Stockwell War Memorial

Friends of Stockwell War Memorial & Gardens

1918

William G. Kightly

by

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.

Sydney Frank Kemp

by

S. F. Kemp
Second Lieutenant, Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, Bucks Batallion
Killed in action age 34 on 16 April 1918

Awarded Military Cross

See Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry for an account of the attack in which Kemp died.
CWGC: “Eldest son of Frank John and Ellen Kemp, of 40 Lansdowne Gardens, London; husband of Eva Kemp (formerly Wisdom), of 10 Ross Street, Rochester.”
Remembered at St. Venant-Robecq Road Cemetery, Robecq, Pas de Calais, France

Brother of Hugh John Kemp.

At the time he enlisted on 26 August 1914, Sydney Frank Kemp worked as a prison warder. His paperwork includes the information that he had served in the 7th Hussars of the Line and had been discharged in 1905, having served his term.
It is therefore a little surprising to see the number of transgressions on Kemp’s conduct sheets. His crimes were all committed while he was serving in the ranks of the 11th Hussars of the Line; that is, before he was given a commission. Kemp’s crimes included absence from reveille, absence from billet, drunkenness, leaving the ranks without permission, neglecting to obey an order, making an improper remark to a warrant officer and ditto to a commanding officer. However, someone must have spotted his military talent, as in April 1917, after serving 3 years and 29 days, he was transferred to England, where he joined the 3rd Reserve Cavalry Regiment, moved to the Officer Cadet Battalion at Berkhamsted in June, and joining the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.

This may have given Kemp the confidence and motivation he needed. Kemp and his fellow officers were described by Major G. K. Rose writing in The Story of the 2/4th Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (1920) as “an infusion of new blood and vigour,” and he and the officer who was killed with him in the attack of 17 April 1918 were “capital officers.”
Sydney Kemp, 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighing 8 stone, blue-eyed and fair-haired, married Eva Wisdom at St. Barnabas church on 3 February 1916.  He was the eldest of 11 children of Frank John and Ellen Kemp of 40 Lansdowne Gardens, Stockwell. Eva later moved to Rochester.

Francis John Kellow

by

F. J. Kellow
Service no. 381862
Private, The King’s (Liverpool Regiment), 1st/6th Battalion, formerly 3120, London Rifle Brigade
Born in Stockwell; enlisted in London; lived in Stockwell
Died of wounds age 22 on 8 September 1918
CWGC: “Son of John George Kellow, of 14, Lingham Street, Stockwell, London.”
Remembered at Pernes British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France

National Roll of the Great War 1914-1918

KELLOW, F. J., Private, King’s (Liverpool Regt.)
He volunteered in November 1915, and until January 1918, when he was drafted to France, was engaged on duties of an important nature with his unit. Whilst overseas, he fought in the second Battle of the Somme, the Aisne, and the Marne, and on September 8th, 1918 he gave his life for the freedom of England at the fourth Battle of Ypres. He was entitled to the General Service and Victory Medals.
“Thinking that remembrance, though unspoken, may reach him where he sleeps.”
14, Lingham Street, Clapham Road, S.W.9.

Information from the censuses

In 1911 14-year-old Francis John Kellow was living in a 3-roomed flat over the family shop at 12 Lingham Street, Stockwell. His father, John George Kellow, 43, was a shoemaker from Torquay, Devon; his mother, Emily Kellow, 42, was from Brixton. There were 2 siblings (only 3 of his parents’ 6 children survived):
Reginald Kellow, then 12;
Mabel Kellow, then 8.
Archibald William Chappell Kellow, 27, John’s brother, also lived with them.

In 1901 the family was living at 102 Landor Road.

Frederick Ernest Joslin

by

soldiers in world war one: albert, george and frederick joslin
The Joslin brothers: Albert, George and Frederick

F. Joslin
Service no. L/30147
Gunner, Royal Field Artillery, “A” Bty. 38th Bde.
Enlisted at Camberwell; lived in Brixton
Killed in action age 24 on 11 May 1918
CWGC: “Son of Albert and Agnes Joslin (nee Sqirkell), of 3 Hargwyne Street, Brixton, London. Born at Brixton.”
Remembered at Cinq Rues British Cemetery, Hazebrouck, France

Information from the censuses

In 1911 Frederick Joslin, a 16-year-old shop assistant, was living with his family in 4 rooms at 51 Stockwell Green. Albert Joslin, 43 and from Rotherhithe, south-east London, was a general labourer in a granary (he was described as a granary foreman in the 1901 census); Agnes Joslin, 43, was from Needham, Suffolk. There were 5 children:
Albert Joslin, 20, a carter, born in Lambeth (pictured on the left)
George Joslin, 18, a shop assistant, born in Newington (middle)
Frederick Joslin, 16, a shop assistant, born in Lambeth (right)
May Joslin, 13, born in Lambeth
Florence Joslin, 11, born in Lambeth

In 1901 the Joslin family 19 Nealdon Street, Stockwell. 10 years previously, the family were living at 10 Burgoyne Road, Brixton and Albert Joslin was describing himself as a corn porter.

Stephen Jetten

by

S. E. Jetten
Service no. L/13259
Serjeant, Royal Fusiliers, 4th Battalion
Died age 28 on 31 August 1918
CWGC: “Son of Mrs Mary Jetten, of 88 Paradise Road, Clapham, London.”
Remembered at H.A.C. Cemetery, Ecoust-St Mien, Pas de Calais, France

jetten medalsInformation from Major Dave Sellers

“I have the campaign medals to Sgt Jetten listed on the Stockwell War Memorial. Alas his Military Medal “for bravery in the field” has become detached from the group through the passage of time. Jetten is listed in the London Gazette a couple of times once for the MM and another for an MiD although his name is sometimes spelt incorrectly as Jetton.”

Information from the censuses

In 1911 Stephen Jetten, 22, was a serving soldier (a private) with 3rd Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers, at Vacoas, Mauritius. His widowed mother, Mary, from Wych, Hampshire, lived with 2 sons, Frederick, 23, and Richard, 9, at 78 Paradise Road, Stockwell.
Ten years previously, in 1901, Stephen Jetten, 11, lived with his parents, Charles Jetten, 42, a railway porter from Isington, Hampshire, and Mary A. Jetten, at 23 Luscombe Street, South Lambeth. There were eight children:
Erwin W. Jetten, 18, an engine cleaner
Frederick C. Jetten, 13, an oil shop assistant
Stephen E. Jetten, 11
Charles F. Jetten, 10
Lilian M. Jetten, 7
Herbert W. Jetten, 4
Ethel C. Jetten, 1
William Jetten, 16, a family member born in Isington, Hampshire (as was Charles Jetten), boarded with the family and worked as an engine cleaner.
Luscombe Street has disappeared, but there is a Luscombe Way just off Wyvil Road.