Monthly Archives: January 2022

James William Ellis

27 Thursday Jan 2022

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James was born in Wolverhampton in 1898, the son of Harry or Henry and Kate Ellis, and was baptised in St Mary’s Church, Wolverhampton on 30 September 1898. In 1901 he was living at 48 Bush Street, Wolverhampton, along with his parents, and siblings Harry, Elsie and Albert. From 1904 onwards, James attended Causeway Lake Infants School in Wolverhampton, by which date the family’s address was 41 Alma Street. The family were at 68 Stafford Street by 1911, and James had an additional sister, Leah.

James enlisted at Bellus Park, initially in the King’s Royal Rifle Corps (service number 15370), and later served with the 1st Battalion of the Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) (service number 204196). In September 1916, he was reported as wounded, in Mar 1918 he suffered from “pyrexia of unknown origin” and in May 1918 he had diarrhoea. On 23 August 1918 he was killed in action during the Battle of Albert. He is remembered at the Vis-En-Artois Memorial in France.

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

Edwin John Cox

25 Tuesday Jan 2022

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The son of Thomas Henry and Edith Cox, Edwin was born in Wolverhampton in 1914. In 1939, they were living at 26 March End, Wednesfield, along with Edwin’s brother, Thomas Henry Junior. Edwin was working as a fitter’s labourer.

Edwin enlisted as a Private in the 2nd (Airborne Battalion) of the South Staffordshire Regiment (service number 4858433). He was killed in action on 9 July 1943 during the invasion of Sicily. Edwin is remembered on the Cassino Memorial in Italy as well as on the Wednesfield Village Roll of Honour.

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The research for this blog post was completed by remote digital volunteer, Doug Lewis.

Zemlett Thomas Barker

23 Sunday Jan 2022

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Thomas was born in Wolverhampton in 1893, the son of James and Julia Barker. He was baptised on the 1 October 1893 at St Jude’s Church, Wolverhampton. In 1901 they were living at 69 Sweetman Street, Wolverhampton, along with Thomas’s siblings Jane, Elizabeth, James, and Agnes. Thomas is incorrectly noted on the census as “Daughter”. They were still at the same address in 1911, by which date Thomas was working as a warehouse porter.

Thomas enlisted initially in the North Staffordshire Regiment (service number 22501), and later served in the 1st Battalion of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers (service number 28565). He was killed in action on 23 January 1917. He is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial in France, as well as on the memorial at St Jude’s Church in Tettenhall.

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

Victor Ernest Lack

20 Thursday Jan 2022

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Victor (recorded as Ernest V. on the Birth Registration) was born on 24 August 1915 in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, the son of Walter H. and Nellie Lack. They had moved to the Wolverhampton area by 1921, and by 1939 they were at 12 Kingsley Place, in Bilston. Victor was working as a brickworks labourer, and he and his parents were joined in the household by his brother, George P., and his uncle, Ernest A. Robinson.

Victor enlisted as a Gunner with the 178 Field Regiment of the Royal Artillery (service number 975473). On 14 September 1942, he was discharged under King’s Regulations, paragraph 390 (xvi) as “ceasing to fulfil Army physical requirements”, meaning that he was physically unfit to continue serving. He died in Bilston on 12 June 1944, presumably as a result of his war service, as he is recorded on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission site. He is buried in Bilston Cemetery, and remembered on the Bilston World War Two Roll of Honour.

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The research for this blog post was carried out by remote virtual volunteer, Doug Lewis.

Basil Congreve Keeling

19 Wednesday Jan 2022

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Basil was born in Cannock in 1877, the son of Richard and Eliza Mary Keeling. On 19 August 1900, he married Maude Jones at St Philip’s Church, Penn Fields, Wolverhampton. The couple lived at 4 Byrne Road, Wolverhampton in 1901, along with a boarder (Betsy Sankey) and domestic servant (Eliza H. Evans). Basil was working as a financial agent. They had three children – Neville Stanley Basil (1902), Archibald (Archie) Richard (1904) and Vera Kitson (1908), and by 1911 were living at 34 Victoria Road, Heath Town, Wolverhampton. Basil was now working as a consulting engineer in machinery.

Basil enlisted in the 2nd/3rd North Midland Field Ambulance of the Royal Army Medical Corps (service number 421417). Unfortunately he was killed in action on 21 March 1918. He is remembered on the Arras Memorial in France, as well as on the Heath Park Roll of Honour, and the R.A.M.C. memorial in St Peter’s Church.

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

Geoffrey Maynard Richard Harris

18 Tuesday Jan 2022

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Geoffrey was born on 24 November 1918 in Wolverhampton, the son of Richard and Eva Harris. He married Helen Hunt in Wolverhampton in 1938, and their son, Geoffrey G., was born later that year. By 1939 they were living at 117 Steelhouse Lane. Geoffrey was working as an automatic polisher.

Geoffrey joined the Royal Navy as a Stoker 1st Class (service number D/KX 113807) and served on the HMS Hermione. He was killed in action on 16 June 1942, after three torpedoes fired by a German submarine hit the ship. He is remembered on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.

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The research for this blog post was carried out by remote digital volunteer, Doug Lewis.

Ralph Ernest Ginder

17 Monday Jan 2022

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The son of Charles and Decima Ginder, Ralph was born in Willenhall in 1879. In 1881, the family were living at March End, Wednesfield, along with Ralph’s brothers, Charles and Thomas. They were in Willenhall in 1891 and in 1901, and Ralph had additional siblings Decima, William, Emily and Rowland. Ralph’s father, Charles, died in 1900 at the age of 44. By 1911, the widowed Decima, along with Ralph, Decima, and William were living at 8 Walsall Street, back of Thompson, in Bilston. Ralph was working as a brass finisher.

Ralph enlisted as a Private in the 1st Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment (service number 30236). Unfortunately he died in France on 20 November 1916. He is buried in Calais Southern Cemetery.

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

Joseph Henry Farnell

14 Friday Jan 2022

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The son of Samuel John and Phoebe Farnell, Joseph was born in West Bromwich in 1910. In 1911, the family were living at 3 Woodenwell Yard, Oxford Street, Bilston, and the household consisted of Joseph and his parents, along with his siblings Caroline, Mary Ann Gertrude, Ann, Samuel John, William George, and an adopted son, Richard Parr. In 1940, Joseph married Irene May Howitt in Bilston.

Joseph enlisted in the 5th Royal Tank Regiment, part of the Royal Armoured Corps, as a Sergeant (service number 7883681). In November 1941, the Regiment was serving in North Africa, with the aim of pushing Rommel back. As part of this Operation Crusader, Joseph lost his life on 23 November 1941. He is remembered at the Alamein Memorial in Egypt.

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

Garnet John Edwards

13 Thursday Jan 2022

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The son of John Charles and Caroline Edwards, Garnet was born in 1883 in Chipping Sodbury, in Gloucestershire. The family were still living there in 1891, and Garnet appears with his parents and siblings William C. A., Emily Ellen, Canal Tyrell, Winifred B. M., George Percival E., James Godfrey and Cecil Walter A. By 1901, his police officer father had become a sergeant and the family were living in the police station in Bitton in Gloucestershire. Garnet was working as a paper maker, and he had a further sibling, Eva S. On 20 May 1907, Garnet married Florence Mary Gully in St Mary’s Church, Shirehampton. By 1911, they were living in Willsbridge, near Bristol, and Garnet was working as a coal miner fitter. His wife was originally from 26 Wright Street, Bradley, in Bilston, and this was the address that appeared on the next of Kin details.

Garnet enlisted as a Private in the Gloucestershire Regiment (service number 3469). On 19 March 1916 he was accidentally killed after he had volunteered to go out to look for wounded comrades. He is buried in the Sucrerie Military Cemetery in Colincamps in France.

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

Edmund James Deaves

12 Wednesday Jan 2022

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The son of Charles Frederick and Blanche Deaves, Edmund was born in Atcham in Shropshire on 18 December 1919. By 1939, he was living in the home of Gladys Jones at 24 Woodfield Avenue, Wolverhampton. Edmund was working as a draughtsman. In 1943, he married Betty Phillips in Rowley Regis, and the couple lived in Lanesfield, Wolverhampton.

Edmund joined the 100 Squadron of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve as a Sergeant (service number 1434590). On 23 September 1943 he took off from RAF Waltham in Lincolnshire, but the plane was shot down at Nussdorf in Germany during a raid on Mannheim, and Edmund and the rest of the crew were killed in action. He is buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery in Germany, and is remembered on the memorial of the Royal Wolverhampton School in Penn Road, which he presumably attended.

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The research for this blog post was completed by remote digital volunteer Doug Lewis.

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