#England #Kent #Military #WWI
Horace Stephen BIRCH was the second of four children born to Stephen BIRCH (1867 – 1929), a Baker, and Clara Mary COCK (1870 – 1912).
Stephen’s family seems to have moved around South East Kent quite a bit and although Clara’s father is unknown her mother’s family has done similar. They met and married in Q4 1888 in Eastry District. He was about 21 and she just 18.
Horace has an elder brother Frederick Ethelbert COCK [BIRCH] (1887 – 1941) and two younger sisters Eva Kate BIRCH (1891 – 1982) and Winifred Mary BIRCH (1897 – 1981). As Frederick was born when Clara is just 17, before they married, he is registered with her surname.
In the 1881 Census Horace’s father is living in Gore, Eastry with his parents and siblings. At aged 15 he is working as a Baker’s Assistant. Mother Clara is living in the Beer House, Ashley, which is run by her Uncle.
The others in residence are her parents, sister, grandmother and a lodger. She is 10 years old. After getting together and the birth of Frederick they appear to have moved to Dover. Horace’s birth was registered Q1 1890 in Dover District and I’ve got a reference to Buckland. Other later records indicate it was 18 February 1890.
The 1891 Census has just the four of them living in Lower Street, Tilmanstone, Kent and he is showing as H S BERCH, aged 1, who was born in Tilmanstone. His father is described as Baker and Corn Dealer.
By 1901 the two girls have been born. The first registered in the Eastry District but the second in Dover District. Not sure of the regulations regarding registering births. I have been unable to find any of them on the 1901 Census to know if still in Tilmanstone or not.
In 1909 his brother [who also served in military but has not been written about] married Florence Ethel ADAMS [1884– TBA] and all four siblings are with their mother as mourners at their Grandmother’s, Sarah Ann COCK [1851 – 1910], funeral. The floral tributes include one from Clara and one from Horace, Eva and Winnie.
Original thought was as a baker their father was unable to attend the ceremony but later information shows this to not be the reason for him missing the event..
By 1911 Census Frederick and his wife have two children. They are living in 35 Granville Street, Charlton, Dover and he works as a Gardener. [It appears they have another 5 offspring by 1923].
Sister Eva, aged 19, is living with their widowed Grandfather John ELGAR [1855 – 1938] at The Laurels, Tilmanstone. She is working as a Domestic Servant. Although listed as Grandchild doubtful she is a blood relation since he only married their Grandmother nine years after Clara was born.
And we find 21-year-old Horace is living with his Uncle Phineas TURNER (1878 – 1947), Aunt Fanny ELGAR (1881 – 1970), Clara’s half-sister, and a cousin. He is now in the 4-room property Fairholme, Upper Street in Tilmanstone and working as a Market Gardener.
Cannot find a 1911 Census record for Stephen, Clara or Winifred. Could they be out of the country? More research required at a later date it would seem. Clara passed away Q2 1912 in Dover District at around 40 years of age.
Horace meets Elsie Florence HAMBROOK (1892 – 1959) and they get married on 03 July 1915. The marriage is registered in Q3 1915 under Eastry District. Their eldest, a girl, was born on 01 October 1915 in Tilmanstone.
Regarding Horace’s military career we have evidence that he was accepted into the A.S.C. (H.J.)?? [first bit being Army Service Corps but not sure on the letters at all] on 19 January 1917 at Park Royal. His address given as School House, Tilmanstone and age 26 years 334 days. His trade still given as Market Gardener.
His regimental number given as T/291382 and his height 5 foot 3.5 inches with a 37-inch chest. No distinctive marks. His weight 130 lb and he had good physical development. Some slight defect to right food but not enough to cause rejection.
He was deemed at Home 18 January 1917 to 17 March 1917. He was then in the Expeditionary Force from 18 March 1917. They embarked in Southampton on the S.S. Huntscraft, a Steel Screw Steamer, and disembarked the following day in Havre. From there to the A.S.C. Base Depot and served his time in France.
On 24 August 1917 he left the parade without permission and was docked 3 days pay. He was a driver in Unit No 12 of the Army Auxiliary Horse Company of the Royal Army Service Corps. Returned from France it seems on 23 July 1918.
Transferred to Reserves on 21 March 1920. On 17 August 1920 as leaving the service he confirmed that he was not suffering from any disability. He was awarded the Victory and British medals.
On Horace’s return from war there isn’t much information available. However, we do learn they go on to have four more children with the last coming along in 1932 when their eldest was almost 17 years old.
Evidence as to why his father has been less visible in the family has become available and more information posted since I originally found the documentation. I’ve got a record of death for him on 29 September 1929 but in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 1.
This implies that he’d moved over there circa 1905 and notes that he was a widower. Were the rest of the family travelling back and forth between the two countries or had he left them behind? He appears to have been a member of a masonic lodge.
Funeral service: 25 Sep 1929, Vancouver, BC; under auspices of Unity Lodge No. 106, A.F. & A.M.
Interment: new Masonic Cemetery, Burnaby, BC
In the 1939 Register Horace and family are living at Fairholme again. He is now a Farm Labourer while Elsie looks after the home and is a Laundress. The youngest children are at school.
In a very sad turn of events both his brother Frederick and wife Florence killed during World War II 2. He is listed as a member of the A.R.P. Rescue Service and they were actually killed at home as presumably a bomb fell in Dover, Kent, England. Record held by Ancestry in the data set UK, World War II Civilian Deaths, 1939-1945
Horace then lost his wife in 1959, aged 66, before passing away himself a month after his 72nd birthday. He died on 13 March 1962 and probate was granted on 23 May 1962. His five children and think five grandchildren lived on around the South East Kent area I believe.
Horace Stephen BIRCH was a half 1C 2R to me on his maternal line although his paternal great-grandfather seems to be a 1C 5R as well.
I have confirmed a DNA match on Ancestry with a descendant of one of his siblings. The nearest shared ancestor is my 2x Great Grandmother Sarah Ann COCK (1851 – 1910).
Footnotes –
Most research undertaken using Ancestry, FreeBMD and Google Maps. Additional resources listed below if utilised.
- Find a Grave – https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/179071101/stephen-john-birch ↩︎
- Ancestry – https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/5177/records/43896 ↩︎
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