In 2020, a collection of memorial plaques were found in storage at St Mark’s Church, Upper Hale near Farnham, Surrey. These had originally been attached to pews as memorials to deceased church members. I have researched some of the people recorded on these plaques for St Mark’s Church. The heading for each person is what was recorded on the plaque in question.
‘Ann Allen’
Ann Crocker was born in Hale in 1873 and her parents were George Crocker and Ann (Knight) Crocker and Ann was the youngest of 2 children born to this couple. Ann was baptized in Hale:
Ann’s father George Crocker came from Thatcham, Berkshire and appears to have been married four times and Ann grew up in a blended family. George’s last wife, Martha, died in 1899 Martha Crocker died in 1899 and her Will describes her as ‘Martha Crocker of Hungry Hill’. In the 1901 Census, taken on 31 March, Ann Crocker is living with her four times widowed father and they have a visitor – James Allen, age 24, a bricklayer.
And here is the wedding 6 days later at St John the Evangelist Church. (Note that the church was still using marriage registration book from the 1800’s and had to alter the date to reflect 1901!). One of the witnesses was Ann’s brother-in-law, Edward Parsons, and the other was Ann’s married step-sister, Elizabeth Kenton who lived in Cove:
John Francis Allen was not a local man and his family came from Farnham (by coincidence), Essex just over the county border from Bishop’s Stortford. The 1901 Census (when he was staying with Ann) said he was employed as a bricklayer by the Ministry of Works / Royal Engineers. In the 1911 Census, Ann, James and two daughters lived at Parson Cottages, Alma Lane, Upper Hale and by 1912, their family was complete when their son was born.
A look back at George Crocker: in the 1911 census he was living with his married daughter Mary at Laburnum Cottage, Upper Hale. He died in 1915, age 81. Ann and James Allen lived in Upper Hale for most of their married life, with James supporting the family as a bricklayer. In the 1939 Register, they are living at 16 Gorseland Cottages on Alma Road. By 1955, when James died, the couple were living at 15 Haven Way, Hale Road (opposite Farnham Hospital) and, in fact, James died in Farnham Hospital.
Ann Allen lived until she was 93, dying in 1966. James and Ann are buried in Upper Hale Cemetery. The Allen’s son, Ernest Allen, continued to live in Upper Hale and probably arranged for his mother’s memorial plaque in St Mark’s Church.
‘Jim Binfield’
James William Binfield was born 1 September 1907 in Hale to James Binfield and Martha (Kersely) Binfield who lived at 2 Hereford Lane. James was baptized in Hale 20 September 1907:
In the 1911 Census, the Binfield family were living at Stone Cottage, Hale with James Binfield Senior listed as a brick maker. Brickmaking comes up quite frequently as a Hale occupation. He died the following year, having lived all his life in Hale. James Binfield Junior (Jim) was too young to serve in the First World War, so there are no more records for him until he is old enough to vote and he appears in the Electoral Rolls living at Hawthorne Cottage, Wings Road, Hale. On 13 April 1936, Jim married Edith Ida Lily Lamport at St John’s Church. This was a marriage between members of two long-established Hale families. Fortunately, Jim and Edith’s wedding picture survives and a descendant has kindly granted permission to include the photo and has provided some notes.
Rosemary Longman in an email to me wrote: ‘I have the original photo in front of me now and on the back of it is written “Easter Monday April 13th 1936”. James’s wife Edith, nee Lamport, was my Mum’s cousin and I remember her and her twins – Ida and Peter. James and Edith’s son, Peter Binfield, used to come to the Hale History mornings – he came down by train from Sheffield especially to be there. At one time Peter played the organ in church and I remember he was very keen to get the murals in St. Marks restored. Peter died in May 2018 in Sheffield. The only other people I can definitely recognise on the wedding photo are back left, lady with light coloured brimmed hat is Olive Brunton and just peeping out from behind her hat is her future husband Frank Foot, then his sister (my Mum) Violet Foot and next to her my Dad, Frank Rivers.‘
From the couple’s marriage certificate, Jim’s occupation is revealed. A wheelwright! This was an ancient trade that required a 7-year apprenticeship and Jim’s widowed mother, Martha, would have saved up to pay the apprenticeship fee. The 1939 Register shows Jim and Edith, and their twins, Ida and Peter, living at Grafton Cottage in Wings Road. Jim has adjusted his skills to carpentry as the demand for a wheelwright by 1939 would be very limited. He was one of Hale’s Air Raid Wardens.
Jim Binfield died, age 63, on 16 April 1971. He had been living at 36 Wings Road which was Hawthorn Cottage where Jim had been living at the time of his marriage. Edith Ida Lily Binfield died, age 83, 27 October 1988 when she was still living at Hawthorne Cottage.
‘Col C.E.C. Burton, R.A.’
Charles Edmund Clerke Burton‘s parents were both called Burton and they were cousins several times removed:
Henry Burton was born in India and was a Lt. Colonel in the Indian Army. Ada Burton was the daughter of Clerke Burton – hence Charles Burton’s third name. Both Henry and Ada Burton families were predominately army people. Charles was born in Upton on Severn, Gloucestershire in 1902.
Charles Burton was commissioned into the Royal Artillery as a Lieutenant in 1924; by 1944 during World War II, he was a full Colonel. By 1960, Charles was retired and living in Farnham. 1966, Charles married Zoe Burton – yes, another Burton! Zoe was a distant cousin, and she had been a nurse at the Cambridge Hospital in Aldershot. Charles and Zoe were both age 60 when they married. Charles and Zoe lived in Upper Hale at 3 Hope Lane. Charles died in 1972 and was buried in the Farnham Green Lane Cemetery and his memorial is part of a rather large family grave belonging to his wife’s Burtons. Zoe Burton died in 2002, age 96.
‘Edgar Cheesman’
Edgar Raymond Cheesman was born in Farncombe near Guildford in 1899 to Frederick Cheesman (a gardener) and Annie (Boxall) Cheesman, one of four boys. In the 1911 Census, Edgar was living at 20 North Street, Farncombe, near Godalming, Surrey with his family.
During the First World War, Edgar served first with an infantry regiment and then with the Royal Engineers:
On 6 February 1929, Edgar Cheesman, now an Insurance Agent, married Hilda Mary Pharo of the well-known Hale family, the Pharos. Hilda May Pharo was the daughter of Samuel Pharo (a wheelwright) and Matilda (Prior) Pharo and was born in Farnham in 1903. She was a direct descendant of Thomas Pharo of Hungry Hill who died in 1805 and who owned two pieces of land in Hale.
Edgar and Hilda Cheesman settled into ‘Silver Birch’, 32, Hale Road and raised two sons. Edgar Cheesman died in 1982, at age 82, and Hilda Cheesman died in 2001, just 3 years short of her 100th birthday.
‘Sqn. Ldr. H W Edwards AFC RAF (Rtd)’
Herbert Walter Edwards was born 17 May 1908 in married quarters in Chatham Barracks in Kent to Quarter Master Ernest Edwards (R.E.) and Isabel Innes (Porter) Edwards, and he was the oldest of three sons. Quarter-Master Ernest Edwards retired to an army pension and the family settled in Wood Green, London but at the outbreak of the First World War, Ernest Edwards immediately volunteered at the age of 45. He was re-appointed as a Quartermaster Sergeant and served until 1919. Herbert (Bert) Edwards followed his father into military service but chose the Royal Air Force.
On 8 August 1934, Bert married Edith Marjorie Morton at Aldershot Parish Church. The witnesses were Herbert’s brother, Edward Edwards and Edith’s father Joseph Morton (manager of an Aldershot shoe store). Edith was born in Aldershot and was usually known as Marjorie. Bert’s address is interesting: ‘St George’s Institute, Stanhope Lines’ and has nothing to do with his occupation. His father, Ernest, after being a long-time career soldier, continued to serve, this time in a non-military role and he was the manager and resident of St George’s Institute (a social facility for soldiers) in Aldershot Military Camp.
With the outbreak of the Second World War, Bert was promoted to Flight Sergeant and was sent to South Africa as part of Joint Air Training Scheme (JATS) where he worked at flight schools to train Royal Air Force, SAAF and other allied air and ground crews. During its five-year existence, the JATS turned out a total of 33,347 aircrew. Marjorie was able to accompany him. For his service to the Joint Air Training Scheme, Herbert was awarded the Air Force Cross.
Bert retired from the RAF as Squadron Leader. Following retirement, Bert and Marjorie moved into 8 Highlands Avenue, Heath End where they lived for the rest of their lives. Herbert Walter Edwards died, age 64, on 12 October 1972, in Farnham. Marjorie Edwards died, age 86, in 1996, in Farnham.
‘Harry Harrington’
Harry Herbert Harrington was born on 30 October 1888 to Henry Harrington and Maria (Pound) Harrington; his name was registered as ‘Harry’ and he was baptized on 23 December 1888 at St Mark’s Church.
In the 1891 Census: Harry (age 2) was living with his family in Hoghatch:
Harry’s father died in 1900, and Maria Harrington was left with a family of 6 children to raise and in the 1901 Census, she was working as a charwoman and the family was still living in Hoghatch. By 1911, Harry and his two younger brothers, Charles and Christopher were all working in a laundry and their employer was listed as ‘Government Washing Contractor’. This could have been Hale Laundry (the ‘White City’).
Harry did not wait to be conscripted in First World War Service; instead he volunteered in 1915 and enlisted in the Royal Engineers at Southampton and served until 26 May 1917 as a sapper (5.6, Fresh, Grey, Brown indicates his height, complexion, eye colour, and hair colour):
After the war, Harry returned to Hoghatch and in 1920 he married Rose Johnson (who was born in Ludgershall, Wiltshire) at Holy Trinity Church in Aldershot.
Harry and Rose lived in Upper Hale and by the 1939 Register, they had three children and their address was Spooner’s Cottage, Upper Hale. In 1961, the Surrey Electoral Rolls show the Harringtons living at 18 Folly Lane:
Harry Herbert Harrington died, age 83 on 29 February 1972 (Leap Year Day). Rose Harrington died, age 84, in 1984.
‘Edward T. Kinge, 13 May 1896 – 4 Nov 1965’
Edward Thomas Kinge was born in Farnham and his parents were George Kinge from Froyle, Hampshire (a brewer’s labourer) and Mary Ann (Guy) Kinge from Chilton Candover, Hampshire. In the 1901 Census, Edward was living at 5 Park Lane, Farnham with his parents and two brothers, Albert and Arthur Kinge. By the 1911 Census, Mary Kinge was widowed and supporting her three boys as a launderess at 3 Park Place, Farnham.
Edward joined the 1/1st Hants Carabiniers Yeomanry which was a pre-war mounted Territorial Army unit. In 1914, it was mobilised as soon as the war broke out and assigned to home defence. In 1916, Edward was transferred to the Hampshire Regiment and likely served on the Western Front.
At War’s end, he returned to Farnham and on 23 Dec 1922, he married Doris May Armsworth at St John the Evangelist in Hale. Doris had been born in Hale in 1902 and she was living with her widowed mother and brothers and sisters at 1 Bethel Cottages, Upper Hale in the 1911 Census.
Edward and Doris lived at 2 Alexandra Villas, 43 Upper Hale Road where they raised their two children. By 1939, Edward was a builder’s foreman and storeman. Edward Kinge died, age 69, in 1965.
Doris Kinge continued to live at 43 Upper Hale Road until she died in 1983 at age 81.
‘Annie Lowes’
Annie Louisa Smith was born 19 October 1884 in Upton Scudamore, Wiltshire, a small village just outside Warminster. Her parents were George Smith (a coachman) and Elizabeth (Hawkins) Smith; she was baptized in Upton Scudamore:
In the 1901 Census, Annie and her parents were living in Herriard near Basingstoke. Annie Smith married Frances Frank Lowes in Bentworth, Hampshire (not far from Alton) in February 1908. Frances Lowes was from London originally and had been with the Royal Field Artillery since 1893. He had been posted in India from 1894 to 1906. How did Annie and Frances meet? The answer may lay in the fact that Frances Lowe was with the 103rd Battery RFA when he returned from India in 1906 and the 103rd were stationed in Bordon, Hampshire at the time.
Annie and Francis moved to Alma Cottage, Heath End and in 1909, they had a son named after his father: Francis Frank Lowes, and the baby was baptized at St John’s:
In the 1911 Census, Annie, Frank and Frank Junior were living in Alma Cottage, Heath End, along with Annie’s parents, George and Elizabeth Smith who died in 1913 and 1914 respectively. As soon as the First World War broke out, Francis Lowes was sent to France and served there until the following year when his expertise as an ‘Old Contemptible’ (a pre-war career soldier) made him of more use training new recruits in England. Francis retired in 1917 after 24 years of service and his army record shows that in all that time, his only medical issues were a sprained ankle and chilblains! Home for the Lowes continued to be Alma Cottage. Unfortunately, their son, Francis, died at home, age 20, in 1918 (Spanish Flu perhaps). Francis Frank Lowes died, age 59, in 1931.
Annie continued to live at Alma Cottage which eventually gained the address of 15 Alma Lane:
Annie Lowes died, age 87, on 8 August 1972 in a residential home called Annandale House on New Inn Lane, Burpham, Guildford. An unknown person ordered a memorial plaque for her at St Mark’s Church.
‘Beatrice Kathleen Moore, died 21 April 1974’
Beatrice Kathleen Newman was born 26 December 1908 in Upper Hale, the daughter of Joshua James Newman and Hannah Kate (Paine) Newman and baptized at St John the Evangelist; Beatrice was one of seven children.
In the 1911 Census, the Newman Family were living in Hoghatch, Upper Hale with Joshua Newman’s occupation given as ‘Gravel Digger’. Joshua volunteered in 1915 to serve in the First World War with the 3rd Queen’s Regiment and the family’s address at this time was ‘The Bungalow, Hoghatch, Upper Hale’.
We next encounter Beatrice Newman in 1930 when she became eligible to vote; her parents were still in Hoghatch but it looks as if Beatrice was in service in Lawday Place:
On 9 August 1937 at St John the Evangelist Parish Church in Hale, Beatrice married Frederick Arthur Moore, a soldier:
Frederick Arthur Moore was born in 1905 in Maidstone and his father James Moore was a military bandsman stationed at Maidstone. Fred joined the Tank Corps in 1924, then transferred to the Royal Army Service Corps and by the end of the Second World War was a Regimental Sergeant Major. So exemplary was his service during the liberation of France and the pursuit of the German Army into Germany, that his commanding officer recommended that he be made a Member of the British Empire and he received the award in January 1946.
Following Fred’s retirement from the army, the Moores lived on Wellington Lane, Heath End:
Beatrice Moore died 21 April 1974, age 65, and her address was still Wellington Lane. She was buried in Upper Hale Cemetery and Fred had this headstone erected:
Following Beatrice’s death, Fred Moore must have left the area as no Farnham death record for him exists.
‘Clifford Ricketts, 1942 – 1955, Thomas Ricketts, 1909 – 1965’
Thomas Frederick Charles Ricketts was born in Ash Vale 20 October 1908, the son of Charles Ricketts and Flora Elizabeth (Baker) Ricketts and baptized at St Mary’s, Ash Vale on 20 January 1909.
As a side note, Charles Ricketts of Ash Vale, although in his 40’s, volunteered for service in the First World War and sadly was a casualty.
The 55th Kite Balloon Section of the Royal Air Force operated observation balloons over the battlefield and as the name ‘kite’ suggests, the balloon was tethered to the ground which made them most susceptible to enemy fire and weather accidents. Charles Ricketts was sent to Alexandria in Egypt and he was reported as ‘presumed dead’. His wife Flora received a widow’s pension and a benefit for her children but probate for Charles’s will was not issued until 1961 with Thomas being given the administration 44 years after his father died!
Thomas Ricketts probably did not remember much about his father as he was so young when Charles went to war. The family remained living in Aden Cottages, Ash Vale for many years. Thomas became a resident of Hale following his marriage to a Hale-born woman, Marjorie Emily Alice Armsworth, on 3 September 1933 at St John the Evangelist Church. Note: one of the witnesses was Edward Thomas Kinge – one of the other ‘St Mark’s Names’ discussed above. The Kinge family lived next door to the Armsworth family in Alexandria Villas on Upper Hale Road and Edward Kinge had married Marjorie’s older sister, Doris Armsworth.
Marjorie Armsworth was born in 1909 and the family lived at 1 Bethel Cottages in Hale. Marjorie’s brother, Wilfred Armsworth was another First World War casualty being killed at Cambrai in 1917, and his name is probably on the Hale War Memorial.
Thomas and Marjorie Ricketts moved into ‘Ningwood’, 18 Wings Road, Upper Hale and the 1939 Register records Thomas as a General Haulage Lorry Driver. They were living next door to the Rolling family – Marjorie’s mother was a ‘Rolling’. Thomas Frederick Charles Ricketts lived in Upper Hale for the rest of his life and died, age 56, on 6 December 1965. Marjorie Ricketts died, age 93, in 2003. Marjorie Ricketts has been described by a number of people who lived in Wings Road as a lovely woman.
When Marjorie ordered a memorial plaque for her husband, Thomas Ricketts, she included a memorial to the youngest of their 3 children, Clifford Thomas Ricketts, who died, age 13, in 1955 and was buried in Upper Hale Cemetery.
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