Tag Archives: Surrey

Frederick George Ash

09 Wednesday Jul 2025

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The son of Henry Christian and Eliza Eleanor Ash, Frederick was born in Peckham, Surrey, in 1888. They were living in Camberwell in 1891, 1901 and 1911 with his brother Henry R. T. and sisters Hilda May and Lily E. In 1901 he was working as an oilman’s shop boy, and by 1911 he was a compositor. Frederick’s father, Henry Christian, died in 1910. In 1912 he married Ethel Maud Turner in Wolverhampton, and they lived at 337 Prestwood Road in Wednesfield. Their son, George, was born a year later.

Frederick served with the 2/6 South Staffordshire Regiment (service number 6347 and later 242379). Unfortunately he died on 21 March 1917 in France, suffering from diarrhoea in the field. The value of his effects was £129. He is buried in Bray Military Cemetery in France.

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The research for this post was carried out by remote virtual volunteer Jacky de Escofet.

Bernard William Vaughan

23 Friday May 2025

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Bernard was born in Kingston in Surrey on 29 August 1907, the son of Herbert Guest and Mary Vaughan. Herbert died in 1912, and his mother died in 1916. By 1921, Bernard was attending the Royal Wolverhampton School, then serving as an orphanage. Bernard married Elizabeth Grange in Dudley in 1932. Their daughter, Marjorie, was born in 1934. By 1939, they were living in Halesowen, and Bernard was working as an insurance agent and serving as an A. R. P. Warden.

Bernard enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 103 Squadron as a Sergeant (service number 1205010). He served with the Bomber Command. Unfortunately on the night of 15 October 1942, the plane he was flying in crashed near Monchengladbach during a raid on Cologne and he was killed. He is buried in the Rheinberg War Cemetery in Germany. He is remembered on the Royal Wolverhampton School memorial.

William Wooldridge

28 Monday Oct 2024

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The son of Thomas and Mary Wooldridge, William was born in 1868. William’s father died in 1876, and by 1881 William was living with his widowed mother and siblings Thomas, Lizzie and Harry, at 23 Littles Lane, Wolverhampton. He was working as an iron polisher. William married Lottie Steer in 1915 in Godstone, Surrey.

William originally enlisted in 1887 in the Dragoon Guards, serving until 1895 and then being placed on the Reserves. He re-enlisted as a Private with the Royal Army Veterinary Corps (service number 15042) in 1916. His occupation was listed as Stud Groom. He served in France, but was discharged as being no longer physically fit for war service in October 1917, after suffering from neurasthenia including slurring speech, poor coordination and pupils inactive to light reflex. Although the cause of the disability was deemed to by syphilis, it was believed this had been aggravated by his being on active service. Unfortunately he died on 20 May 1919, and is buried in Blindley Heath (St John) Churchyard in Surrey.

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The research for this blog post was completed by remote virtual volunteer Jacky de Escofet.

William Lane

06 Friday Oct 2023

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The son of John Thomas and Georgina Lane, William was born in Wolverhampton in 1921. William’s mother, Georgina, died at the age of 53 in 1932. By 1939, his father was living in Kimberley Street, Wolverhampton

He served as a Lance Corporal in the 15th/19th The King’s Royal Hussars, Royal Armoured Corps (service number 321240) but he was killed in action on 27 December 1941. He is remembered at the Brookwood Memorial in Surrey and on the war memorial for St Chad’s College, which he presumably attended.

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The research for this blog post was carried out by remote virtual volunteer, Ann Eales.

Eric Nigel Riddell Robertson

02 Thursday Mar 2023

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The son of Lieutenant-Commander Alexander William Milne and Mary Robertson, Eric was born in Wolverhampton on 16 July 1917. In 1921, the family were living at “The View”, Upper Penn. Eric’s father died on 25 December 1923 at the age of 46, so by the 1939 Register, Eric was living with his widowed mother and brother, George A. M., at 3 Mount Alms House, Pennwood Lane, Wolverhampton. Eric was working as a draughtsman electrician.

Eric joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (service number 943039), at Cardington in Bedfordshire, serving with the 61 Squadron as a wireless operator and air gunner. Unfortunately he was killed in action on 9 August 1941, apparently “Lost without trade during a raid on Kiel, probably shot down by a night fighter.” He is remembered at the Runnymede Memorial in Surrey and on the memorial for the MEB Works Club in Wolverhampton.

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The research for this blog post was carried out by remote virtual volunteer, Jacky de Escofet, with additional details contributed by Doug Lewis.

Crutchley Brothers

08 Thursday Sep 2022

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The sons of Edward Harry and Ethel Crutchley of Low Hill in Wolverhampton, Samuel was born in 1915, and Charles Henry was born in 1922. Neither of the brothers have been tracked down on the available censuses, although their mother, Ethel, appears at 59 Carlyle Road in Wolverhampton on the 1939 Register, with at least one person’s record closed, which could be one of these men.

In 1939, Samuel married Freda May Drewitt in Trowbridge. The couple had two children – Valerie M. (1939) and Graham A. (1941), both born in Warminster, Wiltshire. Samuel enlisted with the 33 Field Regiment of the Royal Artillery (service number 553306). He died on 31 October 1942 in the UK (his death is registered in the Surrey Mid Eastern district). He is buried in Edington (SS. Mary and Katherine and All Saints) Churchyard in Wiltshire.

Charles enlisted as a Private with the Pioneer Corps (service number 5734228), but he, too, sadly died, on 8 July 1943. He is buried in Bushbury (St Mary) Churchyard.

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The research for this blog post was carried out by remote digital volunteer, Jacky de Escofet.

Doris Violet Butler

20 Wednesday Mar 2019

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The daughter of Alfred Jeremiah and Annie Butler, Doris was born in Wharfedale, Yorkshire, on 24 July 1891. At some point, the family moved to Church Hill, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton.

From 23 October 1917, Doris served as a Chauffeuse with the British Red Cross, working in various locations for the Surrey County.

By 1939, she was still living with her parents and sister Florence at 1 Church Hill, Tettenhall. Doris died in Eastbourne, Sussex in 1969 at the age of 78.

Elfr[i]eda Ann Froggatt Bruford

08 Friday Feb 2019

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The daughter of William Froggatt and Agnes Mary Bruford, Elfreda was born in Wolverhampton in 1898. In 1901 they were living at “Saxonfield”, in Tettenhall Wolverhampton, along with Elfrda’s brother Gerald W. B. They were at the same property in 1911.

From November 1915 onwards until June 1919, Elfreda served with the British Red Cross, doing general service and nursing. She worked first at the V. A. D. hospital in Tettenhall, and later in the Military Wards attached to the General Hospital in Wolverhampton.

In 1925, Elfreda married Evan Pybus in Wolverhampton, and the couple moved to Surrey. They had twin daughters Anne and Dora M. in Guildford in 1926, and another daughter, Mary B., in Chertsey in 1928. Elfreda died on 20 March 1985, by which date her address was Copperfields, Castle Grove Road, Chobham, Woking, Surrey. The value of her effects was £173,471.

Amelia Bailey

14 Friday Dec 2018

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Amelia Bailey (nee Wright), was born in Salisbury on 26 March 1868, the daughter of Charles and Ann Wright. She married William Robert K. Bailey in Romsey in 1900, and the couple were living in Frimley, Surrey, in 1901. They had moved to Wood House Gardens, Tettenhall, by 1911, where they were living with Amelia’s widowed father.

From 15 May 1915 until March 1919 Amelia served as a nurse with the British Red Cross at the V.A.D. Hospital in Tettenhall. Working part-time she served for 3176 hours during that period.

By 1939, Amelia, now a widow, was living on her own at 93 Limes Road, Tettenhall. She died in Bilston in 1952.

Harriett Acton

02 Sunday Dec 2018

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Born on 15 December 1882 in Ripley, Derbyshire, Harriett was the daughter of George Herbert and Harriett Acton. By 1911, they were living at Strathmore, Stockwell End, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, along with Harriett’s siblings Elizabeth, Henry, and George Herbert.

In September 1915, Harriett was engaged as a VAD nurse for the British Red Cross. She began working locally, at the Tettenhall V.A.D. hospital, before serving in a number of locations:

  • Lady Almeric Paget’s Convalescent Home (Auxiliary), Panshanger, Hertfordshire (4 May 1916 – 15 Jul 1916)
  • General Hospital Birmingham 1st Southern (19 Jul 1916 – 20 Aug 1918)
  • USA Base Hospital, Dartford (1 Nov 1918 – 17 Dec 1918)
  • 1st London General Hospital, Camberwell (Military) (31 Dec 1918 – 2 Feb 1919)

She was awarded two scarlet efficiency stripes on 20 August 1917 and on 27 February 1918. Harriett was living with her invalided mother in Stockwell End in 1939, by which date she was working as a school mistress. She died in Surrey in 1964.

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