Stockwell War Memorial

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Belgium

Arthur Sidney Candy

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Arthur Sidney Candy
Arthur Sidney Candy. Photo © Marietta Crichton Stuart The headstone reads: “Not gone from memory or love, but to his father’s home above”

A. S. Candy
Private no. A/201081
Rifleman, King’s Royal Rifle Corps, 7th Battalion
Died age 23 on 22 October 1917
Son of Amelia S. Candy, of 7 Tregothnan Road, Stockwell, London.
Remembered at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911, the Candy family was living in 17 Trevelyan Road, Tooting, where they occupied 4 rooms. William Robert Candy, 67, was an out-of-work plasterer. He was born in Southampton. His wife, Amelia Sophia Candy, 59, was born in Lambeth. Charles James Candy, 23, was a printer’s labourer. Arthur Sidney Candy, 16, was apprenticed as a compositor; Lydia Amelia Candy, 33, was a tobacco weigher. All were born in Lambeth. William and Amelia had had 10 children, of whom 6 had survived.

Information from 1901 census

In 1901 the Candy family was living at 22 Griffen Street. William Candy, 57, was a plumber born in Southampton; Amelia Candy, 48, was from Lambeth. The children registered on the census were
Phoebe Candy, 25, stationary folder
Lydia Candy, 23, tobacco sorter
Emily Candy, 21, tobacco sorter
Charles Candy, 13
Arthur Candy, 6

Norman Cairns

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N. Cairns
Service no. 76551
Gunner, Royal Garrison Artillery, 279th Siege Bty.
Killed in action in the field age 22 on 26 June 1917
Husband of Florence Cairns (nee Penton), of 47 Courland Grove, Larkhall Lane, Clapham, London.
Remembered at Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery, Belgium

British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1919

When he enlisted on 26 April 1916, Norman Cairns was a butcher, living at 38 Bromfelde Road.

He was 5 feet 10 and a half inches tall.

He married Florence Penton on 26 December 1914 at the Wesleyan Chapel on Clapham Road.
Service record

25 December 1916 Posted to British Expeditionary Force

14 April 1917 Hospitalised with gunshot wound to the shoulder
25 April 1917 Invalided to England

He was returned to the field (date illegible).

On 19 December 1917 the Officer in Charge of Records wrote to Norman Cairns’ widow enclosing her husband’s personal belongings: a coin disc, a pocket book, a religious book, penknife, cigarette holder and cigarette case. The British War and Victory medals were sent on 8 September 1921.

In his service declaration Norman claimed he had no siblings. However, the 1901 census shows that he had both a brother and a sister. (The 1911 census shows that Norman’s mother Mary had 8 children, 6 of whom survived in 1911.) In 1901 Norman was 7 and living at 34 Thorparch Road. His father, John D. Cairns, 54, was an engine fitter born in Newcastle. His wife, Mary, 51, was born in Stratford, Essex. Norman’s brother Frank J. Cairns, 18, was a grocer’s assistant born in Fulham; his sister, Florence Blebta, 31, was born in India. Her two children, Franz Blebta, 7, born in Clapham and Wenzl Blebta, 5, born in South Lambeth, lived with her.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission database shows that a W. Blebta (William Blebta according to the Soldiers Died in the Great War database) died on 21 March 1916. His details are as follows:
Service no. 2137
Private, London Regiment, 1st/23rd Battalion
Son of Henry and Florence Blebta, of 63 Lynette Avenue, Clapham, London.

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 Norman Cairns, 17 and working as a butcher’s apprentice was living at 9 Gaskill Street, Larkhall Lane, London SW4, where the family occupied 3 rooms. His father, John Dickinson Cairns, 64, was an engine fitter and night watchman for the London and South West Railways. He was born in Newcastle upon Tyne. Mary Cairns, 61, was born in Stratford, east London. Franz Blebta, 17,a butcher’s apprentice, and Wenzl Blebta,  15, unemployed, grandsons of John and Mary, also lived in the household.

Florence Blebta, 36, mother to Franz and Wenzl, was working for the Shillington family as a live-in housemaid at 31 Spencer Park, Wandsworth. She married Henri Wenzl Blebta in 1895 in Lambeth. He does not appear on the 1911 census, although he is named in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission database.

William Bunyan

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W. Bunyan
Service no. 7848
Serjeant, York and Lancaster Regiment, 2nd Battalion
Killed in action age 34 on 20 July 1915
Son of the late William and Mary Elizabeth Bunyan; husband of Ellen Eliza Bunyan, of 8 Andalus Road, Landor Road, Stockwell, London. Native of Bengeo, Herts.
Remembered at New Irish Farm Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium and on the war shrine at St Michael’s Church, Stockwell Park Road, London 0DA.

British Army WWI Service Records 1914-1920

The file for WIlliam Bunyan is very damaged and therefore difficult to read.

William first joined the York and Lancasters in 1904. He gave his occupation as “groom”. At the time of joining he was about 23 and stood 5 feet 4¼ inches tall, weighed 120 pounds and was 36 inches around the chest (which he could expand by 2 inches). The Regiment carefully noted his progress after six months Army service and a “gymnastic course”. He had grown a triumphant 2/20ths of an inch, gained 3 pounds and increased his chest measurement by an inch. His eyes and hair were noted as brown. He bore a scar on his left wrist and had a “white patch” on his left breast. He was judged to be of “good character” and indeed during this period of service gained a good conduct badge.

After serving over 10 years (with some intervals) Bunyan was killed on 20 July 1915.

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 William Bunyan, then 27, was working as a miller’s labourer and living with his grandmother and sister in 4 rooms (including kitchen) at 12 Russell Street, Hertford. Mary Bunyan, 73, was a widow born in Wadesmill, Herfordshire. Florence Bunyan, 29, was working as a shop assistant for a confectioner (sweet shop). She, like William, was born in Bengeo, Herfordshire.

John Bunn

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J. Bunn
Service no. R/32876
Rifleman, King’s Royal Rifle Corps, “C” Coy. 10th Battalion
Formerly TR/13/29465, T.R. Battalion
Died of wounds age 30 on 10 August 1917
Son of the late Thomas and Jane Harriett Bunn.
Remembered at New Irish Farm Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 John Bunn’s widowed mother, Jane Harriett Bunn, was living in 4 rooms at 35 Meadow Road, London SW8 with 2 single daughters:
Jane Bunn, 38, born in Lambeth
Rosa Bunn, 26, a dressmaker, born in South Lambeth
Jane Harriett was born in Milbrook, Southampton.
Jane Harriett had 6 children – all surviving to this date.

William Valentine Brown

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W. V. Brown
Service no. G/10746
Lance Corporal, The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment), “B” Coy. 11th Battalion
Died age 49 on 15 November 1916
Born in South Lambeth, lived in Lambeth
Remembered at Dickebusch New Military Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium

William Valentine Brown was born in Poplar, east London in 1887, the third child of carman Frederick Charles Brown and Isabella Sarah Elizabeth (née Jackson). In the 1891 census the family of seven lived at 36 Radnor Terrace, off South Lambeth Road. Frederick Brown was working as a carman and William was a 17-year-old groom.

He married Annie Chinnery on 14 January 1894 at St Andrew’s, Landor Road. The couple gave 5 Southesk Street as their address.

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.