Agnes Esther Clarke

Surname: Clarke
Other names: Agnes Jessie
Other people in this story:
Lady Napier
Locations in this story:
Gunville House, Sedgehill, Wiltshire
Tisbury, Wiltshire
Salisbury, Wiltshire

Story:
Little is known about (Miss) Agnes Esther Clarke except that she was born in 1893 and was either boarding or working for Lady Napier at Gunville House, Sedgehill, Wiltshire, when she worked as a (Voluntary Aid Detachment) Cook at the Red Cross Hospital, Tisbury, Wiltshire from June 1916 until August 1916.  She remained in Wiltshire and died in Salisbury in 1979.

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The National Archives

Jessie Graham Elizabeth Tudhope

Surname: Tudhope
Other names: Jessie Graham Elizabeth
Other people in this story:
John H Tudhope
Mrs Butter
Locations in this story:
New Lane House, Motcombe, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Canada
South Africa
Fulham, London

Story:
Little is known about (Mrs) Jessie Graham Elizabeth Tudhope except that during her service with the British Red Cross (Voluntary Aid Detachment) she was boarding with a Mrs Butter, New Lane House, Motcombe, Shaftesbury, Dorset.  She had been born in South Africa in 1894 and lived for some time in Canada. Jessie was married to John H. Tudhope (who was a Captain serving with the Royal Air Force). She joined the VAD on 15th February 1917 and served until 25th June 1917.  She was appointed to the Military Hospital, Fulham, London.  She is known to have died on 14th January 1946.

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Bleke Street, Shaftesbury

Mary Harris

Surname: Harris
Other names: Mary
Other people in this story:
William James Harris
Kathleen Emily Harris née Howe
Maurice William Sydney Harris
Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury, Dorset
Longford Castle, Salisbury, Wiltshire
Salisbury, Wiltshire
Bleke Street, Shaftesbury
Bell Street, Shaftesbury
Tisbury Red Cross War Hospital, Tisbury, Wiltshire
Longford Castle, Salisbury, Wiltshire

Story:
Mary Harris was born in Shaftesbury in 1896, daughter of Dr. William James Harris and Kathleen Emily Harris née Howe. In 1901 the family were living at 37 Bell Street, but soon moved to "Avishayes" in Bleke Street. The 1903 Kelly's Directory describes Dr. Harris as "surgeon & hon. medical officer to the Westminster Memorial Cottage Hospital, & public vaccinator to the Shaftesbury district & medical officer to the Workhouse." Mary's brother Maurice William Sydney (b.1897) also served in the war, with the Middlesex Regiment.

Mary was living at "Avishayes" when she joined the British Red Cross (Voluntary Aid Detachment) in the Autumn of 1916.  She served as a Nurse at the Tisbury Red Cross War Hospital, Tisbury, Wiltshire, and at Longford Castle, Salisbury, Wiltshire, until August 1918 when she joined the Headquarters RAF Salisbury for motor driving. The date on which she completed her military service is not known. Research continues.

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Maurice William Sidney Harris
The National Archives

Oenone Grove

Surname: Grove
Other names: Oenone
Other people in this story:
Walter John Grove
Agnes Geraldine Grove née Fox-Pitt-Rivers
Locations in this story:
Berwick St. John, Wiltshire
Sedgehill Manor, Sedgehill, Wiltshire
St. Thomas Hospital, London
Mere, Wiltshire
Maida Vale, London

Story:
Oenone Grove was born at Berwick St. John, Wiltshire, on 1st March 1889, the daughter of Sir Walter John Grove, 2nd Baronet, and Agnes Geraldine Grove (née Fox-Pitt-Rivers).   She lived a good part of her civilian life at Sedgehill Manor, Sedgehill, Wiltshire.  She joined the British Red Cross (Voluntary Aid Detachment) on 1st November 1917 and worked as a Nurse at 5th London General, St. Thomas Hospital, London, until 30th May 1918.  She left the Detachment to join the Royal Air Force on 21st June 1918 (Service No. 11807) and is understood to have served in the UK only - occupation unknown. She is likely to have been discharged by 1921 when the general stand down came into effect as the 1921 Census shows her living in Flat 4B, 91 Warrington Crescent, Maida Vale, London.  She travelled extensively thereafter, frequently going between the UK, Canada and USA.  She died on 21st January 1956 (Mere, Wiltshire, Registration District) whilst living at Sedgehill and was buried on 21st January 1956 at Berwick St. John, Wiltshire. She remained single throughout her life.

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PN419

Reginald Southgate

Surname: Southgate
Other names: Reginald
Other people in this story:
Ernest Southgate
Sarah Sally Southgate née Dawson
Ernest Harold Southgate
Florence Mahalia Southgate née Bennett
Locations in this story:
Charlton, Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire
Landsley Farm, Higher Coombe, Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire
Knaphill, Woking, Surrey
Honiton, Devon

Story:
Reginald Southgate was born at Higher Coombe, Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire, on 21st November 1899 and baptised at St. John the Baptist Church, Charlton, Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire, on 2nd June 1901, the son of Ernest Southgate and Sarah Sally Southgate (née Dawson). (Reginald's elder brother, Ernest Harold Southgate, was baptised on the same day and also served in the war.)  Reginald lived most of his early life at Landsley Farm, Higher Coombe.  He enlisted on 27th December 1917 and joined the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry as a Private (Service No. 30521).  He later transferred to the Royal Buckinghamshire Hussars on 29th March 1918 (Service No. 67043).  He served in the UK only and was discharged on 10th February 1919.  There are no medal records.  By the 1921 Census he had returned to Higher Coombe and was working as a Plumber & Fitter for S. Humphries & Son, Shaftesbury.  Reginald married Florence Mahalia Bennett at Charlton, Donhead St. Mary, in 1923 and they went on to have two children.  By the 1939 Register he was living at 34 Herbert Crescent, Knaphill, Woking, Surrey, working as a Wholesale Dairy Producer.  He died in the Honiton, Devon, Registry District in 1982.

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Elizabeth Bastalle Wilkins

Surname: Wilkins
Other names: Elizabeth Bastalle
Other people in this story:
Locations in this story:
Stour Row, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Cottage Hospital, Chard, Somerset

Story:
Elizabeth Bastalle Wilkins was born on 24th Febrary 1883.  There are no identifiable records as to her parents or previous residences.  It is know that she was living at Pear Tree Cottage, Stour Row, Shaftesbury, Dorset, at the outbreak of war and she joined the British Red Cross (Voluntary Aid Detachment) as a trained nurse on 22nd March 1916 at a local unnamed hospital.  She was quickly promoted to Sister in Charge and remained in service until 22nd March 1919.  She was at that time still living in Stour Row.  The 1939 Register shows her address as The Cottage Hospital, Chard, Somerset, where she was the Matron and single.  There is no identifiable record of the date of her death.

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Wincombe Park

John Hastings

Surname: Hastings
Other names: John
Other people in this story:
Dorothy H. Hastings
Locations in this story:
Downpatrick, Co. Down, Ireland
Wincombe Park, Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire
Shaftesbury, Dorset
Etaples, France
Boulogne, France

Story:
John Hastings was born in Downpatrick, Co. Down, Ireland, in 1862. He had retired as a Solicitor and moved to Wincombe Park, Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire with his wife, Dorothy H. Hastings, whom he had married in 1902.  Following the outbreak of war he joined the British Red Cross (Voluntary Aid Detachment) Motor Ambulance Department and served in Etaples and Boulogne, France, between 17th March 1915 and April 1916 as an ambulance driver.  He remained at Wincombe Park throughout and died in 1932.

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Motcombe House

Gladys Elizabeth Nixon

Surname: Nixon
Other names: Gladys Elizabeth
Other people in this story:
Brinsley de Courcy Nixon
Suzanna Frances Evelyn Nixon née Hampton
Hugh Grosvenor
Locations in this story:
Bideford, Devon
South Kensington, London
Motcombe House, Motcombe, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Sturminster Newton, Dorset
Hove, Sussex

Story:
Gladys Elizabeth Nixon was born in Bideford, Devon, on 14th August 1879, the daughter of Brinsley de Courcy Nixon and Suzanna Frances Evelyn Nixon (née Hampton). She married Hugh Grosvenor, 2nd Baron Stalbridge, at St. Jude's Church, South Kensington, London, on 10th November 1903.  In August 1914, whilst living at Motcombe House, Motcombe, Shaftesbury, Dorset, Baroness Grosvenor joined the British Red Cross (Voluntary Aid Detachment) and became President of the Sturminster Newton, Dorset, District until November 1916.  She died at Hove, Sussex, on 20th March 1960.

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Arthur John Harding

Surname: Harding
Other names: Arthur John
Other people in this story:
George Arthur Harding
Annie Harding née Bleathman
Rosena Ellen Harding née Bonnieface
Locations in this story:
Sedgehill, Wiltshire
Cocking, Midhurst, Sussex
France & Flanders
Heyshott, Midhurst, Sussex
Midhurst, Sussex
Berwick St. John, Wiltshire
Grimsby, Lincolnshire

Story:
Arthur John Harding was born on 11th May 1893 in Sedgehill, Wiltshire and baptised there on 3rd September 1893, the son of George Arthur Harding and Annie Harding (née Bleathman).  He lived his early life in Sedgehill and Berwick St. John, Wiltshire, before moving with his family to Crypt Cottage, Cocking, Midhurst, Sussex, by 1911.  At the outbreak of war Arthur was living with his grandmother in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, where he enlisted on 30th August 1914 and joined the 2/1st North Midland Battery of the Royal Field Artillery as a Gunner (Service No. 98547).  (His military records show him as John Arthur Harding as the family knew him as John.)  He served in France & Flanders from 4 Oct 1915 and was discharged on 18th April 1919. He was awarded the Victory and British War medals as well as the 1915 Star.  At some time shortly after discharge he returned to Cocking to join his family.   He married Rosena Ellen Bonnieface in Midhurst, Sussex, in 1925 and they went on to have two children.   By the 1939 Register he was living at 251 The Barracks, Heyshott, Midhurst, Sussex, and was working as a Farm Carter.   His death is recorded in Midhurst in 1966. (NB Not to be confused with Arthur John Harding also of Sedgehill but born in 1888 and father was Thomas Baker Harding.)

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Compton Abbas Rectory

Edith Morse

Surname: Morse
Other names: Edith
Other people in this story:
Alfred Herbert Morse
Diana Ann Morse née Gooch
Charles Edward Donne
Locations in this story:
Copdock, Suffolk
Samford, Suffolk
The Rectory, Compton Abbas, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Red Cross Hospital, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Massandra Hospital, Weymouth, Dorset
Grata Quies Hospital, Bournemouth, Hampshire
Poole, Dorset
Norwich, Norfolk
Ashmore, Shaftesbury, Dorset

Story:
Edith Morse was born at Copdock, Suffolk, on 13th June 1873, the daughter of Alfred Herbert Morse and Diana Ann Morse (née Gooch).  She lived most of her early life in the Copdock area.  She married Rev. Charles Edward Donne at Samford, Suffolk, in 1908.  There are no obvious records of children.  At the outbreak of war she was living at the Rectory, Compton Abbas, Shaftesbury, Dorset, where her husband had been appointed.  She joined the British Red Cross (Voluntary Aid Detachment) in September 1918 and was still in service on 10th February 1919.  She served as a Nurse at the Red Cross Hospital, Shaftesbury, Dorset, the Massandra Hospital, Weymouth, Dorset, and the Grata Quies Hospital, Bournemouth, Hampshire.   By the 1921 Census she was now living at the Rectory, Ashmore, Shaftesbury, Dorset, where her husband has been additionally appointed. At the time of the 1939 Register she and her husband were living at Redmere, Crescent Road, Poole, Dorset.   She died in Norwich, Norfolk, on 16th February 1956.

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