Highwood: Remembering ... Ernest Skingley

Received   8 June 2010

Dear Andrew

I was quite thrilled to see Ernest’s name on the war memorial In Highwood where he is named along with two other Skingley’s.

Ernest Skingley was my grandfather and was killed in WW1 whilst serving on HMS Brisk which was sunk by a German U-boat.

I had some trouble locating Ernest Skingley as the information on the Commonwealth War Graves shows his father as Walter Skingley.  This information is incorrect. I have today contacted the Commonwealth War Graves to see what they need from me to correct this error.  The other information however, is correct. Ernest was married to Edith Maud Knight and on their marriage certificate, his father is shown as  James Skingley, Coachman.  Ernest lied about his age on the marriage certificate so I was unable to track him down for a while.  I have now obtained the birth certificate for Ernest and this also shows his father as James Skingley.

My mother was one year old when her father Ernest was killed, and she is still alive today.

After Ernest Skingley died on the 2-10-1917, Edith Maud married Herbert Arthur Pledger in 1919.

I remember my mother telling me  that Edith Maud was contacted by the Commonwealth War Graves regarding Ernest when they were trying to rebuild their records.  Perhaps Ernest lived with his Uncle Walter at some stage in his life and Edith was  under the impression that Walter was his father.

I am living in Australia and on my next trip to the UK, I will be visiting the War Memorial in Highwood.  Do you know if the three Skingley’s shown are related in any way.  Their parents are all different, but they may be distant cousins.

Are you able to put me in touch with other Skingley or Knight families in the Blackmore area?  I note from the website that Rosalind Lloyd has been contacted with regard to Ernest Knight.  I too have been in touch with her and gave her some information on the siblings of Edith Maud Knight.

Would you like me to let you have more information on Ernest Skingley such as his service record, actual birth and marriage dates, etc.

Unfortunately, I do not have any photographs of Ernest Skingley.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards

Pauline

Replied  15 June 2010

Dear Pauline

Thank you for your interesting E mail.  Highwood is the neighbouring parish to Blackmore so I am sorry I do not know anything about the Skingley’s.  It is a name I have not encountered in the Blackmore records.  Rosalind Lloyd was very helpful in helping us identify an Ernest Knight. Again, I do not know of any Knight’s living in Blackmore today.  On a positive note I will, if you are happy, publish our correspondence on the blog (http://www.blackmorehistory.blogspot.com) and see if we receive a response.  I will also pass details on to a local historian who has researched the War Memorial at Highwood.  He might be able to advise.

I would be happy to receive any information you have on your grandfather and would be happy to create a page commemorating him.  [This has now been done - http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/ww1_ernest_skingley.html ]

With kind regards

Andrew Smith

Received  22 June 2010

Dear Andrew

Many thanks for your reply.  I am happy for you to publish our correspondence on the blog and for my details to be passed on to a local historian.  On the memorial, there are two other Skingley's listed, William Stephen Skingley and Herbert Skingley.  I have been informed that William Stephen and Ernest are related from 5 generations back. I cannot find a family connection between Herbert and Ernest but perhaps a note on the blog might prove helpful in this regard.

I would be delighted to see a page commemorating Ernest Skingley and to this end, I attach an individual record for Ernest.

Regards

Pauline

Received  10 July 2011

I have emailed you before regarding Ernest Skingley who is shown on the WW1 war memorial along with two other Skingleys.

You informed me last year that you would be happy to create a page commemorating Ernest Skingley, but on looking at the website, I cannot see that you have done this.

Is the information I sent to you forming part of the War Memorial Research Project?   Is it near completion and will it be shown on the website?

Regards

Pauline

Replied 16 July 2011

Dear Pauline

I have your tribute page to Ernest Skingley and will publish it as soon as I am able.  This needs to go back on my ‘things to do’ list!

The information does not form part of the War Memorial Research Project because investigation was limited to Blackmore.  Ernest Skingley does not have any connection with the parish, as far as I am aware, but is from Highwood.

Regards

Andrew

Blackmore: War Memorial Project (11)

Research into the names of those who fell in the Great War associated with Blackmore has reached the conclusion of its main phase. Of the 45 listed there were three names which warranted further research. It can now be confirmed that Herbert Larke was never a Blackmore resident but his parents moved to the village after the First World War in 1923/24. We will commemorate him as an individual associated with Blackmore because the Commonwealth War Graves Commission records his parents as Blackmore residents. Ernest Samuel Knight has been traced successfully to Blackmore, albeit that he actually lived over the parish boundary in Fryerning. His story will be told soon on this blog. The third, Frank Leslie Stokes Oliver, despite a claim of Blackmoor birth appears to have no connection with the village. Our complete list reads as follows:

Date Died / Name / Rank / Notes
28-Aug-14. Walter Brazier. Stoker.
08-Sep-14. Frederick Garnham. Private. Highwood commemoration
23-Sep-14. Bertie Millbank. Private
14-May-15. Gerald Wellesley Pigott. Sec. Lieut.
17-May-15. Frederick Root. Private. Highwood commemoration
28-Jun-15. Alfred George Ellis. Private
08-Aug-15. Walter Ovel. Private
02-Apr-16. Walter Malyon. Private. Kelvedon Hatch commemoration
16-Aug-16. Herbert Charles Game. Private
16-Aug-16. William Edward Rudling. Private
22-Sep-16. John Crane. Sergeant. High Ongar commemoration
27-Sep-16. Ernest Charles Martin. Private
30-Sep-16. Ian A Miller. Sec. Lieut.
14-Oct-16. Bertie Cowling. Private. Kelvedon Hatch commemoration
15-Oct-16. Herbert Game. Sergeant
23-Oct-16. Arthur John Nash. Private
05-Nov-16. James Gosling. Private
13-Nov-16. John King. Private. Kelvedon Hatch commemoration
19-Jan-17. Edwin Alexander. A/B
16-Apr-17. Wallace King. Bombardier. High Ongar commemoration
28-Apr-17. Harry Riglin. Private
28-Apr-17. James Roast. Private
08-May-17. Alfred Godding. Bombardier
05-Jun-17. Alfred Wheal. Private
27-Jun-17. Ernest Albert Maynard. Lance Corporal
31-Jul-17. George William Wright. Private. High Ongar commemoration
10-Oct-17. Albert Edward Barker. Private
06-Nov-17. Herbert James Brown. Lieutenant
02-Jan-18. Ernest Samuel Knight. Private
20-Jan-18. George William White. Private
21-Mar-18. Herbert Larke. Private
18-Sep-18. Charles Root. Private. Highwood commemoration
26-Sep-18. Charles Speller. Private
14-Oct-18. Joseph Thomas. Private
21-Oct-18. Herbert Miller. Private
24-Oct-18. David Sutton. Private
25-Oct-18. Charles Wash. Driver
02-Nov-18. Frank Leslie Stokes Oliver. Private. No local trace
05-Nov-18. William Willis White. Private
12-Nov-18. William Wilsher Fixter. Private
24-Nov-18. Edward Sutton. Gunner
05-Jun-19. Walter Herbert Wash. A/B
02-Jul-19. William Henry Scudder. A/Mech
1921. Frank James Monk. Corporal. Survivor
1923. Jacob Wiltshire. Private. Survivor

We are continuing to look for information about any of the above and, in particular, any photographs. If you are a relative we would be very pleased to hear from you and add your story.

BLACKMORE HISTORY NEWS - August 2011

Welcome to this month’s round-up of local history and heritage in and around Blackmore, Essex.

Books for Sale

‘William Byrd: Some Notes’ is just one of many titles now available from Megarry’s Antique and Tea Shop on The Green at Blackmore (open Wednesdays through to Sundays).  Judy, the owner, has given some space over to the sale of books in aid of church funds, which are £2.00 each.  Megarry’s is a traditional antique shop which has tea and cake available for those who wish to stay a while.  The owner has been awarded the top (five star) rating for food preparation and hygiene from the local authority.  Books available also include, in an ever changing selection:  ‘A Short History of Blackmore’, ‘The Bell Tower at Blackmore’ and the Church Guide Book.  ‘Hatched, Matched and Despatched’, which tells the story of Blackmore’s parish registers (BMD) is out of print but the text is available online.  A completely new edition will be written in due course.  For more information on Megarry’s follow this link: http://www.teashopblackmore.co.uk/essex_antiques.htm

Reeve trilogy

Fascinating material has been received of the life and times of family during the early nineteenth century.  Two commonplace books, one by Edward Reeve (1785 – 1867) written towards the end of his life at Ongar, and the other ‘Jottings’ (dating from 1881) by his grandson Edward Henry Lisle Reeve – Rector of Stondon Massey between 1893 and 1935 – are being edited and transcribed into three booklets which will go on sale this autumn.  The project is well under way.

Blackmore Area Local History

The site continues to grow thanks to correspondence with people interested in local history and family heritage.  Keeping up with postings is always a challenge given other commitment but hopefully many answers can be found by visitors.

Primarily the website (http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk ) covers the parishes of Blackmore, Stondon Massey, Ingatestone and Fryerning but with coverage of neighbouring parishes too: Highwood and Writtle, Norton Mandeville, Willingale, High Ongar, Doddinghurst, Shenfield and Mountnessing.

The blog covers a wider area but is more focussed on those villages listed above.  Follow these links to see what is available parish by parish:

Blackmore http://www.blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Blackmore

Stondon Massey http://www.blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Stondon%20Massey

Ingatestone http://www.blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Ingatestone

Fryerning  http://www.blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Fryerning

Writtle http://www.blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/search?q=writtle

Highwood  http://www.blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/search?q=highwood

Norton Mandeville (which includes Norton Heath) http://www.blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/search?q=Norton

Willingale (which includes the ancient parishes of Willingale Doe and Willingale Spain) http://www.blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Willingale

High Ongar   http://www.blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/search/label/High%20Ongar

Doddinghurst   http://www.blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Doddinghurst

Shenfield   http://www.blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Shenfield

Mountnessing  http://www.blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Mountnessing

Links

For an extensive list of links to other sites go to: http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/externallinks.html

Blackmore Area Local History: Highwood: Remembering ... Fred Garnham

Blackmore Area Local History: Highwood: Remembering ... Fred Garnham: Frederick Garnham was killed on 8th September 1914 in the retreat from Mons. His name appears on the War Memorial at Highwood. Revd Reeve w...

Blackmore. Remembrance 100. Twenty-one days. Twenty-one names. (2) Walter Brazier

Walter Brazier

War Memorial: Place and inscription Blackmore War Memorial: Stoker W Brazier R.N. Church Window: Walter Brazier Ongar & District War Memorial Hospital Roll of Honour (Blackmore) [ERO A10815]

Rank: Stoker

Regiment: 1st Class Royal Navy.  H.M.S. "Laertes.".  Service No: 311704 [CWGC]

Service Details: -

Personal and family information: Walter Brazier’s name appears in the St Laurence, Blackmore ‘Sunday School Admission Register’ with “age” recorded as “19/11/85”.  [ERO D/P 266/28] Walter Brazier was born in Highwood in 1885/6, the son of Walter and Sarah Brazier. The following parish registers were checked for a baptism without success: Blackmore, Highwood, Roxwell, Writtle, Mountnessing. 1901 Census. Fingrith Hall Road, Blackmore Walter Brazier. Head. Married. [Age] 40. [Occupation] Pitman (gravel). [Born] Chelmsford Sarah Brazier.  Wife. Married. [Age] 39. [Born] Ingrave Walter Brazier.  Son.  [Age] 15.  [Born]: Highwood Florence Brazier.  Dau.  [Age] 11.  [Born] Mountnessing Mary Brazier.  Dau.  [Age] 9.  [Born] Blackmore Samuel Brazier.  Son.  [Age] 6.  [Born] Blackmore Joseph Brazier.  Son  [Age] 3.  [Born] Blackmore Laura Brazier.  Dau.  [Age] 1.  [Born] Blackmore 1914 Electoral Roll. Walter Brazier recorded as living at “High house” [ERO C/E 1/2/26] Florence Brazier married Ernest John Wager, named as one who served on the War Memorial.  Likewise Samuel Brazier, who returned. [Barbara Dawes, 3.11.18]

Date of Death: 28th August 1914 [CWGC}

Age: 29

Where died: Laertes became part of the 3rd destroyer flotilla based at Harwich.  She took part in the Battle of Heligoland Bight on 28th August 1914, where she was seriously damaged suffering four shell strikes. The most serious struck the boiler room, killing Walter Brazier and one other, temporarily cutting off all steam supplies to the engines and leaving the ship motionless. Another shot destroyed the middle funnel, while a gun was also hit. The ship managed to restore some power but had to be towed back to England.

Place of Burial or Commemoration: Memorial Reference: R.N. Plot. 5. Cemetery: Shotley (St. Mary) Churchyard

List of Sources: Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Essex Record Office.

Barbara Dawes wrote on the Blackmore Memories Facebook page: "My gt-uncle, his sister Florence was my Nan. He actually died on the first day of the very first naval battle of WW1, which somehow seems even more tragic, hardly had a chance to serve. What a waste."

Highwood: Ernest Stock

Received
7 November 2010

Is it possible to check the register for the burial of Ernest Stock for 8th Dec. 1911 age 9. He was killed in an accident outside Highwood School on Dec 4th and the whole school stood in the playground on the 8th and sang a hymn as the cortege passed by. Despite searching all likely burial places we have had no success.

David Taylor. (Highwood History writer for the Parish Magazine and Writtle Archives)


Replied
8 November 2010

David

I have checked the Blackmore Burial Register for surname and entry. Ernest Stock is not recorded.

Best wishes in your search.

Andrew

Received
8 November 2010

Thank you for your prompt help Andrew. I will persevere.

David


Replied
9 November 2010

David

Such an event could have been reported in the Essex Chronicle - microfilm copies of which are available to view in Chelmsford Library. There may be an account of he child's death, funeral and, perhaps, inquest.

Andrew

BLACKMORE HISTORY NEWS - April 2009

Welcome to this month’s round-up of local history and heritage in and around Blackmore, Essex.

Blackmore Area Local History: additions to main website

A major enhancement to the partner site http://blackmorehistory.co.uk/ has just gone live. Twelve neighbouring parishes to Blackmore have their own web pages covering transcripts of the ‘A People’s History of Essex’ (by D W Coller, 1861) and ‘Durrant’s Handbook for Essex (by Miller Christy, 1887).

In addition, and in response to requests made via search engines, visitors will find a list of Parish Registers held at the Essex Record Office and information about access to SEAX, the Record Office’s on line catalogue. This can be found under http://blackmorehistory.co.uk/parishregisters.html. The commentary to Blackmore’s Parish Registers is transferred to a new web page, http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/blackmore_parish_registers.html and there is a new page devoted to Stondon Massey’s BMD records under http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/stondon_parish_registers.html

Other new items include photographs taken from the top of the church towers at Ingatestone and Fryerning; scenes “then and now” from Mountnessing and Shenfield; and, for Stondon Massey, information about local families (Baines and Gosling). The Stondon Massey page also includes an extract from ‘Antiquities’ (by Revd. Alfred Suckling, 1845).

Blackmore parish has a new index page (http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/blackmore.html) giving links to all relevant information on the history and heritage of the village.

There is also a web page devoted to Private Fred Garnham, a Stondon man, who died at the beginning of the First World War. His family has very generously shared his story and enclosed copies of postcards sent to his wife from Norwich just as his Regiment were about to go to France. His photograph is also published. This can be accessed via the ‘Great War Gateway’ or the ‘Stondon Massey’ webpage.

Other pages on the Blackmore Area Local History site have been enhanced with fresh links and anchors to aid navigation around a site which has almost doubled with Phase II going live.

The new parishes pages are:
Doddinghurst: http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/doddinghurst.html
Fryerning: http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/fryerning.html
High Ongar: http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/high_ongar.html
Ingatestone: http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/ingatestone.html
Mountnessing: http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/mountnessing.html
Norton Mandeville: http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/norton_mandeville.html
Shenfield: http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/shenfield.html
Stondon Massey: http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/stondon_massey.html
Willingale Doe and Willingale Spain: http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/willingale.html
Writtle and Highwood: http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/writtle.html

The next stage in the development of the website will be to build more information on the work of previous local historians. As well as Miller Christy and D. W. Coller, mentioned above, there will be web pages and links created for local clergymen and historians: Revd. Walter Layton Petrie, Revd. E. H. L. Reeve and Revd A. I. Suckling (http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/a_i_suckling.html). Suckling’s work will appear on this blog from May.

Phase II provides the website architecture for even more information to be posted. Comments, and indeed contributions, are always welcomed.

Henry VIII

Henry VIII’s reign of England began on 21st April 1509. To celebrate, we will be devoting a week on this blog to the events in Blackmore during his memorable reign.

Windmills Week

At the end of this month ‘Blackmore Local Area History’ will be remembering 25 years since the official re-opening of Mountnessing Windmill to the public with a short series on these local industrial monuments. The photo this month (top) is of Thaxted Windmill.

Friends of Historic Essex

‘Friends of Historic Essex’ is a group which supports the Essex Record Office, for example, through volunteer work maintaining archives to supporting the purchase of artefacts. For more information follow the link to their website: http://www.historicessex.org.uk/index.htm

SEAX Upgrade

Essex Record Office (http://www.essexcc.gov.uk/vip8/ecc/ECCWebsite/dis/cha.jsp?channelOid=13813) has produced a major upgrade to its archive catalogue. SEAX (http://seax.essexcc.gov.uk/default.asp) can now be viewed on-line directly through internet search engines such as Google.

Parish Registers

‘Essex Ancestors’ is a major project under way by staff at the Essex Record Office to digitise and put on-line through SEAX (the catalogue of archives) colour images of original Anglican Parish Registers (except marriage registers less than 50 years old). It is a mammoth tusk which will take years to complete. Work is almost complete producing digital copies of Registers up until 1700 – 32000 pages in total - and plans are afoot to upload these onto SEAX. ‘Blackmore Area Local History’ will monitor progress and hopefully provide links to images through the ‘Parish Registers’ page of the main website. In the meantime Registers can be viewed on microfiche at the Searchroom.

Doddinghurst’s Parish Registers commence in 1560. ‘Mouse’ is looking for the Ashby family, dating back to c1580-1590. A trip to the Essex Record Office from Staffordshire is a fair hike. Can anyone help? See link: http://searches2.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/ESSEX-UK/2001-03/0985296755

Writtle Archives

On Thursday afternoons at the Writtle Christian Centre, near the church, ‘Writtle Archives’ is open for those who wish to view transcripts of the parish registers for Writtle and Highwood. Photographs, memorabilia, newspaper cuttings and a list of census data and monumental inscriptions are also available. For more information go to: http://www.writtlecommunityassociation.org.uk/id14.html

Gann family of Stondon Massey

Harlowirish has posted a photo of the grave of James Thomas Gann (died 16th July 1920) with associated memorial to his son Herbert, who died during the First World War. Previous entries for this family are on this ‘blog’, covered during our commemoration of the Great War. Follow this link to the photo and for comments subsequently made. http://flickr.com/photos/harlowirish/2652610043/

More Stondon Massey Memorials

Again courtesy of ‘Harlowirish’ is the war grave of Herbert Hasler (http://flickr.com/photos/harlowirish/2652612547/in/photostream/) and Robert Ellis (http://flickr.com/photos/harlowirish/2653432104/in/photostream/) both buried at St Peter & St Paul Church, Stondon Massey.

Saffron Walden

The ‘Recorders of Uttlesford History’ (http://www.recordinguttlesfordhistory.org.uk/index.html) held an extremely successful history fair at the Town Hall, Saffron Walden on 28 March 2009. Several history groups and societies from the north west of the county were present, each with displays of their locality. There was also the opportunity to view ancient documents associated with the town, one of which was ordering the public whipping of a thief in the market place in the year 1735 until her body bled. For the news story (of the History Fair!) visit http://www.saffronwaldenreporter.co.uk/content/saffron/news/story.aspx?brand=SAFOnline&category=NewsSaffron&tBrand=HertsCambsOnline&tCategory=newslatestSAF&itemid=WEED03%20Mar%202009%2009%3A24%3A06%3A970

‘Stop the M12’

No. Don’t panic! About twenty years ago a vigorous campaign against proposals to build a motorway between the Margaretting interchange of the A12 and the M25 near Navestock prevented the desecration of the countryside of this area. Until recently a white board with bold red letters ‘Stop the M12’ was on the corner of a farmer’s field in Highwood, somewhat obscured by trees. It has recently disappeared. I do wish I had photographed it.

Hospital demolished

St Margaret’s Hospital, Epping, has been razed to the ground. It was the former Victorian workhouse for the Epping Union. A similar building in Braintree has found another use: as flats, and is being marketed in the local newspapers.

Links

For an extensive list of links to other sites go to: www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/externallinks.html.

Blackmore: War Memorial Project (10)

Thirty seven new pages have been added to the main website which will, in due course, contain details of individual men who gave their lives in the First World War. 31 pages are those who have clear Blackmore connections. A further three each are associated with High Ongar and Highwood. The Blackmore World War One page (http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/blackmorewwone.html) is being changed to create an index to accommodate the new pages. The list of those recorded on Blackmore’s War Memorial who returned from War has been updated (http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/blackmorewwonesurvivors.html). In addition the Highwood War Memorial has been transcribed (http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/writtle.html) and a photograph of the High Ongar War Memorial with those names commemorated added (http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/high_ongar.html).

Although the War Memorial does not record any names of those from the Second World War, a webpage has been created and updated relating to this conflict (http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/blackmore_ww2.html). Sixty five years after the close of WW2 we remember those who died and those who served too.

Finally a new webpage has been created with photographs relating to Blackmore and the First World War. Go to the ‘Great War Gallery’ page (http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/great_war_gallery.html). We are on the lookout for more photographs. Do send them in with your stories.

Highwood: Remembering ... Fred Garnham

Frederick Garnham was killed on 8th September 1914 in the retreat from Mons. His name appears on the War Memorial at Highwood.

Revd Reeve wrote on 30th October 1914: “We hear of the death of Private Fred Garnham, killed in action in France, early in September. Now living at Radley Green near Writtle, his father for some years held the Soap house Farm in Stondon. (His widow afterwards received on his behalf the 1914 Star and Riband issued in commemoration of the Gallantry shown by our “contemptible little Army”)”.

Essex Churches: Highwood

Essex Churches: Highwood: St Paul was missed by both Mee & Pevsner which in many ways is fair enough - it's a template Victorian build (for example Cornish Ha...

Blackmore: Finding Ernest Knight

Finding the elusive Ernest Knight

A name not recorded on the War Memorial or the Church Window is an Ernest Knight. The database ‘Soldiers who Died in the Great War’ lists his name as having been born in Blackmore, enlisting at Epping, and being resident in Magdalen Laver. He served in the Essex Regiment, 6th Battalion and died in Palestine on 2nd January 1918.

Further details could not immediately be found on the ‘Commonwealth War Graves Commission’ website.

Our next lead was the Essex Regiment Museum database in Chelmsford where we were able to confirm details and add the fact that he was the son of Mr & Mrs D Knight of Keepers Lodge, Wintry Park, Epping. His full name was Ernest Samuel Knight. He died at the age of 21, thus giving him a birth year of 1896.

A search for an Ernest Knight born at this time did not reveal his name on the Statutory Register for the Ongar Registration District.

His name could not be found in the Baptism Register of St Laurence Church, Blackmore for 1896 and afterwards. We found that perhaps he had older siblings baptised: Joseph George on 2nd July 1893 and George, baptised on 23rd June 1895, to parents David and Emma Knight.

Remembering that names could be inverted we looked at the CWGC website again for an ‘S Knight’ and found his details under Samuel Ernest Knight. Who were we looking for? Was it someone by the name of Ernest or someone by the name of Samuel?

There was no Blackmore Parish Register entry for either an Ernest or Samuel Knight.

Progress was slow and seemed to be coming to a stalemate.

The 1901 census revealed two Knight families in Blackmore. These were:

1. Ingatestone Road, Blackmore
David Knight. Head. Married. [Age] 18. Milkman (to cattle) on farm. [Born] Blackmore
Emma Knight. Wife. Married. [Age] 19. [Born] Blackmore

2. Chelmsford Road
David Knight. Head. Married. [Age] 42. Horseman on Farm. [Born] Fryerning
Emma Knight. Wife. Married. [Age] 39. [Born] Chelmsford
William Knight. Son. [Age] 14. Grocers Errand Boy [Born] Blackmore
Agnes Knight. [Age] 11. [Born] Blackmore
George Knight. [Age] 6. [Born] Blackmore
Elizabeth Knight. [Age] 4. [Born] Blackmore

There were two households, each with David and Emma and adult occupants but no Ernest or Samuel.

More detective work was necessary. A search of the Internet revealed a site listing the descendents of Thomas Knight of Blackmore (1775 – 1835). It is large site (part of http://www.myfamilytree.110mb.com/) and is the work of Rosalind Lloyd, created in 2002. It stated that “A second Emma Rebecca Knight is buried in Magdalen Laver with her husband David, this is the couple who were living at Gander Hall Blackmore Road rather than the couple I have linked to this tree who were living in Chelmsford Road in Blackmore in 1901”. [http://www.myfamilytree.110mb.com/Knight/ pafg03.htm]. Could this be the family we were looking for?

I contacted Rosalind Lloyd who admitted that “There are a lot of Knights who lived in the Blackmore area, so it's not surprising that you are finding the research confusing.”

Ancestry had the following information about this family on the 1901 census.
Gander Hall, Blackmore Road, Ingatestone
David Knight. Head. Married. [Age] 38 Agricultural Labourer. [Born] Highwood
Emma Knight. Wife. [Age] 37. [Born] Ingatestone
Alfred Knight. Son. [Age] 18. Worker. [Born] Roxwell
William Knight. Son. [Age] 16. Worker [Born] Roxwell
Arthur Knight. Son. [Age] 13. Worker. [Born] Highwood
George Knight. Son. [Age] 7. [Born] Fryerning
Ernest Knight. Son. [Age] 4. [Born] Fryerning
Ada Knight. Dau. [Age] 11. [Born] Fryerning
Dorothy Knight. Dau. [Age] 2. [Born] Fryerning

The 1911 census showed the family living at Cold Harbour, High Ongar. Ernest, and the other younger siblings were said to have been born in Blackmore, not Fryerning.

There were two further lines of enquiry. Firstly, to see whether the village of Magdalen Laver has a War Memorial and, if so, see whether an E or S Knight was commemorated. Secondly, we needed to establish whether the family lived outside Blackmore and was covered by a Blackmore postal address, as had been established with Frederick and Charles Root, living at “Horsfrith via Blackmore” or Fred Garnham, living at “Radley Green via Blackmore” on the electoral roll for 1914.

Having been to a ‘Through Changing Scenes’ history event at Magdalen Laver a few years ago and purchased a booklet on the villages history I read that thirteen names of those who fell in the First World War are recorded on the War Memorial outside the church.

I went to the quiet church in the fields at Magdalen Laver to see the War Memorial and have found on the list ‘E Knight’. The 1918 Electoral Roll for the Epping Division [ERO C/E 2/1/3, viewed online] has a David Knight and Emma Rebecca Knight living at Hall Lodge. The fact that the name of the mother was Emma Rebecca suggested fact that surely these must have been the same parents of a 4 year old Ernest living at Gander Hall, Blackmore Road in the 1901 census?

Gander Hall Cottage, (CM4 0SG) is in Chelmsford Road, Blackmore [http://www.zoopla.co.uk/home-values/essex/blackmore/chelmsford-road/]. It is opposite Spriggs Lane [source: Google]. It looked as if Ernest Knight was born in Blackmore after all.

But there was a problem. The 1901 census referred to the Gander Hall as being in Blackmore Road, Ingatestone. A fellow researcher commented, “It's very unusual for the census return to be as much in error as to assign a property to the wrong parish.”

Perhaps there was a Gander Hall on the Blackmore Road nearer to Ingatestone near Fryerning Church? The only way to solve the mystery was to visit the Essex Record Office to look at the census piece and work out the route the enumerator took to call at Gander Hall.

On inspection of the census return for Ingatestone and Fryerning parish for 1901, Gander Hall is the first entry on one of three census returns for the parish of Ingatestone and Fryerning. There are two properties labelled ‘Gander Hall’ with the third in the sequence being ‘Howletts Hall’. This matches the sequence of properties in what we know as Chelmsford Road, Blackmore. An inspection of a six inch to one mile map dated 1923 shows that these properties were outside of the Blackmore parish boundary although the road in front of the properties was in Blackmore.

There was one matter to settle. Was Ernest Knight baptised at Fryerning Church?
The Baptism Register for Fryerning [ERO D/P 249/1/7] has the following entries for Ernest’s younger siblings: Dorothy Emma Knight, and Ethel Susan Knight, daughters of David and Emma Rebecca Knight were both baptised on 14th July 1901.

We have not found any record of Ernest Knight other than in the census returns but are convinced that although technically his place of birth was Fryerning, it would be incorrect to disregard the family as having no connection with Blackmore.

We will include Ernest Knight on our Roll of Honour.

Blackmore. Remembering Ernest Samuel Knight

Ernest Samuel Knight
War Memorial: Place and inscription Epping War Memorial Magdalen Laver War Memorial: E Knight
Rank: Private
Regiment: Essex Regiment. 1st/ 6th Battalion.  Service No: 40199 [CWGC]
Service Details: Recorded as Samuel Ernest Knight [CWGC] Recorded as Ernest Samuel Knight [Essex Regiment Museum] Born Blackmore, Essex Enlisted Epping, Essex Residence Magdalen Laver, Essex [SDGW & Essex Regiment Museum]
Personal and family information: Son of Mr & Mrs D Knight of Keeper’s Lodge, Wintry Park, Epping, Essex [CWGC] No record of Ernest or Samuel Knight baptised at Blackmore, or Fryerning, or Ingatestone.  Baptism Register for Fryerning [ERO D/P 249/1/7] has the following entries for younger siblings: 14th July 1901. Dorothy Emma Knight, daughter of David and Emma Rebecca Knight. 14th July 1901. Ethel Susan Knight, daughter of David and Emma Rebecca Knight. 1901 Census: Gander Hall, Blackmore Road, Ingatestone. The property is on the Ingatestone and Fryerning parish census, lying in the ecclesiastical parish of Fryerning. David Knight.  Head.  Married.  [Age] 38.  Agricultural  Labourer  [Born] Highwood Emma Knight.  Wife.  [Age] 37.  [Born] Ingatestone Alfred Knight.  Son.  [Age] 18.  Worker.  [Born] Roxwell William Knight.  Son.  [Age] 16.  Worker.  [Born] Roxwell Arthur Knight.  Son.  [Age] 13.  Worker.  [Born] Highwood George Knight.  Son.  [Age] 7.  [Born] Fryerning Ernest Knight.  Son.  [Age] 4.  [Born] Fryerning Ada Knight.  Dau.  [Age] 11.  [Born] Fryerning Dorothy Knight. Dau.  [Age] 2.  [Born] Fryerning Gander Hall is the first entry on one of three census returns for the parish of Ingatestone and Fryerning.  There are two properties labelled ‘Gander Hall’ with the third in the sequence being ‘Howletts Hall’. This matches the sequence of properties in what we know as Chelmsford Road, Blackmore.  An inspection of a six inch to one mile map dated 1923 shows that these properties were outside of the Blackmore parish boundary although the road in front of the properties was in Blackmore. 1911 Census: Cold Harbour, High Ongar. David Knight.  Head.  Married.  [Age] 48.  Cowman on Farm.  [Born] Writtle Emma Knight.  Wife (m 27 yrs).  [Age] 47.  [Born] Ingatestone George Knight.  Son.  [Age] 17.  Cowman on Farm.  [Born] Blackmore Ernest Knight.  Son.  [Age] 15.  Cowman on Farm.  [Born] Blackmore Dorothy Knight.  Dau..  [Age] 12.  School.  [Born] Blackmore Ethel Knight.  Dau.  [Age] 10.  School.  [Born] Blackmore Nellie Knight.  Dau.  [Age] 7.  School.  [Born] Moreton ‘Cold Harbour’ lies in the detached part of High Ongar. The 1923 map reveals its location at being near Tylers Green where The Talbot public house is situated. It is on an existing footpath by the present Marconi Bungalows.  The head of the household gives Ernest’s birth as Blackmore, technically incorrect but the location of Gander Hall suggests a stronger association with the residents of this parish than Fryerning. The 1918 Electoral Roll for the Epping Division [ERO C/E 2/3/1, viewed online] has a David Knight and Emma Rebecca Knight living at Hall Lodge.  These surely must have been the same parents of a 4 year old Ernest living at Gander Hall, Blackmore Road in the 1901 census and confirmed by “A second Emma Rebecca Knight is buried in Magdalen Laver with her husband David, this is the couple who were living at Gander Hall Blackmore Road rather than the couple I have linked to this tree who were living in Chelmsford Road in Blackmore in 1901”. [http://www.myfamilytree.110mb.com/Knight/pafg03.htm].
Date of Death: 2nd January 1918
Age: 21
Where died: Died Palestine [SDGW & Essex Regiment Museum]
Place of Burial or Commemoration: Cemetery: Gaza War Cemetery. Grave / Memorial Reference: XXII E5 [CWGC]
List of Sources: Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Essex Record Office, Essex Regiment Museum, Rosalind Lloyd (website of Knight family), Soldiers who Died in the Great War.

War Memorials Locally

John Westwood has created an impressive site commemorating those from Stock and the surrounding area who gave their lives in World War One. He is a regular writer in ‘The Journal’, a free monthly magazine delivered to homes in the CM4 postal district.

Buttsbury
http://www.stock.org.uk/history/virtual-buttsbury/index.htm

Fryerning
http://www.stock.org.uk/history/ww1/fryerning/

Highwood
http://www.stock.org.uk/history/ww1/highwood/index.htm

Ingatestone & Fryerning
http://www.stock.org.uk/history/virtual-ingatestone/index.htm

Margaretting
http://www.stock.org.uk/history/virtual-margareting/index.htm

Mountnessing
http://www.stock.org.uk/history/ww1/st-giles-mountnessing/index.htm

Shenfield Railway Station
http://www.stock.org.uk/history/shenfield_station/index.htm

Stock
http://www.stock.org.uk/history/virtual-stock/index.htm
http://www.stock.org.uk/history/ww1/index.htm

Index
http://www.stock.org.uk/sub-index/war-memorials.htm


Elsewhere in our local area, other photographers and researchers have been out and about.
Ongar & District
The memorial is inside the hospital
http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/L/lostgeneration/search/m-record.jsp?id=58278

Blackmore
Extensively covered on this site

Bobbingworth
On this site

Brentwood
http://www.iwm.org.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.2486

Chelmsford
http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?s=1f22d1cd5104854f78788b4dbc488433&showtopic=106657&pid=1014756&st=0&#entry1014756

Doddinghurst
On this site

Epping
http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Essex/Epping.html

Good Easter
http://www.flickr.com/photos/harlowirish/2581954440/in/set-72157605507692727/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/harlowirish/2581957528/in/set-72157605507692727/

Great Parndon (Harlow)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/harlowirish/2583655536/in/set-72157605507692727/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/harlowirish/2582827157/in/set-72157605507692727/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/harlowirish/2582828489/in/set-72157605507692727/

Greensted
Does not have a parish war memorial.

High Ongar
http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/L/lostgeneration/search/m-record.jsp?id=41602

Kelvedon Hatch
http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Essex/KelvedonHatch.html

Moreton
http://www.flickr.com/photos/harlowirish/2553624939/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/harlowirish/2554451364/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/harlowirish/2553630953/

Navestock
http://www.flickr.com/photos/barryslemmings/250388320/

Nazeing
http://www.flickr.com/photos/harlowirish/2577981801/

North Weald
On this site

Norton Mandeville
No known War Memorial

Potter Street (Harlow)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/harlowirish/2583817762/in/set-72157605507692727/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/harlowirish/2583823172/in/set-72157605507692727/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/harlowirish/2582992577/in/set-72157605507692727/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/harlowirish/2582991141/in/set-72157605507692727/

Stapleford Tawney
http://www.flickr.com/photos/barryslemmings/229120232/

Stondon Massey
Extensively covered on this site

Theydon Garnon
On this site

Not listed?
Elsewhere in Essex try:
http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Essex/#Memorials

Paul Rusiecki's book 'The Impact of Catastophe' (ERO Publication, Essex County Council, 2008) contains a most substantial, if incomplete, list of 'Essex memorials of the Great War'.

Blackmore. Remembering Frederick Garnham

Fred Garnham

Fred & Rosa Garnham

Frederick Garnham
War Memorial: Place and inscription War Memorial: Highwood War Memorial Tablet inside Roxwell Church
Rank: Private
Regiment: Essex Regiment. 2nd Battalion.  Service No. 8086
Service Details: Private Frederick Garnham Essex Regiment. 2nd Battalion Service No: 8086 Born: Chadwell Heath, Essex Enlisted: Warley Resident: Blackmore [source: SDGW courtesy WFA]
Personal and family information: Maureen Garnham-Lopez wrote, “Frederick Garnham, was born 25, September, 1887 in Chadwell Heath, Dagenham, Romford, baptised 22, July, 1894 in the Parish Church of Stondon Massey, where both his parents were living. His father was foreman at the Soaphouse Farm.  Private Fred Garnham enlisted in the Essex Regiment, 2nd Battalion.  He was in Norwich, market square where pictures of the troops were taken, he sent two of these photos (postcards) which were dated 10, August,1914, to his wife. He was deployed from Norwich to France, was killed in the Battle of the River Marne, 8, September, 1914 and is buried in Montreuil-Aux-Lions, British Cemetery, France.  His name is on the memorial inside and outside of the church in Highwood, also inside Roxwell Church, and is on the Essex Roll of Honour in the Essex Chronicle dated Friday, 8, January, 1915.  My father, Frederick Wilfred Garnham was born 4, September, 1914.” In 1914, the Electoral Roll for Mid Essex / Chelmsford Division records Frederick Garnham as a voter at 'Lightfoots' (the qualifying property), 'Radley Green via Blackmore' [ERO C/E 1/1/26]. Revd Edward Reeve, the Rectory of Stondon Massey recorded in his ‘Notes For A Parish History’, “We hear of the death of Private Fred Garnham, killed in action in France, early in September.  Now living at Radley Green near Writtle, his father for some years held the Soap house Farm in Stondon.  (His widow afterwards received on his behalf the 1914 Star and Riband issued in commemoration of the Gallantry shown by our ‘contemptible little Army’)”.  Following the War Reeve wrote of the deliberations of names to be included on the War Memorial at Stondon Massey:  “The six names are all that we could fairly include, though Ernest Maynard, a Blackmore lad who worked in the Rectory garden here up to the time of enlisting, was well known, and almost eligible; and Fred Garnham, who fell in the Mons retreat, had been brought up in the village, but had married and joined from Radley Green, Writtle.  R J Ellis was living at Norton [Mandeville] when he died, but was included as being a true Stondon lad, and with his old parents still in the parish” [ERO T/P 188/3 f860-863] Maureen Garnham-Lopez recalls her family’s visit in 2004 to meet granddad for the first time. “France was very beautiful, breathtaking countryside: quaint little villages with only a few houses, all with wooden shutters and they were all closed. It was as if there was only one road going through the middle of colourful fields, we had seen only two farmers working the fields and that was it.  From a distance I could see the cross. The memorial was just like they said, 96 kilometres South-South-West of Riems on the road from Château-Thierry to La Ferte-sous-Jouarre, just off the main road. As our car came to a stop, my heart started racing, I stepped out of the car, opened a small gate, it squeaked just like in the movies. We were looking, all looking for him, where was he? I could not believe how I felt. It felt like I was meeting him for the very first time.  This man whom I loved so much. We all said our hellos, expressed our love, shed some tears and stood there in silence, putting our hands on the headstone like we were gently touching him. Grandad, we have found you at last, I thought.”
Date of Death: 8th September 1914
Age: 26
Where died: Killed in action: France and Flanders
Place of Burial or Commemoration: Grave / Memorial Reference: IV. B. 2  Cemetery: Montreuill-Aux-Lions British Cemetery
List of Sources: Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Essex Record Office, Maureen Garnham-Lopez a descendant