell, and Bessie Tooley, 56, from St Columb, Cornwall. He was an only child (his parents had had two other children who died).

He was born in Stockwell on 3 May 1892 and baptised at St Andrew’s, on 29 June. 

Frederick Tomlin

by

F. Tomlin
Corporal, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry), 108th Coy., Service no. 42235; formerly 4151, London Regiment.
Died of wounds on 24 March 1918, aged 38.
CWGC: “Son of John and Emma Tomlin; husband of Ethel Tomlin, of 98, Dalyell Rd., Stockwell, London.”
Remembered at Noyon New British Cemetery, Oise, France.

Frederick Tomlin, a married salesman originally from Tring, Hertfordshire, lived at 98 Dalyell Road, Brixton, and enlisted in May 1916. Tomlin’s physical development was described as “good” by the examining officer: he was 5 feet 2 inches tall, had a 36-inch chest and weighed 10 stone. He sustained a gunshot wound to his back on 23 March 1918 and died of his wounds. He was the father of five children.

Albert George Tilling

by

A. G. Tilling
Service no. 83361
Gunner, Royal Field Artillery, “A” Bty. 93rd Bde.
Born in Wandsworth; enlisted in Camberwell
Killed in action on 8 June 1917, aged about 23
Remembered at Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix, France

National Roll of the Great War 1914-1918
TILLING, A. G., Gunner, R.F.A.
Volunteering in 1915, he was sent to France in the same year and was in action on the Somme and at Ypres. He fell fighting at Armentieres in 1917, and was entitled to the General Service and Victory Medals.
“And doubtless he went in splendid company.”
82, Wilcox Road, Wandsworth Road, S.W.8.

British Army WWI Service Records 1914-1920

The file for Albert Tilling in WWI Service Records archive relates to an Albert Tilling born in Lambeth in 1895. I have made a connection between the Albert Tillings on the 1911 census, in the National Roll and in the Service Records. However, there are some anomalies, one of them being occupation. The 1911 census gives Albert Tilling as a horse keeper working for the London and South West Railway. The Army records state that Albert Tilling was an electrician’s mate. For me, this does not rule out a connection, but it brings in an element of doubt.

Electrician’s mate Albert Tilling, born in Lambeth and two days’ shy of his 20th birthday, signed up with the Dragoons of the Line (2nd Reserve Cavalry Regiment) at Clifton Street on 20 August 1914. He was tall and thin (5 feet 10 inches and only 9 stone, with a chest of 34½ inches) and his complexion was noted as “sallow”. However, he was accepted as fit for service.

However, after 65 days the Army noticed its mistake – this man’s physical development and pulse rate were “poor”. What’s more, he was suffering from tuberculosis. Tilling was duly discharged on 23 October.

In 1915, possibly cured of his TB or in remission, he must have enlisted again, this time with the Royal Field Artillery, and in 1917 he was killed in action.

Information from the 1901 census
In 1911 Albert Tilling, 17, was a horse keeper, working for the London and South West Railway. His family lived in six rooms at 82 Wilcox Road, South Lambeth. Albert’s father John Tilling, 50, from Wiltshire, was also a horse keeper for L&SW Railway. His mother, Annie Tilling, 49, was from Hampshire. There were four siblings: Florrie Tilling, 19, a waitress in a restaurant; Sidney Tilling, 14; Harry Tilling, 11; William John Tilling, 8. All the children were born in Lambeth. A cousin, Harry Burrell, 20, another horsekeeper for the railway, shared their home, as did a boarder, William Shickey, 30, a single fireman from Somerset. The family had lived at 82 Wilcox Road since at least 1901. In 1901 Albert was six and living with his family at 82 Wilcox Road. There were five boarders, three of them railway horse keepers, born in Iddesdone, Berkshire

William Charles Tidnam

by

W. C. Tidnam
Service no. 227258
Able Seaman, Royal Navy, H.M.S. “Vanguard”
Died on 9 July 1917, aged 30
CWGC: “Son of William Tidnam, of Harleston, Norfolk; husband of Kathleen Mary Tidnam, of 2 Burnley Road, Stockwell, London.”
Remembered at Chatham Naval Memorial and on the war shrine at St Michael’s Church, Stockwell Park Road, London SW9 0DA

Information from the parish register

On 11 December 1916, William Charles Tidnam married Kathleen Mary Roberts at St. Michael’s Church, Stockwell. Kathleen’s address was 15 St. Martin’s Road, Stockwell. She gave her father’s occupation as carpenter and joiner. William gave his father’s as coachman.

Information from the censuses and other sources

In 1911 William Charles Tidnam, 23, was staying at the Union Jack club in Waterloo Road, Lambeth. He was listed as a  “Navy able seaman” from Reddenham, Norfolk. In 1901 he was a 14-year-old errand boy, living at “Mendham Lane, Redenhall With Harleston” in Norfolk. His 45-year-old father, also called William, was a “groom (domestic)”; his mother, Emma Tidnam, 44, was born at Reddenham. Besides William the couple’s children included
Ellen Tidnam, 11
Alice Tidnam, 10
Percy Tidnam, 7
Fred Tidnam and Herbert Tidnam, 5
Winifred Tidnam, 11 months
Ernest Singleton, a 22-year-old Irish-born “motor car driver”, boarded with the family.

Francis William Thurgood

by

F. W. Thurgood
Service no. G/1529
Private, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), 8th Battalion
Killed in action on 25 September 1915, aged about 20
Remembered at Loos Memorial, France

National Roll of the Great War 1914-1918
THURGOOD, F. W., Pte., The Buffs (East Kent Regiment).
Mobilised at the outbreak of war he immediately proceeded to France, and fought gallantly in the Retreat from Mons, and in the Battles of the Marne and Aisne. He also took part in the severe fighting as Ypres, and was unhappily killed in action at Loos in September 1915. He was entitled to the Mons Star, and the General Service and Victory Medals.
“He passed out of the sight of men by the path of duty and self-sacrifice.”
11, Arlesford Road, Stockwell, S.W.9.

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 Francis William Thurgood was a 16-year-old doctor’s page living at 11 Arlesford Road, Stockwell. He lived with his parents, William Francis Thurgood, 42, a night inspector for trams employed by London County Council, and Ellen Thurgood, 40. They were both originally from Terling Witham, Essex. Francis’s six siblings were:
Gertrude Gladys Thurgood, 20, and Kathleen Eunice Thurgood, 20, both dressmakers born in Peckham
Francis William Thurgood
Mildred Emily Thurgood, 14
Irene Madeline Thurgood, 12
Leslie Alfred Thurgood, 9
Muriel Lilian Thurgood, 6
One child had died. The family had 5 rooms.

Thomas Thorne

by

T. Thorne
Corporal, King’s Royal Rifle Corps, 2nd Bn.
Service no. 9948
Died on 31 October 1914, aged 22
Remembered  at Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium

Chris Burge writes:

Thomas Thorne was born in Lambeth in 1892 and baptised on 31 January at St Andrew’s, Stockwell Green, the third child of William and Sarah Jane Thorne. By 1901, William and Sarah were living at 52 Burgoyne Road [location] with their seven children. Thomas’ father worked as a brewer’s carman, and his older brother Harry was a telegraph messenger. 

In the 1911 census, William and Sarah were living with four of their children in five rooms at 70 Dalyell Road, Stockwell, across the road from the Marquis of Lorne pub. William was still working for a brewer. Older brother Henry was now a Post Office sorter, younger sister Annie was a daily domestic and William was a school newsboy. Frank was still at school. The property was shared with a middle-aged couple living in two other rooms and a young couple and their baby living in one other room. 

In 1911, Thomas was a new recruit at the Army’s Shorncliffe Camp near Folkestone, Kent. He had enlisted in the King’s Royal Rifle Corps in January close to his 18th birthday. The 2nd KRRC, based in Blackdown, Aldershot in the two years prior to the war. Thomas’s records no longer exist, but private 9947 Frederick John Wallace Austin joined in London on 11 Jan 1911. Fred Austin’s next of kin was living in the Stockwell Park Road. If Fred and Thomas were friends, their paths would soon diverge when Fred was posted to the 3rd KRRC and Thomas to the 2nd KRRC.

In the spring of 1914 Thomas Thorne married Gertrude Nellie Hall. Their son Thomas Clement was born soon after, on 12 May 1914. Within three months, Thomas was in France.

The 2nd KRRC were mobilised on 4 August 1914, the day war was declared. They crossed from Southampton reaching Le Havre at 2.45pm on 13 August 1914. They were near the Belgium border when the retreat from Mons began in late August. The battles of the Marne and Asine followed, a period when the battalion suffered a total of 322 casualties. By 20 October they had moved to Boesinghe north-east of Ypres. By then the opposing forces had dug in. An assault on enemy trenches on 21 October was deemed a success despite the cost of 36 killed and 60 wounded. Before dawn, on the 31st, the enemy delivered a furious assault with overwhelming numbers of infantry and guns. In a desperate fight, the 2nd KRRC held the line before withdrawing to a less exposed position. The losses were severe, with over 400 men killed, wounded or missing. 

Thomas Thorne was not accounted for and was posted missing. His wife and family hung onto the belief he may have been taken prisoner. When Gertrude baptised her son Thomas Clement on 27 January 1915 at St John’s, Worlds End, Chelsea, soldier Thomas Thorne was recorded as the father. Well into 1915 Thomas’ father, William made enquiries via the British Red Cross, leaving his address as 116 Dalywell Road, Stockwell, London SW. Their hopes were crushed in mid 1915 when Thomas was officially presumed to have died on 31 October 1914. 

Ten years later, Gertrude Nellie Thorne, then living in Larkhall Lane, married again. Her wedding to police constable Alfred James Butter took place on Christmas Day 1924 at Christchurch, Clapham. Her son Thomas Clement Thorne later became a serving police officer.