Stockwell War Memorial

Friends of Stockwell War Memorial & Gardens

age 24

Frederick Ernest Joslin

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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.

Harry George Walter Hurt

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H. G. W. Hurt
Service no. 15120
Private, Bedfordshire Regiment, 7th Battalion
Born in St Pancras; enlisted in Westminster; lived in South Lambeth
CWGC: “Son of Frederick George and Martha Hurt, of II Guildford Road, South Lambeth Road, London.”
Died aged 24 on 25 October 1916
Remembered at Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 the Hurt family lived at 22 Langley Lane, Kennington. Frederick G. Hurt, 58, was a whitesmith (he worked with the “white” or light-coloured metals such as tin and pewter), born in St Pancras. Martha Hurt, 56, was from Poplar, east London. They had had 7 children, with 6 surviving, including:
Alice M. Hurt, 23, a typist
Frederick J. Hurt, 21, a postman
Harry G. Hurt, 18, a clerk
Martha L. Browne, 38, a widow
Martha’s children Charles Browne, 10, and Elsie Browne, 5, lived with the family. All were born in St Pancras.

David James Thomas Hibbert

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D. J. T. Hibbert
Service no. 57427
Lance Corporal, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, 1st Battalion
Born in Walworth; enlisted in Hounslow
Killed in action age 24 on 3 May 1918
CWGC: “Son of Mr D. C. J. and Mrs S. M. Hibbert, of 17 Horace Street, Wilcox Road, South Lambeth, London.”
Remembered at Giavera Memorial, Italy

Information from the 1911 census

The Hibbert family lived in 2 rooms at 126 Dorset Road. David Charles James Hibbert, 45, was a gas fitter. He was born in Walworth. Susannah Maria Hibbert, 41, was born in Southwark. They had 3 sons:
David James Thomas Hibbert, 16, an errand boy, born in Walworth
Stanley Arthur HIbbert, 11, born in Lambeth
Walter Henry, 6, born in Thornton Heath

Robert Charles Hayes

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R. C. Hayes
Service no. G/14909
Lance Corporal, Middlesex Regiment, 20th Battalion
Killed in action age 24 on 30 July 1916
CWGC: “Son of Robert Charles and Emily Kate Hayes, of 33, Hargwyne St., Stockwell, London.”
Remembered at Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 the Hayes family lived at 33 Hargwyne Street, Stockwell, where they occupied 3 rooms. Robert Charles Hayes (Senior), 41, was a timekeeper for the London County Council sewerage department. He was from Portsmouth, Hampshire. Emily Kate Hayes, 39, was from Wandsworth. The couple had 2 surviving children (of 3). Eighteen-year-old Robert Charles Hayes was a clerk for a type foundry. He was born in South Lambeth. His brother William Alfred, 17, was a clerk for a motor sport company and was born in Kennington.

Harry Bird Gayton

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H. B. Gayton
Service no. 6172
Private, Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), 7th Battalion
Died age 24 on 18 December 1917
Awarded the Military Medal
CWGC: “Son of Mr and Mrs F. M. Gayton, of 51 Clifton Street, Clapham, London.”
Remembered at the Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Belgium

British Army WWI Service Records 1914-1920

Harry Bird Gayton was born in Battersea in about 1894. He volunteered on 12 April 1915 and was enlisted into the Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent) Regiment. He gave his age as 21 years and 194 days and his occupation as “tripe dresser”. Gayton stood 5 feet 5 inches tall, with a 36½ inch chest. He had a small scar on the left side of his forehead. He wore upper dentures.

While with his regiment at Chatham, in July 1915 he was disciplined for failing to comply with an order, for which he was punished with 7 days confinement to barracks. He was posted with the British Expeditionary Force on 1 November 1915 and took part in the Battle of Ypres, where he was wounded – he received a gunshot wound to the right arm – on 28 February 1916. He was not admitted to hospital until 10 March. It must have been a wound of some seriousness as Gayton was operated on on 17 March (shrapnel was removed) and remained in hospital for 28 days, after which he rejoined his unit.

Gayton received a Military Medal for actions on 15 September 1917 (we don’t know what these are), but on 15 December he received shrapnel wounds to his knee and right leg. He was admitted to 61 Casualty Clearing station but died of his wounds on 19 December.

The war office sent his effects to his family, including letters, cards, photos, religious books, wallet, cap badge, broken false teeth.

In May 1918 the Infantry Record Office wrote to Gayton’s mother Finetta asking how she would like to receive his Military Medal – privately by post or at a presentation. She opted to have it sent and she later acknowledged its receipt:

“Sir, received the medal quite safe and thank you very much I only wish the dear Boy was here to wear it, yours gratefully F. M. Gayton”

Information from the 1911 census

Robert Gayton, 44, an engine driver for the London and South West Railway Company originally from Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire, and Finetta Mary Gayton, 45, from Marks Tey, Essex had 5 sons surviving (of 6 children):
Arthur William Gayton, 20, an off-licence assistant, born in Twickenham, Middlesex
Edmund James Gayton, 19, an office lad for the London and South West Railway, born in Twickenham, Middlesex
Harry Bird Gayton, 17, a shop assistant, born in Battersea
William Robert Gayton, 12, born in Lambeth
Alfred Ernest Gayton, 7, born in Lambeth
The family lived in 4 rooms at 51 Clifton Street, Clapham.

George Edward Fensome

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G. E. Fensome
Service no. 955621
Gunner, Royal Field Artillery
Died aged about 24 15 March 1919
Remembered at Lambeth Cemetery, London and at Stockwell War Memorial, London SW9

Information from the censuses

In 1911 George Fensome, aged 16, was working as a ticket collector for the City and South London Railway and living with his family at 38 Osborne Terrace, Clapham Road (this street was merged with Richmond Terrace to become Richborne Terrace). The family occupied 3 rooms. Mark Fensome, 52, was a sewer flusher for the borough council, born in Harpenden, Hertfordshire. Caroline (here given as Carriline in her husband’s hand) Fensome, 51, was born in Lambeth. The couple had had 8 children, but only 3 survived by 1911:
Mark Fensome, 19, an engine driver’s assistant working for the City and South London Railway
George Fensome, 16, a ticket collector working for City and South London Railway
Florence Fensome, 2
The children were all born in Lambeth.

Ten years previously, in 1901, George Edward Fensome, then 6, lived with his at 17 Portland Place South, South Lambeth. The same 3 children were recorded on this census. In addition, Bertha Burden, Caroline’s single 28-year-old sister who worked as a calico machinist, lived with the family, as did Edith Burden, 20, a domestic servant and another sister to Caroline. Frederick Dovinge, 20, a 20-year-old mason from Paddington, boarded.