Ernest King

Surname: King
Other names: Ernest
Other people in this story:
Augustus King
Anne King née Lewis
Kate King née Gibbs
Locations in this story:
Pigtrough Lane, Donhead St. Andrew, Wiltshire
Swindon, Wiltshire
Birdbush, Ludwell, Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire
France & Flanders
Fovant, Wiltshire
Mere, Wiltshire

Story:
Ernest King was born at Donhead St. Andrew, Wiltshire, on 6th December 1886, and baptised there on 9 Jan 1887 the son of Augustus King and Anne King (née Lewis).  He spent his early life at the family home in Pig's Trough Lane, Donhead St. Andrew.  (Modern usage of the address is Pigtrough Lane).  He married Kate Gibbs in Swindon, Wiltshire, on 11th February 1911 and they went on to have five children.  By 1911 they were living at Birdbush, Ludwell, Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire.  

Ernest enlisted on 27th February 1915 as a Private with the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment (Service No. 18895).  He was posted to France on 6 Jul 1915 and transferred on the 13th March 1915 to the 2nd/4th Battalion of the Northamptonshire Regiment (Service No. 202423). He was admitted to Hospital on 4 Aug 1915 suffering from shell shock and was repatriated to the UK.  He returned to France having transferred once again to the Royal Engineers (Service No. 359463) working with the Transport Section with the rank of Sapper.  He moved back to the UK and was posted to the Fovant Light Railway Training School, Fovant, Wiltshire, as a Lance Corporal (Service No. WR/284715) employed as a Tailor.   He was eventually discharged on 27th May 1919 and awarded the Victory and British War medals as well as the 1915 Star.  By the time of the 1921 Census he was back living in Pigstrough Lane, Donhead St. Andrew, and had resumed his calling as a Tailor with T. E. Gatehouse, Tailor of Ludwell, Wiltshire. He was at the same address by the time of the 1939 Register described as a Journeyman Tailor.   His death is recorded at the Mere, Wiltshire, Registry in 1965 and he was buried in the Donhead St. Andrew Cemetery on 15 May 1965.

Images:

Links to related web content / sources:
The National Archives
Berwick St John War Memorial

Alfred Joseph Hoys

Surname: Hoys
Other names: Alfred Joseph
Other people in this story:
Alfred J. Hoys
Jane Hoys née Burt
Alfred Verney-Cave
Locations in this story:
Lee Green, Lewisham, Kent
France & Flanders
Menin Road South Military Cemetery, Near Ypres, West Flanders, Belgium
Berwick St. John, Wiltshire
Stanford Hall, Westrill & Stanmore, Lutterworth, Leicestershire
London

Story:
Alfred Joseph Hoys was born in 1881 in Lee Green, Nr. Lewisham, Kent. He was the son of Alfred J. Hoys, a Bricklayer, and Jane Hoys (née Burt), a native of the Berwick St. John area. His mother died in 1885. At the time of the 1901 Census, he was single and working as a Footman to Alfred Verney-Cave, 5th Baron Braye, at Stanford Hall, Westrill & Stanmore, Lutterworth, Leicestershire. There is no record of him on the 1911 Census. He enlisted in London and joined the 7th Battalion of the Northamptonshire Regiment (Service No. 19258). He served in France & Flanders and at the time of his death held the rank of Corporal. He was awarded the Victory, British War and 1915 Star medals. He died on 15th February 1916 and was buried at Menin Road South Military Cemetery, Near Ypres, West Flanders, Belgium (grave id. I.H.4). He is remembered on the Berwick St. John War Memorial.

Images:
  • St. John the Baptist Church, Berwick St. John 01
  • Berwick St. John War Memorial

Links to related web content / sources:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
St. James' War Memorial

Joseph Christopher Quincey

Surname: Quincey
Other names: Joseph Christopher
Other people in this story:
Alfred James Plowright
Anne Plowright née Kemp
John Quincey
Locations in this story:
Irchester, Northamptonshire
Shrivenham, Berkshire
Upper Benefield, Oundle, Northamptonshire
Weymouth, Dorset
Gillingham, Dorset
France & Flanders
Boezinge, West Flanders, Belgium
Shaftesbury, Dorset

Story:
The name of Christopher Quincy (no 'e') appears on the Roll of Honour in St. James' Church, Shaftesbury.  The following is the known history of this person.  Joseph Christopher Quincey (always known as 'Christopher') was born in Irchester, Northamptonshire, during 1896 but there is no record of his parents.  He and his elder brother, John Quincey, were fostered by Anne Plowright (née Kemp) who, along with her husband, Alfred James Plowright, farmed at Upper Benefield, Oundle, Northamptonshire.  He was boarding out with a family in Shrivenham, Berkshire, at the time of the 1901 Census but by 1911 was back with his foster mother in Upper Benefield. 

He enlisted with the Northamptonshire Regiment as a Private (Service No. 40002).  He was posted to the 2nd Battalion whose headquarters was then based in Weymouth, Dorset, (due to the sea links to France) and later with the Training Unit near Gillingham, Dorset.  He was eventually sent with the 2nd Battalion to France and Flanders and promoted to Lance Corporal. He was regrettably killed in action on 26th June 1917 and finally buried in the Bard Cottage Cemetery, Boezinge, West Flanders, Belgium, (Grave ref: II.B.22). He was awarded the Victory and British War medals.  His foster mother received all his final monies due as well as a pension.  It is very likely that he had attended at St. James Church, Shaftesbury, during his time in the area as had other service personnel.

Images:
  • St. James' Roll of Honour

Links to related web content / sources:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives