Monday 22 March 2010
William Walter England 1892-1914
This is not a member of my direct family but appears in the tree of my late cousin David Chant. In his notes David reports that William was a cabinet maker. It does not look like one of the England family businesses but there were a lot of irons in the fire and father John England was a pillar of the community running various enterprises.
William can not have found his occupation to be exciting enough for him or else was too intransigent. Whatever the reason he ran away from Crewkerne and went to join the Royal Engineers. He was based at Aldershot and served in Malta amongst his other postings.
In 1911 William became the boxing welterweight champion of the R.E. but this sport led to his ultimate demise. He was killed in a bout at Reading on 22nd July 1914. He had a military funeral and was buried at Crewkerne.
I have looked on the Internet to see if there is anything recorded about William's exploits and almost immediately have struck a snag. According to the R.E. website boxing did not start until 1920. Something else to be checked! http://www.remuseum.org.uk/rem_his_welfare.htm
Later:
I have found a little more in a collection of records being made about fatalities caused by boxing. William and his opponent Charles Eggleton were both recently discharged soldiers. The date and place given by David were correct. William became groggy in the sixth round of a lightweight bout and suffered a technical knock out. He left the ring under his own steam but was found unconscious in his dressing room a little later and taken to hospital, where he died the next day. The death was reported in various newspapers (including 'The Times' on 25th July 1914).
William can not have found his occupation to be exciting enough for him or else was too intransigent. Whatever the reason he ran away from Crewkerne and went to join the Royal Engineers. He was based at Aldershot and served in Malta amongst his other postings.
In 1911 William became the boxing welterweight champion of the R.E. but this sport led to his ultimate demise. He was killed in a bout at Reading on 22nd July 1914. He had a military funeral and was buried at Crewkerne.
I have looked on the Internet to see if there is anything recorded about William's exploits and almost immediately have struck a snag. According to the R.E. website boxing did not start until 1920. Something else to be checked! http://www.remuseum.org.uk/rem_his_welfare.htm
Later:
I have found a little more in a collection of records being made about fatalities caused by boxing. William and his opponent Charles Eggleton were both recently discharged soldiers. The date and place given by David were correct. William became groggy in the sixth round of a lightweight bout and suffered a technical knock out. He left the ring under his own steam but was found unconscious in his dressing room a little later and taken to hospital, where he died the next day. The death was reported in various newspapers (including 'The Times' on 25th July 1914).
Labels: Genealogy
Monday 15 March 2010
The Battle of Balaclava 25th October 1854
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volley'd and thunder'd:
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell,
They that had fought so well
Came thro' the jaws of Death,
Back from the mouth of Hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.
When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wonder'd.
Honour the charge they made!
Honour the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred.
This memorial to Thomas Warr is at the gate of Fordington Cemetery in Dorchester.
Labels: Dorset, Gravestones
Wednesday 3 March 2010
William Dampier 1651-1715
The Dampier name, whilst not common, is quite well known in my area of Somerset. William Dampier was from East Coker.
Today I went to Sparkford where there are a couple of Dampier family graves. They may well prove to belong to an unrelated line.
The only possible connection I have in the tree at the present time is where a John Dampier from Chard married a Charlotte Loving from Hawkchurch in 1804. My cousin Michael Loving's grandfather came from Hawkchurch so there is the possibility of a match. Whenever I see the Dampier name I think of the explorer and wonder if there is this oblique connection.
Labels: Devon, Dorset, Environs, Gravestones, Somerset
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