Ashmore Pond

Harry Rideout

Surname: Rideout
Other names: Harry
Other people in this story:
Ephraim Rideout
Ellen Rideout née Sharp
Emma Rosetta Rideout née Fry
Locations in this story:
Ashmore, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Blandford St. Mary, Dorset
Newtown, Charlton Marshall, Blandford, Dorset
Corfe Mullen, Dorset
Poole. Dorset

Story:
Harry Rideout was born at Ashmore, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 15th July 1885, the son of Ephriam Rideout and Ellen Rideout (née Sharp).  He lived most of his early life at Ashmore.  He married Emma Rosetta Fry on 16th May 1910 at Blandford St. Mary, Dorset, and they went on to have three children.  Harry enlisted on 8th September 1914 as a Private with the 4th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 2518 later changed to 200834).  It is not known in which theatre of war he served but he was demobilized on 20th March 1919 and awarded the Victory and British War medals.  He made a claim for loss of sight which was finally rejected on 9th May 1922 as being not incurred due to military service.  The 1921 Census shows him living at Knoll Lane, Corfe Mullen, Dorset, working as a Carter on a Farm. By 1924 he had moved, and was still register at in the 1939 Register, living at 2 Newtown, Charlton Marshall, Blandford, Dorset, described as an 'Odd Man - Heavy Worker'.   He died in the Poole, Dorset, Registration District in 1970.

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The National Archives

Henry Frank Wilkins

Surname: Wilkins
Other names: Henry Frank
Other people in this story:
Henry Wilkins
Julia Wilkins née Mills
Emily Ethel Wilkins née Harborne
Locations in this story:
Farnham, Dorset
Chickerell, Dorset
France & Flanders
Dozinghem Military Cemetery, West Flanders, Belgium
Milborne St. Andrew, Blandford, Dorset.
Camberwell, London
Abingdon, Berkshire

Story:
Henry Frank Wilkins was born in Farnham, Dorset, in 1887 and baptised there on 19th June 1887, the son of Henry Wilkins and Julia Wilkins (née Mills). He lived his early years in and around Farnham, Dorset.  He married Emily Ethel Harborne at St. Bartholemew's Church, Camberwell, London, on 5th March 1910 and they set up home at Chickerell, Dorset.  They went on to have two children.  Due to lack of military records it is not known when Henry enlisted for service but he was in France and Flanders as a Private with the 2nd Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment (Service No. 29739) when he died of wounds on 10th July 1917 in Belgium.  There is a note that he had previously been with the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 15107).  He was buried at the Dozinghem Military Cemetery, West Flanders, Belgium. (Grave Reference l.B.15).  He was awarded the Victory and British War medals.  the 1921 Census shows his wife living at Little England, Milborne St. Andrew, Blandford, Dorset, and Henry's name appears on the Village War Memorial there. By the 1939 Register his wife was living in Abingdon, Berkshire, and she died there in 1948.

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The National Archives
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
St. Lawrence's Church, Farnham

Arthur Eldred Woolfries

Surname: Woolfries
Other names: Arthur Eldred
Other people in this story:
Francis Woolfries
Elizabeth Annie Woolfries née Jeans
Edwin Woolfries
Harry Woolfries
Charles Woolfries
Locations in this story:
Farnham, Dorset
Stroud Farm, Sturminster, Dorset

Story:
Arthur Eldred Woolfries was born in Farnham, Dorset, on 9th October 1892 and baptised there on 20th November 1892, the son of Francis Woolfries and Elizabeth Annie Woolfries (née Jeans).  He spent much of his early life in and around Farnham.  He enlisted on 9th December 1915 but was not mobilized until 8th February 1916 when he joined the 1st Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment as a Private (Service No. 33851).   He was transferred to the 3rd Battalion of the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry on 9th September 1916 (Service No. 21227) then on three other occasions to 10th Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry (14th November 1916) (Service No. 33065), the Northumberland Fusiliers (14th July 1917) (Service No. 55155) and finally the 683rd Agricultural Company of the Labour Corps (20th February 1918) (Service No. 528523).  Throughout his military service he was apparently based in the UK.  He was finally discharged on 3rd April 1919 and went back to his parents home in Farnham.  No medal records have been found in this case.  The 1921 Census shows him living with his sister at Sutton Steeple, Arne, Dorset, working as a Farm Labourer. By the 1939 Register he had moved to Stroud Farm, Sturminster, Dorset, and described as a Farmer. He apparently had moved to Meadow Farm, Trinity, Jersey, and was held on the Island following the German Invasion on 10 Jan 1941. He survived this experience but remained single throughout his life and eventually died 13 Mar 1961 back in Farnham, Dorset, being buried there at St. Lawrence Church on 16th March 1961.  Of his brothers Edwin Woolfries served but regrettably died at Gallipoli whilst Harry Woolfries and Charles Woolfries both served and survived.

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Harry Woolfries
Edwin Woolfries
Tollard Royal

Harry Lucas

Surname: Lucas
Other names: Harry
Other people in this story:
Thomas Lucas
Bessie Lucas née Matcham
Flora Lucas née Booth
Locations in this story:
Tollard Royal. Wiltshire
Farnham, Dorset
Bournemouth, Hampshire
Moss Side, South Manchester, Lancashire
Chester

Story:
Harry Lucas was born in Tollard Royal, Wiltshire, on 5th June 1895, the son of Thomas Lucas and Bessie Lucas (née Matcham). He lived much of his early life around Tollard Royal, Wiltshire, and Farnham, Dorset.  His parents ran the Post Office at Farnham for many years and Harry eventually became a postman.  He enlisted on 3rd March 1916 but was not mobilized until 4th April 1917 when he joined the Royal Army Medical Corps as a Private (Service No. 110442).  He served in the UK only due to the fact he had a glass eye fitted at Chester War Hospital, Chester. He was also based for a time at the 3rd Western General Hospital.   He was demobilized on 8th December 1919.  There are no medal records for Harry.   He had married Flora Booth in Poole, Dorset, on 4 May 1918 and they had at least one child.  The 1921 Census shows him living with his parents-in-law who lived at 29 Carlton Street, Moss Side, South Manchester, Lancashire. He lost his job as a Postman due to unfortunate reasons and the 1939 Register shows him at 20 Richmond Mansions, Richmond Gardens, Bournemouth, Hampshire, working as a Shop Assistant (Newsagent & Tobacconist).  His death was recorded in Bournemouth during 1943.

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The National Archives

James Stokes

Surname: Stokes
Other names: James
Other people in this story:
Stephen Nehemiah Stokes
Eliza Stokes
Irene Violet Stokes née Foyle
Locations in this story:
East Orchard, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Margaret Marsh, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Egypt
Salisbury, Wiltshire
Greens Farm, Margaret Marsh, Shaftesbury, Dorset

Story:
James Stokes was born at East Orchard, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 5th July 1897, the son of Stephen Nehemiah and Eliza Stokes.  He lived most of his life in the vicinity.  He enlisted and joined the Dorset (Queen's Own) Yeomanry (Service No. 1416) later transferring to the Corps of Hussars (Service No. 230680).  He served in Egypt from 6 Nov 1915 and was promoted to Lance Corporal.   He was eventually discharged on 22nd March 1919 and awarded the Victory and British War medals as well as the 1915 Star.  The 1921 Census shows he had returned to East Orchard and was living with his parents working as an Agrcultural Labourer. His marriage to Irene Violet Foyle was registered in Shaftesbury, Dorset, during 1929 and they went on to have at least two children.  By the 1939 Register he is shown living at Greens Farm Cottage, Margaret Marsh, Shaftesbury, described as a Dairy Farmer and Rabbit Trapper.  His death was registered at Salisbury, Wiltshire, Registry in 1981 and he was buried at Margaret Marsh on 8 Dec 1981.

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The National Archives
Farnham churchyard

Albert Kiddle

Surname: Kiddle
Other names: Albert
Other people in this story:
James Kiddle
Rose Kiddle née Whitlock
Dorcas Emily Kiddle née Miller
Harry James Kiddle
Locations in this story:
Farnham, Dorset
France & Flanders
Sixpenny Handley, Dorset
Alverstoke, Hampshire
Gosport, Hampshire
Rugby, Warwickshire

Story:
Albert Kiddle was born in Farnham, Dorset, on 14th May 1894, the son of James Kiddle and Rose Kiddle (née Whitlock).  He lived most of his early life around Farnham and Sixpenny Handley, Dorset. He enlisted on 15th April 1915 and joined the Royal Army Service Corps as a Private (Service No. M2/077250).  He served in France and Flanders from 1 May 1915 where he contracted malaria in June 1916. This led to him receiving a small pension in due time. The effects of the disease were still evident from various medicals received up until 1923.  He was demobilized on 29th April 1919 and awarded the Victory and British War medals as well as the 1915 Star. The 1921 Census shows he him boarding at 146 Railway Terrace, Rugby, Warwickshire, where he had obtained employment as a Motor Driver for a local firm. He married Dorcas Emily Miller in 1923 at Alverstoke, Hampshire.  They went on to have four children.  By the 1939 Register he was living at 10 Whitworth Road, Gosport, Hampshire, and was working as a Bus Driver.  He died in Gosport in 1973.   His brother, Harry James Kiddle, also served in the conflict but suffered greatly after his discharge.

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Holy Trinity Church, Shaftesbury 1

George James Harrison

Surname: Harrison
Other names: George James
Other people in this story:
James George Harrison
Sarah Ann Harrison née Parsons
Jane Barnes Harrison née Cole
Mabel Annie Harrison née Burden
Locations in this story:
Farnham, Dorset
Shaftesbury, Dorset
France & Flanders
Gussage St. Michael, Wimborne, Dorset
Holt, Dorset
Germany
Holy Trinity Church, Shaftesbury
Gussage All Saints, Dorset

Story:
George James Harrison was born in Farnham, Dorset, in 1880 and baptised there on 13th June 1880, the son of James George Harrison and Sarah Ann Harrison (née Parsons).  He lived much of his life in and around Farnham and Gussage St. Michael, Dorset.   He married Jane Barnes Cole at Holy Trinity Church, Shaftesbury, Dorset on 30th September 1902 and they went on to have five children.  Sadly Jane, though in trouble with the law herself, died on 11th November 1918 whilst in an Isolation Hospital.  George had enlisted on 21st December 1914 and joined the 206th Company of the Royal Army Service Corps (Motor Transport) as a Driver (Service No. T4/038896).  He served in France and Flanders from 13 Aug 1915 where, at some stage, he received shrapnel wounds which eventually led him to receiving a small pension. He also served as part of the occupying forces in Germany and was eventually discharged on 20th June 1919. He was awarded the Victory and British War medals as well as the 1915 Star.  He re-married Mabel Annie Burden on 18th May 1920 at Holt, Dorset, and they had four children.  The 1921 Census shows him living in Gussage All Saints, Dorset, where he worked as a Carter on a farm. George died at the age of 56 years at Gussage All Saints on 14th April 1936.

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The Well, Farnham

Albert Bennett

Surname: Bennett
Other names: Albert
Other people in this story:
Charles Bennett
Anne Bennett nee Woodford
Locations in this story:
Farnham, Dorset
France & Flanders
Sixpenny Handley, Dorset
Brighton, Sussex.
Deanland, Nr. Wimborne, Dorset
Blandford, Dorset

Story:
Albert Bennett was born in Farnham, Dorset, on 19th February 1878 and baptised there on 17th April 1878, the son of Charles Bennett and Anne Bennett (nee Woodford).  Whilst the family moved around the area during his early years he was mainly associated with the Farnham area.  He had enlisted with the Dorsetshire Regiment in 1905 but had bought himself out within a few days of joining.  He again enlisted on 6th December 1915 and joined the Army Service Corps as a Driver (Service No. T4/160362) serving with the 128th Company.  On the 29 Jan 1917 he was transferred to the 16th Reserve Regiment of the Royal Field Artillery (Service No. 220813) and posted to France on 14 May 1918.  He was taken ill in France and invalided back to the UK on 30 Jan 1919 spending some time in the Brighton War Hospital, Sussex.  He was demobilized on 28th March 1919 and awarded the Victory and British War medals.  The 1921 Census shows he had returned to Farnham and worked as a Farm Labourer and that by the 1939 Register he had moved to Deanland, Nr. Wimborne, Dorset, now working as a Contractors Labourer.  His death was recorded at the Blandford, Dorset, Registry in 1947 and he was buried at Sixpenny Handley, Dorset, on 5th May 1947.

Images:

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The National Archives
Farnham Church

Henry George Brown

Surname: Brown
Other names: Henry George
Other people in this story:
George Brown
Emma Brown née Rideout
Edith Annie Brown née Keay
Locations in this story:
Farnham, Dorset
France & Flanders
India
Bromsden, Henley, Oxfordshire
Bloxwich, Staffordshire
Lower Whatcombe, Winterbourne Whitchurch, Dorset
Bix, Oxfordshire

Story:
Henry George Brown was born in Farnham, Dorset, on 26th August 1884 and baptised there on 6 Jun 1886 the son of George Brown and Emma Brown (née Rideout).   He lived most of his very early life in and around Farnham.  He married Edith Annie Keay on the 11th April 1914 in Bloxwich, Staffordshire, where he was working as an Under Game Keeper.  They went on to have five children.   He enlisted on 6th June 1916 and was placed on reserve with the 5th Reserve Brigade (Territorial Force) of the Royal Garrison Artillery as a Gunner (Service No. 126248).  He was mobilized on 30th October 1916 and posted to France.  He was transferred on 11th June 1917 to the 4th Mountain Battery of the RGA in India (Service No. 301744).  He was fully discharged on 31st March 1920 and awarded the British War Medal and the India General Service Medal with Clasp (Afghanistan 1919).  The 1921 Census shows him living at Lower Whatcombe, Winterbourne Whitchurch, Dorset, working as a Gamekeeper and by the 1939 Register he had moved to West Lodge, Bromsden, Henley, Oxfordshire, and described as a Head Gamekeeper.  He died in Bix, Oxfordshire, of a coronary thrombosis on 22nd April 1964.

Images:

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The National Archives
St. Lawrence's Church, Farnham

William Charles Barrett

Surname: Barrett
Other names: William Charles
Other people in this story:
Joseph Barrett
Eliza Barrett née Hiscock
Locations in this story:
Farnham, Dorset
Chettle, Nr. Farnham, Dorset
Salisbury, Wiltshire

Story:
William Charles Barrett was born on 13th September 1880 in Farnham, Dorset, the son of Joseph Barrett and Eliza Barrett (née Hiscock).  He spent most of his life, apart from Military Service, in and around the Farnham area.  His father died in 1910. He enlisted on 20th January 1916 but was not mobilized until 10th October 1916 when he joined the 13th Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment as a Private (Service No. 42126).  Within days he was transferred to the 2nd Works Company of the Devonshire Regiment until the 28th April 1917 when he was transferred again to the 311th (Home Service) Labour Company of the Labour Corps (Service No. 171979).  On the 23rd July 1918 he was again moved, this time to the 3rd Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 46831).   He served his whole time in the UK until being demobilized on 17th March 1919.  No medal records can be found in this case.  The 1921 Census shows he was living in Chettle, Nr. Farnham, Dorset, living with his widowed mother and working as a House Carpenter. The 1939 Register shows him still living in Farnham, Dorset, as a Carpenter.   He died in the Salisbury, Wiltshire, Registration District during 1968 and was cremated on 27th September 1968 at Salisbury.  His ashes were buried in the churchyard of Farnham Church on 24 Oct 1968.  He had remained single throughout his life.

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The National Archives