#England #Kent #Military #Sandwich #WWI
Bertie DRAYSON was the fourth of seven children born to James Dixon DRAYSON (1861 – 1922), a Brewer’s Drayman, and Agnes CLARK (1859– 1931). [Her birth is registered as Agness Clark and appears she is known as Isabel A. Clark for a time].
James’ family background is around the Eastry / Worth areas of Kent for at least a couple of generations. Agnes was born in Ticehurst District, Sussex but other than that don’t know much about her background. Possibly her family is actually from Horsmonden in Kent. They married Q3 1881 in Eastry District. They were both in their early 20s.
Bertie had five brothers – Ernest Dixon DRAYSON (1883 – 1963), James Charles DRAYSON (1885 – 1956), Arthur John DRAYSON (1891 – 1959), William DRAYSON (1896 – 1981) and Thomas Henry DRAYSON (1899 – 1918).
There was just one girl in the family – Ethel Elizabeth Agnes DRAYSON (1887 – 1947). Some of his siblings married and had offspring. Most seem to have remained in Kent as well.
In the 1881 Census James, aged 20, is lodging with a family at 33 Alexander Road, St Lawrence, Ramsgate, Kent. He is working as a Brewer’s Drayman. An Isabel A. Clark is with a family where the Head of household is a Brewer. She is, aged 22, employed as Servant’s Cook. The family is living on the High Street, Sandwich, Kent.
They have three children between Q4 1883 and Q2 1887. Then on Q1 1889 Bertie is born in Sandwich. His birth is registered Q1 1891 in Eastry District. They have another boy two years later in Q1 1891.
In the 1891 Census his mother is found at Rams Hill Corner, Horsmonden, Kent where she is presumably staying with her widowed parent, Sarah KEMP (1825 – TBA) and married sister. I don’t actually know when his grandmother passes away so it may have been soon after this time as she was 66 then and quite a trip for his new baby brother to be taken on.
The rest of the family are in Mystery House, Moat Sole, Sandwich, Kent. They have a housekeeper. James is now a Brewer’s Cellarman. [James is actually found with his family in Moat Sole in 1871 Census so returned to same location once married.]
By 1901 Bertie, now 12, has a couple more siblings and in the Census the family are this time shown as the first property in Moat Sole after Cattle Market. They no longer have any help in the house and the person missing from the family is Ethel.
Did not need to look far for her though since turns out she’s next door with her paternal Grandmother Harriett DIXON (1824 – 1919) who had been widowed twice by this point.
His eldest brother Ernest married Alice Maud STROUD (1884 – 1972) in 1904 and his sister Ethel married Thomas CASTLE (1884 – 1968) in 1908 so they have moved on with their lives. By 1911 Ernest has two children and Ethel one.
In 1911 Census Bertie, aged 22, is now referred to as Bert. He is still living with his parents and two youngest siblings at 13 Moat Sole, Sandwich. His father is described as a Brewers Drayman again. Bert and his brother William are labourers at the Colliery it seems. He is working in an above ground position.
In 1915 his brother Arthur married Flossie Rosetta FAGG (1890 – 1958) in Sandwich. He must have known her for over four years since she is the eldest daughter of the family he was boarding with in 1911 Census.
Regarding Bertie’s military career we have evidence that in the 1914 – 1918 war he was in the Royal Engineers 1. He had two regimental numbers – 322732 and 277828. He was a Sapper. Haven’t been able to find any other records for him but it looks like he was in the Railways section. He was awarded the British War and Victory Medals.
Bertie and his brother William both married in 1917. William to Ethel DAVEY (1898 – 1967) registered Q2 in Sevenoaks District, Kent. Then with registration in Q3 1917, Milton District, Kent Bertie married Alice Jane TUMBER (1893 – 1983). Bertie and Alice had a daughter in Sandwich Q2 1918 whose birth was registered in Eastry District.
His brothers Ernest, Arthur and Thomas all definitely served in the war but not sure about James or William. Sadly, his youngest brother Thomas serving in France was killed in action on 23 August 1918 at just age 18.
During and after the war his surviving siblings had a few more children although one died in infancy. He and Alice had a son registered Q1 1921 in Eastry District.
Seeing how close most of them have lived to each other around the Sandwich area for years would expect that the families spent a lot of time together. It is later on in life that they seem to have spread out around the country.
His father James passed away in 1922, aged 61, at 2 Mill Lane, Eastry, Kent and is buried at Boatman’s Hill Cemetery in Sandwich. His mother Agnes died in 1931. She left her effects to Bertie and his eldest brother Ernest. They are both referred to as labourers.
In 1939 Bertie, Alice and their youngest child are living at Wonder Cottage, Deal Road, Stone Cross in Sandwich. Bert is employed as a Lengthman S. R. Railway, Heavy Work. [Not sure what that means he did.]
His wife is undertaking unpaid domestic duties and his son is a Tomato Grader it seems. Not sure where their daughter is at this point. Cannot seem to find a record for her in the 1939 Register or a marriage at that time.
Bert lost his sister Ethel in Q4 1947 with her death being registered in Thanet District, Kent. In Q4 1955 a nephew passed away aged just 32 and not sure whether from illness or accident. On 27 Mar 1956 his brother James passed away then his brother Arthur died Q4 1959.
Bertie himself died on 14 July 1968 in Sandwich, Kent. He was 79. Probate was granted in Lewes District, Sussex on 31 July 1978. He left £3,126. His address was given as Wonder Cottage so lived there at least 39 years.
His daughter married Q3 1975 when in her late 50s and she gained a stepson. Sadly her husband died shortly after they wed on 26 September 1975 in Walmer, Kent.
At this point she has only Uncle William of the seven siblings still living but he then died Q4 1981 in Tunbridge Wells, Kent at 85. Her mother Alice passed away 27 August 1983, aged 90, in Sandwich, Kent. Her brother Q2 1999 in Wiltshire.
At some point late in life it appears she went to live with her stepson as he had been born in Oakham District Rutland and that is where she died Q2 2014. She was 95.
Bertie DRAYSON was a 2C 3R to me on his paternal line. The nearest shared ancestors are my 4x Great Grandparents Charles DRAYSON (1788 – 1845) and Mary Ann KEMP (1789 – 1873).
I have some DNA matches to their descendants as looks like some branches went to the USA and Canada which makes it easier to find the connection as they aren’t interrelated as much as I am in Kent.
Footnotes –
Most research undertaken using Ancestry, FreeBMD and Google Maps. Additional resources listed below if utilised.
- Forces War Records – https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/records/15474606/sapper-bert-drayson-royal-engineers/ ↩︎
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