Stockwell War Memorial

Friends of Stockwell War Memorial & Gardens

age 24

Frank Bowring

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photo of frank bowring ww1 soldier
Frank Bowring Photo: Kind permission of Ian R. King

F. Bowring
Service no. 115005
Private, Royal Army Medical Corps, 6th Stat. Hosp. (Antwerp)
Died age 24 on 26 October 1919
Son of Mr and Mrs Henry John Bowring, of 41 Priory Grove, South Lambeth
Buried at Schoonselhof Cemetery, Belgium

Frank died of pneumonia (information from family members).

National Roll of the Great War 1914-1918

BOWRING, F., Private, R.A.M.C.
Joining in 1916, he was sent overseas in the same year. He was engaged on important duties at the 6th Stationary Hospital whilst in France, but in October 1919 unfortunately died at Antwerp of an illness which he contracted while in the Service. He was entitled to the General Service and Victory Medals.
41, Priory Grove, Lansdowne Road, S.W.8.

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 the Bowring family were living at 41 Priory Grove, London SW8. Henry John Bowring, 49, was a goods porter from Dorchester, Dorset. His wife, Ellen Maria Bowring, 47, was from Kent. Frank Bowring, then 15, was an apprentice engineer, born in Battersea. His sister Elizabeth, 12, was born in South Lambeth, as was his brother Charles Bowring, 7. Elizabeth Haysman, 49, Frank’s aunt (sister of Ellen), a single servant from Kent, was visiting on the night of the census.

George Frederick Billingsley

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G. F. Billingsley
Service no. 10356
Private, Yorkshire Regiment, 2nd Battalion
Died age 24 on 29 September 1918
CWGC: “Son of Mrs. A. H. Handel, of 2 Arlington Mansions, 18A Morat Street, Brixton.”
Remembered at Sucrerie Cemetery, Epinoy, France and on the war shrine at St Michael’s Church, Stockwell Park Road, London 0DA.

Brother of Sydney Walter Billingsley.
Stepson of Harry Frank Handel

George Frederick Billingsley was born on 23 June 1894 at 6 Robert Street, near Regent’s Park in north London and baptised on 10 July 1894 at Holy Trinity, Gray’s Inn Road.

George and his brother Sydney were among six siblings and three half-siblings. 

Information from the censuses and other sources

In 1911 Sydney and George Billingsley, both remembered on the Stockwell War Memorial, lived with their mother, stepfather Harry Frank Handel (also remembered on the memorial), sister and half-brother in 2 rooms at 101 Cornwallis Road, Upper Holloway, north London. Harry Handel, at 29 much younger than his wife, was an army pensioner, now working as a cook. He was born in Kennington. Ada Harriett (née Mew), 42, was born in Banstead, Surrey. The couple has a son, Robert Harry Handel, 11 months, born in Highgate, north London. George  Frederick Billingsley, 16, worked as an office boy for a publisher. He was born in Holborn. Sydney Walter Billingsley, 13, was born in Kensal Rise, north London. Winifred Kate Billingsley, 9, was born in Highgate.

Billingsley’s father, Alfred Billingsley, was listed in the census as 37, a printer’s machine minder born in St Luke’s. The family lived at 309 Hornsey Road, Islington. He died in 1903 in Islington.

John Barber

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J. Barber
Service no 551983
Driver, Royal Engineers, 47th Signal Coy.
Killed in action on 24 March 1918, age 24
Son of John and Lydia Barber, of Stockwell, London.
Remembered at Beaulencourt British Cemetery, Ligny-Thilloy, France, and at Stockwell War Memorial, London SW9

Information from the 1911 census

The Barber family lived at 92 Landor Road, SW9. John Barber (senior), 52, was born in Brighton and worked as a butcher. Lydia Barber, 46, was born in Dymchurch, Kent. Six of their 10 children survived, including John, who is on the census as Jack:
Lydia Barber, 21, an artist working in dressmaking
Jessie Barber, 20, “at home in business” – no further details
Ethel Barber, 19, “at home in business”
Jack Barber, 17, “at home in business”
Hilda Barber, 12
Earnest Barber, 10

Frederick Alfred Ansell

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F. A. Ansell
Service no. S/16820
Rifleman, Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort’s Own), 1st Battalion
Born in Stockwell, lived in Balham
Killed in action on 21 August 1916, aged 24
Remembered at Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium and St Andrew’s Church, Landor Road, London SW9

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 the Ansell family was living at 39 Willington Road, Stockwell. Frederick William Ansell, 51, was a printer’s compositor, born in Westminster; Clara Ansell, 48, was also born in Westminster. Of her 7 children born alive, 6 survived. All were born in Stockwell.
Frederick Alfred Ansell, 19, was an apprentice compositor
Amy Ansell, 18, was a dressmaker
Sidney Edwin Ansell, 16, umbrella maker
Florence Victoria Ansell, 14
Arthur Charles Ansell, 10
Harold Irvin Ansell, 2

Information from the 1901 census

In 1901 the Ansell family lived at 30 Arlesford Road.