Name
Henry James Samuels
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
17/09/1916
40
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
14433
Coldstream Guards
3rd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
GROVE TOWN CEMETERY, MEAULTE
I. D. 5.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
St Albans Citizens Memorial, Town Hall (old) Memorial, St Albans, Not on the Bushey memorials, Not on the Aldenham memorials
Pre War
Born in Aldenham, Hertfordshire on 13 March 1881 and baptised on 3 April 1881 in the registration district of Radlett, Henry James was the son of Alfred and Sarah (nee Sunman) Samuels. His parents were married on 20 April 1863 in the parish of St Pancras and Alfred was employed as a gardener.
At the 1881 census, Henry (called Harry) was 3 weeks old and living in Radlett with his parents and six siblings; William, Annie, Sarah, Alfred, Amy and Charles. The birthplace for all of the children was given as Aldenham and their ages were 17, 12, 10, 6, 4 and 3 years respectively. Alfred (Snr.) is working as an under-gardener and he and Sarah are 41 and 40 years old respectively.
By the time of the 1891 census, the family had moved to Hatfield Road in St Albans and Harry was 10 years old. William, Annie, Sarah, Alfred and Amy were no longer living with the family, but Charles and Harry now had three younger siblings: Ellen, George and Amos. Alfred was still employed as a gardener and Charles, Harry and Ellen are at school.
Henry married Agnes Emily Brewer in 1901 in the registration district of Hendon and at the census of that year, they were living 69 Vicarage Road in Willesden. Also present is Agnes’ younger sister, Nellie Brewer. Henry is working as a labourer, coaling railway wagons, and he and Agnes are 22 and 23 years old respectively.
At the 1911 census, Henry and Agnes were living at 19, Walker Street in Limehouse and Henry is working as a labourer in a butter factory. They had no children. Henry’s parents are still living in St Albans at 124 Hatfield Road.
Wartime Service
Henry enlisted in Poplar as Private 14433 in the Coldstream Guards. He served with the 3rd Battalion on the Western Front and died of wounds on 17 September 1916, aged 40. He was buried at Grove Town Cemetery, Meaulte in France.
The Registers of Soldiers’ Effects named Agnes as the sole legate and showed payments of £2 4s. 6d. on 17 January 1917 and £7 10s. 0d. on 1 September 1919. Henry’s pension card gave the address for Agnes as 64, Drayton Road, Willesden and her date of birth as 11 July 1877. It showed an initial pension award of 13s. 9d. per week from 2 April 1917, which was later increased to 23s. per week.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission database states: “Son of Alfred and Sarah Samuels; husband of Agnes Emily Samuels, of 194, High Street, Kilburn, London. Native of Bushey”, so he may have lived in or near the village during his childhood. It also records a Personal Inscription of: “HE GAVE HIS LIFE FOR KING AND COUNTRY IN DEATH NOT FORGOTTEN HIS LOVING WIFE.”
After the war, Henry’s parents lived at ‘The Gables’ in Heathfield Road, Bushey.
Additional Information
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild
Acknowledgments
Andrew Palmer
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild, Gareth Hughes
