Stockwell War Memorial

Friends of Stockwell War Memorial & Gardens

Belgium

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.

Frank Thomas Frisby

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F. T. Frisby
Service no. 26192
Private, Grenadier Guards, 1st Battalion
Died on 12 October 1917, aged 36
Enlisted at Battersea
Remembered at Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium

Chris Burge writes:

Frank Thomas Frisby was born on 4 April 1881, the first child of parents John Hulbert and Mary Ann Frisby. He was baptised as an infant on 29 May 1881 at St. James’s, Piccadilly. The family had moved to Stockwell around the time of his third birthday as the family grew with the addition of two more children, Louisa Jane Frisby and Arthur Hulbert Frisby.

Frank married Ellen Susannah Reed at St Michael’s Church, Stockwell on Christmas Eve 1900. At the time of their wedding, Frank said he was a ‘cellar man’ and the couple gave their address as 55 Russell Street.

A decade later, at the time of the 1911 census, Frank and Ellen Frisby were living in five rooms at 52 Union Road, Clapham. They had no children. Frank was now a fishmonger and employed at least one person. Widower Harry Morgan boarded with them, giving his occupation as ‘fish fryer’.

Frank and Ellen’s comfortable life was to be shattered by the Great War. Like anyone trying to run a business, the introduction of conscription early in 1916 made labour even harder to find and dwindling fish supplies led to a doubling of prices by 1916. Who could afford fish suppers now?

Conscription was soon extended to married men after its introduction, and Frank’s turn came in the summer of 1916. His army service number, 26192, is consistent with recruits to the 1st Bn. Grenadier Guards in July and August of that year. Frank would be sent to France towards the end of 1916.

Frank had been on the Western Front for close on a year when the his battalion took part in the opening of the First Battle of Passchendaele on 12 October 1917. Frank Thomas Frisby was killed in action on that day.

In due course, Ellen Susannah Frisby received a War Gratuity and widow’s pension, meagre compensation for her loss. Her husband’s medals followed in 1920. With no known grave, Frank Thomas Frisby was one of the thousands of names added to the Tyne Cot Memorial, unveiled in 1927.

In common with other families, Frank Thomas Frisby’s name was added to the headstone marking the grave of his parents at Lambeth Cemetery, Blackshaw Road, Tooting. The simple inscription reads ‘Also FRANK THOMAS FRISBY (son) Killed in action (Belgium) 12th October, 1917. Aged 36 years.

Surely it was Ellen Frisby who arranged for her husband’s name to appear on the Stockwell Memorial. Ellen continued to live at 52 Union Road into the 1930s, only moving to Tooting near the time of her death in 1944.

Frank’s brother, Arthur Hulbert Frisby, married with four children, had volunteered in 1915 and served in the Royal Engineers throughout the War, returning safely to his family in May 1919.

Frederick Amos Frewer

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F. A. Frewer
Service no. 926373
Gunner, Royal Field Artillery, “A” Bty. 290th Bde.
Killed in action age 25 on 30 October 1918
CWGC: “Son of James and Elizabeth Frewer, of 39, Arlesford Rd., Stockwell, London.”
Remembered at Tournai Communal Cemetery Allied Extension, Belgium

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 Frederick Amos Frewer lived at 40 Chantry Road, Brixton where they had 6 rooms. James Frewer, 49,  born in Marylebone, London, was a vellum binder. Elizabeth Frewer, 44, was also born in Marylebone. Frederick Amos Frewer, 17, was a letterpress machine minder apprentice, born in Paddington, west London. Florence Elsie Elizabeth Frewer, 15, was an apprentice to an embroiderer. She was born in Paddington.

A. A. Ellis

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A. A. Ellis
Service no. 201091
Driver, Royal Field Artillery, “C” By. 76th Bde.
Died age 22 on 27 July 1917
Son of John and Emily Ellis, of Clapham, London; husband of Annie May Ellis, of 25 Haines Street, Battersea, London.
Remembered at Mendinghem Military Cemetery, Poperinge, Belgium

John Reginald Charles Edwards

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J. R. C. Edwards
Service no, 701405
Lance Corporal, London Regiment, 1st/23rd Battalion
Killed in action, age 21 on 7 June 1917
Son of John and Louisa S. Edwards, of 37A Crimsworth Road, Wandsworth Road, Lambeth, London.
Remembered at Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium

Information from the 1911 census

The Edwards family lived in 4 rooms at 37a Crimsworth Road, SW8. John Edwards, 48, was a coke porter at the gas works. He was born at Kington Magna, Dorset. Louisa Edwards, 43, was from Dorchester, Dorset. The couple had 9 children (2 had died), all born in Lambeth:
Daisy Edwards, 18, a domestic servant
John Edwards, 15, a page boy in private houses
Lily Edwards, 14
May Edwards, 12
Charles Edwards, 10
Henry Edwards, 9
Violet Edwards, 7
Frank Edwards, 4
Frederick Edwards, 2

Frederick Eales Johnson

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photo of frederick eales-johnson
Frederick Eales-Johnson. Photo by kind permission of Anne Hughes.

F. Eales-Johnson
Service no. 950162
Gunner, Royal Artillery, “A” Bty. 235th Bde.
Died age 22 on 17 June 1917
Son of Fredrick (sic) and Mary Eales-Johnson (née Marshall), of 37 Portland Place North, Clapham Road, London. Born Lambeth, London.
Remembered at Reninghelst New Military Cemetery, Poperinge, Belgium

Information from the 1911 census

Frederick Johnson was a 43-year-old printer born in Lambeth. He and his wife Mary Johnson, 38, who was from Bermondsey, lived at 7 Wyvil Street. They had 10 children, all surviving to this date, with 9 appearing on the census:
Florence Johnson, 18, a bookfolder
Frederick Johnson, 16, a junior clerk and student
Elsie Johnson, 13
George Johnson, 12
Albert Johnson, 9
Dorothy Johnson, 8
Henry Johnson, 4
Mary Johnson, 3
Alice Johnson, 9 months
All were born in Southwark.