Born in Brentford, Middlesex, in 1918, James William Carter was one of six children of James and Eliza (nee Wright) Carter. His mother died in 1923 after giving birth to triplets, who all died. James, together with his father, and surviving brother and sister moved to Thame, probably in the 1930’s, where James, prior to […]
Edward Greville Canning Holbrook was born in Dover in 1907, the only son of Charles Edward Holbrook and Kathleen Hay (nee Canning). His father was a master mariner and Trinity House pilot and his mother a music teacher. Edward went to Lord Williams’s Grammar School, Thame in 1922, leaving in 1925. He then travelled to Canada with […]
Sydney Alfred Richardson was born in Bicester on the 2nd January 1911. He was the son of Edwin Richardson, a shoeing smith, and Florence Richardson (nee Harris). Edwin was from Thame and by the start of the Great War, the family had moved back to Thame, and were living in Nelson Street. His father went […]
Hugh Charles James McRae was born on 29th November 1909, the only son of Sir Charles James Hugh McRea Kt JP and Lady Edith Sophia McRea (nee Farnie). He had one sister Marjorie. When growing-up the family home was in Hendon. Hugh joined Lord Williams’s Grammar School in 1918, and then in 1926 joined the […]
John Frederick Summersbee was born in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire in 1911. His parents were Stephen John and Hilda Summersbee who moved to 2 Rooks Lane, Thame after his birth. On 1st January 1938 he married Alice E Thomlinson of Scotsgrove, Oxfordshire and they lived at 63 Chinnor Road, Thame. Affectionately known to all his friends […]
Frank Tickner was born in Thame on 23rd September 1900, son of Henry and Edith Tickner living at 42 North Street. In 1911 he was at school in Barking, living with his mother and four siblings. His father was a building labourer moving where the work was. Frank was a messenger boy in 1916, when […]
Francis Cartland was born in High Barnet, London on 3rd August 1893 to parents George and Edith Cartland, nee Hammond, the youngest of seven children. George Cartland was a policeman who in 1899 took over as licensee of the Six Bells public house in Thame, Oxon, where he stayed until 1922. Both George (1925) and […]
Frederick George Beames Hake was born in Dorking, Surrey on 25th August 1888 to parents Frederick Edward and Sarah Hake (nee Beames). In 1891 the family were at the Fox Inn in Leafield, near Chipping Norton. Father Frederick died in Caterham in Surrrey in 1896 and in 1901 his mother Sarah married Robert Rogers in […]
Fred Keene was the second of seven children of Francis and Sarah Keene nee Archer and was born in Park Street, Thame, on the 3rd April 1893. In 1901 the family were living at 53 Park Street where Frank was employed as a domestic coachman. Fred was employed as a house boy before enlisting with […]
Lieutenant Colonel George Alfred Edsell, MD, was born at Aberdovey, Wales on 18th January 1859, the son of James and Caroline Edsell, both teachers. He entered medical practice receiving his training at St Bartholomew’s Hospital and University College, London. By 1887 he had moved to Thame, and was in practice as a physician and surgeon […]