Blackmore: Survivors of WW1 Not Recorded

The Blackmore War Memorial (Essex) lists 81 men who came through the First World War and returned home.

One of the tasks of the Blackmore War Memorial Research Project Group was to establish an accurate transcription of those recorded on the faded cross. A primary document used to establish the full names of those commemorated was the Electoral Register for 1918 which, by Act of Parliament, greatly extended the list of eligible voters, including women over 30 years old for the first time. The Register includes ‘absent voters’. These include Frederick John Belsham, who lived in the village; Frank Johnson Knight, who lived at Walnut Tree Cottages; and, Daniel Martin, who lived at Chapel House. These names are omitted from the War Memorial and it is surmised that these men did not want their names included. Poignantly we found Albert Edward Barker, The Bull, as an absent voter who had died a year earlier.

In addition to those recorded on the War Memorial there are a number of men entered in the Parish Registers whose profession was described as ‘Soldier’.

Arthur Burton and his wife, Rosetta, had four children baptised on 29th August 1915: Elsie Miriam, Winifred, Rosetta May and, Stanley Arthur Burton.

James Alexander Whittaker and his wife Mabel had their son, James Alexander baptised on 20th August 1916.

Albert William Cooper, of High Ongar, had his son Leonard Neville baptised on 21st January 1917.

Sidney William Wakeling, from Brentwood had his daughter, Emily Lillian baptised on 12th May 1918.

Harry Newson, from Radley Green, Highwood, had his daughter Winifred May, baptised on 4th May 1919.

Ernest Robert Wicks, of Swallows Cross, Blackmore, has his son Ernest Laurence baptised on 17th August 1919.

George Albert Sankey, of Blackmore, ‘Soldier’, married Annie Neville on Christmas Day 1917. Their son John Lancaster Sankey was baptised on 28th September 1921. George was still a Soldier by profession.

Albert Hardy, from Blackmore married on 14th August 1918.