Stockwell War Memorial

Friends of Stockwell War Memorial & Gardens

age 21

Herbert Malcolm Stockton

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H. M. Stockton
Service no. 49206
Gunner, Royal Field Artillery, “B” Bty.
Killed in action on 11 April 1917, aged about 21
Remembered at Feuchy Chapel British Cemetery, Wancourt, Pas de Calais, France

Brother of Harold P. Stockton

National Roll of the Great War 1914-1918

STOCKTON, H[arold]., Gunner, R.F.A.
He volunteered in February 1915, and in the same year was drafted to France, where he did excellent work as a gunner in the Armentières sector. He was severely wounded in action during an engagement, and subsequently succumbed to his injuries in 1915, and was burried at Bailleul. He was entitled to the 1914-1915 Star, and the General Service and Victory Medals.
“He joined the great white company of valiant souls.”
20, Rumsey Road, Stockwell, S.W.9.

STOCKTON, H[erbert]. M. S., Gunner, R.F.A.
He volunteered in February 1915, and in the same year was drafted to France. During his service overseas he did good work as a gunner in many engagements, including that at Armentières. He gave his life for King and Country early in 1916, and was entitled to the 1914-15 Star, and the General Service and Victory Medals.
“The path of duty was the way to glory.”
20, Rumsey Road, Stockwell, S.W.9.
British Army WWI Service Records 1914-1920
Three Stockton brothers, Alfred, Herbert and Harold, signed up for the war effort, but only Alfred survived. His records are in the archive (those for Herbert and Harold were destroyed).

Alfred Leonard Stockton, a gas fitter, was 22 when he enlisted on 3 September 1914. He was just over 6 feet, weighed over 11 stone, with a fair complexion, grey eyes and light brown hair. He wore a moustache. We know this fact because, after returning to London after the death of his mother in 1916, he failed to return to his battalion on time. The police were contacted and issued a description.

Information from the censuses

In 1911 the Stockton brothers were living in four rooms at 39 Electric Avenue, Brixton (they moved to Rumsey Road later). Harold P. Stockton, 24, was a butcher shop assistant, born in Finchley, north London. Alfred Leonard Stockton, 18, was a gas engineer, born in Stockwell. Herbert Malcolm Stockton, 16, was an apprentice brass finisher, born in Brixton. Their parents, Arthur Stockton, 57, a stationer from St. Luke’s, and Clara F. Stockton, 54, from Thornby, Northamptonshire, had six children, the others being Gladys R. D. Stockton, 21, a typist born in Stockwell, Frank J. E. Stockton, 10. An older son had left home. In 1901 the family lived at 68, Solon Road.

Alfred Frank Smith

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A.F. Smith
Sapper, Royal Engineers, 19th Light Railway Train Crew Coy.
Service no. 266259
Killed in action on 14 June 1917, aged 21
Remembered at St Quentin Cabaret Military Cemetery, Hainaut, Belgium

Chris Burge writes:

Alfred Frank Smith was born in Lambeth on 5 January 1896 and baptised at All Saints Church in Devonshire Road (the area was redeveloped as the Lansdowne Green Estate). He was the second child of Frank and Kate Caroline Smith (née Farley), both of them originally from Andover in Hampshire. The Smiths were living at 8 Riverhall Street in South Lambeth at that time. Frank worked as a ‘horse keeper’ for the London & South Western Railway. By the time of the 1901 census, Alfred was the second of four children with an older sister and two younger brothers. The family were living in the four rooms of the property at 20 Fountain Street, near Wandsworth Road, along with Kate’s brother George Farley, another L&SWR horse keeper. 

By the time of the 1911 census Alfred was the second eldest of nine. His parents had been married 17 years, and all of their children were born in Lambeth. The family of 11 were now living in the four rooms of the property at 25 Bolney Street, off Dorset Road. Alfredt’s father still worked as a horse keeper for the L&SWR, Albert’s sister Elsie worked as domestic servant and Alfred worked as van guard for the L&SWR. 

There are no surviving records to date Alfred’s conscription into the Army. It could have been at any time between June 1916 and February 1917 when the Light Railway companies were formed at Longmoor Camp at Bordon in Hampshire. On the Western Front, the use of light railways to carry goods, men and ammunition as close to the front line as possible started in 1917. Experienced railwaymen were recruited for the ‘Railway Operation Division, Royal Engineers’. For example, sapper 218699 Edward Victor Harrington from Essex was a clerk on the Great Eastern Railway who was originally rated B1 when medically examined in September 1916. Harrington was not called up until 2 January 1917, when he joined at Longmoor. Men like Harrington and Alfred Smith did not receive infantry training and were sent to France within weeks of joining. Harrington was qualified as a shunter and, like Albert, served in the 19th Light Railway Train Crew Company, until he was killed in action on 28 March 1918 while attached to the Canadian Light Railway section. 

Alfred Frank Smith was killed in action in unknown circumstances on 14 June 1917. The only document that may contain further information is a summary diary of the ‘19th Light Railway Train Crew 16 Feb 1917 to 01 Sep 1917 Coy’ held at the Royal Engineers Museum library at Chatham, Kent.

Charles Edward Small

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C. E. Small
Service no. 960469
Driver, Royal Field Artillery, “A” Bty. 302nd Bde.
Enlisted in Fulham; lived in Stockwell
Killed in action on 31 October 1917, aged 21
CWGC: “Son of Charles Edward and Laura Louisa Small, of 61 Mordaunt Street, Stockwell, London.”
Remembered at Jerusalem Memorial and St Andrew’s Church, Landor Road, London SW9

British Army WWI Service Records 1914-1920

Charles Edward Small presented himself at the Fulham recruiting office early in the war – on 16 September 1914. We do not know what kind of occupation he left behind, as this was not recorded in the service records. However, it was a settled kind of life.

His family had lived in the same house for at least 13 years, and although his father had died, his mother, Laura, earned a living through dress-making. They were doing well enough to order headed paper, on which Laura wrote on 24 April 1918 to the War Office enquiring about the “watch and silver mizpah ring” which should have been among her son’s effects. “Will you kindly make enquiries for me,” she wrote, “as I should value them much.” The mizpah ring, popular during the 19th and early 20th centuries, was given and worn when close relatives or lovers were about to be separated, often by catastrophic events such as war.

Small was 19 and a good 5 feet 7half inches tall when he enlisted. His vision and physical development was noted as “very good.”

Information from the censuses

Lambeth-born Charles Edward Small, 14 in 1911, lived with his widowed mother, Laura Louisa Small, 46, a dressmaker from Eastman, Southampton, and his siblings, Winifred Small, 21, a business clerk; Kathleen Small, 18, a student teacher; and Leslie Allan Small, 9, in 4 rooms at 61 Mordaunt Street.  The family at been at this address since at least 1901 Charles’s father, also called Charles, was on the 1901 census described as a 37-year-old coach painter, born in Reigate, The girls were born in Reigate, but Charles (junior) and Leslie was born in Stockwell.

Arthur Sharman

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Sharman A Lijssenhoek
Photo © Marietta Crichton Stuart

A. Sharman
Service no. A/187
Rifleman, King’s Royal Rifle Corps, 8th Battalion
Born in Battersea; enlisted in Lambeth; lived in Wandsworth
Died of wounds on 31 July 1915, aged 21
CWGC: “Son of Elizabeth Sharman of 15 Brooklands Street, Wandsworth Road, SW London. His brother Harry also fell.”
Remembered at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium

Brother of Harry Sharman

Information from the censuses

Aged 17 in 1911, Arthur Sharman was working as a labourer. He was one of 14 children (only seven survived) of Edward Sharman, 62, from Diss, Norfolk, and Elizabeth Sharman, 50, from King’s Lynn, Norfolk. Besides Arthur and his parents, the two-roomed household at 17 Richmond Place, Stockwell included Ann Maria Sharman, 15, a box maker, and Harry, Sharman, then 11. The children were born in Battersea.
Note: The names of Arthur Sharman and his brother Harry were added, out of sequence, to the last panel on the war memorial.

Edgar Stanley Sharman is also on the war memorial – it is not known how or whether he is related to these two brothers.

Sydney Herbert Scott

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S. H. Scott
Service no. 352378
Private, London Regiment, (5524). “A” Coy. 1st/7th Battalion
Enlisted at Sun Street; lived in Clapham
Killed in action on 7 October 1916, aged 21
CWGC: “Son of Herbert Forester Scott, and Emma Eliza Scott, of 24 Edithna Street, Landor Road, Stockwell, London.”
Remembered at Thiepval Memorial, France

National Roll of the Great War 1914-1918

SCOTT, S.H., Private, 1/7th London Regiment.
Volunteering in July 1915, he was sent overseas in the following year and served with his Battalion in several engagements in the Somme Sector. Reported missing on October 7th, 1916, he was later presumed to have been killed in action on that date and was entitled to the General Service and Victory Medals.
“His life for his Country, his soul to God.”
24, Edithna Street, Landor Road, S.W.9.

Information from the censuses

In 1911 shop assistant Sydney H. Scott, aged 16, lived at 24 Edithna Street, Stockwell with his parents, Herbert F. Scott, 47, electrician originally from Park End, Gloucester, and Emma E. Scott, 44, who was born in Clerkenwell, four of his five siblings (Daisy A. Scott, 25, a machine minder in a tobacco factory; Alfred Scott, 13; Ernest F. Scott, a compositor) and a cousin, Matilda Scott, 30, from Ruardean Hill, Gloucester. It is unclear whether Daisy was born out of wedlock or is the child of Herbert’s previous marriage.
In 1901 Sydney Herbert Scott lived with his family at 17 Holyoake Road, Kennington (now gone). His father, Herbert F. Scott, was a 38-year-old engine stoker at a gasworks, born at Parkend, Gloucestershire; his mother, Emma E. Scott, 35, was born in Clerkenwell. The children in 1901 were
Alice D. Scott, a 16-year-old tobacco packer, born in Southwark
Albert F. Scott, 13, born in Camberwell
Ernest F. Scott, 11, born in Lambeth
Sydney H. Scott, 7, born in Newington
Alfred Scott, 4, born in Newington

George Frederick William Sach

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G. F. W. Sach
Service no. 470989
Rifleman, London Regiment (The Rangers), 12th Battalion
Born in Ealing; enlisted in London; lived in Stockwell
Killed in action on 21 September 1918, aged 21
CWGC: “Son of George and Emily E. Sach, of 28 Edithna Road, Stockwell, London.”
Remembered at Villers Hill British Cemetery, Villers-Guislain, France and St Andrew’s Church, Landor Road, London SW9

National Roll of the Great War 1914-1918

SACH, G.F.W., L/Cpl., 12th London Regt., (Rangers).
He volunteered in February 1915, and after completing his training served at home until 1917, when he was drafted to France. Whilst overseas, he fought on the Somme, at Ypres, Arras, Albert, St. Quentin, St Eloi and Lille. He also served in the Retreat of 1918, and on September 21st of that year was unfortunately killed in the Allied Advance. He was entitled to the General Service and Victory Medals.
“Whilst he remember, the sacrifice was not in vain.”
28, Edithna Street, Stockwell, S.W.9.

Information from the censuses

George Frederick William Sach was 13 in 1911. Born in Ealing, he lived at 28 Edithna Street with his parents milkman George Sach, 39, from Ealing, and Emily Elizabeth Sach (nee Betts), 45, from Litcham, Norfolk, and brother James Walter Sach, 9, born in Clapham. Three aunts (sisters of his mother) from Norfolk lived with the family, Louisa Harriett Betts, 46, Alice Ann Betts, 42, a lady’s maid, and Florence Betts, 40, as well as Ivy Alice Betts, 9, born in Clapham.
In 1901 the Sachs were  living in 36 Wirtemburg Street, Clapham, and a decade earlier they were in Twyford Abbey, Ealing.