Charles Pomeroy was born on 30 September 1854
He is my 2nd great-granduncle and is a DNA connection. i.e. on the paper route between me and a DNA match.
He was born in in Giles Cross, Bradford Peverell, Dorset.
His father was John Pomeroy and his mother Mary Ann Bowditch. Read more about Mary Ann in my article about John Bowditch. According to the 1841 Census John and his family, which at the time included 6 children, were living at Coles Cross, about 3 miles away from Broadwinsor, or Broadwindsor. The same place with variations of spelling. A short 1 hour walk along Coombe Water Lane, Park Water Lane, and Common Hill / B3164, and into the village of Broadwindsor. John was an Agricultural Labourer.
Given Name Surname | Age | Estimated Birth Year | Gender |
---|---|---|---|
John Pomery | 30 | 1811 | Male |
Mary Pomery | 25 | 1816 | Female |
David Pomery | 10 | 1831 | Male |
Mary Pomery | 8 | 1833 | Female |
Anna Pomery | 6 | 1835 | Female |
Harriot Pomery | 5 | 1836 | Female |
George Pomery | 3 | 1838 | Male |
John Pomery | 1 | 1840 | Male |
Click on map to open interactive Ordnance Survey 25" Map at National Library of Scotland.
John and Mary lived near his parents George Pomeroy and Frances Pomeroy nee Gibbs in Coles Cross. A John Pomeroy is shown as a landowner on the Tithe Apportionment Map of Coles Cross, along with George Pomeroy and Frances Pomeroy.
In the 1851 Census, unsurprisingly, John and Mary had more children listed, and the eldest 4 had moved away or passed away. John was now a shepherd. The whole family were listed as being born in Dorsetshire, Broadwindsor.
Giles Cross
(For Supporting Data, follow this link)
The 1861 Census has John and his family were living in the parish of Bradford Peverell, near Dorchester. The Enumerators notes state; The whole of the Parish of Bradford Peverell including Muckleford hamlet, Quatre Bras Cottage, Giles Cross, New Barn Cottages, Tilly Whim, The Lodges in the Bridport Road, Higher Skippet, Lower Skippet, and Bradford Cottages.
Giles Cross is the place stated on the 1861 Census, but that is not shown on the OS 25" Map. However it is shown on Historic England map. Search for Bradford Peverell.
The adjacent Gascoyne New Barn is however shown on the OS 25" Map, also shown. Click on the OS Map to see the area and follow the road to the South West of the marker, along Tilly Whim Lane. Tilly Whim is maked in the Tithing box of the census and was the main clue to finding Giles Cross.
The 1861 Census is as expected the first appearance in the Census for Charles Edward Pomeroy.
Giles Crofs is in fact Giles Cross as at the time ss was written fs, although the f was without the cross bar and was actually a tall s. The family was all born in Broad Windsor (Broadwindsor), Devon, except for Charles who was born in Bradford Peverell.
Looking at the place where born on the 1861, the family moved from the Parish of Broadwindsor, to that of Bradford Peverell between the births of Robert and Charles, i.e. between 1853 and 1855.
At the time of writing, I have been unable to find a Tithe Apportionment for the Parish of Bradford Peverell. This could be just that I have not found it or there was not one done for the area. As it is a small Parish, perhaps the LandOwner is predominantly one person. In the search I found an interesting article about Bradford Peverell in Dorset Life.
Giles Cross is the cross roads along the Roman Road and Tilly Whim Lane the the South West and Gascoyne Lane to the North East. The Roman Road is also known as Poundbury Road which leads to the Duchy of Cornwall Poundbury village, on the way to Dorchester. Which followed which I do not know.
I had hoped to find out from the Tithe Apportionment who owned and occupied the plots surrounding Giles Cross and if there were existing buildings in c. 1840, the date of the survey. Not to be unfortunately.
However, that still leaves another rabbit hole to bolt down. In the 1861 Census, there are two families living at Giles Cross, that of John Pomeroy and George Hallett. Hallett is a surname that crops up elsewhere in our story. In the article about John Bowditch, this Will refers to Elizabeth wife of Thomas Hallett. He married Elizabeth Bowditch on 14 February 1804 in Broadwindsor, Dorset. Elizabeth had a brother Michael, also mentioned in the Will. Michael had a daughter Mary Ann Bowditch in 1909. She married John Pomeroy on 8 September 1830 in her hometown of Broadwindsor. The same John and Mary that moved to Giles Cross form Broadwindsor between 1853 and 1855. I suspect I will be adding a George Hallet to my Tree sometime soon.
However, back to Charles Edward Pomeroy and first appearance on the 1861 Census in the Parish of Bradford Peverell. Most births were at home in this period, so I will record his place of birth as being Giles Cross, Bradford Peverell. There is no evidence if the actual dwelling was among Gascoyne New Barn, which I assume was a farm, or the property on the other side of the Roman Road. Which could also serve as a toll booth if the Roman Road was adopted as a Turnpike, just by the alignment of the building to that of the road. Although a more probable route for the Turnpike would be along the current A37 based on the milestone markers on that road, which is broadly parallel, but on the other side of the river.
Gascoyne Barn as an address now includes a business called Superglide Suspension, which also confirms the location of Giles Cross.
The picture is of Gascoyne Barn complex which from Google Streetview is now known as Bradford Peverell Farm Giles Cross. The dirt track on the left of the photo is Gascoyne Lane.
This building could have been the very place Charles Edward Pomeroy was born. The building on the other side is just buttcups in summer now,
The Bradford Peverell Farm shown on the OS 25" map of 1903 is shown to be in the village of Bradford Peverell, near the Rectory. That building is now Grade II Listed as Bradford Peverell Farmhouse. Clearly different places.
It is only a 12 minute walk from Giles Cross to St Mary's Church, going past Bradford Peverell Farmhouse, where Charles Pomeroy was baptised on 29 October 1854 by .... Williams, Rector.
Unfortunately, the Baptism record does not record Charles Pomeroy date of birth, nor his second name, Edward. I have not yet established if John and Mary Pomeroy are the only family of that name in the region.
Sadly, on the next page Reuben Pomeroy was baptised on 15 November 1855 only to die the following day. His parents were Henry and Sarah Ann.
The next step therefore is to look at the preceding Census records. Transcribed and listed at Online Parish Clerks for Dorset starting with 1841.
The families living at Cross Barn, presumably Giles Cross and Gascoyne Barn are Watts and Kellaway, Agricultural Labourers and Shepherds.
The whole of the Parish of Bradford Peverell: Inhabited houses 76 Uninhabited houses 2 Houses being built 1.
Male persons 181 Female persons 174 Total Persons 355
For those listed none are Pomeroy or Hallett or variants thereof.
Moving on to 1851. No statistics this time, and the location of Giles Cross is not separately identified. Again no Pomeroy or Hallett families.
The census in 1861 has two Pomeroy families, our John and Mary Pomeroy, and Henry and Sarah A Pomeroy and their children Frances, Robert, and Walter. Henry was a Groom from Coles Cross and it appears that the family had moved to Bradford Peverell between 1853 and 1857. Not dissimilar to when John and Mary moved to Bradford Peverell.
There is only the one Hallett family in the 1861 census of Bradford Peverell, as previously mentioned, living at Giles Cross.
29 | Giles Cross | George | HALLETT | Head | Mar | 44 | Ag Lab | Broad Winzer | ||
Mary | HALLETT | Wife | Mar | 43 | White Church | |||||
Samuel | HALLETT | Son | 15 | Ag Lab | Broadwinzer | |||||
Sarah | HALLETT | Dau | 13 | Scholar | Broadwinzer | |||||
Caroline | HALLETT | Dau | 8 | Scholar | Broadwinzer | |||||
Richard M | HALLETT | Son | 4 | Scholar | Bradford Peverell |
In the 1871 Census there is still a George Hallett living at Giles Cross.
29 | Giles Cross | George | HALLETT | Head | Mar | 54 | Ag Lab | Somerset, Broadwindsor | 8/8 | |
Martha | HALLETT | Wife | Mar | 53 | Dorset, Whitechurch | 8/8 | ||||
Robert | LOVELL | Lodger | Unm | 27 | Ag Lab | Dorset, Portesham | 8/8 |
There is no certainty that this is necessarily the same George Hallett. The age is the same, but is not unusual for a slight variance between census, adjusting for the ten years of course. However, his wife's name has changed from Mary to Martha, and none of the children are still there on the day of the enumerators visit, even 14 year old Richard M. Inconclusive, either way.
The other families of Giles Cross are now Hunt, Joliffe, and Bailey.
55 | Samuel | HALLETT | Head | Mar | 25 | Ag Lab | Somerset, Coles Cross | 10/12 | ||
Elizabeth J | HALLETT | Wife | Mar | 23 | Dressmaker | Dorset, Bradford Peverell | 10/12 | |||
Elizabeth E | HALLETT | Daur | 5 | Scholar | Dorset, Bradford Peverell | 10/12 | ||||
Emma M | HALLETT | Daur | 1 | Dorset, Bradford Peverell | 10/12 | |||||
Charlotte A | COOMBS | Visitor | Unm | 25 | Gen Serv Dom | Dorset, Ansty | 10/12 | |||
56 | Henry | POMEROY | Head | Mar | 47 | Groom | Somerset, Coles Cross | 10/12 | ||
Ann | POMEROY | Wife | Mar | 39 | Dorset, Broadwindsor | 10/12 | ||||
Frances | POMEROY | Daur | Unm | 18 | Gen Serv Dom | Dorset, Ansty | 10/12 | |||
Robert | POMEROY | Son | 14 | Farm Serv boy | Dorset, Bradford Peverell | 10/12 | ||||
Walter | POMEROY | Son | 11 | Scholar | Dorset, Bradford Peverell | 10/12 | ||||
Albert H | POMEROY | Son | 1 | Dorset, Bradford Peverell | 10/12 | |||||
Frances | DEAMAN | Niece | 9 | Scholar | Dorset, Poole | 10/12 |
There is another one family of each Hallett and Pomeroy in the 1871 census with the Pomeroy family living 8 buildings away from the Rectory in the village of Bradford Peverell. Which would place their homes in the vicinity of the now Grade II Listed as Bradford Peverell Farmhouse. The census extract for building 54, next to Hallet at 55, could well be for that Farmer, with both the Hallett and Pomeroy families working for him.
54 | John A | SMITH | Head | Mar | 57 | Farmer of 650 Ac. Em. 21 men 11 boys | Dorset, Broadwindsor | 10/11 | ||
Anna | SMITH | Wife | Mar | 50 | Dorset, Symondsbury | 10/11 | ||||
Anna E | SMITH | Daur | Unm | 19 | Dorset, Broadwindsor | 10/11 | ||||
Mary G | SMITH | Daur | Unm | 17 | Dorset, Broadwindsor | 10/11 | ||||
Christina | SMITH | Daur | 10 | Scholar | Dorset, Bradford Peverell | 10/12 | ||||
Bertha | SMITH | Daur | 6 | Scholar | Dorset, Bradford Peverell | 10/12 | ||||
Mary J | BOATSWAIN | Serv | Unm | 26 | Cook (Serv Dom) | Dorset, Abbotsbury | 10/12 | |||
Emma | LOVELESS | Serv | Unm | 21 | Housemaid (Serv Dom) | Dorset, Frampton | 10/12 |
However, our John and Mary Pomeroy and their son Charles Pomeroy had moved away. To Compton Valance as it turns out.
Compton Valence
(For Supporting Data, follow this link)
On the day of writing this it snowed where I was. It was pretty and as we did not have to travel, all joy. I looked up Compton Valence on Google Maps and found some lovely images of a snowy Compton Valence in 2018 taken by Christopher Watson in 2018. Follow this link to see this and similar images of his in Google Maps.
Not a lot to do with my Family History and Charles Pomeroy but the following collection of photos from Google Maps give some impression of the size of Compton Valence about the time of writing, 2021, with probably little changed from 1871 when Charles Pomeroy lived somewhere in this very rural community. Not necessarily in the village, and more likely at one of the nearby farms.
Google Streetview a little further into the village, on Church Hill Lane, approaching the Church.
Now looking back to the same cottages with the old red telephone box, and Compton Valence Church of St Thomas a Beckett on the left.
The Church and Churchyard of St Thomas a Beckett at Compton Valence, Dorset. Another clip from Google Streetview.
Compton Valence is a very small village, consisting of 27 households, of which 30% are owner occupied, the remainder being farm cottages which are let. The village is known for its snowdrops, which provide a wonderful display each February, attracting many visitors, many of whom take the opportunity to visit the church.
Back to the past.
Dispite being so small, it is difficult to identify the location of the abode of John and Mary Pomeroy. Above the village, and below further out, the Parish of the same name.
More can be read about the history of Compton Valence at OPCDorset. The restoration of the church was completed in 1840, before the arrival of the Pomeroy's.
This page of the 1871 Census is the first evidence of the families move from Giles Cross in the Parish of Bradford Peverell to the Parish of Compton Valence. It is a very small parish. The whole parish is covered in 7 census pages. A total of 26 Inhabited Buildings, with a population of 146 people. Of those 44 were Married, 5 Widowed, and 36 Unmarried, with the remainder uncategorised, normally under the age of 15. The population of 146 consisted of 67 males and 79 females. The community consisted of 27 different occupations, mainly Agricultural based, Scholars, (School Children) and Domestic Staff.
John and Mary Pomeroy together with children Robert 18 and Charles 16. John and Robert are Shepherds and Charles is an Agricultural Labourer. John and Mary are 62 and 60 years old.
There is another John Pomeroy in the Parish of Compton Valence, only one building away from the Rectory. However, not knowing which way the Enumerators was walking his route, it does not help in discerning the location of the other Pomeroy family. In the village, or in one of the outlining farms. The John Pomeroy near the Rectory is married to Louisa. He is a 31 year old Gardener Domestic Servant from Broadmayne, Dorset and she is a 37 year old Dress Maker from Compton Valence.
Broadmayne, Dorset is the other side of Dorchester from Compton Valence and may not be a relation to the Pomeroy's of Broadwindsor, as the two villages are 23 miles apart.
Next door to John and Louisa Pomeroy were the retired shepherd Thomas Barber and his wife, Followed by the Palmer Family, including their Grand Daughter Alice J Cozens, aged 6. Alice could be the only Cozens in the village.
Most of the parish were engaged in agricultural including John Pomeroy and his two sons still living with him and Mary, Robert and Charles. Robert was a shepherd and Charles an agricultural labourer. Charles was 16 and in full time work. Facing a life in a rural community, working the land, as his forebears had done.
That was not to be his lot though.
The next recorded move for his parents was back to Broadwindsor, not quite Coles Cross, but Blackdown, less than 5 minutes walk away.
Charles must have met and courted Charlotte Elizabeth Cousens who presumably lived in the Parish of Maiden Newton, Dorset. It is 3.6 miles, or 1 1/4 Hours walk between the to villages, and less between the parishes. Maiden Newton is a more substantial village than Compton Valence, and has a reasonably direct connection along Greenford Lane.
The railway station in Maiden Newton opened on 20 January 1857, well before Charles being recorded in Crompton Valence in the 1871 Census. The Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Railway had been built to be part of the Great Western Railway system, and as such used broad gauge track. In 1874 the GWR, Great Western Railway, or as some would have it, God's Wonderful Railway, having previously bought out WSWR, decided that it was time to convert to what had become the standard gauge, and the whole of the WS&WR system were converted in a massive operation in June 1874. On 18 June the network was cleared of broad gauge rolling stock and the work of altering the gauge began, and the first standard gauge train ran on 22 June. Maiden Newton may have been the most convenient railway station into the National Railway Network, despite the change from GWR to LSWR at Dorchester, and perhaps gauge, well until 1874.
The Great Western Railway, was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, in 1838, with a gauge of 7 ft 1⁄4 in (2,140 mm). However, the Gauge Commission eventually choose in favour of all new railways in England, Wales and Scotland being built to standard gauge of 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm), this being the gauge with the greatest mileage. This became Standard Gauge, and was adopted of a large proportion of the worlds railways. LSWR line to Dorchester was already standard gauge.
The railways had a significant impact on rural life and helped promote and facilitate a general migration towards towns and cities.
Before we explore how that relationship developed, let us conclude the story about Charles parents, John and Mary Pomeroy.
Blackdown
In the 1881 Census John and Mary Pomeroy have moved back to there roots. In the Parish of Broadwindsor, not in Cole's Cross where this story began, but 5 minutes North in Blackdown. Blackdown was in the ascendance and is currently found on maps, whereas Coles's Cross frequently is not.
The church in the photo is a chapel of ease dedicated to the Holy Trinity that was erected in 1840, aiding the growth of Blackdown.
The marker on the OS 25" is still in the Cole's Cross location and Holy Trinity Church is at the top of the page. This map was revised 1900 and published in 1902. About 20 years from the 1881 Census with John and Mary in Blackdown.
Click on the map to see the map in a new window, and it is clear that there are not many buildings in the area.
The surrounding area has Blackdown Grammar School, Hurst Farm, Blackdown Hill and Gravel Pit, Causeway, Blackdown Cottage, and the larger Blackdown House and Estate.
I am not able to identify which property John and Mary were in and the date was too far advanced to use the tithe map to identify by plot.
John and Mary are in the second building annotated Blackdown, coming from Newgate which is on the county border. John is still working as an agricultural labourer even though he is 72 years old. Newgate is also very close to Kittwhistle. That place has been found before in relation to a Robert Bowditch and a John Bowditch living on the edge of Broadwindsor Parish near Childhay, at Kittwhistle.
At this point it is worth remembering that Mary Pomeroy's maiden name was Mary Ann Bowditch.
Proximity is an important consideration in a low mobility society of the early 19th Century. John and Mary were quite adventurous as they had moved home a number of times, up to 20 miles away from their original home. For some people at that time, that is a long way.
Both John and Mary had long lives with John going first, being buried on 17th March 1890, at the age of 80. Mary survived him by 4 months and was buried on 18th July 1890 at the age of 79.
London
(For Supporting Data, follow this link)
In my minds eye I can see Charles walking from his home in Compton Valence with a small suitcase for 1 1/4 Hours before getting to the railway station in Maiden Newton. Buying a GWR ticket to Dorchester, changing over to LSWR and buying another ticket, this time all the way to London. This is purely conjecture of course, he could have travelled all the way on GWR via Yeovil. Or alternatively by the slower stagecoach. However he got there, he was drawn to the largest city in the world, to commence a very different life.
Metropolitan Police Force
On 6 May 1878 he joined G Division of Metropolitan Police in London, when he was still single and 23 years of age. He went on to do 25 years of service, retiring on the 11th May 1903.
This information is from the Metropolitan Police Pensioner records.
Also from these we can see he was 5ft 91/2 inches tall with dark brown hair and blue eyes.
His place of birth is Bradford Peverill, a misspelling of Bradford Peverell, Dorset.
His date of birth in this record is 30 September, with the year obscured in the page crease. His age on registration is 48, which gives a calculated year of birth of 1854.
The calculation of 30 September 1854 to 11 May 1903 is 48 years 7 months 11 days. Which fits with the 48 Years complete.
The Particulars of Service; As a Police Constable, PC, for 25 years performing ordinary street duty.
He is married to Charlotte Pomeroy and lives at 6 Beaconsfield Villas, Fulwell Road, Teddington, Middlesex.
He transferred to the Hammersmith Division during his service.
From the information here I was able to obtain additional records from the National Archives Police Records. MEPO4/353, page 3 and page 56.
The oath he swore on 6 May 1878 as he joined the Metropolitan Police and was allocated to G Division, with warrant number 62562.
I have added a blue arrow to indicate Charles Pomeroy as the entry is faint. The writing for each person is similar but not the same. Could this be Charles signature? Does it match the retirement document? Albeit 25 years apart.
The start of his long service as a Police Constable for the Metropolitan Police Force.
There are a couple of inconsistencies compared to his police records, which need to resolved as we move forward.
Somewhere he gained a middle name of Edward in the initial family tree data I have found on Ancestry, and a date of birth of 13 September 1854. Yet to be verified. His baptism was on 29 October 1854.
Marriage
Moving on, Charles Pomeroy returned his home County of Dorset, to marry Charlotte Elizabeth Cousens in the Parish Church of St Mary Maiden Newton, on 15 December 1878.
His age is either 24 years 3 months 2 days or 24 years 2 months 15 days depending on 13th or 30th September.
It is not always the case but the marriage certificate also states his age as being 24. A bachelor. Her age is stated as 22, a spinster.
He is confirmed as a Police Constable living in Clerkenwell which is in London. His father is John Pomeroy a Labourer. Charlotte has no recorded profession, living in Maiden Newton. Her Father, Robert Cousens was not able to walk her down the aisle as he was recorded as deceased.
Both Bride and Groom could write their name whereas some could only make their mark. Not surprising though for a Police Constable and his new wife.
The witnesses are Thomas Zucker and Elizabeth Balls, or similar.
They were married by Martyn Harley, or 1869 Montague Hankey, M.A., Canon of Salisbury.
Again an official document without a middle name Edward. The same applies to his Baptism record.
Life in Clerkenwell
(For Supporting Data, follow this link)
After the marriage they went back to Clerkenwell, and soon had their first baby. Charlotte Mary, born on 15 March 1880, 1 year 3 months after their marriage. Charlotte Mary was baptised at the parish church St Peter Clerkenwell on 25 April 1880.
The family were living at 29 John Street, apparently not to be confused with nearby Saint John Street. Charles is recorded as being a Policeman.
It looks as if there was a St under the 29 in the register for St John Street, but the St has been crossed through. It could have been a mistake by the writer of the record as St John St is in Clerkenwell near the church as opposed to John St which is in Holborn, near Gray's Inn.
The next map has the marker at St Peter's Church, near Farringdon Station, at the junction of Great Saffron Hill and Cross Street, and Saint John Street is shaded yellow.
29 John Street and 29 Saint John Street are not a long way apart, about 0.7 miles. However, assuming that the family lived in John Street, the front door with the brick arch in the photo, is the entrance to their home.
If it turns out to have been St John St, neither St Peter's Church nor number 29 have made it to the current time, and the plots have been redeveloped.
Sadly the family did not stay as three for very long. Charlotte Mary passed before her first birthday, in the third quarter of 1880.
It is April 3rd, 1881, and another decade has passed since the last census had Charles Pomeroy living in the Parish of Compton Valence, Dorset. A lot has happened since then. Moving to London, becoming a Policeman, getting married and having and losing a little girl. The Census confirms Charles and Charlotte Pomeroy living at 29 John Street with another family. A multiple occupancy house is not a surprise.
He is recorded as a Police Constable and their ages 26 and 24.
An opportunity to check that it is the building in the photo by comparing the Enumerators Route.
Not so simple, Mr Robson, the Enumerator usefully laid out his proposed route in his notes, but in does not match the map.
- Exmouth Street 23 to 69
- Tysoe Street 1 to 15
- Wilmington Street
- Margret Street 54 to 68
- Upper Yardley Street
- Wilmington Street 1 to 12 and 25 to 37
- John Street 1 to 30
- John Place 1 to 3
- John Yard 1
- Tysoe Place
- Yardley Street
No problem here, it includes the expected John Street with the right numbers included.
However, looking on the OS 25" Map of the area, revised 1915, all of the roads are in the vicinity of Wilmington Square except John Street, Place and Yard. the latter two I have yet to find on the map. Strange to have such a disjoint. Was there another John Street in 1881?
The OS Map of London revised in 1894 has John's Mews near Wilmington Square.
Perhaps John Street, Place and Yard disappeared during the construction of Rosebery Avenue built 1887-92.
I will need to find an earlier map of the area.
I have found an earlier street map, an extract from “Reynolds’s Splendid New Map of London; Showing The Grand Improvements for 1847”, and shows the area before the construction of Rosebery Avenue. Although it does have a road between Tysoe Street and Yardley Street which is displaced by Rosebery Avenue it is un-named, an therefore inconclusive. (near the red circle on the extract in the link)
On the same site, 'a london inheritance', I also found the following extract.
Clearance of the route commenced in 1887, and the new street was opened in July 1892. The new street was named after Lord Rosebery, the first chairman of the London County Council. Lord Rosebery had resigned from the LCC a few days before the opening of Rosebery Avenue, so John Hutton, the vice chairman took on the task of formally opening the street.
Compared to many other 19th century London street openings, that of Rosebery Avenue seems to have been rather subdued. The Illustrated London News reported simply that:
“The new street from the Angel at Islington to the Holborn Townhall, Gray’s Inn Road, called Rosebery Avenue, was opened on Saturday, July 9, by the Deputy Chairman of the London County Council. It is 1173 yards long, straight and broad, with a subway under it for laying gas and water mains and electric wires. It has cost £353,000, but part of this expenditure will be recovered by the sale of land”.
As well as being the first chairman of the LCC, Lord Rosebery was a prominent politician of the late 19th century and was a Liberal Party Prime Minister between March 1894 and June 1895 after William Gladstone had retired. In 1895 Rosebery’s government lost a vote of confidence and the resulting general election returned a Unionist Government. He continued to lead the Liberal Party for a year, then permanently retired from politics.
London County Council, set up by the Conservatives in 1889, eventually to displace Clerkenwell being in Middlesex.
Lord Rosebery died at his Epsom home on 21 May 1929 (aged 82). He had a dozen homes at the time and was the richest ever Prime Minister.
Later in 1881 Charles and Charlotte had another baby, this time a boy. I have not found any Pomeroy's Baptised in Saint Peter's Church in 1881. The Civil Registration Birth Index has Charles Henry Pomeroy born in Quarter 3 of 1881 and registered in Holborn. He died in the same Quarter according to the Register of Deaths Index.
Another child is born in 1882 and the register is clear and unambiguous this time, still living at 29 John Street, and still a Police Constable.
Ellen Maud Pomeroy born to Charles and Charlotte Elizabeth Pomeroy on 6th August 1882 and Baptised on 10th September 1882 in the Parish Church of St Peter, Clerkenwell, which was Middlesex the but would now be considered Islington, London.
Sadly, She died in the fourth Quarter of 1882, according to the Register of Deaths Index, Holborn.
Charles and Charlotte had three children since their marriage in 1878 and none of them had passed their first birthday. Is that something to say about the air quality of the largest city in the world at that time, or general infant mortality.
Dr John Snow pump on Broadwick Street in Soho was in 1854 and the last outbreak of cholera in the UK was in 1866. Broadwick Street is 1 1/4 miles away from John St in Holborn plus it was decades before the three infants died.
Perhaps it was the home, perhaps due for demolition, because before the next child arrived Charles and Charlotte had moved to 20 or 26 Torrens Buildings, Islington. Charles is still a Police Constable according to the baptism record of 2nd November 1884. William Henry Pomeroy was born on 22nd September 1884.
Torrens Buildings are not surprisingly on Torrens Street. They are however not separately identified on the later 25" map of the same area.
The Buildings are between the Grand Theatre and a Public House, later to become Islington Empire and Angel Station for London Underground. Torrens Buildings and the Public House have been redeveloped. The buildings opposite, on the East side of Torrens Street are apparently still of the period.
Fortunately there is no associated death record for William Henry Pomeroy in the same year, or the next. He survived beyond his first birthday.
The next recorded event is not a death but another birth.
Baptised in the Parish Church of St Peter's Clerkenwell in the County of Middlesex on the 6th February 1887 Edward Pomeroy, born to Charles and Charlotte Elizabeth Pomeroy on 15th December 1886, of 20 Torrens Buildings. Charles is still a Police Constable.
Again, fortunately there is no associated death record for Edward Pomeroy in the same year, or the next. He survived beyond his first birthday.
Charles and Charlotte have remained loyal to St Peter's Church for Baptisms irrespective if they lived in John Street or now in Torrens Street. This has made it easier to just flick through the digital Parish Record of Baptisms book, since the date of their marriage in Dorset, looking for each child. So far, in that time, I have not seen any other Pomeroys.
On 10th February 1889 Ellen Louisa Pomeroy was born to Charles and Charlotte Elizabeth Pomeroy.
Ellen Louisa Pomeroy was Baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter's Clerkenwell in the County of Middlesex on the 31st March 1889.
It helps confirm identification that Charles is still a Police Constable.
They have moved again, this time to 104 St John St, on the junction with Clerkenwell Road. Only 3/4 miles from Torrens Street, and now only just under 1/2 miles from St Peter's Church on St Cross Street / Great Saffron Hill.
Clerkenwell Road and Theobalds Road were constructed by the Metropolitan Board of Works in 1874–78 as the central portion of an intended cross-capital arterial road, linking the West End and East End. Rosebery Avenue mentioned above were also constructed by the Metropolitan Board of Works in 1887-92. If Clerkenwell Road was completed in 1878 it is quite possible that Charles and family moved into a newly built home at 104 Saint John Street.
There is a lot of information about the development of Clerkenwell Road, as if it were a new motorway of its day.
The south-eastern corner of Clerkenwell Road and St John Street is occupied by a late-1870s speculative development originally incorporating baths for swimming and bathing, as well as houses and shops (Ills 558, 579). The 'Central Bath' establishment was short-lived, and this part of the building was subsequently adapted as an electroplating works.
The buildings, faced in white brick with stone and moulded-brick dressings, were designed by Robert Walker, district surveyor for St Martin-in-the-Fields, and built by J. J. Bennett & Co. in 1877–8. The principal developer appears to have been Alfred Bompas, gentleman, of Barnsbury, who applied for the site to the Metropolitan Board of Works in 1876, took the lease of the completed buildings in 1878, and attempted to purchase the freehold in 1879. However, a published account of the new buildings states—as if the matter were open to question—that the works were carried out 'under the personal direction' of Bennett & Co., 'who are the originators and owners of the baths'. Bompas was not, according to his referees, in a position to finance the undertaking on his own account, and his relationship with Bennetts is not known.
The development consisted of six houses, five with shops, and the swimming-pool and baths behind, with its entrance at No. 104 St John Street. From the entrance (which retains its bracket lamps, though not the original ornamental iron cresting), a wide corridor led to the swimming-pool. Covered by a glass roof, this measured about 90ft by 30ft, with a 7ft deep-end. The pool was white-tiled and had an ornamental dolphin's head fountain on one side. Ranged along the poolside were dressing-boxes and 'other conveniences', and above were galleries on two levels each with fourteen private baths for men and women respectively. A demountable floor allowed the pool to be used for meetings during the winter, swimming—even indoors—being evidently still a seasonal recreation.
The baths closed in 1896, and from then until the 1970s were occupied by E. C. Furby & Sons, electroplaters and enamellers of bicycle parts, the old slipper baths giving way to plating baths. Furby's premises were reported destroyed by fire in 1919. Nothing of the original pool and baths survives today.
A similar view from Google Streetview captured in January 2021. Stirling Ackroyd Estate Agents is still in residence but with a rearranged shop front, now painted red, and the crest has been replaced by a window. The only real reason for the second photo is to be able to show where 104 St John Street is, because it is easier to say 106 is the red painted shopfront, and 104 is the next door giong round the corner, in black, to the right of Stirling Ackroyd as you look at either photo.
Below, an extract from Victorian London by George Augustus Sala Living London 1882.
There can be scarcely any doubt that, at the West End, tramways would be an intolerable nuisance. The lovely drive to Richmond would be spoilt, as the drive to Greenwich has been spoilt, by these subversive aids to locomotion. The shopkeepers of Oxford Street are being menaced with a tramway. Take care. More than the thin end of the wedge has been inserted; and ere long Regent Street may be threatened, and Piccadilly find itself in peril.
On the other hand, I rode recently from Lamb’s Conduit Fields to the Standard Theatre in Shoreditch, through that prodigious thoroughfare from west to east, which has been opened up by the Metropolitan Board of Works, A great portion of the road is laid with tramways; and there can be no doubt that in these far outlying, densely populated, and incessantly busy districts tramways are a distinct boon and blessing.
I remembered, driving home, that, some months ago, I had at a certain town hall taken the chair at a public meeting, held in advocacy of the extension of tramways westward from the New Clerkenwell Road to Theobald’s Road. It rarely passed a wore diverting evening. It was a little exciting, too. There was a strong anti-tramway party at the back of the hall, who persistently yelled ‘Free streets!' and’ It’s a put-up job!' Towards the close of the evening the anti-tramway party tried to storm the platform, with the avowed object of ‘smashing the chairman.’ One burly gentleman, whose vocation, seemingly, was that of a brewer’s drayman, made desperate efforts to scale the stairs of the platform, shouting, ‘ Let me git at the willin’ in the vile veskit. On’y let me git at the willin’ in the vite veskit!’ I was the villain in the objectionable vest. There was a little old lady, too, in a red shawl, who, standing just in front of me, shook her fist implacably, shrilly expressing her fixed belief that I was ‘one of them Jesuits,’ and openly declaring her ardent desire to ‘lam’ me. What is it to be ‘lammed’?
Not only did Clerkenwell Road have those wretched trams, but it was also a junction, with trams going along Saint John Street as well. 104 St John Street may have been new, but it might have been a little noisy as well.
Back to the family. The Civil Registration Birth Index has Ellen Louisa Pomeroy born in Quarter 1 (Jan, Feb, Mar) of 1889 and registered in Holborn. Unfortunately, she died in the following Quarter according to the Register of Deaths Index.
Life in Islington
(For Supporting Data, follow this link)
1 year 8 months 28 days after the birth of Ellen Louisa Pomeroy born along comes another child, Albert Pomeroy, born 15th November 1890 and baptised the next year on 3rd May 1891. This time the church changed, to St Mary, Islington in the county of Middlesex.
A new baptism book with 'Born' in the date column instead of relying on somebody fitting the information in somewhere. Fortunately all the previous Pomeroy baptisms at St Peter had their date born as well as date baptised.
A new church and a new address, 18 Palmerston Buildings, which was in City Garden Row, City Road, Angel, Islington, Middlesex.
No photograph or Google Streetview to insert at the moment but instead an engraving.
An extract of a story on facebook about City Garden Row during World War II
I went back to City Garden Row a few years later to visit my cousin Bonny who still lived there. The rest of my family who had once lived in that street had all been rehoused to other districts of Islington, so the family had dispersed and we didn't see each other so often.
I was11 years old and it was 1941. Bonny and her family lived in the area flats in Palmerston Buildings. It was during the Blitz and when the air raid warning siren went off we didn't go down to the underground shelter as told but climbed the three flights of stairs onto the flat roof. Before the war we used to play up on the roof. Now there was barbed wire across the entrance to the door but we managed to push it back. Most people in Palmerston Buildings had gone down to the air raid shelter. My mum was on ARP duty that night and would have been out wearing her tin hat and arm band. Sometimes she used to read out bits from her instruction manual of the tasks she had to perform during an air raid. Once she read to us a bit from a pamphlet that said 'If you are approached by a man not carrying a gas mask who asks you in a foreign accent for directions, stay calm. Speak to him in plain English (as if my mum could speak German) and if he asks for directions, tell him to get on a number 14 bus and inform the the conductor of the bus to make him get off at the end of Hornsey Road and escort him into the police station. We all laughed but at the same time we were terrified. My mum said 'Blimey Nell, if I saw a German folding up a parachute I'd turn round and run the other way.'
It was dark and as we crept across the roof we disturbed families of sleeping pigeons around the chimney pots, who noisily flew into the air flapping their wings. At first we were frightened and not sure if to come down or not, but we hung onto the parapet and watched the City of London ablaze. Fire engines were rushing down the City Road towards Old Street. We stared in wonder at the glowing roof tops in the distance. Suddenly a voice called out from the street below
'Whoever is up there, come down'
We were too scared to answer and crouched down low. Bonny put her finger over her lips and whispered 'Ssh'. It was the local ARP warden in the street below who was patrolling the area.
'I know you are up there. Come down right now!' he demanded
We still stayed quiet, now terrified.
There was a pause and we thought he had gone and we relaxed when suddenly he shouted up 'You'd better hurry up and come down because Hitler's at The Angel.
That frightened the life out of us and we screamed and ran across the roof top towards the stairs causing the pigeons to fly up into the air again. We ran as quickly as we could down the stairs in the dark, shot back into the flat, got under the kitchen table as we'd been told and stayed there till the 'all clear'.
Following on from that story I wondered if Palmerston Buildings were destroyed during the Blitz.
No, apparently the immediate vicinity, including the City Road Basin and presumably adjacent industrial area, escaped the bombs of 1940.
Now for an unexpected find,
A detailed map of London, post Rosebery Avenue and Clerkenwell Road developments, indicating comparative wealth. This image is focused on the parish of St Peter Clerkenwell.
Having found this lets take a quick walk around the locations of Charles Pomeroy and family homes. First Rosebery Avenue / Wilmington Square, the possible location of John Street. The other John Street that I first thought was the home can be found after clicking on the map, move left past the house of correction, later Mount Pleasent PO Sorting office, to the end of Rosebery Avenue, and the Holborn Union Workhouse.
Along Theobalds Road and John Street is on the right, to the North.
Moving on the the next home, in Torrens Buildings, Torrens Street, near Angle.
Torrens Street is less wealthy that the previous location, indicated by the grey area. 'Poor 18s to 20 shillings per week for a moderate family'. Associated with the map are police notebooks. PC George H. Duckworth's Notebook: Police District 4 includes Torrens Street. Nothing significant, but a mention.
The next map is for 104 Saint Johns Street. I have superimposed a X on the image to assist in identification of Charles home. His home is now red, 'Middle Class, well to do'. However, the area is very mixed including some black, 'Lowest class, viscous, semi criminal'.
The final map to bring us up to date, 18 Palmerston Buildings, which was in City Garden Row, City Road, Angel, Islington. Model Buildings according to the map. one side of the road 'fairly comfortable, good ordinary earnings', the other side, 'Poor 18s to 20 shillings per week for a moderate family'. That is less than a £1 a week. In 2019, the relative value of £1 0s 0d from 1890 ranges from £110.40 to £1,526.00.
I think he was in the fairly comfortable side of the street.
I have also tried to find if he contributed to the PC notebooks, but it apears not.
Charles's home is very close to St Matthews Church but the baptism of Albert Pomeroy, on 3rd May 1891 took place at St Mary's Church, Islington.
An extract about St Mary's Church
In 1824, Daniel Wilson became Vicar of St Mary’s. He was a dynamic Evangelical who transformed the church. After eight years he went on to become Bishop of Calcutta and his son was appointed Vicar and remained at St Mary’s for 54 years. Through their ministry St Mary’s grew and became a key Evangelical Parish throughout the 19th century and into the 20th century. The Islington Conference for Evangelical clergy in the Church of England was founded in 1827 and continued as a key focus for Evangelicalism until 1983.
On the third night of the Blitz in the Second World War, St Mary’s was hit by a bomb and the whole building apart from the spire was destroyed.
The church met in the Memorial Hall, until the new building was completed in 1956. Maurice Wood, an extraordinary Vicar oversaw this period of recovery and rebuilding. As the church was built so those attending St Mary’s grew rapidly due to his powerful evangelistic preaching. He later went on to become Bishop of Norwich.
Click here for the Bomb Map of the area.
Perhaps it is because it is an evangelical church that Charles travelled outside of his parish of residence. Perhaps also St Peter's, his previous church was tending towards evangelical and that contributed to him staying loyal to the church for all his previous children's baptisms.
In the 1891 Census taken on the 5th April, Charles and Charlotte Pomeroy were living in 18 Palmerston Buildings, City Gardens Row, in the parish of St Matthews, civil parish of St Luke. He was a Police Constable aged 36. Charlotte was aged 34. They have aged by ten years since the last census as expected.
They have three unmarried/single sons living with them.
William H aged 6 born Islington
Edward aged 4 born Islington and
Albert aged 4 months born St Luke
These names and ages correlate with the baptism records above. Three surviving children and another 4 who died in infancy.
Again a lot has happened in the decade between the Census.
Teddington
(For Supporting Data, follow this link)
Zoom out fully to show the extent of Charles Booth's London at the areas of wealth and deprivation become clearly apparent. However, The City of London was not included in the street level survey because it did not house any significant number of residents. For this reason, the City of London remains uncoloured and unclassified on the maps.
Also, look at the bottom left corner of the map, beside the bottom of the Legend and you can find Teddington. See how far outside Booth's London Maps it is even though it is now considered part of Greater London.
Compare this to the Church of England Map of Parishes.
Definitely not uniformly wealthy.
Clicking on the above map will allow you to find Teddington, and that it's Deprivation rank (1=most deprived, 12,382=least deprived) is 12,075. I.e. Wealthy. Not necessarily so in 1890, but very much so in 2021.
The family moved to Teddington, Middlesex.
Charles and Charlotte Pomeroy's new church following their move to Teddington was in the Parish of Saint Peter & Saint Paul, Upper Teddington. The church was created in the year 1880, relatively new in 1893 when their first child born in Teddington arrived, adding to the three surviving children that moved form Clerkenwell/Islington somewhen between 3rd May 1891 and 26th January 1893.
The family had moved to 6 Beaconsfield Villas, Fulwell Road, their abode on the Baptism record and the probable place of birth for Emily Ellen Gertrude Pomeroy on 26th January 1893. Baptised on 3rd March 1893. Charles Pomeroy, was still a policeman and by reference to his police retirement record, still with the Metropolitan Police. This is the address he retired to and started to draw his pension from.
The map shows the location of Saint Peter and Saint Paul's Church on Broad Street in Teddington. The maps are now contemporary with our story. This Map is Ordnance Survey 25 inch Surrey XVIII.11, Revised: 1894, Published: 1895.
An extract about Teddington and its expansion from British History Online
In 1861, although the parish contained over twice as many houses as in 1801, Teddington still remained little more than a village. (fn. 40) Among the houses built between these dates was Teddington Hall, which was said in 1891 to have stained glass and bricks from the old Star Chamber at Westminster. It stands on the south of Hampton Road and now belongs to the National Physical Laboratory, but does not apparently contain any old stained glass. Gomer House was built about 1858 by the novelist R. D. Blackmore. By this time the railway had reached Twickenham and Kingston and there were omnibuses to London. (fn. 43) The slight middle-class development which resulted was soon swamped by the building which followed the opening of the two railway lines through Teddington itself. The branch of the London & South-Western Railway from Twickenham to Kingston, on which Teddington Station stands, was opened in 1863, and the Thames Valley Railway, with a station at Fulwell, in 1864. Both lines are now part of the Southern Region. A few years before the railway opened the large estate of the lord of the manor had come into the market, and by 1871 the parish contained 1,034 houses, in contrast to 254 ten years earlier. West of the station appeared what was called Upper Teddington, with small terraced houses stretching between Stanley Road and Waldegrave Road, and the new cemetery (opened 1878) in the north. Broad Street became a new shopping centre with 'shops of a more showy description than those of the mother village', the new Clarence Hotel was built in 1863, St. Peter's Church in 1865-73, the old cottage hospital in Elfin Grove in 1875, and the Town Hall at the corner of the Causeway and Middle Lane in 1886. This last was privately owned and had a ballroom and a theatre as well as the local board of health offices. It was burned down in 1903. North of the High Street, where Manor Road had been laid out in 1861, houses appeared quickly but were more widely spaced, and except for the area just east of the station there was little building south of the High Street. Towards the river, St. Alban's confronted the old parish church in 1889 and by the end of the century villas stretched more or less continuously along the riverside. South of Fulwell Station terraces and semidetached houses appeared, adjoining the slightly earlier settlement of New Hampton outside the parish. In the south near Hampton Wick there were no buildings at all before the gas-works in Sandy Lane were opened in 1851. After 1864 a settlement grew so quickly nearby that by 1868 it had been given the name of New Found Out: it later became called South Teddington. An Anglican school-church was provided in 1867 and a Roman Catholic one in 1884. By the end of the century the district was covered with houses south of Bushy Park Road, with scattered ones reaching north along the Kingston Road. Normansfield private asylum for the feebleminded (now under the National Health Service) in the Kingston Road was opened in 1868 and had well over a hundred patients by 1881. In 1957 it had about 200.
The pace of building rather slowed down in the seventies, later increasing again so that about a thousand new houses were built in each decade from 1891 to 1911. In 1886 a private omnibus service to Hampton Court was started, which was taken over by the London Suburban Omnibus Company in 1895. In 1903 the London United Tramways began a service along Wellington Road and another along Stanley Road, Broad Street, the High Street, and the Kingston Road. By 1936 the trams had been superseded by trolleybuses and the tram-depot north of Fulwell Station is now used as a trolleybus garage. There were also motor buses by 1914. The tram service was said in 1910 to have reduced the attraction of the larger villas which had been built forty years or so earlier, but it accelerated building around the Kingston Road, where there had been comparatively little before, and by the First World War most of the present streets were in existence, and the remaining open spaces were being given over to other uses. The whole area west of Wellington Road, with the exception of the small north-west corner across Staines Road, became the Fulwell Golf Course in 1904, and between the two wars sports grounds were opened on the former Udney farm land. These are now St. Mary's Hospital Medical School Athletic Ground (c. 14 a.) and the Harlequins Sports Ground (c. 9 a.). The Lensbury Club in Broom Road, belonging to the Royal Dutch Shell Group, was built in 1938 and has large grounds on both sides of Broom Road. The local authority also opened several much smaller recreation grounds, and, in 1931, a swimming-bath in Vicarage Road. The National Physical Laboratory at Bushy House has also gradually extended its buildings farther into Teddington since it was established in 1902. By 1957 its grounds reached up to the Hampton Road, Coleshill Road, and Queens Road. Most of the houses built more recently in Teddington have filled gaps between existing streets and buildings: one of the chief characteristics of the district is the mixture almost everywhere of buildings of various dates and types, from the yellow brick cottages of the early 19th century onward. Parts of the High Street and Broad Street have received a facing of 20th-century shop fronts, and the Savoy Cinema, built in the later 1930's, replaced a smaller cinema on the same site. A series of fêtes, commemorated by magazines in which memories of Teddington in the past are recorded, heralded the building of the War Memorial Hospital. The first part of the building was opened in 1929 and the old hospital in Elfin Grove was closed and pulled down. Among the chief areas of building since the First World War were the council estates of 124 houses at Udney Park, 78 houses at Mays estate, and 72 houses at Shacklegate Lane (built respectively in 1921, 1920-1, 1930), and the private estates on the site of Teddington Grove (1929-30), and in the extreme north-west of the parish round Rivermeads Avenue (c. 1933-4). Between 1937 and 1957 Twickenham Borough Council built about 40 houses and flats.
Fulwell Hall Gospel Temperance Mission, Fulwell Road, Teddington, was opened in 1902 after eighteen years of gospel mission work had been done in Fulwell Road. A resident minister was appointed in 1957.
Most of the properties along Fulwell Road are the original Victorian buildings of the first half of 1880. Perry Cottage 1884, Fulwell Terrace 1880, Garfield Terrace 1881 and Woburn Terrace 1881 still have their masonry builders plaques or datestones in place and visible from Google Streetview. Unfortunately the street has been renumbered, so it is difficult to locate 6 Beaconsfield Villas. Using the 1891 census, which used the original names, I have been able to record a probable sequence of the various name, provided the Enumerator walked up one side and down the other, starting at the Stanley Road end. Samuel Dodsworth, his wife and two children lived at 6 Beaconsfield Villas in 1891, before Charles Pomeroy and his family moved there.
The photo is of Woburn Terrace in Fulwell Road
These are representative of the Victorian Terraces in Fulwell Road and the general area. It is a mixed street with some larger properties including some semi-detached and seemingly one detached property.
The Woburn Terrace 1881 datestone.
Under the new street numbering, the datestone is between number 60 and 58.
1 Woburn Terrace maybe 62 Fulwell Road. The Terrace is numbered 1-7, so potentially 62 to 50. The next property, number 48 maybe 6 Beaconsfield Villas, latter known as 6 Beaconsfield Terrace, the home of Charles Pomeroy and his family.
Continuing to track down a link between the old numbering and the new. Frederick J Ladbrook, a plumber aged 32 lived at 6 Woburn Terrace in the 1901 Census. Frederick Ladbrook, a plumber aged 42 lived at 52 Fulwell Road, from Essex, according to the 1911 Census. That is in line with the predicted match. The rest of the family, his wife Charlotte and son Frederick J Ladbrook also matched with the addition of a new arrival, Elsie May, a daughter aged 8.
William G Coalter at 5 Woburn Terrace was also a match with 54 Fulwell Road. The Hake family lived at 50 Fulwell Road in the 1911 Census. The Curtis family lived at number 48 Fulwell Road, the potential previous 6 Beaconsfield Terrace. They are a young family who wold not have been there 10 years earlier.
Similarly, Frank J Hearn, a 28 year old bricklayer from Yorkshire was in 1 Beaconsfield Terrace in 1901, with wife Ellen, aged 25 and daughters, Ellen B, aged 5 and Gladys aged 3. Francis James Hearn, 37, a bricklayer from Yorkshire, with wife Ellen, aged 34 and daughters, Ellen B, crossed through as not present, and Gladys aged 13, together with 5 new arrivals. All at 42 Fulwell Road. 6 48 5 46 4 44 3 42 2 40 1 38.
In 1901 a different Frederick Hearn, 37, Master Carpenter, from Buckinghamshire lived at 3 Beaconsfield Terrace, with a different family, but with the same surname. Did they do a house swap? Were they renting rather than owning. This did not add clarity.
All still circumstantial, but probably a reasonable conclusion.
The history of land registration in the UK traces its roots in the UK with the Romans who introduced a form of land registration to England and Wales. Regular censuses were held, similar to the one mentioned in St Luke’s gospel, where the ownership and productivity of land was recorded. This formed the basis of a land tax called tributum soli. Interestingly, originally in English law, the only method to transfer freehold property from the seller to the purchaser was through handing over a piece of turf in the presence of witnesses. However, this method fell out after the Statute of Uses was implemented in 1535 which allowed conveyance by deed. The Statute of Uses made it compulsory to enrol deeds in the rolls of the county or in one of the courts at Westminster.
Her Majesty's Land Registry is a non-ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom, created in 1862 to register the ownership of land and property in England and Wales.
HM Land Registry registers the ownership of property. It is one of the largest property databases in Europe.
HM Land Registry guarantees title to registered estates and interests in land. It records the ownership rights of freehold properties, and leasehold properties where the lease has been granted for a term exceeding seven years.
HM Land Registry safeguards land and property ownership worth in excess of £4 trillion, including around £1 trillion of mortgages. The Land Register contains more than 25 million titles showing evidence of ownership for more than 85% of the land mass of England and Wales.
Perhaps, the Land Registry has the deeds to 48 Fulwell Road. Is it worth the £3 fee to look online?
An Extract from the Land Registry;
This register contains any charges and other matters
that affect the land.
1 A Conveyance dated 18 October 1881 made between (1) Alfred William Yates (Vendor) (2) Charles Ford and (3) John Hearn (Purchaser) contains restrictive covenants.
NOTE: Copy covenants filed.
2 The parts of the passageway included in the title are subject to rights of way on foot only.
A little extra information, but not the deeds which may well have information about Charles Pomeroy's tenure, if he bought the property rather than rent it.
The Hearn surname appears again. A bricklayer, a master carpenter and an owner, or perhaps builder/developer. The purchase was after the 1881 Census, so I am not expecting information from there.
There are about nine active or retired Policemen living in Fulwell Road according to the 1901 Census. That seems quite a high density. One of those lived next door to Charles Pomeroy, Edmund Dawson a retired Police Constable. Perhaps the high density had something to do with the Metropolitan and City Police Orphanage, not far to the north, on the other side of the railway lines.
Alternatively, could this probate record be the same Alfred William Yates who was the Vendor in the sale of 48 Fulwell Road on 18th October 1818, and could the person granted Administration, which was Alfred William Yates police constable, maybe his son, have anything to do with the number of Policemen living in the road
Enough conjecture, back to facts.
A short recap, or 'Previously on ...' in TV terms.
Charles Pomeroy moved to Teddington from the Clerkenwell area of London between the baptism of Albert Pomeroy, on 3rd May 1891, which took place at St Mary's Church, Islington, and the birth of Emily Ellen Gertrude Pomeroy on 26th January 1893. Baptised on 3rd March 1893.
The birth of Emily Ellen Gertrude Pomeroy adding to the three surviving children that moved form Clerkenwell/Islington with their mother, his wife, Charlotte Elizabeth Pomeroy.
In the 1891 Census taken on the 5th April, Charles and Charlotte Pomeroy were living in 18 Palmerston Buildings, City Gardens Row, in the parish of St Matthews, civil parish of St Luke, Islington, Middlesex, now London. He was a Police Constable aged 36. Charlotte was aged 34
Edith Marrian Pomeroy was born of Charles and Charlotte Elizabeth Pomeroy on 2nd January 1895 and baptised on 19th February 1895 at SS Peter and Paul, Upper Teddington, Middlesex. The entry is annotated with a P, which may indicate Passed, or Plague in a different time.
Sadly, She died in the first Quarter (Jan, Feb, Mar) of 1885, according to the Register of Deaths Index, Kingston. Kingston was also the Registration District for her Birth, also in the first Quarter.
The Registration district of Kingston included Teddington until 1 April 1934 when it became part of the Staines Registration district.
By reference to the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames Cemeteries, burials register, I found this record.
Deceased name | Edith Mary POMERAY |
Date of Burial | 19/03/1895 |
Gender | Female |
Age | 10 Weeks |
Date of death | Unknown |
Location | Teddington Cemetery |
Section | Ac |
Grave | 360 |
Duration between birth and burial 10 weeks 6 days.
Baptised as Edith Marian Pomeroy but buried as Edith Mary Pomeray. Two other unrelated children were buried in the same grave, between the 19th and 26th March 1895.
I will use her baptised name going forward.
The following year, another daughter. Ethel Mary Pomeroy was born of Charles and Charlotte Elizabeth Pomeroy on 8th October 1896 and baptised on 11th November 1895 at SS Peter and Paul, Upper Teddington, Middlesex.
Abode is still recorded as 6 Beaconsfield Villas, Fulwell Road, and profession as Police Constable.
In 1897 another child was born at their Teddington Home.
Evalyn Harriet Pomeroy was born of Charles and Charlotte Elizabeth Pomeroy on 2nd December 1897 and baptised on 26th January 1898 at SS Peter and Paul, Upper Teddington, Middlesex.
Queen Victoria dies on 22 January 1901. Queen Victoria was on the throne for the whole of Charles Pomeroy life up until then. He worked for the Queen in the Metropolitan Police, then it changed to a King.
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. Known as the Victorian era, her reign of 63 years and seven months was longer than that of any of her predecessors. It was a period of industrial, political, scientific, and military change within the United Kingdom, and was marked by a great expansion of the British Empire. In 1876, Parliament voted her the additional title of Empress of India.
Another ten years and another census, on 31 March 1901.
Charles Pomeroy and his family was still living at 6 Beaconsfield Terrace, Fulwell Road, Teddington, Middlesex. He continued as a Police Constable, now aged 46. His wife Charlotte was now 44.
Charles and Charlotte had six children living with them on 31 March 1901. Three from Clerkenwell / Islington, and three from Teddington Middlesex.
- William, aged 16, a Groom (Baptised William Henry on 2nd November 1884)
- Edward, aged 14, a Gardener (Baptised Edward on 6th February 1887)
- Albert, aged 10 (Baptised Albert on 3rd May 1891)
- Emily, aged 8 (Baptised Emily Ellen Gertrude on 3rd March 1893)
- Ethel, aged 4 (Baptised Ethel Mary on 11 November 1896)
- Evelyn, aged 3, (Baptised Evelyn Harriet on 26 January 1898)
Retirement from the Metropolitan Police Force
Charles Pomeroy had served 25 years as a Police Constable with the Metropolitan Police and was over 48 years old when he retired.
From the National Archives,
The Metropolitan Police Force, created in 1829, was the first modern police force in England (provincial police forces in England and Wales were not established until after the County Police Act of 1839). Its original area of jurisdiction covered a seven-mile radius from Charing Cross in central London. Today it consists of the 32 boroughs of Greater London, excluding the City of London.
Charles Pomeroy joined the Metropolitan Police in 6th May 1878 and started with G Division.
Charles received a Certificate of Service from the Metropolitan Police upon his retirement on 11th May 1903. National Archives MEPO 4/342 Page 65.
On its formation in 1829 the Metropolitan Police District (MPD) was split into seventeen territorial Divisions:
A (Whitehall)
B (Westminster, Later known as Chelsea)
C (St James's)
D (Marylebone)
E (Holborn)
F (Covent Garden)
G (Finsbury)
H (Whitechapel)
K (Stepney, Later known as Bow)
L (Lambeth)
M (Southwark)
N (Islington)
P (Camberwell)
R (Greenwich)
S (Hampstead)
T (Kensington, Later known as Hammersmith)
V (Wandsworth)
Charles started with Division G Finsbury on 6 May 1878 and finished in Division T Hammersmith on 11 May 1908 on Warrant number 62562.
Direct from the National Archives;
After his retirement more houses were built in the area. From the military record of his son William Henry Pomeroy where Charles and Charlotte are recorded as next of kin, it appears they took advantage of the opportunity provided by the new build, and moved. Just one street away to number 2 Albion Villas, in Prince's Road. In the 1901 Census, on image 26, page 25 of district 17, 1 & 2 Albion Villas are unoccupied and sit between 10 and 4 Prince's Road.
The Military Record address could be 2 Albert Villas, which I have not been able to find yet on Prince's Road Teddington.
It is the same problem as earlier with 6 Beaconsfield Villas, in Fulwell road, with the renumbering of the street from one end to another, instead of a mix of villas and terraces as well as the occasional individual house.
From the Military Record it appears that the new address was recorded in 1905, about half way between the 1901 and 1911 Census.
The photo from Google Streetview is of about 8 and 6 Prince's Road, and is probably more indictive than definitive of where the Charles and his growing family lived Prince's Road.
If this is representative, it is a larger property than the 2 up 2 down in Fulwell Road. The date stone appears to have a P in the shield, for Pomeroy perhaps, or just coincidental, or grasping at straws! The date is unclear.
Prince's Road is on the OS 25" Map of 1895, but only part of one side of the road was developed.
However, since writing the above I have done a lot more research about the location.
(For Supporting Data, follow this link)
The research and the conclusions are available in the above link. Despite what may have appeared in the 1901 Census regarding both the named and the numbered houses, it does not match the renumbering along the length of the street, which seems to have taken place in 1908 and is reflected in the 1909 Register of Voters. So the last photo of houses, albeit Prince's Road, is not relevant, and is in fact on the wrong side of the road.
The South side of Prince's Road was built first and that is where Charles Pomeroy and his family lived.
The first home in Prince's Road was 2 Albert Villas. From the research I have concluded that 1 and 2 Albert Villas, or I and II Albert Villas were renumbered to 21 and 23 Prince's Road in 1908 and the following photo is of those two houses from Google Streetview.
2 Albert Villas, 23 Prince's Road is the one on the right with the blue front door, the wooden fence and the tree in front. They appear to have lived there between approximately 1904 to 1905, before moving to the next block of houses on the left.
The 2 story houses on the right in the photo below are the same as the photo above.
The move from 2 Albert Villas to 1 Albion Villas was not a great distance. The block was 1 and 2 Albion Villas, unoccupied in the 1901 Census Return, and became 17 and 19 Prince's Road when renumbered.
Charles Pomeroy and family lived here from 1905 to 1910/1911. The had moved to The Prince Albert pub in Colham Green by the 1911 Census.
During the time Charles lived at number 17 Prince's Road he rented two unfurnished rooms on the first floor to Henry Charles Imber, according to the 1907 Register of Voters, for Lodgers, for the sum of 4s 6d per week, £0.225. Relative income value of that income or wealth is £143.60 per week, or £7,526.00 per year, in 2019. This continued in the 1908 and 1909 Registers, although the rent was not declared in those.
In the 1910 Register for Voters, Lodgers, Henry Charles Imber was not listed. Perhaps he had moved with his family to the nearby 14 Coburg Road, Teddington. However, Charles had a new Lodger, Edward Pomeroy, had managed to get on the Electoral Roll by renting a second floor furnished room from his father at 17 Princes Road, for 12s per week, £0.60. Edward was also on the 1911 Register as well as Charles although they moved out after publication of the Book, to The Prince Albert Pub.
Another son, the eldest, William Henry Pomery (Pomeroy) at White Cottage, Wellington Road, Teddington (Hampton Hill postal), just a few minutes walk apart, according to the 1910 Registry of Voters. William's entry immediately below that of Charles
The same for the 1911 Registry, however in the 1912 Registry his father was not included.
Register of Persons Entitled to Vote
A lot of the above information comes from the Register of Persons Entitled to Vote, also known as Register of Voters, as published each year. The relevant extracts were here, but I have moved them to a Supporting Data - Abode Article, to avoid the clutter of so much repetitive data. Follow the link below, and elsewhere in this article to see all the supporting data backing up the information.
(For Supporting Data, follow this link)
This is the introduction was here before I moved the data and is left here as a taster.
Another source of information is the Register of Persons Entitled to Vote. Women were not entitled to vote and only some men, and only in selected elections.
Ownership Electors - Parliamentary and Parochial
Occupation Electors (Other than Lodgers)
- Division one - Persons entitled to vote in Parliamentary, County, and Parochial Elections
- Division two - Persons entitled to vote in Parliamentary and Parochial Elections, but not County Elections
- Division three - Persons entitled to vote in County, and Parochial Elections, but not Parliamentary Elections, and those prefixed with a † are not entitled to vote in Parochial Election either.
Lodgers - Persons entitled to vote in Parliamentary and Parochial Elections,
Our family could be in Fulwell Ward or Upper Teddington Ward
These front pages are similar irrespective of which year in the period. Now for the detail.
Detail moved, follow the link below to find it.
(For Supporting Data, follow this link)
Southern Middlesex and Middlesex history in old Maps
An earlier map gives some context for later in the story. Ordnance Survey First Series, Sheet 7 dated 1856, scale 1:63360 or 1 inch to the mile.
At the bottom of the map is Hampton Court Palace and Kingston, in Surrey, then going North, Teddington, Strawberry Hill, Twickenham, and Hounslow, in Middlesex. North from there is Osterly Park. On the upper map, North West from Osterly Park to Hayes, Colham Green, and Hillingdon.
The above map is from 1897, approximately 40years after the one above it. The roads on the old map have been coloured in, approximately. Click on the map to see it without the colouring and to be able to see the current day underlay.
Fulwell Road and Prince's Road, in fact that whole development, do not yet exist on the old map, and neither does the whole village of Hampton Hill. The Marker on the OS Map is the location of Fulwell Park, or Fulwell Lodge. Visible on both maps, and the probable source of the name for Fulwell Road and the local Railway Station. Strawberry Hill is another estate, about the same degree North but closer to the River Thames, and then across the river is Ham and Richmond Park.
The Estates are being sold of and developed to provide the much needed housing to accommodate the expanding population of London, albeit at this time the area was still Surrey or Middlesex.
The marked Fulwell Lodge, at first owned with Yorke/Fulwell Farm to its north, it dated from the early 17th century.
In the Tithe Apportionment of 24th May 1845 Sir William Clay owned or occupied a large estate in the Parish of Twickenham centred around Plot 455, House Garden & Pleasure Grounds, circled on the Tithe Map below. His Estate in the Parish of Twickenham is colour washed in green, extending to about 300 acres. The estate also extends into the neighbouring parishes.
In 1871 Charles James Freake, a London property developer, bought Fulwell Lodge, its grounds and estate worker's cottages. This extended south from the A316 Chertsey Road and Crane, included the west of later housing often considered Twickenham Green rather than West Twickenham and what became Strawberry Hill Golf Course. It lay north-west of the Shepperton Branch Line encompassing what is now Fulwell Golf Course and as far as Apex Corner where the A312 Uxbridge Road meets the A316. Freake named the area Fulwell Park. After Freake's death in 1884 this passed to his wife, who saw the golf course built in the west, and, on her death in 1900, was held by Freake Estates until 1910. The exiled last King of Portugal, Manoel/Manuel II, bought as his English home Fulwell Lodge from shortly after his marriage in 1913 until his death in 1932.
The lodge and its acres of grounds were then bought by Wates and demolished. It was redeveloped as houses, with some low-rise, landscaped-grounds flats. The history is kept through the names: Manoel Road, Lisbon Avenue, Augusta Road and Portugal Gardens.
Found on the Vision of Britain website, this map shows boundaries and the workhouse Unions, on the OS Sanitary Districts of Middlesex 1888. The Fulwell Lodge Estate, whilst the main house is in Twickenham, extends south possibly into both Hanworth and Teddington. However, exact plots are not confirmed as I have yet to find associated Tithe Maps.
Going further back in time, to the H.M.S.O. Boundary Commission Report 1832.
Map of Middlesex, population in 1831, 1358200, and Assessed Taxes in 1830, £1250300. Almost a £1 per head.
The Teddington homes of our family are in the Spelthorne Hundred and the Hillingdon homes are in Elthorne Hundred.
Twickenham, and Fulwell Lodge estate is in Isleworth Hundred.
The principal place of the County Election is Brentford, on the old Roman Road of the Devil's Highway, connecting Londinium (London) to Pontes (Staines) and then Calleva Atrebatum (Silchester). Hounslow also gets a mention on the map.
The road to Staines is now the A30 and A315. with parts bypased by the Great West Road and the Great South West Road.
Uxbridge is shown on another important route including Acton and Southall.
Another H.M.S.O. Boundary Commission Report, this time 1917, and the railways have arrived. Middlesex, or Middle Saxon if going back to the Anglo Saxon times. Many things are similar, but some have changed. The dropping of the use of Hundred, The formation of the County of London.
Hardly any change for centuries then massive change at a pace. The whole area changed by the 1960s.
The Heptarchy (Old English: Seofonrīċe, "seven rikes") is a collective name applied to the seven kingdoms of Anglo-Saxon England (sometimes referred to as petty kingdoms) from the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain in the 5th century until the 8th century consolidation into the four kingdoms of Mercia, Northumbria, Wessex and East Anglia.
Over a thousand years before the 1832 Boundary Commission Report Map.
Hillingdon
(For Supporting Data, follow this link)
Charles Pomeroy and his family was are no longer living at 6 Beaconsfield Terrace, Fulwell Road, Teddington. Another move. He has retired as a Police Constable, now aged 56. His wife Charlotte was now 54.
Charles and Charlotte had four children living with them on 2 April 1911. Compared to the last census in 1901, William, a Groom, than aged 16, now 26 and Albert, then aged 10, now 20, have moved out or were not there on the day of the census.
- Edward, aged 24, single a Groundsman at the Golf Club (Baptised Edward on 6th February 1887)
- Ellen, aged 18, single, a general domestic servant (Baptised Emily Ellen Gertrude on 3rd March 1893)
- Ethel, aged 14 (Baptised Ethel Mary on 11 November 1896)
- Evelyn, aged 13, (Baptised Evelyn Harriet on 26 January 1898)
According to the census record, Charles and Charlotte had 12 children born alive, with 6 still living and 6 who had died.
Again, according to the census, Charles and Charlotte had been married 32 years, which equates to 1879. They were married on 15th December 1878 at Maiden Newton, Dorset, England.
Both children and marriage correlate to information already established.
This census is the first one that is not completed by an Enumerator, but by the occupants themselves. This is most probably the hand writing of Charles Pomeroy, as the head of the family.
The property a 6 Beaconsfield Terrace appears externally to be a two up two down, which would mean all six children occupying the same bedroom, and their parents the other bedroom.
According to the 1911 Census for 48 Fulwell Road, Teddington, the dwelling has 5 rooms, which includes the kitchen, hence confirming it as two reception rooms plus kitchen, downstairs and two bedrooms upstairs. Closet and Bathroom are not counted and are not necessarily indoors or in existence. The new home, Prince Albert, Colham Green, Uxbridge, Middlesex, has 6 rooms, one more, with two less adult children.
Colham Green in 1895, with the marker indicating the row of houses which were to become the Prince Albert, Charles Pomeroy and his families' home in the 1911 Census above.
The Uxbridge Union Workhouse, became a hospital, which was not at all unusual at the time. In 1963 construction of a new Hillingdon Hospital commenced on the Furze or Heath just across the road, in its current location.
The Prince Albert 1910/1911 to 1912/1913
This free house was built for the now defunct Isleworth brewery and was still with the original stained glass windows. Demolished in December 2014.
Also at PubWiki
Google Streetview image in 2014, before demolition.
A then and now using Google Streetview timeline. With the current Hillingdon Hospital tower block in the background.
Demolished in 2014 and the pub car park extended to include the area of the buildings. The whole site became a carpark with newly laid blacktop and white lines in August 2015.
Work had started on construction on the next Google Streetview pass of the Camera Car in August 2016.
Building completed by 2017. Prince Albert Public House becomes Prince Albert Court, Pield Heath Road, Colham Green, Hillingdon, Uxbridge.
Using the Register of Voters, which generally provides information once a year as opposed to the every ten years of the Census, the Charles Pomeroy did not stay at The Prince Albert very long. From the Supporting Data associated with this page, Charles Pomeroy was at The Prince Albert Public House, Colham Green between 1910/1911 to 1912/1913. The dates have a range because the entry in a Register of Voters is not a precise date. It is published, and comes into force on a specific date, but the entitlement to be included and the collation of the register occurs some time before the date upon which it becomes current. Another slight problem with using the Register of Voters is that it is some time before the Registers include women, so it is a trail for Charles Pomeroy, but just an assumption for Charlotte Elizabeth Pomeroy. That is until she appears in them in her own right, in 1918.
In the 1910 Register of Voters, Charles Pomeroy was at 17 Princes Road and his eldest Son William Henry Pomery (Pomeroy) was at White Cottage Wellington Road Teddington (Hampton Hill postal), just a few minutes walk apart. Both men, both recorded. Another son, Edward Pomeroy, had managed to get on the Electoral Roll by renting a second floor furnished room from his father at 17 Princes Road.
One has to assume the younger members of the family follow the trail of records for Charles Pomeroy unless they appear somewhere else.
3 Stewkley Terrace, 38 Heath Road, Hillingdon, Uxbridge 1912/1913 to 1930/1931
After Charles and Charlotte Elizabeth Pomeroy's time at The Prince Albert they moved to 3 Stewkley Terrace in Hillingdon Heath.
As an update;
Charles and Charlotte had four children living with them on 2 April 1911. Compared to the last census in 1901, William, a Groom, than aged 16, now 26 and Albert, then aged 10, now 20, have moved out or were not there on the day of the census.
- Edward, aged 24, single a Groundsman at the Golf Club (Baptised Edward on 6th February 1887)
- Ellen, aged 18, single, a general domestic servant (Baptised Emily Ellen Gertrude on 3rd March 1893)
- Ethel, aged 14 (Baptised Ethel Mary on 11 November 1896)
- Evelyn, aged 13, (Baptised Evelyn Harriet on 26 January 1898)
Add about two years to each of the ages when they moved to Heath Road.
They saw out the Great War here, and their family changed. It was a time of loss.
By the 1919 Register of Voters, ie 1918, Charles and Charlotte Elizabeth Pomeroy were still living at 3 Stewkley Terrace, Heath Road, Hillingdon, (Division 1) together with their surviving son, Albert Pomeroy (Division 2). Florence Pomeroy, of Ash's Cottages, Colham Green, may be the widow of Edward Pomeroy, a Groundsman at the Golf Club before the war.
Albert was still at 3 Stewkley Terrace from the Registers of Voters in 1920, 21, 22, 23, as was Florence Pomeroy, at Ash's Cottages. Florence Pomeroy at Ash's Cottages is most probably the Widow of Edward as this is where they lived before the War, where their children were living when they were Baptised. I tried to find where Florence moved to after she ceased to appear adjacent to Charles and Charlotte Elizabeth Pomeroy in the Registers of Voters. That did not prove conclusive, so I started searching for her son Charles Edward Pomeroy and found a record the seemed to be possible at 18 Yew Avenue, Yiewsley, West Drayton, Middlesex, England. Charles Edward Pomeroy consistently lived at that address for a number of years in the 40's and 50's, and always with Arthur George Nicholls and Florence Nicholls. In 1947 another name appeared on the Register, Arthur H Nicholls. The Representation of the People Act 1969 lowered the voting age from 21 to 18, with effect from 1970, so in 1947 the voting age would have still been 21. He did not have a Y in front of his name, which would have restricted when he could vote that year, or perhaps that convention was not in place at that time, but nor did he appear in the 1946 Register. 1947 less 21 would give an approximate date of birth of 1926.
Another search for a wedding between a Florence Pomeroy and Arthur George Nicholls found a record for the same names in 1919, at Uxbridge Middlesex. In addition to that a record was found for the birth of Arthur H Nicholls in 1925, and the Mother's maiden name was Davis. This suggests fairly strongly, that Florence Pomeroy nee Davis, widow of Edward Pomeroy, who was killed in action, during the Great War, in 1917, married Arthur George Nicholls and lived with him and her son, Charles Edward Pomeroy at various addresses, including 18 Yew Avenue, Yiewsley, West Drayton, Middlesex, England. Charles Edward Pomeroy was born in 1912 and achieved his Voting at 1933.
This conjecture does however raise concerns over Florence Pomeroy still being of that name and being at Ash's Cottages until the Register of Voters 1923.
47 Marlbrough Road, Hillingdon, Uxbridge 1930/1931 to 1931/1932
Evelyn Harriet Pomeroy was the youngest daughter of Charles and Charlotte Elizabeth Pomeroy. She married Reginald Samuel Notley on 26 September 1917 in Hillingdon, Middlesex.
Evelyn Harriet Pomeroy or Evalyn was a 19 year old Spinster at the time of here wedding. She would have had to get permission form her father to get married under 'Full Age'. Charles Pomeroy is recorded as her father, an Ex-Police Constable and signed as a witness. Frequently, the Brides occupation was left blank, but in this case Evelyn was a nurse. Perhaps still living with her parents, as in 1917, at 3 Stewkley Terrace, 38 Heath Road, Hillingdon, which is in Hillingdon Heath. Charles Pomeroy was coming up to his 63rd birthday when they got married. In the Register of Voters 1921, Reginald Notley was living at 3 Stewkley Terrace, which would be with his in-laws, as he was in 1922.
Charles and Charlotte Elizabeth Pomeroy had moved from 3 Stewkley Terrace, presumably in 1931 and appeared in the following year's Register of Voters, at 47 Marlborough Road with the Notley family. The Notley family entitled to vote were recorded as being, Evelyn Harriet, Frederick Josiah, and Reginald Samuel, all Notley, with the former coded as a woman, and the latter as the Occupier. Frederick Josiah Notley would have to have been over 21 years of age to appear in the Registers of Voters. 1917 to 1931 is 14 years, so seven more to find. I don't think Evelyn was pregnant when she was 12, so Frederick Josiah Notley is not their son, possibly a brother of Reginald Samuel.
Charles and Charlotte Elizabeth Pomeroy had moved in with their youngest daughter and her husband. Charles would have been around 76/77 years of age when he moved in, and Charlotte Elizabeth 2 years younger.
47 Marlborough Road was part of a newly built council estate, constructed in the late 1920's early 1930's. Evelyn Harriet, Frederick Josiah, and Reginald Samuel Notley had already been living on the same estate, at 15 Pole Hill Road, a mere 4 minutes walk from 47 Marlborough Road, according to the Register of Voters for 1923, and 1924.
The 1926 Registers of Voters for the Pole Hill Road. Note, the West Side is all the new buildings, Council Houses. The East Side has the older, named properties. 15 Pole Hill Road is no longer occupied by Reginald Notley as he has moved to 11A Pole Hill Road.
In the 1933 Register of Voters The Notley family remain in their council house, 47 Marlborough Road, but the Pomeroy family have moved back to Heath Road, this time at 4 Virginia Cottages, with Phyllis Selina Edgington.
I don't know why Charles and Charlotte Elizabeth Pomeroy moved in with their daughter and son-in-law for about a year. Perhaps they had become infirm and needed help, which presumably may have been provided by Phyllis Selina Edgington once they had moved back to Heath Road. Perhaps something happened with their property 3 Stewkley Terrace, 38 Heath Road, or perhaps regarding the landlord.
Interestingly, another daughter E M Bower at the time, was living at 1 Pole Hill Road in April 1940.
4 Virginia Cottages, 60 Heath Road, Hillingdon, Uxbridge 1931/1932 to 1938
7 Nelson Lane, Hillingdon, Uxbridge (Only Charlotte) 1938 to 1940
Children of Charles and Charlotte
According to the 1911 Census record, Charles and Charlotte had 12 children born alive, with 6 still living and 6 who had died. The six recorded as still living were;-
- William, born 22nd September 1884 at 20 Torrens Buildings, Torrens Street, Clerkenwell, Islington (if at home). Baptised William Henry on 2nd November 1884 at the Parish Church of St Peter's Clerkenwell.
- Edward, born 15th December 1886 at 20 Torrens Buildings, Torrens Street, Clerkenwell, Islington (if at home). Baptised Edward on 6th February 1887 at the Parish Church of St Peter's Clerkenwell.
- Albert, born 15th November 1890 at 18 Palmerston Buildings, City Garden Row, City Road, Angel, Islington, Middlesex. (if at home). Baptised Albert on 3rd May 1891 at St Mary, Islington. Middlesex.
- Emily, born on 26th January 1893 at 6 Beaconsfield Villas, Fulwell Road, Teddington, Middlesex. (if at home). Baptised Emily Ellen Gertrude on 3rd March 1893 at the Parish Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul's Church, on Broad Street, Teddington.
- Ethel, born 8th October 1896 at 6 Beaconsfield Villas, Fulwell Road, Teddington, Middlesex. (if at home). Baptised Ethel Mary on 11 November 1896 at the Parish Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul's Church, Upper Teddington.
- Evelyn, 2nd December 1897 at 6 Beaconsfield Villas, Fulwell Road, Teddington, Middlesex. (if at home). Baptised Evelyn Harriet on 26 January 1898 at the Parish Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul's Church, Upper Teddington.
Lets see what records reveal about them, one at a time.
William Henry Pomeroy
William Henry Pomeroy, born 22nd September 1884
William Henry, born 22nd September 1884 at 20 Torrens Buildings, Torrens Street, Clerkenwell, Islington (if at home). Baptised William Henry on 2nd November 1884 at the Parish Church of St Peter's Clerkenwell.
Reprise of youth
William Henry was born to Charles and Charlotte Elizabeth Pomeroy. Charles Pomeroy was a Police Constable. He was their first child surviving beyond infancy, and became the big brother to his subsequent siblings.
The family moved when William was under 5 years old, to 104 St John Street, on the junction with Clerkenwell Road. Only 3/4 miles from Torrens Street, and now only just under 1/2 miles from St Peter's Church on St Cross Street / Great Saffron Hill.
Not long after, there was another move to 18 Palmerston Buildings, which was in City Garden Row, City Road, Angel, Islington, Middlesex.
William was last recorded with the family on the Census 1901 at 6 Beaconsfield Terrace as a 16 year old Groom. On 1st April 1902 he joined the Army, the Middlesex Regiment at Hounslow.
Perhaps the family moved to the Prince Albert Public House in 1901/2, or not, as the papers list next of kin as William's parents, Charles and Charlotte of 6 Beaconsfield Villas, Fulwell Road, Teddington, with two brothers, Edward and Albert. There appears to be a change of address to 2 Albert Villas, Princes Road, Teddington.
Service with Middlesex Regiment
Service with Middlesex Regiment
There is even a physical description of William as a 19 year old as part of the sign-up and medical. He was passed fit for service on 5th April 1902.
He is 5 feet 91/4 inches tall, (1.75895 m) with blue eyes and brown hair. This is above average height for the period by about two inches.
His religion is stated as being Church of England, which excludes all the other Protestants as well as Roman Catholic.
He was posted on 6 June 1902 and granted GC Badge o n 1 April 1904, both still with the Middlesex Regiment. Is this a Good Conduct badge?
The badge photo is not of his badge but a general Middlesex Regiment collar badge of the Victorian Period.
William transferred to the Army Reserve on 20 February 1905, after serving 2 years 10 months 19 days in the regulars..
According to his service record he was discharged, the termination of first period of engagement, as a private, from the Army Reserve on the 31 March 1914.
Total service towards engagement to 31 March 1914, 12 years, and to pension 2 years 236 days.
It seems that he was posted to Dublin during part of his service. Ireland was considered "Home" at that time.
The Norman invasion in 1169 of resulted in a partial conquest of the island and marked the beginning of more than 800 years of English political and military involvement in Ireland. Initially successful, Norman gains were rolled back over succeeding centuries as a Gaelic resurgence reestablished Gaelic cultural preeminence over most of the country, apart from the walled towns and the area around Dublin known as The Pale.
Reduced to the control of small pockets, the English Crown did not make another attempt to conquer the island until after the end of the Wars of the Roses (1488).
Attempts to impose the new Protestant faith were also successfully resisted by both the Gaelic and Norman-Irish. The new policy fomented the rebellion of the Hiberno-Norman Earl of Kildare Silken Thomas in 1534, keen to defend his traditional autonomy and Catholicism, and marked the beginning of the prolonged Tudor conquest of Ireland lasting from 1534 to 1603. Henry VIII proclaimed himself King of Ireland in 1541 to facilitate the project. Ireland became a potential battleground in the wars between Catholic Counter-Reformation and Protestant Reformation Europe.
In 1916 the Easter Rising succeeded in turning public opinion against the British establishment after the execution of the leaders by British authorities. It also eclipsed the home rule movement. In 1922, after the Irish War of Independence most of Ireland seceded from the United Kingdom to become the independent Irish Free State.
Therefore, William's Army record records only 'Home' service, at least during this first period of engagement.
Whilst in Dublin he was given instruction and passed in Transport Duties, on 3 December 1903. Was this learning to drive an internal combustion engine vehicle? Perhaps steam driven, or more likely, horse drawn.
The Imperial War Museum has a section entitled The British Army lorries prior to the First World War.
THE BRITISH ARMY LORRIES PRIOR TO THE FIRST WORLD WAR © IWM (Q 72862)
THE BRITISH ARMY LORRIES PRIOR TO THE FIRST WORLD WAR © IWM (Q 72869)
THE BRITISH ARMY TRACTORS PRIOR TO THE FIRST WORLD WAR © IWM (Q 72860)
Also whilst in Dublin he was given an education was awarded a 3rd Class Certificate of Education on 26 April 1904.
Both the Transport and Education awards where achieved whilst he was in the Middlesex Regiment regulars.
William's Military record also has the following additional information added over time.
William married Kathleen Mary Josephine O'Dowd at the Registry Office Kingston, Surrey, on the 6 March 1907. The witnesses were Charles Pomeroy and Charlotte Elizabeth Pomeroy. As their first child was born in May of the same year, one has to assume that she was pregnant at the time of the marriage, and that was the reason for the Registry Office instead of a Church. Presumably, William met Kathleen in Dublin. Their wedding was after he transferred to the Army Reserve on 20 February 1905, but as he was in the Reserve, it was added to his Military Record.
John Henry Charles was born on 19th May 1907 at Teddington, Middlesex.
William Patrick was born on 4 October 1908 at Teddington, Middlesex.
Edward George was born on 14th May 1910 at Teddington, Middlesex.
Whilst there is space to record baptisms in the Military Record, done have been entered.
William was not recorded as having spent time in hospital as an inpatient.
The end of the Military Record.
Family life
The marriage is recorded on the indexes for Q1 of 1907.
William Henry Pomeroy married Kathleen Mary J O'Dowd, registered in Kingston, Volume 2a page 656.
Baptism of John Henry Charles Pomeroy
John Henry Charles was born on 19th May 1907 at Teddington, but I have not found a baptism record in this Parish. However, it appears that it was just missfiled in Ancestry.
This Baptism record is on page 184 of the Baptism Book for St James Hampton Hill, Middlesex, but is filled under Shepperton, 1907-1913. I found it because their first daughter, also Kathleen is in the same block of the book.
The block of lost pages are; 184-185 (1907), 190-191 (1908), 194-195 (1908-1909), 218-219 (1911-1912), 222-223 (1912), 226-227 (1912-1913), 250-251 (1916-1917), images 1-7.
Knowing what to look for, flicking through the St James, Hampton Hill 1864-1916 Baptism book online, I am able to confirm the above pages are missing from the proper section.
John Henry Charles was Baptised on 14th July 1907, to Harry and Kathleen Pomeroy, at St James Church, St James Road, Hampton Hill. The family's abode was White Cottage, Wellington Road, Twickenham. Harry's occupation is recorded as Labourer. Harry was, at the date of this baptism, still in the Army Reserve until the 31 March 1914, hence, his birth being recorded in the Military Record.
William Henry Pomeroy was nearly 24 years old when his and Kathleen's first child was born and Baptised.
I suspect that I would have questioned whether this was a relevant record as the father's name is Harry instead of William Henry, as in the other information including other Baptism records. A search for White Cottage, Wellington Road, Twickenham, does not reveal a White Cottage, but Wellington Road, Twickenham, is the same road in Fulwell, Hampton Hill, and Teddington. There are other Wellington Roads in London, but not in the immediate vicinity.
However, the child's name matches the Military record and the abode matches later information precisely, combined they give me confidence that it is the correct record.
Baptism of William Patrick Pomeroy
This Baptism record is also for the Parish of Hampton Hill.
William Patrick was born on 4 October 1908 at Teddington, Middlesex, from earlier data. He was Baptised on 8th November 1908, to William Henry and Kathleen Mary Josephine Pomeroy in St James' Church, Hampton Hill. The Church is in St James Road and the family abode was White Cottage, Wellington Road. William Henry Pomeroy described his profession as being Army Reserve. The previous Baptism recorded the same address but occupation of labourer.
Saint James Church, Hampton Hill
The church in Hampton Hill was built in 1863, it is in the early English style and consists of nave and chancel, with bell turret.
What was to become Hampton Hill was originally the southern corner of Hounslow Heath, used as common land to graze animals. It was a haunt of highwaymen and footpads, with a gibbet for the punishment of these criminals on the corner at the Hampton Hill end of Burton’s Road. The Commons Enclosure act of 1811 allowed parts of this heathland to be enclosed and the land, which is now between St James’s Church and Hampton Hill High Street, was converted into glebe (land providing income for a clergyman) for the benefit of St Mary’s Church, Hampton.
During the early 1860s the Thames Valley Railway Line was extended, the Hampton Water Works was built and the local nursery trade developed. These projects brought an enormous number of rowdy, hard drinking labourers and artisans into an area with terrible conditions, many people living in “miserable hovels”. They helped to increase the number of public houses in the district to thirteen, these being the scenes of not a few “public affrays”. There were no facilities or services in the area and consequently poverty, drunkenness and violence were widespread. The shacks in which these people lived gradually developed into a community on the common and it was described as “a wilderness with a number of habitations of the most wretched kind, inhabited by a still more wretched class of people”.
Despite the Church being a different parish from his parents the location is very close to both the Fulwell Road and Prince's Road homes. Wellington Road crossing at the top of both roads. Inspection of the Ordnance Survey First Edition maps in the Teddington section suggests that Wellington Road is one of the original roads of the area.
The church and the whole village of Hampton Hill was new and constructed between the Ordnance Survey First Edition and the OS 25" Map.
Baptism of Edward George Pomeroy
Another Baptism record is for the Parish of Hampton Hill.
Edward George was born on 14th May 1910 at Teddington, Middlesex, from earlier data, his father's Military Record. He was Baptised on 5th June 1910, to William Henry and Kathleen Mary Josephine Pomeroy in St James' Church, Hampton Hill. The family abode was as the last baptism, White Cottage, Wellington Road, Twickenham. William Henry Pomeroy described his profession as being Coffee stall keeper.
William Henry was, at the date of this baptism, still in the Army Reserve until the 31 March 1914, hence, his birth being recorded in the Military Record.
The information here correlates with previous data and the upcoming 1911 Census.
1911 Census
William Henry Pomeroy and his family of five lived at the White Cottage, Wellington Road.
William Henry is aged 27, been married for 4 years and works as a coffee stall keeper. His calculated year of birth is 1884, in Clerkenwell, both of which match previous information.
His wife Kathleen Mary Pomeroy, aged 28 was born in Dublin.
From his military record his children are;-
- John Henry Charles was born on 19th May 1907 at Teddington, Middlesex.
- William Patrick was born on 4 October 1908 at Teddington, Middlesex.
- Edward George was born on 14th May 1910 at Teddington, Middlesex.
All this also matches.
White Cottage does not appear to be in Wellington Road on the 1901 Census, but is adjacent Slade Farm and Fulwell Golf Club House, in the 1911 Census.
Perhaps White Cottage was part of the Slade Lodge complex, if not part of the Farm. Either way, it is very close to 6 Beaconsfield Villas, where he spent some of his childhood.
Baptism of Kathleen Mary Josephine Pomeroy
Another addition to the family after the 1911 Census, this time a daughter. Surprisingly this child is not recorded in his Military record despite being born before William Henry Pomeroy's discharge for the Army Reserve on the 31 March 1914.
Kathleen Mary Josephine was given her mother's name, Baptised at St James Church, Hampton Hill, on 14th July 1912. The abode is still the White Cottage, Wellington Road, but this time Hampton Hill. The same place as previous, even if with an ending of Twickenham. Again William Henry Pomeroy occupation is Coffee Stall Keeper. I wonder where this was and how far his commute was each day. Mass travel was now available, so everything did not need to be within walking distance.
This record is one of the misplaced ones as described for her eldest brother, page 222.
Baptism of Albert David Pomeroy
By 1914, and the birth of their next child, the family had moved to 7 Rosedale Avenue. Albert David was born on 20th March 1914 and Baptised in the Parish of Hayes on 21st June 1914, to William Henry and Kathleen Mary Josephine Pomeroy and the father's occupation was recorded as labourer.
Google Streetview gives this as 7 Rosedale Avenue, Hayes. Number 7 has the climber around the window. The datestone on the next house indicates Rosedale Avenue but no date.
The more recent photo has lost the climber, gained a porch and shows the brickwork to be yellow stock.
Hayes is adjacent to Colham Green, and Rosedale is about 1 1/2 miles away from the Prince Albert Pub where William Henry Pomeroy father was recorded as living in the 1911 Census.
William Henry was back as being a labourer. I wonder what had happened regarding the Coffee Stall Keeper?
William Henry was nearly 30 years of age when Albert David was born and Baptised.
As an aside, and jumping forward to between the wars, the family were still living at 7 Rosedale Avenue for the 1936 Register of Electors. Although from the codes to the left of the names, not all are equal.
World War 1
The Great War - Overview
The Great War
The First World War began when Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary was assassinated in Sarajevo by a Serbian nationalist, Gavrilo Princip, on 28 June 1914. Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum 23 July 1914 and quickly declared war when Serbia failed to respond. Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire formed the Triple Alliance, while Russia, France, and the United Kingdom formed the Triple Entente.
Russia felt it necessary to back Serbia, and approved partial mobilisation after Austria-Hungary shelled the Serbian capital of Belgrade, which was a few miles from the border, on 28 July 1914.
Full Russian mobilisation was announced on the evening of 30 July; the following day, Austria-Hungary and Germany did the same, while Germany demanded Russia demobilise within twelve hours. When Russia failed to comply, Germany declared war on Russia on 1 August in support of Austria-Hungary, the latter following suit on 6 August; France ordered full mobilisation in support of Russia on 2 August.
Germany's strategy for a war on two fronts against France and Russia was to rapidly concentrate the bulk of its army in the West to defeat France within 6 weeks, then shift forces to the East before Russia could fully mobilise; this was later known as the Schlieffen Plan. On 2 August, Germany demanded free passage through Belgium, an essential element in achieving a quick victory over France. When this was refused, German forces invaded Belgium on 3 August and declared war on France the same day; the Belgian government invoked the 1839 Treaty of London and, in compliance with its obligations under this treaty, Britain declared war on Germany on 4 August 1914. A rapid escalation from an assassination to Britain becoming embroiled in war in just 37days. On 12 August, Britain and France also declared war on Austria-Hungary; on 23 August, Japan sided with Britain, seizing German possessions in China and the Pacific. In November 1914, the Ottoman Empire entered the war on the side of Austria-Hungary and Germany, opening fronts in the Caucasus, Mesopotamia, and the Sinai Peninsula. The war was fought in (and drew upon) each power's colonial empire also, spreading the conflict to Africa and across the globe. The Entente and its allies eventually became known as the Allied Powers, while the grouping of Austria-Hungary, Germany and their allies became known as the Central Powers.
Great Britain sent troops to both the Eastern and Western Fronts, where they faced the realities of life in the trenches and a war that lasted longer than expected. Despite heavy losses, the Allies were able to resist German advances and eventually forced Germany to accept the armistice on 11 November 1918, ending the war.
William Henry Pomeroy had only left the Army Reserve on 31 March 1914, but within 4 months 4 days, or 18 weeks 0 days, or 126 days, Britain was at war. The Great War had commenced, and would ultimatly lead to his death.
His Service Records
British Army WW1 Service Records, 1914-1920 (Soldiers)
There were about 6-7 million soldiers (Other Ranks and Non-Commissioned Officers) who served with the British Army in the First World War. Each soldiers’ record of service was stored by the War Office after the First World War was over.
Unfortunately about 60% of the soldiers’ Service Records were irretrievably damaged or lost completely as a result of enemy bombing in 1940 during the Second World War. The exact number of serving British soldiers is not known because of the loss of the records.
However, about a third, approximately 2 million, were saved from destruction. These records are known as the “Burnt Records”. Officially they are classed as WO 363 records, which is the reference number given to them by the National Archives.(The “WO” in the classification code stands for “War Office”.) As a result of the loss of so many of the First World War Service Records, there is now only a 40% chance that the Service Record of the individual you want to trace will be available to examine.
The surviving 2 million “Burnt Documents” Service Records are for soldiers who were discharged, demobilized at the end of the war, who died between 1914 and 1920 and who were not eligible for an Army pension. Some soldiers who were in the regular army before the outbreak of war in August 1914 may, however, be included in this class of records.
The Service Records will not include soldiers who continued to serve in the military after 1920. Their records are not available for public access.
A search of the National Archives led to William Henry Pomeroy medal record.
If this is the same William H Pomeroy, Regimental number 50422, why was he in the Suffolk Regiment when previously he was in the Middlesex regiment?
I found an article about 'Why a Soldier did not Serve with his Local Regiment'. This explains in part why he appears to be in the Suffolk Regiment instead of rejoining the Middlesex Regiment.
The lack of being able to find an image of the Attestation Papers (enlistment) is a set back in the categorical identification of this being the same William H Pomeroy as the one who enlisted on 1st April 1902 to the Middlesex Regiment. The physical details recorded as well as personal data would have a firm identification.
So let us see what we can find to improve the circumstantial evidence that Private 50422 is the same person.
Starting with an Extract of Soldiers' Effects, Payment Centre Warley.
From this we can ascertain that Private 50422 was with the 12th Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment and that he died on the 5 May 1917, No 55 C.C.S France. The widow and sole recipient of the pension was Kathleen M J, not explicitly but presumably Pomeroy. There is another entry in the same column which is dated 20/10/19 with Kathleen M J and Johnson, beneath that. Is that a new surname of the signature of the authorising officer. Given that above, in the Electors register of 1932, Kathleen Mary Josephine Pomeroy was living at the previously known address.
It appears from the adjacent recruitment poster from WW1 that the 12th Battalion was a Bantam Battalion with a Standard of Height requirement of 5ft to 5ft-2, and Chest Measurment 33in expanded.
From the 1902 Attestation Papers our William Henry Pomeroy was 5 feet 91/4 inches tall, (1.75895 m) with blue eyes and brown hair. His chest messurement was minimum 33" and expanded 35".
It seems strange that he would end up in a Bantam Battalion. Perhaps it was something to do with his age or health.
His age at death on 5th May 1917 would have been 32 years 7 months 13 days, or 391 months 13 days, or 1701 weeks 5 days, or 11,912 days.
Conscription
In the first few months of 1916 the Military Service Act was passed by the British Government, rendering all fit males of military age liable for call up. The act specified that single men aged 18 to 40 years old were liable to be called up for military service unless they were widowed with children or ministers of a religion. Married men were exempt in the original Act, although this was changed in June 1916. The age limit was also eventually raised to 51 years old.
Again, not having the WW1 Attestation Papers, means we don't know the date he joined up, nor where or under what circumstances.
At this stage the connection is unreliable
Now onto the records held by Forces War Records and the search for William Henry Pomeroy. Unfortunately it is a transcribed record and not an image. This means that any information not transcribed is not available and there is not the opportunity to check the transcription. Findmypast has the same information.
The Suffolk Regiment Collar Badge appears to be a castle.
Troop Movements
WW1 Troop Movements and ORBATS for William Henry Pomeroy
Orders of Battle (ORBATS) are documents produced by the military to show the hierarchical structure, command organisation and disposition of units for particular engagements of the British Military. At the highest level they show a breakdown of the units involved in entire conflicts, the First World War in this case, including Divisional and Brigade commanding officers, the organisation of the divisions right down to the battalion level along with their attached units from for example, the Royal Artillery. With the ORBATS you are able to determine exactly where units were on a given date and the battle, action or event they took part in.
If William Henry Pomeroy stayed with Suffolk Regiment, 12th Battalion, this map shows where they would have fought.
12th (Service) Battalion (East Anglian)
July 1915 Formed at Bury St. Edmunds as a bantam battalion and then moved to Bordon and joined the 121st Brigade of the 40th Division and then moved to Pirbright.
06.06.1916 Mobilised for war and landed at Havre and the Division engaged in various actions on the Western Front including;
During 1916
The Battle of the Ancre.
During 1917
The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line, The capture of Fifteen Ravine, Villers Plouich, Beaucamp and La Vacquerie, The Cambrai Operations.
During 1918
The Battle of St Quentin, The Battle of Bapaume, The Battle of Estaires, The Battle of Hazebrouck.
06.05.1918 Reduced to cadre.
16.06.1918 Transferred to the 14th Division.
17.06.1918 Returned to England and moved to Pirbright to reconstitute with the 16th Battalion and join the 43rd Brigade.
05.07.1918 Returned to France and landed at Boulogne and once again engaged in various actions on the Western Front including; The Battle of Ypres 1918.
11.11.1918 Ended the war in Belgium, Molembaix north of Tournai.
b
The 12th Battalion move to France on 27th May 1916 having completed its training in Blackdown, Pirbright, and Working area. Perhaps the training area holds a clue as to why William Henry Pomeroy ended up enlisted in an East Anglia Bantam Battalion.
Troop Movements for Suffolk Regiment, 12th Battalion 1916
Move To France - 27/05/1916
Location: Lillers. Having completed its training in the Blackdown, Pirbright and Woking area, in May 1916, 40th Division was warned that it would soon move to France. On 25th May the Division paraded on Laffans Plain for inspection by King George V and began its mobilisation on 27th May.
Entrainment began on 1st June with disembarkation at Le Harve between 2nd and 6th June, and by 9th June the Division had completed its concentration around Lillers.
Battles Of The Somme - Battle Of The Ancre - 14/11/1916
Location: Hebuterne area. British victory. The attack of the British Fifth Army against German First Army along the River Ancre between Thiepval and Beaumont Hamel was the final large scale British attack on the Somme before winter set in.
Troop Movements for Suffolk Regiment, 12th Battalion 1917
German Retreat To The Hindenburg Line - 14/03/1917
Location: Allaines. German tactical victory. Known to the Germans as 'Operation Alberich', this was a strategic German withdrawal to a series of fortifications that had been planned and built during the winter of 1916-1917.
Built on the highest ground possible and following an alignment 45km shorter than the current trench lines, it would require less troops to garrison as losses on the Eastern Front led to troop transfers. To complete the withdrawal the Germans carried out a 'scorched earth' policy to ensure that anything which might be useful to the Allies was destroyed.
Buildings were demolished, roads and railways mined, bridges blown up and water courses poisoned. When the German retreat began, 40th Division in XV Corps, Fourth Army were holding a sector of the front between Bouchavesnes-Bergen and Clery-sur-Somme.
120th Infantry Brigade and 121st Infantry Brigade in the front line, 119th Infantry Brigade in reserve. News of the German withdrawal from other parts of the line reaching the Division on 14th March, patrols were sent out to reconnoitre the German trenches on their front, finding them still occupied.
Further patrols sent out during the night of 17th -18th March reported the Germans beginning to withdraw, and 120th Infantry Brigade and 121st Infantry Brigade moved forward in pursuit. Crossing the Canal du Nord on 19th March, the Division halted at Allaines.
119th Infantry Brigade relieving 120th Infantry Brigade during the afternoon of 20th March. Relieved from these positions on 25th March, 40th Division passed into XV Corps reserve around Bouchavesnes-Bergen and Curlu.
Capture Of Fifteen Ravine - 21/04/1917
Location: Fifteen Ravine. British victory. Whilst Third and Fifth Armies were engaged in the major offensive against the Hindenburg Line east of Arras, to the south Fourth Army also attempted to advance their positions via a number of small attacks and skirmishes.
During the night of 12th-13th April, 8th Division had captured Gouzeacourt and on 21st April, 8th Division and 40th Division in XV Corps, Fourth Army, were to advance the lines further towards Gonnelieu and Villers-Plouich. 8th Division attacking Gonnelieu whilst 40th Division would advance towards Villers-Plouich, 120th Infantry Brigade on the left, 13th East Surrey Regiment and 11th King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) the lead battalions, 119th Infantry Brigade on the right, 12th South Wales Borderers and 19th Royal Welsh Fusiliers the lead battalions.
The objective of 12th South Wales Borderers was a position known as Fifteen Ravine, south of Villers-Plouich, so called because it had fifteen trees flanking it. Whilst 120th Infantry Brigade advanced with little difficulty, 119th Infantry Brigade, in particular 12th South Wales Borderers faced much more serious opposition, capturing its objective only after a stiff fight.
The cemetery known today as Fifteen Ravine British Cemetery is actually in Farm Ravine, Fifteen Ravine itself being the feature on the opposite side of the Gouzeacourt to Villers-Plouich road.
Capture Of Villers Plouich - 24/04/1917
Location: Villers Plouich (Villers-Plouich). British victory. Whilst Third and Fifth Armies were engaged in the major offensive against the Hindenburg Line east of Arras, to the south Fourth Army also attempted to advance their positions via a number of small attacks and skirmishes.
Having advanced their position from Gouzeacourt towards Villers-Plouich with the capture of Fifteen Ravine on 21st April, on 24th April, 40th Division in XV Corps, Fourth Army were to stage a much larger attack to capture the villages of Villers-Plouich and Beaucamps. 119th Infantry Brigade on the right were to attack the ridge between Gonnelieu and Villers-Plouich, whilst 120th Infantry Brigade on the left were to capture the villages of Beaucamps and Villers-Plouich.
The attack of 119th Infantry Brigade, 17th Welsh Regiment and 18th Welsh Regiment leading, 19th Royal Welsh Fusiliers in support, met little opposition and had cleared it's objectives by 07.00am. However 120th Infantry Brigade faced much stiffer resistance in the two villages.
On the right 13th East Surrey Regiment, supported by 14th Highland Light Infantry, moved out from Fifteen Ravine at 04.15am. Clearing the German trenches and several strong points south of Villers-Plouich, the two battalions reached the outskirts of the village by 05.30am.
Here they were halted for a time by heavy fire from a well entrenched machine-gun post, until this was finally cleared by 13th East Surrey Regiment. Pushing on 13th East Surrey Regiment had cleared and captured the village by 06.30am, although both they and 14th Highland Light Infantry came under heavy artillery fire during the day whilst securing it.
To the left 14th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, supported by 11th King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment), had more problems in attacking Beaucamps. Although having little difficulty in getting through to the village, they found it impossible to hold due to machine-gun fire from Bilhem Farm and were forced to withdraw.
The Germans reoccupying the village following the withdrawal, a second attack at 14.00pm failed to retake it. Corporal E.
Foster, 13th East Surrey Regiment, was awarded a Victoria Cross for his actions during the attack on Villers-Plouich.
Capture Of Beaucamp - 24/04/1917
Location: Beaucamp (Beaucamps). British victory. Whilst Third and Fifth Armies were engaged in the major offensive against the Hindenburg Line east of Arras, to the south Fourth Army also attempted to advance their positions via a number of small attacks and skirmishes.
On 24th April, 40th Division attempted a large scale attack to capture the villages of Villers-Plouich and Beaucamps. With 120th Infantry Brigade leading the attack on Beaucamps and Villers-Plouich.
Whilst 13th East Surrey Regiment were successful in capturing Villers-Plouich, 14th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, supported by 11th King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment), had been unable to hold Beaucamps due to machine-gun fire from Bilhem Farm. Receiving news during the evening that 20th Division had captured Trescault and Bilhem Farm, it was decided to continue the attack on Beaucamps the following morning.
Meeting little resistance the attack, led by 11th King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment), was entirely successful.
La Vacquerie - 05/05/1917
Location: La Vacquerie. British victory. Whilst Third and Fifth Armies were engaged in the major offensive against the Hindenburg Line east of Arras, to the south Fourth Army also attempted to advance their positions via a number of small attacks and skirmishes.
During the night of 5th -6th May, 8th Division and 40th Division in XV Corps, Fourth Army, undertook a large scale raid on German positions around Gonnelieu and La Vacquerie. 8th Division attacking strong points north of Gonnelieu, 40th Division had as their objective the village of La Vacquerie and trenches north-west of it.
121st Infantry Brigade on the left, 20th Middlesex Regiment and 12th Suffolk Regiment leading, were to raid the trenches, whilst 119th Infantry Brigade on the right, 12th South Wales Borderers and 17th Welsh Regiment leading, 19th Royal Welsh Fusiliers in support and 18th Welsh Regiment in reserve were to attack La Vacquerie. The infantry holding the position as 224th Field Company, Royal Engineers, moved through the village blowing up the houses and clearing cellars.
Setting off at 23.00pm, 12th South Wales Borderers came under heavy machine-gun fire from the village but had entered it by 23.20pm. 224th Field Company completing their work, all the units withdrew on time at 01.00am.
His Death
William Henry Pomeroy, Private 50422 died of his wounds on 5th May 1917, either incured in the battle at La Vacquerie or at a previous battle.
From the records found so far we have William Henry Pomeroy, Private 50422, left a widow Kathleen M J, he was born in Clerkenwell of an unknown date or age, and he resided in Hayes. I think that is probably enough correlation to make them the same person, i.e William Henry Pomeroy, son of Charles Pomeroy and Charlotte Elizabeth Pomeroy, born 22nd September 1884 at 20 Torrens Buildings, Torrens Street, Clerkenwell, Islington (if at home). Baptised William Henry on 2nd November 1884 at the Parish Church of St Peter's Clerkenwell. Before the commencement of World War 1 he was living at 7 Rosedale Avenue, Hayes, as confirmed by the Baptism Record of his son Albert David on 21stJune 1914.
The death card, provided by somebody on Ancestry has the relevant information, including the families address.
Going back to Ancestry I find another copy of the Medal Record. The National Archives have been working with some selected partners to rescan the collection.
A worthwhile exercise, I think.
Another Ancestry record states that Private 50422 Enlisted in Hayes, unfortunately without a date.
Some people on Ancestry have also posted photos regarding William Henry Pomeroy.
The headstone at La Chapelette British and Indian Cemetery, of 50422 Private W H Pomeroy Suffolk Regiment 5 May 1917.
The two images of Private William Henry Pomeroy were posted on Ancestry by Elizabeth Reynolds. Looking at the collar badge of the uniform with him standing I would estimate this photo to be from his period of service with the Middlesex Regiment, commencing in 1902.
The mounted image is circa 1916, with the Suffolk Regiment.
William Henry (Harry) Pomeroy 1884-1917
1st cousin 3x removed
William Henry Pomeroy
b 22 Sep 1884 20 Torrens Buildings, Torrens Street, Angel, Islington, Middlesex, England
d 5 May 1917 • La Vacquerie, Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France
m 6 Mar 1907 Kingston, Surrey, England, to Kathleen Mary Josephine O'Dowd
Children
19 May 1907 - John Henry Charles Pomeroy
4 October 1908 - William Patrick Pomeroy
14 May 1910 - Edward George Pomeroy
19 May 1912 - Kathleen Mary Josephine Pomeroy
20 March 1914 - Albert David Pomeroy
Homes
White Cottage, Wellington Road, Teddington, Middlesex
7 Rosedale Avenue, Hayes, Middlesex
Edward Pomeroy
Edward Pomeroy
Edward, born 15th December 1886 at 20 Torrens Buildings, Torrens Street, Angel, Islington (if at home). Baptised Edward on 6th February 1887 at the Parish Church of St Peter's Clerkenwell.
In the 1911 Census Edward was living with his parents Charles and Charlotte Elizabeth Pomeroy at the Prince Albert Pub, in Pield Heath Road, Colham Green, Hillingdon, Uxbridge. Edward, was aged 24, single a Groundsman at the Golf Club.
Reprise of youth
Edward Pomeroy was baptised in the Parish Church of St Peter's Clerkenwell in the County of Middlesex on the 6th February 1887, born to Charles and Charlotte Elizabeth Pomeroy on 15th December 1886, of 20 Torrens Buildings.
The family moved out of 20 Torrens Buildings, Torrens Street, Angle, Islington between 1887/1889. Their next home was 104 Saint John Street, Clerkenwell and they stayed there until 1889/1891.
The next move was to a block of flats or tenements, perhaps a 'model' development for the time. 18 Palmerston Buildings, City Garden Row, Islington. They stayed there not much longer than the last home, until 1892/1893.
After that it was a big move out of the Clerkenwell area, a densely populated urban environment, to a newly developed suburban idol. Edward Pomeroy was about 6 years old for the move to Teddington.
The family home for the next decade or so was 6 Beaconsfield Villas, 48 Fulwell Road, Teddington, Middlesex. During his time at 6 Beaconsfield Villas, his parents had to complete the 1901 Census with the Enumerator. The record showed that Edward, aged 14, was a Gardener.
They moved one street away to 2 Albert Villas, 23 Prince's Road, Teddington, for about a year 1904 to 1905, before moving again to 1 Albion Villas, 17 Prince's Road, Teddington in 1905 and remaining until 1910/1911. In the 1910 Register of Voters Edward Pomeroy is listed as renting a room at Charles Pomeroy's home. Edward was aged 23 in 1910.
In the 1911 Census record, Edward, aged 24, single a Groundsman at the Golf Club, living with his parents Charles and Charlotte Pomeroy at The Prince Albert, a Public House in Pield Heath Road, Colham Green, Hillingdon, Uxbridge, Middlesex.
Family Life
Single in the 1911 Census, the next record found for him was his Marriage Register Index.
This index was from quarter 4 of 1911. Volume 3a page 86.
Edward married Florence Davis in Uxbridge Registration District
Charles Edward was born on 15th January 1912 and Baptised on 30th January 1916, when he was 4 years of age, to Edward and Florence Pomeroy of Ash Cottage, Colham Green, Hillingdon, Middlesex. His father's occupation appears to be Pressman.
On the same day, 30th January 1916, on the next page, Florence Ethel is recorded as being Baptised, having been born on 4th November 1915.
Was this a job lot, buy one get on free, BOGOF, or was there a sudden urgency? Had Edward just received his call-up papers? He was 29 years and 11/2 months old at the date of the Baptisms. However, as stated within his elder brother's section, conscription only started in the first few months of 1916, the Military Service Act was passed by the British Government, rendering all fit males of military age liable for call up. So not that. Were the rumours rife, so he was preparing for them?
Apparently Pressman is;- Printers or pressmen spread the ink, a mixture of oil and lamp black, evenly over the form then applied this to each sheet of paper in turn.
Perhaps reading the newspapers as well as printing them caused concern. Was printing a protected job up until then? From Groundsman at the Golf Club to Pressman is a significant shift. Some golf courses were turned over to food production.
Perhaps he had already signed up as a volunteer.
Enough speculation, back to facts.
Their abode was stated on the Baptism Records as being Ash Cottage, Colham Green. Ash's Cottages are between the Prince Albert and the Prince of Wales according to the 1926 Register of Voters. Very close to Edwards parents at the Prince Albert Pub, according to the 1911 Census.
Although, Edward's parents Charles and Charlotte Elizabeth Pomeroy had moved away from the Prince Albert Public House to 3 Stewkley Terrace, 38 Heath Road, Hillingdon, Uxbridge between 1912 to 1913, so were there at the time of the Baptisms.
World War 1
.
Forces War Records record for Edward Pomeroy
There are two potential Regimental Numbers for Edward Pomeroy, 5338 and G/40467. From Army Service Numbers 1881-1918, Middlesex Regiment - 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Battalions, 5332 joined on 14th February 1898 and 5669 joined on 16th January 1899. On 14th February 1898 Edward was 11 years 2 months old. On 16th January 1899 he was 12 years 1 month old. Did he enlist in the Middlesex Regiment when he was 12?
Charles and Charlotte had six children living with them on 31 March 1901, the date of the Census that year. Charles Pomeroy and his family was still living at 6 Beaconsfield Terrace, Fulwell Road, Teddington, Middlesex. Edward, aged 14, a Gardener. The previous census, he would have only been 4, slightly too young for the army. Did Edward manage to slip in a couple of years service as a boy between 1898 and 1901?
When Britain went to war with Germany in August 1914, the Middlesex Regiment maintained the number series above for men enlisting for regular periods of service and started new number series for those men enlisting for wartime service only. It also started new series for war-time enlistments joining the 5th (Special Reserve) & 6th (Extra Reserve) Battalions which I'll deal with in future posts.
War-time only enlistments in the 11th - 15th service battalions, the 20th - 22nd Battalions, the 28th - 32nd Battalions and the 1st Garrison (Home Service) Battalion had their numbers prefixed with the letter G/ (or GS/ in some cases). Those men enlisting as regular, career soldiers, still received their numbers from the old series, prefixed with the letter L/.
Although both 5338 and G/40467 are used for Edward Pomeroy a search for 5338 reveals a 19 year old Frank Webber born in 1879 at Islington, Middlesex.
Frank Webber, 5338 signed up at Hounslow on the 25th February 1898, when he was 19 years 4 months old. He was discharged on 24th February 1914 with 16 years service. Frank would have been 35 years of age.
Frank Webber spend over 3 years in South Africa between 1899 and 1902.
South African War, also called Boer War, Second Boer War, or Anglo-Boer War; to Afrikaners, also called Second War of Independence, war fought from October 11, 1899, to May 31, 1902.
His parents were William and Mary Anne Webber of 18 Copenhagen Street, Islington, Middlesex and are recorded as his next of kin. The is no mention of a wife or children in the record for 5338.
Frank Webber born in 1879 and Edward Pomeroy in 1886, seven years between them. Frank singed up in 1898 when Edward would have been 11 years 2 months, I think he would have found it difficult to have passed himself of as a 19 year old.
The Great War - Overview
The Great War
(Sorry, just a repeat of the same section for William Henry Pomeroy)
The First World War began when Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary was assassinated in Sarajevo by a Serbian nationalist, Gavrilo Princip, on 28 June 1914. Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum 23 July 1914 and quickly declared war when Serbia failed to respond. Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire formed the Triple Alliance, while Russia, France, and the United Kingdom formed the Triple Entente.
Russia felt it necessary to back Serbia, and approved partial mobilisation after Austria-Hungary shelled the Serbian capital of Belgrade, which was a few miles from the border, on 28 July 1914.
Full Russian mobilisation was announced on the evening of 30 July; the following day, Austria-Hungary and Germany did the same, while Germany demanded Russia demobilise within twelve hours. When Russia failed to comply, Germany declared war on Russia on 1 August in support of Austria-Hungary, the latter following suit on 6 August; France ordered full mobilisation in support of Russia on 2 August.
Germany's strategy for a war on two fronts against France and Russia was to rapidly concentrate the bulk of its army in the West to defeat France within 6 weeks, then shift forces to the East before Russia could fully mobilise; this was later known as the Schlieffen Plan. On 2 August, Germany demanded free passage through Belgium, an essential element in achieving a quick victory over France. When this was refused, German forces invaded Belgium on 3 August and declared war on France the same day; the Belgian government invoked the 1839 Treaty of London and, in compliance with its obligations under this treaty, Britain declared war on Germany on 4 August 1914. A rapid escalation from an assassination to Britain becoming embroiled in war in just 37days. On 12 August, Britain and France also declared war on Austria-Hungary; on 23 August, Japan sided with Britain, seizing German possessions in China and the Pacific. In November 1914, the Ottoman Empire entered the war on the side of Austria-Hungary and Germany, opening fronts in the Caucasus, Mesopotamia, and the Sinai Peninsula. The war was fought in (and drew upon) each power's colonial empire also, spreading the conflict to Africa and across the globe. The Entente and its allies eventually became known as the Allied Powers, while the grouping of Austria-Hungary, Germany and their allies became known as the Central Powers.
Great Britain sent troops to both the Eastern and Western Fronts, where they faced the realities of life in the trenches and a war that lasted longer than expected. Despite heavy losses, the Allies were able to resist German advances and eventually forced Germany to accept the armistice on 11 November 1918, ending the war.
William Henry Pomeroy had only left the Army Reserve on 31 March 1914, but within 4 months 4 days, or 18 weeks 0 days, or 126 days, Britain was at war. The Great War had commenced, and would ultimatly lead to his death.
His Service Record
Pomeroy, Edward 40467
Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex) Regiment
4th Battalion
Acting Sergeant
Ancestry Effects Record for Edward Pomeroy
Fold3 Pension Record for Edward Pomeroy
A transcription record for E Pomeroy 40467 from Forces War Records
A search of the National Achives and a subsequent purchase, (signed in so free purchase) allowed the download of the above record. It also has two Regimental Numbers, which explains why Forces War Records has both numbers.
Again Ancestry has a rescanned copy. Issued Victory Medal and British War Medal posthumously.
The above Roll of Individuals entitled to the Victory Medal and/or British War Medal granted under Army Orders, has Pomeroy, Edward and Edwards, Amos. The relevance of the latter will become apparent below.
The Territorial 1/7th Battalion spent the first seven months of the war in England and Gibraltar but landed at Le Havre in March 1915. Attached to 23rd Brigade in 8th Division, it served on the Western Front until July when it was amalgamated with 1/8th Battalion.
This is a photo from the National Army Museum and is very very unlikely to include Edward Pomeroy, and if it does in is just random.
Edward Pomeroy Regimental number is G/40467. Perhaps a number nearby in the sequence will give us an idea about his signup date. A lot of records were lost in WW2, which could explain the lack of signup records for Edward Pomeroy. A near number is, G/40470 - Amos Edwards Born 1879 Middlesex. Wo 363 - First World War Service Records 'Burnt Documents'.
From the scraps of burnt records. Amos Edwards, of 1 Cave House Cottages, High Street, Uxbridge, Middlesex, a British Subject, 36 years old, an Unmarried Mill Hand, who had previously served in the 20 Hussars for 12 years, signed up in December 1915.
His next of kin is listed as George Edwards, his brother, of the same address. Military History, Home 20 March 1916 to 19 September 1916 (i.e. UK) and France from 20 September 1916. Decorations, British War Medal 1914 - 16 and Victory Medal.
Terms of Service, War. Service reckons from 20 March 1916.
Embarked Folkstone 20 September 1916, disembarked Boulogne 20 September 1916.
Posted to 1/7th Middlesex 20 September 1916. Posted to 4th Battalion Middlesex 30 September 1916. Joined 4th Battalion Middlesex 3 October 1916. Noted as Missing on 16 April 1917.
From the Medical Record, the initial sign up or Medical was on 11th December 1915 at Uxbridge and again on 20 March 1916 at Hounslow. Amos Edwards was 36 years old, 5ft 6in tall and 144lbs in weight.
... Enlistment 8th Middlesex Regt. Number 6364 later G40469.
Using yet another soldier's records, the order of information is, and the dates from Amos Edwards;-
General Service, Attested -- 11/12/15
General Service, To Army Reserve -- 12/12/15
Mobilized -- 20/3/16
Posted -- 21/3/16
Appointed L/C -- 19/5/16 (Not Edward Pomeroy)
Posted -- 20/9/16
Posted -- 30/9/16
Now, to reiterate, these are not the records of Edward Pomeroy. However, there is only a small difference in time a number between G40469 or G40470, and Edward Pomeroy G40467. I therefore assume that Edward's initial military history is very similar.
Not only do we get an idea of when Edward Pomeroy signed up and his initial posting, we may have resolved the additional number. Have another look at the Roll of Individuals. Amos Edwards also has his number amended on the roll to account for the number whilst with the Territorials, the 1/7th Middlesex. The brunt papers initial regimental number of 6364 is the number the Roll is amended to. Two other soldiers on the page also start with a four digit number, I conclude therefore that Edward Pomeroy 5338 is the short period he was with 1/7th Middlesex before being posted to the 4th Middlesex on, I suspect, 3 October 1916. I will use this date for the start of the Troop movements of the 4th.
Troop Movements
WW1 Troop Movements and ORBATS for Edward Pomeroy - 4th Battalion Middlesex Regiment
Orders of Battle (ORBATS) are documents produced by the military to show the hierarchical structure, command organisation and disposition of units for particular engagements of the British Military. At the highest level they show a breakdown of the units involved in entire conflicts, the First World War in this case, including Divisional and Brigade commanding officers, the organisation of the divisions right down to the battalion level along with their attached units from for example, the Royal Artillery. With the ORBATS you are able to determine exactly where units were on a given date and the battle, action or event they took part in.
Zoomed in to the area surrounding Arras.
Edward Pomeroy assumed to have Embarked to France on 20/09/1916
Background picture of the situation before he arrived at his posting to the 4th Battalion.
Battles Of The Somme - Battle Of Flers-Courcelette - 17/09/1916
Location: area of Gird Trench. German success in overall British victory. This battle saw the first use of massed tanks as an offensive weapon.
After the failure of the major Somme Offensive or 'Big Push' on 1st July, Haig wanted a breakthrough by mid-September and before the onset of winter. An attack was planned to involve 11 Divisions of infantry and mounted cavalry, supported by tanks and artillery across a 12,000 yard front, from Courcelette in the north to Lesboeufs and Morval in the south.
21st Division in XV Corps, Fourth Army were in reserve during the opening of the battle. 64th Infantry Brigade moving forward on 16th September to assist 41st Division to continue their attack on Gird Trench and Gird Support, south-west of Gueudecourt.
9th King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and 15th Durham Light Infantry led the attack, 1st East Yorkshire Regiment and 10th King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in support. Suffering heavy casualties from artillery and machine-gun fire before they had even reached their start point, the attackers were unable to reach the first objective before falling back.
Battles Of The Somme - Battle Of Morval - 25/09/1916
Location: area of Goat Trench. British victory. Preparations for an ambitious offensive against Morval, Lesbouefs, Gueudecourt and Martinpuich were delayed by inclement weather but the attack was eventually started on 25th September.
In the attack, 21st Division were on the right flank of XV Corps, Fourth Army, attacking the trench systems south-west of Gueudecourt known as Gird Trench and Gird Support. 110th Infantry Brigade were on the left, 8th Leicestershire Regiment and 9th Leicestershire Regiment the lead battalions, 64th Infantry Brigade on the right, 1st East Yorkshire Regiment and 10th King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, the lead battalions.
1st Lincolnshire Regiment were attached from 62nd Infantry Brigade in support, due to pass through the lead battalions once they had secured their first objectives. Finding the wire in front of their advance almost intact, 1st East Yorkshire Regiment and 10th King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry were unable to make a great deal of headway but suffered very heavy casualties before retiring.
1st Lincolnshire Regiment coming up support also suffered casualties before the same obstacles. However on the left, 9th Leicestershire Regiment and 8th Leicestershire Regiment were more successful.
Overcoming stiff resistance they had a hard fight in gaining a position in Gird Trench, 9th Leicestershire Regiment clearing Goat Trench and New Trench in the process. At 06.00am the following morning, a bombing party from 7th Leicestershire Regiment supported a tank in clearing more of Gird Trench to the right of Pilgrim's Way, and Gueudecourt was occupied that evening.
Battles Of The Somme - Capture Of Gueudecourt - 26/09/1916
Location: Gueudecourt. British victory. In the general advance of 25th September 1914, 21st Division in XV Corps, Fourth Army, had attacked from north-east of Flers towards Gueudecourt.
Battles Of The Somme - Battle Of The Transloy Ridges - 01/10/1916
Location: Gueudecourt. Indecisive. Final British Fourth Army offensive during the Battle of the Somme.
The Battle began well with the capture of Eacourt L'Abbaye as well as advances along the Albert to Bapaume road to take Le Sars. However, there were no substantial gains or losses for either side.
On the opening of the battle on 1st October, 21st Division in XV Corps, were in trenches north and west of Gueudecourt. Holding this position during the day, they were relieved by 12th Division during the night of 1st-2nd October.
Edward Pomeroy assumed to have joined the 4th Middlesex on 3rd October 1916.
Battles Of The Somme - Battle Of The Ancre - 13/11/1916
Location: Beacourt-sur-l'Ancre. British victory. The attack of the British Fifth Army against German First Army along the River Ancre between Thiepval and Beaumont Hamel was the final large-scale British attack on the Somme before winter set in.
Involving divisions of II Corps and V Corps, the main effort came from V Corps with 63rd, 51st , 2nd and 3rd Divisions all in action against positions north of the Ancre. Preceded by seven days of artillery bombardment, including on the final evening poison gas, the attack was a great success.
Over 7000 enemy troops were taken prisoner and four German divisions had to be relieved due to the number of casualties sustained. 37th Division were not initially in action as a division on the Ancre, the individual brigades being sent up on 13th November to reinforce other attacking divisions.
63rd Infantry Brigade and 111th Infantry Brigade reinforcing 63rd (Royal Naval) Division and 112th Infantry Brigade reinforcing 2nd Division. 111th Infantry Brigade, 13th King's Royal Rifle Corps, 13th Royal Fusiliers and 13th Rifle Brigade being involved in the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division capture of Beacourt-sur-l'Ancre on 14th November.
At noon on 15th November the 37th Division took over the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division front at Beacourt-sur-l'Ancre with the 63rd Infantry Brigade and 111th Infantry Brigade. 112th Infantry Brigade rejoining from 2nd Division on 17th November.
37th Division held this part of the line until relieved by 7th Division at 06.00am on 26th November. The Divisional Artillery was also in action from 13th November, covering 63rd (Royal Naval) Division until 15th November and then 37th Division once it had take over the front.
German Retreat To The Hindenburg Line - 29/03/1917
Location: Hamelincourt. German tactical victory. Known to the Germans as 'Operation Alberich', this was a strategic German withdrawal to a series of fortifications that had been planned and built during the winter of 1916-1917.
Built on the highest ground possible and following an alignment 45km shorter than the current trench lines, it would require less troops to garrison as losses on the Eastern Front led to troop transfers. To complete the withdrawal the Germans carried out a 'scorched earth' policy to ensure that anything which might be useful to the Allies was destroyed.
Buildings were demolished, roads and railways mined, bridges blown up and water courses poisoned. When the retreat to the Hindenburg Line began, 21st Division in VII Corps, Third Army were at Halloy, spending a period out of the line in training exercises.
Moving up on 29th March they took over the front line around Hamelincourt, pushing forward towards Croisilles during the night of 30th and 31st March, 1st Lincolnshire Regiment were attacked by a German bombing party during 31st March. On 2nd April 12th Northumberland Fusiliers and 13th Northumberland Fusiliers of 62nd Infantry Brigade, together with the divisions on either side of them, attacked between Henin-sur-Cojeul and Croisilles, 1st Lincolnshire Regiment covering both flanks.
Map showing Hindenburg Line and and Arras inset.
Battle of Arras
Battle Of Arras - First Battle Of The Scarpe - 09/04/1917
Location: Cross of Sacrifice, Coejeul Cemetery. German defensive success in overall Allied victory. Part of a large Allied offensive to break through German front lines and attack reserves of troops and materials.
British advance before dawn and through inclement (sleet, snow, strong winds) weather. The primary objective on the first day of the offensive was the Observation Ridge north of the Cambrai to Arras road.
On the right flank of the attack, 21st Division in VII Corps, Third Army were holding a front of around 2.5 miles (4 km) south of Henin-sur-Cojeul. Facing the prepared fortifications of the Hindenburg Line, only 64th Infantry Brigade on the left attacked on 9th April.
Advancing on Henin Hill, east of Henin-sur-Cojeul, to cover the right flank of 30th Division who were attacking Neuville Vitasse further north. 9th King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry were on the left, 15th Durham Light Infantry in the centre and 1st East Yorkshire Regiment on the right.
Temporarily held up by uncut wire, the troops were able to advance once 64th Trench Mortar Battery had used their Stokes Mortars as artillery pieces to blow gaps through the wire, enabling the brigade to seize the trenches on the summit of Henin Hill. However the failure of the 30th Division advance made the position of the troops on Henin Hill extremely vulnerable.
10th King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry moved up to reinforce the position during the night, but the survivors of the four battalions were still not holding the position in large enough numbers to hold a large German counter-attack on 10th April. Henin Hill was finally taken by the Division on 12th April as the German army pulled back.
21st Division moving on into Heninel later in the day. Further advances were made east into the Hindenburg Line on 13th and 14th April, following which the Division were relieved by 33rd Division.
The Cross of Sacrifice in Coejeul Cemetery marks the action of 64th Infantry Brigade at Henin Hill. The original wooden marker erected on the spot in 1919 is now in the Chapel of the East Yorkshire Regiment in Beverley Minster.
Private H. Waller, 10th King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross for his actions on Henin Hill on 10th April.
Battles Of Arras - First Battle Of The Scarpe - 09/04/1917
Location: Orange Hill Cemetery. Allied victory, part of a large Allied offensive to break through German front lines and attack reserves of troops and materials. British advance before dawn and through inclement (sleet, snow, strong winds) weather.
The primary objective on the first day of the offensive was the Observation Ridge, north of the Cambrai to Arras road. Secondary objectives were the village of Feuchy plus the German second and third trench lines.
South of the road, a trench known as the Monchyriegel, a major supply route and key element of the German trench system in the area, was the main objective but Delville Wood, Tilloy-des-Mofflaines and the Bois-de-Boeufs had to be taken first. During the opening of the offensive, 37th Division were the Corps Reserve of VI Corps, Third Army, as they advanced between the River Scarpe and the Arras to Cambrai road, east of Arras.
Taking up positions in Battery Valley during the afternoon, 111th Infantry Brigade and 112th Infantry Brigade moved forward just before 19.00pm to exploit the position achieved by 15th Division, in order to swing right and continue the attack on Monchy-le-Preux. The advance seems however, to have taken a direction rather too much to the south.
With the result that instead of moving through 15th Division, they instead veered into the areas of 12th and 3rd Divisions outside Feuchy. Here they met the same impenetrable field of barbed wire which had halted those two divisions with the same result.
The two brigades remained in line east of the Feuchy to Feuchy Chapel road. 63rd Infantry Brigade, however, did manage to keep direction and established a position at the north end of Orange Hill, well up to the third objective and in touch with 15th Division.
Renewing the advance on 10th April, 63rd Infantry Brigade swung round to the south whilst, 111th Infantry Brigade and 112th Infantry Brigade attempted another attack on Monchy-le-Preux. 111th Infantry Brigade attacking the village itself, 10th Royal Fusiliers and 13th Royal Fusiliers the leading battalions.
Moving out from the north of Orange Hill, they swung left to approach Monchy through the woods on the west, reaching a position around 600 yards west of the village before heavy shell-fire caused them to halt and dig in. 112th Infantry Brigade on the right advanced towards the La Bergere crossroads, 10th Loyal North Lancashire Regiment and 11th Royal Warwickshire Regiment clearing the trench system around the crossroads with tank support, whilst 6th Bedfordshire Regiment captured La Folie Farm (Folie Farm).
Battles Of Arras - Capture Of Monchy-Le-Preux - 11/04/1917
Location: 37th Division Memorial, Monchy-le-Preux. British victory. The village, situated on high ground overlooking largely flat land was the key for control of the Arras battlefield.
British troops had advanced over three miles on 10th April, but their offensive fell short of Monchy-le-Preux. Vital to their objectives the offensive on the village was renewed on 11th April.
37th Division in VI Corps, Third Army, had been in Corps Reserve during the opening of the attack, moving through the leading divisions to attack Monchy-le-Preux during the afternoon of 9th April. The village being held by German 3rd Bavarian Division.
111th Infantry Brigade continuing that attack on 10th April, they had reached a position in woods around 600 yards to the west of the village before heavy shell-fire caused them to halt and dig in for the evening. 154th Field Company, Royal Engineers assisting in the construction of a new trench line as the weather worsened.
At 05.00am on 11th April, 111th Infantry Brigade attacked again, through what was now a driving snowstorm, 13th Rifle Brigade and 13th King's Royal Rifle Corps the lead battalions, 10th Royal Fusiliers and 13th Royal Fusiliers in support. As 13th Royal Fusiliers rushed forward to establish themselves north of the village, the other three battalions assaulted the village itself, with the aid of four tanks.
Facing stiff resistance from machine-gun posts among the houses and cellars, the two lead battalions had secured the village by 09.00am, where they linked up with 10/11th Highland light Infantry of 15th Division who had managed to force their way through from the north. 8th Cavalry Brigade following the infantry and tanks into the village, at 10.30am, 63rd Infantry Brigade were ordered to pass through Monchy-le-Preux and continue the attack east with them.
8th Cavalry Brigade being unable to advance in the face of heavy machine-gun fire, the attack was abandoned and the village consolidated. South of Monchy-le-Preux, 112th Infantry Brigade repelled two German counter-attacks against their positions at the La Bergere crossroads.
The 37th Division Memorial in Monchy-le-Preux commemorates the Division's capture of the village.
Battles Of Arras - Second Battle Of The Scarpe - 23/04/1917
Location: Greenland Hill. Inconclusive. On 23rd April 1917, the British launched an assault east from Wancourt towards Vis-en-Artois.
Elements of the 30th and 50th Divisions made initial gains, and were able to secure the village of Guemappe, but could advance no further east and suffered heavy losses. Farther north, German forces counter-attacked in an attempt to recapture Monchy-le-Preux, but troops from the Royal Newfoundland Regiment were able to hold the village until reinforcements from the 29th Division arrived.
British commanders determined not to push forward in the face of stiff German resistance and the attack was called off the following day. 37th Division in XVII Corps, Third Army, were in trenches north of Roeux on the north bank of the River Scarpe.
Attacking on 23rd April with all three brigades in the line, 111th Infantry Brigade on the left, 63rd Infantry Brigade in the centre and 112th Infantry Brigade on the right, their objectives were Greenland Hill and the Plouvain to Gavrelle road. 111th Infantry Brigade and 63rd Infantry Brigade gaining the trenches on the lower slopes of Greenland Hill, whilst 112th Infantry Brigade were held back by machine-gun fire from Roeux Chemical Works.
Edward Pomeroy Killed in Action on 23 April 1917.
Part of a conversation about the area in which Edward Pomeroy was killed on Great War Forum.
During the Battle of Arras, Greenland Hill became infamous for the number of men lost in its environs.
For instance the 6th Bn. KOSB lost over 400 men there on the 3rd May 1917.
The battlefield later became a large interchange for the A26 and A1 and E17 motorways.
A Google map satellite image with Brown's Copse Cemetery, Roeux, tagged and Greenland Hill shown on the 1917 map added in red text.
Bing Map with some of the villages and towns mentioned in the Troop Movements and War Diaries.
Key to Above Trench Map
Battles Of Arras - Second Battle Of The Scarpe - 23/04/1917 (Repeated to aid reading of Trench Maps)
Location: Greenland Hill. Inconclusive. On 23rd April 1917, the British launched an assault east from Wancourt towards Vis-en-Artois.
Elements of the 30th and 50th Divisions made initial gains, and were able to secure the village of Guemappe, but could advance no further east and suffered heavy losses. Farther north, German forces counter-attacked in an attempt to recapture Monchy-le-Preux, but troops from the Royal Newfoundland Regiment were able to hold the village until reinforcements from the 29th Division arrived.
British commanders determined not to push forward in the face of stiff German resistance and the attack was called off the following day. 37th Division in XVII Corps, Third Army, were in trenches north of Roeux on the north bank of the River Scarpe.
Attacking on 23rd April with all three brigades in the line, 111th Infantry Brigade on the left, 63rd Infantry Brigade in the centre and 112th Infantry Brigade on the right, their objectives were Greenland Hill and the Plouvain to Gavrelle road. 111th Infantry Brigade and 63rd Infantry Brigade gaining the trenches on the lower slopes of Greenland Hill, whilst 112th Infantry Brigade were held back by machine-gun fire from Roeux Chemical Works.
A sequence of three Trench Maps near Arras France, dated 4 March 1917, 25 May 1917, and 20 November 1917, showing the progress of the advance of the Allied troops. The last one is a zoom in showing the Trenches and names of the front on 20 November 1917 between the Chemical Works at the bottom and Greenland Hill at the top.
His Death
Edward Pomeroy Killed in Action on 23 April 1917.
War Diary or Intelligence Summary relevant to that day.
A Google Map showing Brown's Copse Cemetery and the walking route to the location of the WWI Chemical Works, where the heavy Machine Gun fire was experienced. A straight line distance of about 850 m. I have no evidence that Edward Pomeroy died on the attack Chemical Works, just that he died on that date.
Brown's Copse Cemetery
Sergeant 40467 Edward Pomeroy of the Middlesex Regiment, 23rd April 1917, his headstone at the Brown's Copse Cemetery, Roeux, France. The original photo was posted on Ancestry by Elizabeth A Reynolds, my 3rd cousin 1x removed. I have altered it in post production, not in an attempt to improve the aesthetics of the photo but to enhance the legibility of the inscription and Middlesex Regt. emblem.
Click on the photo for more details about Brown's Copse Cemetery, the final resting place of Edward Pomeroy, Ted as he was known.
Now for the dreaded letter, feared by mothers and wives across the country at the time. The letter from the Ministry, almost always bad news.
The original was posted on Ancestry by Elizabeth A Reynolds. I think this must be a Family kept document and not a record from one of the Family History or Archive collections.
The place is not stated in the letter, but the date is. The Battalion Troop Movements and the War Diary suggest the advance on Greenland Hill and possibly in the area of the Chemical Works at Roeux, near the Brown's Copse Cemetery
Edward (Ted) Pomeroy 1886 - 1917
1st cousin 3x removed
Something of the life of Edward Pomeroy, Husband of Florence, son of Charles and Charlotte Elizabeth Pomeroy. Born on 15th December 1886 at 20 Torrens Buildings, Torrens Street, Angel, Islington, Middlesex and died in the service of his country aged 30 years 4 months 8 days, or 11,086 days, on 23rd April 1917, Killed in Action, Near Roeux, Near Arras, France.
Edward Pomeroy
b 15th December 1886 at 20 Torrens Buildings, Torrens Street, Angel, Islington, Middlesex
d 23rd April 1917 Killed in Action, France and Flanders, Near Arras, France.
m quarter 4 of 1911 in Uxbridge Registration District to Florence Davis
Widow
Florence Pomeroy
Children
15th January 1912 - Charles Edward Pomeroy
4th November 1915 - Florence Ethel
Homes
Ash Cottage, Colham Green, Hillingdon, Middlesex
Albert Pomeroy
More on him later
Albert Pomeroy
Albert Pomeroy, born on 15th November 1890 at 18 Palmerston Buildings, City Garden Row, City Road, Angel, Islington, Middlesex. (if at home). Baptised Albert on 3rd May 1891 at St Mary, Islington. Middlesex.
Emily Ellen Gertrude Pomeroy
More on her later
Emily Ellen Gertrude Pomeroy
Emily Ellen Gertrude Pomeroy, born on 26th January 1893 at 6 Beaconsfield Villas, Fulwell Road, Teddington, Middlesex. (if at home). Baptised Emily Ellen Gertrude on 3rd March 1893 at the Parish Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul's Church, on Broad Street, Teddington.
more later
Ethel Mary Pomeroy
More on her later
Ethel Mary Pomeroy
Ethel Mary Pomeroy, born on 8th October 1896 at 6 Beaconsfield Villas, Fulwell Road, Teddington, Middlesex. (if at home). Baptised Ethel Mary on 11th November 1896 at the Parish Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul's Church, Upper Teddington.
more later
More on her later
Evelyn Harriet Pomeroy
Evelyn Harriet Pomeroy, born on 2nd December 1897 at 6 Beaconsfield Villas, Fulwell Road, Teddington, Middlesex. (if at home). Baptised Evelyn Harriet on 26 January 1898 at the Parish Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul's Church, Upper Teddington.
more later