#England #Kent #Military #Sandwich #WWI
Ernest Dixon DRAYSON was the eldest 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.
Ernest had five brothers – James Charles DRAYSON (1885 – 1956), Bertie DRAYSON (1889 – 1968), 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.
Ernest’s birth is registered Q4 1883 in Eastry District and believe actually born in Sandwich on 11 September 1883. They have four more children born approximately every two years. His brother Arthur is recorded as being born at 13 Moat Sole in Q1 1891.
In the 1891 Census most of the family are at 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.]
However, Agnes and Arthur at just over 2 months old are found in Rams Hill Corner, Horsmonden, Kent where his mother 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 a fairly new baby to be taken on.
Another two siblings come along and by 1901 Census Ernest who is now 17 is working as a Labourer. 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.
Ernest married Alice Maud STROUD (1884 – 1972) on 27 February 1904 with it being registered as Q1 1904 in Eastry District. This is stated as Independent Chapel, Sandwich. His sister Ethel married Thomas CASTLE (1884 – 1968) in Q1 1908 which it is likely they attended before Alice gave birth to Ernest’s first child.
The birth of a son occurred on on 04 April 1907 and registered Q2 1907. There is another local child of exactly the same name but because there is a baptism on 05 July 1908 of him able to take the older child as being the one in question.
Their second son was born on 03 September 1909 and registered Q4 1909. Both of these are under Eastry District. Then in 1911 Census Ernest, aged 27, with his wife and offspring is living at 17 Moat Sole, Sandwich. He is employed as a General Labourer.
The youngest siblings are still with their parents at 13 Moat Sole, Sandwich. His father is described as a Brewers Drayman again. The older siblings are not too far away living their own lives.
On 11 February 1913 Ernest and Alice have a third son. It does seem that the family have very strong roots around Sandwich and some haven’t moved far in their lives at all.
Regarding Ernest’s military career we have evidence that in the 1914 – 1918 war he started with the The Buffs, 4th Battalion, East Kent Regiment 1. He joined 01 November 1915 at Canterbury, Kent. He became Acting Corporal. His service number was 201453. It is likely he was in the Territorial Force before this though with record number 4160.
Later on he moved to the South Staffordshire Regiment and this time his regimental number was 204519. He seems to have worked up from Private to Sergeant. It appears he was serving in Bombay in 1917 and 1918. He was reprimanded on one occasion for being 10 minutes late to the parade ground.
The address given at dispersal on 26 November 1919 is still 17 Moat Sole, Sandwich. He was possibly awarded the Victory Medal but it isn’t listed. He definitely got the British War Medal. Several pages of records are difficult to read.
Ernest must have been able to return home for a spell though in early 1918 as their fourth and final son was born on 11 November 1918.
Then his father James passes away in 1922, aged 61, at 2 Mill Lane, Eastry, Kent and is buried at Boatman’s Hill Cemetery in Sandwich. His mother Agnes dies in 1931. She left her effects to Ernest and his brother Bertie. Both described as labourers.
The 1939 register, taken on 29 September, has them living at 84 Woodnesborough Road, Sandwich. Ernest and one son (who doesn’t appear to marry at all) are both Steam Grab Drivers (Gravel Pits). The other three boys are not there as per the below updates on their lives. His brother Arthur and his family are living at number 22 Woodnesborough Road.
In Q3 1934 Ernest’s first born married and they had their only child on 03 August 1937. In Q4 1936 another child had married with offspring registered Q2 1938 in Eastry District and Q2 1946 in Thanet District, Kent.
Most parishes under Eastry District were transferred to Thanet District in 1941 so probably did not actually move location. The final son married Q4 1939, Thanet District, and had two children with births registered 1945 in Reading District, Berkshire and 1952 in Camberwell, London.
Ernest lost his sister Ethel in Q4 1947 with her death being registered in Thanet District, Kent and a nephew in 1955 in Walsall District, Staffordshire.
On 27 Mar 1956 his brother James passed away and then brother Arthur 05 November 1959 in Middlesex. But Ernest would have seen two grandchildren marry and at least three great grandchildren born.
He then passed away, aged 79, on 08 September 1963 with it being registered in Thanet District, Kent. His brother Bertie passed away in 1968. His wife Alice died almost a decade after him, aged 88, in Q4 1972 with that being registered in Canterbury District.
His remaining brother William lived on until 1981. His sons have all also passed away and some of the grandchildren. One of his grandchildren is listed up to 2018 in a road just a stone’s throw from where I was brought up.
Ernest Dixon 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/15476659/acting-corporal-ernest-d-drayson-east-kent-regiment/ ↩︎
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