Stockwell War Memorial

Friends of Stockwell War Memorial & Gardens

age 23

Reginald Parnham Ridley

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R. P. Ridley
Service no. 589
Rifleman, London Regiment (Queen’s Westminster Rifles), 16th Battalion
Killed in action on 23 September 1916, aged 23
Born in Clapham; enlisted at Westminster; lived in Clapham
CWGC: “Son of Frederick William Ridley, of 420 Clapham Road, Clapham, London.”
Remembered at Delville Wood Cemetery, Longeuval, France, at St John’s Church, Clapham Road, London SW9

Information from the censuses
Reginald Parnham Ridley, 18 in 1911, was an electrical engineer. He was the eldest of three sons of Eliza Mary Ann Ridley, 47, a dressmaker. Ridley lived in nine rooms at 420 Clapham Road with his mother and two brothers, Roy Trevor Ridley, 16, an optician’s apprentice, and Leslie Howard Ridley, 11. The boys were born in Clapham. Ridley’s father, Frederick W. Riley, a grain merchant, does not appear on the return for this address. Eliza has listed herself as “wife” rather than “head”, so it is possible that he was away from the house that night. However, the London County Suburbs Directory for 1913 lists her as “Ridley, Mrs. Eliza, dressmaker” without mentioning her husband. A visitor, Alice Hannah Wright, 38, from Brighton, was staying on the night of the census.

Francis Rhodes

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F. Rhodes
Service no 37889
Serjeant, Royal Army Medical Corps
Died on 2 September 1916, aged 23
CWGC: “Husband of Grace Lilian Rhodes, of 80, Crimsworth Rd. Wandsworth Rd., South Lambeth, London.”
Remembered at Basra War Cemetery, Iraq

Francis Wynne Rhodes, known as Frank, was born in Lambeth on 5 December 1892, the son of Samuel Rhodes and Alice (née Sales). He left a widow, Grace Lilian (née Hall), of 80 Crimsworth Road, South Lambeth, and two sons, Charles Wynn, born 1913, and Francis Mons, born in 1915, who died on war service in 1942.

John James Renton

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J. H. Renton

This may be an error on Stockwell War Memorial. There is a John James Renton in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website. He lived at 12 Stockwell Cottages and was the son of J.H. Renton. This entry gives his details.

J. J. Renton
Service no. 6074
Private, East Surrey Regiment, 2nd Battalion
Killed in action on 9 May 1915, aged 23
CWGC: “Son of Mr. J. H. Renton, of 12, Stockwell Cottages, Stockwell Green, London.”
Remembered at Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Ypres, Belgium and at Stockwell War Memorial, London SW9

Information from the 1911 census

John James Renton, 19, a coal porter, lived at 1 Stockwell Cottages, Stockwell Green. He was born in Brixton. Renton’s father, John Henry Renton, 47, was a nightwatchman for Lambeth Borough Council, born in Walworth, Southwark, and his mother, Kathrine Renton, 44, was a washer, born in Lambeth. The couple had had 12 children, with six surviving. These children were at home.
Ellenor Renton, 24, a starcher, born in Walworth
John James Renton
William Renton, 18, an assistant in an oil shop, born in Brixton
Kathrine, 9, born in Loughborough Junction, Brixton

Charles Edward R. Powell

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C. E. R. Powell
Service no. 6966/233236
Private, London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers), “C” Coy. 2nd Battalion
Killed in action on 18 March 1917, aged 23
Born in St Helena; enlisted at Westminster; lived at Lambeth
CWGC: “Son of Mr C. E. and Mrs A. M. Powell, of 8, Walberswick St., London, SW8.”
Remembered at Beaurains Road Cemetery, Beaurains, France

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 Charles Edward R. Powell, 17, was a clerk to a stone mason. He lived with his parents and three siblings at 73 Grosvenor Road, Westminster, where the family had three rooms. Powell’s father, Charles Edward Powell, 45, was an Army pensioner now working as a timekeeper for a hotel. He was born in St. George’s West, London. Amy Powell, 38, was from Winchester, Hampshire. The eldest three children were born on St Helena in the South Atlantic, I guess while Charles senior was stationed there. It was then a Crown Colony.
Dorothy Helena Powell, 18, a clerk to a blouse manufacturer
Charles Edward Powell, 17, a clerk to a stone mason
Albert Powell, 16, a schoolboy and part-time messenger
Reginald Alfred Powell, 13, born in Aldershot, Hampshire

Arthur Penn

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Arthur Penn
Arthur Penn

A. Penn
Service no 44243
Serjeant, Royal Engineers, 74th Field Coy.
Born in Clapham; enlisted in London; lived in Clapham
Killed in action on 19 March 1917, aged 23
CWGC: “Son of John T. D. and Victoria Penn, of 73 Union Rd., Clapham, London.”
Remembered Faubourg d’Amiens Cemetery, France

De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour 1914-1918

PENN, ARTHUR, Sergt., No 44243, 74th Coy., R.E., 2nd s. of John T. D. Penn, of 73 Union Road, Clapham, London, S.W., Employee at the G.P.O., London, by his wife, Victoria, dau. of Samson Goodland, of Ilton, a Somerset Farmer; b. Clapham, 14 Aug. 1893; educ. Gaskell Street L.C.C. School there, and afterwards entered the employ of Messrs. Shuttleworth & Co., Bermondsey; joined the R.E. in Aug, 1914, after the outbreak of war; served with the Expeditionary Force in France from 10 July 1915, and was killed in action at Arras, 19 March 1917. Buried in Faubourg d’Amiens Cemetery there. His Commanding Officer wrote: “I had known your boy ever since he joined the company when it was formed in England, and for the last six months I had seen a great deal of him as he was my office Sergeant. I had grown to like him very much, and respected him for his manly and sterling good qualities. He was, I know, a general favourite with the other sergeants and greatly liked by the men under him. We buried him here in the Military Cemetery, and all the officers off duty and a large number of N.C.Os and men attended his funeral. Your boy has given his life in the great cause for which we are fighting, and you can be proud of him. He died a man’s death, doing his bit for his country.” By his coolness and presence of mind while as Corporal in the bombing-class at Noeux, France, he prevented a very serious accident to 130 men who were present, by throwing a bomb which was burning in his hand clear, and the General Officer Commanding the 44th Infantry Brigade directed that his appreciation of the action of Corpl. A. Penn, R.E., should be conveyed to him, which order was read to him on Parade 12 Sept. 1915; unm.

Information from the censuses

In 1911 Arthur Penn, one of five children of John Thomas Doody Penn, a Post Office sorter, 53 from Chatham, Kent and Victoria Penn, 55, of Ilton, Somerset, was working as a chauffeur. Three children, all born in Clapham, lived at home in 5 rooms at 73 Union Road: Arthur; Daisy Penn, 26; Dora Victoria Penn, 20. A boarder, William Drowley, a single 21-year-old auctioneer’s clerk from Ringwould, Kent, boarded with the family. The family is found at the same address in 1901. In 1891 they lived at No 100 Union Road, and in 1881 they were at 6 Richard Street, Lambeth.

John Walter Patrick

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J. W. Patrick
Service no. 18989
Private, Royal Fusiliers, 12th Battalion
Born in Clapham; enlisted in Battersea; lived in Clapham
Killed in action on 4 September 1916, aged 23
CWGC: “Son of William and Mary Jane Patrick, of 11, Union Street, Clapham, London.”
Remembered at Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France

Information from the 1911 census

John Walter Patrick, 17, a carman, lived with his parents and siblings at 11 Union Street, Clapham, where they had four rooms. His father, William Patrick, 56, was a general labourer from Farnham, Surrey; his mother, Mary Jane Patrick, 54, was from Newington Butts. near Elephant and Castle. They had had eight children, seven surviving. Six of these, all born in Clapham, were at home: Louisa Patrick, 21, a packer; Florence Jane Patrick, 20, a packer; John Patrick, 17, a carman; Rose Patrick, 15, a machinist’s helper; Lily Patrick, 13; Cyril Patrick, 9.