Stockwell War Memorial

Friends of Stockwell War Memorial & Gardens

age 30

Walter Albert Ridout

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W. A. Ridout
Service no. 119029
Canadian
Private, Canadian Corps Cyclist Battalion
Died on 16 June 1916, aged 30
CWGC: “Son of Mrs A. L. Ridout, of 2 Eythorne Road, Brixton, London, England, and the late Mr W. Y. Ridout. Enlisted Nov.”
Remembered at Nunhead (All Saints) Cemetery, London

Streatham-born shoemaker Walter Albert Ridout volunteered early in the war. On 12 November 1914 he presented himself to the attesting officer at Brighton and was signed up to the Royal Sussex Regiment, 8th Reserve Cyclists Battalion. His form states that he had lived outside the UK – in Vancouver, Canada – for more than three years.

Ridout, 28 years and 8 months, stood 5 feet 5 inches tall, with dark hair and a dark complexion, with grey eyes. His chest was 34 inches, with 2 inches expansion. He gave his religion as Baptist.

By 17 February 1915 he was appointed acting Lance Corporal; then promoted to acting Corporal on 11 March. By 20 April he had reverted to Private. However, on 25 June he was discharged from the Royal Sussex Regiment to join the Canadian Expeditionary Force at Southwold, Suffolk.

Information from the censuses

Walter Albert Ridout was one of five surviving children of Walter Young Ridout, a 60-year-old bootmaker and repairer from Dorset, an Alice Lydia (née Plater), 49, “assisting in the business”, born in the City of London. In 1911 there were three children at home, Frederick Ridout, 15, an apprentice bootmaker; Dora Ridout, 13; and Eveline Ridout, 11. All were born in Lambeth. The family lived in five rooms at 14 Robsart Street, where they had been since at least 1901.

Douglas B. Maybank

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D. Maybank
Service no. R/24284
Serjeant, King’s Royal Rifle Corps, 20th Battalion
Born in Lambeth; enlisted in Lambeth; lived in Stockwell
Killed in action on 29 June 1918 age 30
CWGC: “Son of Harriet and the late William Maybank, of Stockwell; husband of Florence Maybank, of 29, Tasman Road, Stockwell, London.”
Remembered at Sandpits British Cemetery, Fouquereuil, France

National Roll of the Great War 1914-1918

MAYBANK, D., Sergt., King’s Royal Rifle Corps.
He was mobilised at the outbreak of war, and being almost immediately drafted to France took part in the Retreat from Mons. He also served at the Battles of the Marne, the Aisne, Ypres, the Somme, and in many subsequent engagements. He gave his life for King and Country on the Cambrai front in the Advance of 1918, and was entitled to the Mons Star and the General Service and Victory Medals.
“A valiant soldier, with undaunted heart he breasted life’s last hill.”
29, Tasman Road, Landor Road, S.W.9.

Information from the censuses

In 1911, aged 23, Douglas Maybank lived at 22 Aytoun Road, Stockwell with his family. Like his father, he was a grainer and marbler (he painted wood grain effect and stained paper or other materials to look like marble). William Maybank, 50, was from Epsom, Surrey; Harriett Maybank 48, was from Ellingham, Norfolk. They had 5 surviving children (of 6), all of them born in Stockwell:
Douglas Maybank, 23
Gladys Maybank, 19, a clerk
Leslie Maybank, 16, an office boy
Donald Maybank, 11
Gwendoline Maybank, 10
A cousin, 47-year-old single house painter Harry Dewdney (described on the 1901 census as “deaf and dumb”), and a nephew, 17-year-old single office boy Leo Maybank, lived with the family.
In 1901 the Maybanks lived at 10 Moat Place, off Stockwell Road.

John George Lowther

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J. G. Lowther
Service no. G/10804
Serjeant, The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment), 11th Battalion
Born in Newcastle, Northumberland; enlisted in Lambeth; lived in Brixton
Killed in action on 7 June 1917 aged 30
CWGC: “Son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Henry Lowther; husband of Cecilia Lowther, of 6 Speenham Road, Brixton, London.”
Remembered at Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium

Frank Radcliffe King

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F. R. King
Second Lieutenant, The King’s (Liverpool Regiment), “D” Coy. 14th Battalion
Killed in action at age 30 on 14 September 1916
CWGC: “Son of George Edward King, J.P. (Alderman and Guardian for the Borough of Lambeth and Mayor of Lambeth 1928-29), of 57 Aytoun Road, Stockwell, London, and the late Julia Constance King.”
Remembered at Doiran Memorial, Greece

Information from the South London Press, October 1916

The South London Press reported his death in October 1916 and quoted from a letter from King’s Commanding Officer Colonel Lambert to his father “I regret to say your son was killed two days ago fighting gallantly. We had taken a position held by the Germans, and he and the bombers guarded our right flank and did great execution. He will be a great loss to the regiment, as he was so keen, and a most promising officer, but he died a soldier’s death. The regiment fought splendidly, and though we had heavy casualties – four other officers in the battalion being killed – we caused great losses to the Germans. My sincere sympathy in your bereavement.” A friend stated that King had been made Bombing officer of his battalion, but did not want his parents or sisters to know as this would have worried them. 

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 Frank Radcliffe King, 25, was working as an insurance clerk with the Law Union and Rock Insurance Company. He lived with his parents and 3 of his siblings at 57 Aytoun Road, Stockwell, where the family occupied 8 rooms. Frank’s father, George Edward King, 57, described himself as a schoolmaster and headteacher working for London County Council. He was born in Gorleston, Suffolk. His mother, Julia Constance, 54, was from Islington, north London. They had 5 children, 3 of whom lived at home:
Constance Dorothy King, 30, a schoolmistress and assistant teacher working for the London County Council, born in Brixton
Frank Radcliffe King, 25, born in Stockwell
Kathleen Muriel King, 23, a schoolmistress and assistant teacher working for the London County Council, born in Stockwell
Information from the 1901 Census
The family lived at 57 Aytoun Road in 1901. The census includes Frank’s other siblings
Ethel King, 18, a pupil-teacher, born in Brixton
Ernest King, 16, a clerk with an insurance company, born in Stockwell

H. Hunter

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There are two tentative identifications for H. Hunter – Harry Hunter and Hugh Hunter, who is named on the war shrine at St Michael’s Church, Stockwell Park Road, London SW9 0DA. Research on this is ongoing.

H. Hunter
(Harry Hunter)
Second Lieutenant, Royal Flying Corps
Died of wounds age 30 on 5 November 1917
CWGC: “Son of Robert and Ann Mercy Hunter, of Clapham, London.”
Remembered at Wimereux Communal Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France

Information from the 1911 census

Harry Hunter, 22, was one of 5 children of Robert Hunter, 54, an organ builder born in Lambeth, and Ann Mercy Hunter, born in Stockwell. The family lived at 87 High Street, Clapham, where they had 9 rooms, with Ann Esther Hunter, 56, sister to Robert. The 5 children, all of whom were born in Clapham, were:
Alfred Robert Hunter, 25, and George Frederick Hunter, 22, organ builders like their father
Harry Hunter, 24, and Robert Moore Hunter, 19, clerks in the civil service
Mary Adeline Hunter, 14
Ada Ody, 26, a domestic servant born in Paddington, lived with the family.

Information from The Saleroom

Harry Hunter was born in 1887, second son of Robert Hunter, an organ builder who lived at 87 High Street, Clapham, London. Pre-war he was a keen motorcyclist and was selected as a goalkeeper to play for Southampton F.C. during the 1913-14 season. Recorded as a Civil Service Clerk upon his initial enlistment in the 28th Battalion, London Regiment, he was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Flying Corps. Hunter died as a result of injuries suffered whilst serving with 1 Aeroplane Supply Depot on 5 November 1917, no doubt whilst delivering much-needed aircraft to the front lines. He is buried in the Wimereux Communal Cemetery, besides being commemorated upon the Stockwell War Memorial and at Holy Trinity, Clapham Common.

Hunter is recorded in All the Saints: A Complete Players’ Who’s Who of Southampton F.C. as one of 19 members of the Club to have died during the Great War; sold with the recipient’s Royal Flying Corps cap badge, a bronze Streatham Motorcycle Prize Medal, 30mm, engraved to the reverse, ‘Members Hill Climb. April 16th 1910. Class I. 2nd. H. Hunter,’ and copied MIC and research.

Horace Granger

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H. Granger
Service no. 684457
Private, London Regiment, 2nd/22nd Battalion
Formerly 700253, 23rd London Regiment
Died age 30 on 10 October 1918
Born in Lambeth; enlisted at St John’s Hill; lived in Lambeth
CWGC: “Son of Ann Granger of 8 Ashburton Villas, Fruen Road, Feltham, Middx. Native of South Lambeth, London.”
Remembered at Kantara War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 Horace Granger (given as Horrace by his father on the census return) was 23 in 1911. He lived with his parents and sister in 6 rooms at 20 Rutland Street (now gone), South Lambeth. John Granger, 71, was a house decorator from Broadhembury, Devon. Ann Granger, 66, was from Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Elsie Granger, 34, was born in Lambeth as was Horace (Horrace).