Stockwell War Memorial

Friends of Stockwell War Memorial & Gardens

age 24

Frederick Eversfield

by

F. Eversfield
Service no. J/12826
Able Seaman, Royal Navy, H.M. S/M “D6.”
Died age 24 on June 1918
Husband of Kathleen Christina Eversfield, of 19, St. James Rd., Carshalton, Surrey.
Remembered at Chatham Naval Memorial

Information from the censuses

In 1911 Frederick Eversfield, a 16-year-old stores porter lived at 6 Emily Mansions, Landor Road, SW9 with his family: parents Harry Eversfield, 46, a stone maston born in Wrotham, Kent and Mary Eversfield, 45, from Dover; and siblings   Eliza Eversfield, 25, a restaurant counter hand, and Hilda Eversfield, 12. All three children were born in Dover.
In 1901 Frederick Eversfield was 6 and living at 1 Alexandra Cottages, Tower Street, in Dover, Kent, with his mother and siblings. Mary J. Eversfield was 34 and born in Dover. The children on the census were
Harry Eversfield, 16, foundry labourer
Elizabeth Eversfield, 12
Alfred Eversfield, 9
Frederick Eversfield, 6
Hilda Eversfield, 2
Winifred Eversfield, 1
Sarah A. Burbridge, 84, a widow living on her own means and born in Alkham, Kent, lived with the family.

Edward Driscoll

by

E. Driscoll
Service no. 216940
Gunner, Royal Field Artillery, 12th Bty. 35th Bde.
Died age 24 on 21 October 1917
Son of Michael and Ellen Driscoll, of 2 Crimsworth Road, Wandsworth Road, London.
Remembered at The Huts Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 Edward Driscoll, 18, was working as a driller (acetelyne) and living with his family in 4 rooms at 26 Madrid Place (now gone), South Lambeth. Michael Driscoll, 56, was a road sweeper for the borough council. He was born in City of London, where Ellen Driscoll, 55, was also born. The couple had had 7 children, 4 of whom survived. James Driscoll, 25, was a carman for the LRSW Railway. Both sons were born in Lambeth.

Arthur Ernest Newton Chance

by

A. E. N. Chance
Sub-Lieutenant, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Howe Bn. R.N. Div.
Killed in action 13 November 1916, aged 24
Remembered at Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 the Chance family was living in 7 rooms at 24 Winslade Road, London SW2. Lambeth-born Henry Chance, 56, was a journalist; Margaret Anne Chance, 54, was born in London. The household, all of whom were born in Lambeth, included their daughter, Margaret Isabel Layder, 28 and granddaughter Margery Florence Layder, 6; son Harry William Chance, 25, a black-and-white artist” (he was probably an illustrator working only in monochrome, probably using graphite); and Arthur Ernest Newton Chance, 19, an insurance clerk. Henry and Margaret Chance had 5 children, 4 of whom survived until 1911.

Arthur Ernest Newton Chance, one of four children of journalist Henry Chance, and Margaret Anne Chance, enlisted in the Navy on 10 August 1911, aged nearly 20. He was previously an insurance clerk. He was commissioned  as a Temporary Sub Lieutenant in November 1915 and joined the British Expeditionary Force in July the following year. He died at the Somme on 13 November 1916.

Chance’s record lists the vessels he served on before the war and after it started – all very straightforward – and describes him as 5 feet 5¼ inches, with red hair, blue eyes and a fair complexion. It also gives an outline of his court martial. He was tried on 13 September 1916 for “(1) uttering a forged document (i.e. forged cheque for £3/10/-) on or about 15 July 1916; (2) for ditto on or about 21 July 1916; (3) for behaving in an scandalous manner unbecoming the character of an officer and a gentleman in giving a cheque signed by him in a fictitious name having no account in that name.” He was found guilty on all three charges and sentenced to be cashiered and imprisoned (without hard labour) for six months. Unfortunately, the record does not show where these events or how Chance’s life ended at the Somme.

The 1911 census shows the Chance family living in seven rooms at 24 Winslade Road, Brixton. The household included Chance’s sister, Margaret Isabel Layder, 28, and her daughter Margery Florence Layder, 6. Arthur’s brother, Harry William Chance, 25, was a “black and white artist” (he produced monochrome illustrations, probably for magazines or newspapers).

Royal Naval Division data

Born 26 November 1891
Missing, assumed killed in action
Enlisted 10 August 1911
Hawke Battalion D/652 22 August 1914 – 26 October 1914 to Chatham Depot & Sea-Service (HMS “Digby”)
Commissioned Temporary Sub Lieutenant RNVR 12 November 15
Howe Battalion draft for BEF 7 July 1916-13 November 1916
Discharged Dead
Father, H. Chance, 24 Winslade Rd., Brixton Hill, London SW, later of: 317 Clapham Rd., London SW
1914 Star issued to mother 20 August 1925

William George Callen

by

W. G. Callen
Service no. 12089
Rifleman, King’s Royal Rifle Corps
Died age 24 on 29 August 1920
Son of Mr W. H. Callen, 100 Dorset Road, Clapham Road, London.
Remembered at Lambeth (Tooting) Cemetery

Information from the censuses

In 1911 William Henry Callen, then 45, born in Eastleigh, Hampshire, was living with his wife Ada Elizabeth, 47, born in Woolwich, at 100 Dorset Road, where the family occupied 4 rooms. Callen was a railway porter. His children, all born in South Lambeth, were Jessie Marion, 17, no occupation listed; William George, then 15, who was to die in 1920, presumably of wounds sustained in the war; and Florence Elizabeth, 13. The 1901 includes a third daughter, Margaret, born in 1900. At that time the family was living at 12 Walberswick Street.

The 1911 census shows that William Henry and Ada Elizabeth had had 5 children, 3 of them surviving to 1911.

Harry Robert Burvill

by

H. R. Burvill
Service no. PS/1794
Private, Middlesex Regiment, 16th Battalion
Manchester Regiment, attd. 22nd Battalion
Died age 24 on 2 September 1916
Son of Harry and Eliza Burvill, of 15 Hubert Grove, Stockwell, London. Born in Kilburn, north London.
Remembered at Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France

British Army WWI Service Records 1914-1920

Harry Burvill was a 22-year-old storekeeper, living at 15 Hubert Grove, Stockwell. He attested on 27 March 1915 in London (the record is not specific about where). His physical development was judged to be “v. good” – 5 feet 9½ inches, with a 37 inch chest (which he could expand by an impressive 4 inches).

He was posted on 30 March 1915, and again on 18 January 1916. But despite his evident good health, he was admitted to the Countess of Lytton Hospital, London some time after that. His illness or condition is not recorded. On 1 February 1916 he was sent to Summerdown Convalescent Hospital, Eastbourne. Summerdown, which opened in April 1915, held 3,500 convalescing soldiers. Three weeks later, Burvill was granted furlough (leave) until 3 March, when he was declared fit.

Burvill was killed in action in France on 2 September 1916. He had served 1 year and 160 days.

Information from the 1911 census

Harry Burvill is on the 1911 census as a 19-year-old  “wharf scaleman” living with his parents and brother at 35 Walpole Road, Deptford. His father, Harry, 67, was a “butcher scaleman”, born at Ramsgate, Kent and his mother, 68, was born in Walworth. Charlie Burvill, 17, was a draper’s assistant. Both boys were born in Kilburn.