Monthly Archives: January 2025

Reginald John Reynolds

31 Friday Jan 2025

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The son of George William and Sarah Reynolds, Reginald was born on 21 March 1918. In 1921, they were living at 41 Graiseley Row with Reginald’s siblings Clara and Charles, and by 1939 they were at 184 Warstones Road. Reginald was working as a salesman in the tailoring industry.

Reginald enlisted in the Royal Navy, serving as an Ordinary Signalman on the HM Trawler Almond (service number D/JX 19114). Unfortunately on 2 February 1941 the trawler, which was a mine sweeper, was itself sunk by a mine, with 19 out of the 20 crew being killed in action, including Reginald. He is remembered on the Plymouth Naval Memorial, as well as on the roll of honour of former pupils of the Wolverhampton Municipal Secondary School.

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

Frederick William Picken

29 Wednesday Jan 2025

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Frederick was born in Wolverhampton in 1893, the son of Thomas and Elizabeth Picken. In 1901, they were living at Church Road, Tettenhall, along with Frederick’s siblings Thomas, Annie, Caroline and Susan. They were at the same address in 1911, and Frederick (now known by his middle name of William, was working as a labourer in a mineral water factory. Frederick married Elsie Finney in 1914, and they had a daughter, Dorothy May, born on 20 September 1914. Unfortunately, Elsie died on 23 January 1915 at the age of 23, and the daughter, Dorothy, was sent to live with Elsie’s brother and sister-in-law, Frederick Francis and Annie Elizabeth Finney at 27 Inkerman Street.

Frederick enlisted as a Gunner with the 270 Siege Battery of the Royal Garrison Artillery (service number 68109). He was killed in action on 1 July 1917, and Annie Finney officially became Dorothy’s guardian. Frederick is buried in the Ferme-Olivier Cemetery in Belgium.

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

Eric Thomas Markham

27 Monday Jan 2025

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Eric Markham was born on 8 December 1918, the son of Alfred John Mumford and Annie Elizabeth Markham. His father worked at Sunbeam Motor Cars, and in 1921 they were living at 49 Hargreaves Street, Wolverhampton. Unfortunately, his father died in 1933, and by 1939 he was living with his widowed mother and sister Joyce Annie at Parkside, Hawthorn Road in Bilston. Eric was working as an industrial chemist.

Eric joined the 34 Service Training School of the Royal Air Force as a Leading Aircraftman (service number 657257), based in Alberta, Canada. On 22 January 1942, an aircraft swung on take-off and crashed into a stationary plane in which Eric was sitting as a pilot under training. His instructor, John Green, was also killed, although the crew of the other plane was not injured. Eric is buried in the Medicine Hat (Hillside) Cemetery in Canada and is remembered on the Bilston Roll of Honour and the one for Priestfield.

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

Albert Lilley

24 Friday Jan 2025

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The son of Frederick George and Rachael Lilley, Albert was born on 31 Jan 1896 in Wolverhampton. From 1899 onwards, he attended St Edward’s Infants School , living in Shale Street, Wolverhampton. In 1901, Albert, his parents, and sister, Rose, were boarding in the property of Mary Hickman at 57 Wolverhampton Street, Bilston. In 1911, Albert appears to have been in Sandwell Hall Home for Defective Children in West Bromwich, with his infirmity listed as “F. M. (“feeble-minded”) from birth”.

Albert enlisted in the 2nd Battalion (22nd Foot) of the Cheshire Regiment (service number 18198). After fighting on 25 May 1915, he was initially reported missing in action, but was later reported as killed. He is remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial in Belgium.

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

Alfred Christie Jeavons

22 Wednesday Jan 2025

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Alfred was born in Coseley, the son of James and Adelaide Jeavons. In 1911, the were living in Castle Church, Staffordshire, along with Alfred’s sister, Marion, who was born in 1906. By 1921, they were living at 179 Owen Road, Wolverhampton, and Alfred had a younger sister, Beatrice Irene. In 1935, he married Kathleen M. Byard in Kettering, Northamptonshire. By 1939, he and Kathleen were living with her parents in Kettering, and Alfred was working as a supervisor of customs for the Colonial Customs service. He was also a member of the Federal Malay volunteer force.

During the war he served with the 4th (Malacca Volunteer Corps) Bn. Straits Settlements Volunteer Force (service number 80073). Unfortunately he was captured on 2 September 1943 and diest in the Hakodate Prisoner of War camp in Japan not long afterwards. He is buried in the Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery in Myanmar.

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

Elijah Harris

20 Monday Jan 2025

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Elijah was born in Bilston in 1877, the son of Thomas and Martha Harris. In 1881, they were living in Darlaston. In 1903, Elijah married Sophia Potts in Wolverhampton. BY 1911, they were living at 57 Temple Street in Bilston and had four sons – James (1901), Horace (1905), Thomas (1907) and WIlliam (1909). Elijah was working in the coal mines.

Elijah enlisted in the 2nd Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment (service number 15428). In 1915, he was admitted to the 4th Stationery Hospital following the adverse effects of gas. Unfortunately he died of pneumonia contracted while on active service on 13 December 1915. He is buried in Calais Southern Cemetery in France.

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

Alfred Leslie Garbett

17 Friday Jan 2025

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Alfred was born on 15 January 1918 in Wolverhampton, the son of George Clement and Lucy May Garbett. In 1921 they were living at 9, Knox Road, Blakenhall along with Alfred’s older siblings Ruby and George, maternal grandmother Lucy Johnson and maternal uncle Walter Johnson. By 1939 Alfred was living at 21 Ranelagh Road, Wolverhampton along with his parents and uncle Walter. Alfred was employed as a grocer’s shop assistant.

Alfred enlisted with the 18 Division Petrol Company of the Royal Army Service Corps (service number T/142371) and became a Sergeant. On 17 February 1942, Alfred was captured by the Japanese and Singapore and became a prisoner of war in No 2 camp. Unfortunately he died of malaria and colitis on 3 August 1943. He is buried in Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery in Myanmar. He is also listed on the roll of honour at St Luke’s Church in Blakenhall.

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

William Ferriday

15 Wednesday Jan 2025

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The son of William and Martha Elizabeth Ferriday, William was born on 1 February 1879 in Sedgley, and was baptised at the Holy Trinity Church in Ettingshall on 2 Mar 1879. In 1881, William, his parents and sister Martha were living at the Harp Inn (which his father ran) in Walsall Street, Wolverhampton. From 1888 onwards he attended St Andrew’s Church of England School in Wolverhampton. By 1891 they were living at 9 Coven Street, and William had additional siblings Sarah Emma, Thomas V. and Roseannah. By 1901, William was working as a navvy. By 1911, William was living with his sister Martha, and her husband, John Arthur Vollmer, at 30 Ewins Street, and was working as a fitters labourer for the locomotives. As a railway worker, he was a member of the National Union of Railwaymen from 1915 onwards.

William enlisted initially with the Durham Light Infantry (service number 41716) and later served with the 2nd Battalion of the Prince of Wales’s Own (West Yorkshire Regiment) (service number 42468). Unfortunately he was killed in action on 23 Jun 1917. He is buried at the Menin Road South Military Cemetery in Belgium.

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

William Arthur Davies

13 Monday Jan 2025

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William was born in Wolverhampton on 15 March 1920, the son of Alan and Eliza Ann Davies. In 1921 and again in 1939 they were living at 74 Craddock Street, with WIlliam’s siblings Olive, Nellie, Florence, Nancy, Alan and Frank. In 1939, William was employed as a clerk and public assistance officer. Wolverhampton and William was employed as a ‘clerk pub assistant officer’.

William enlisted as a Sergeant (Flight Engineer) in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (service number 1160814619). On 21 Jun 1943, William took off in a Lancaster bomber from RAF Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire. Unfortunately, the aircraft was shot down by a night fighter and crashed in the Astense Peel near Opheusden, Holland during a raid on Krefeld, Germany, and William was killed in action. He is buried in the Jonkerbos War Cemetery in the Netherlands.

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

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