First World War in Headington & Marston
Roll of Honour of All Saints’ Church, Highfield

Edwin Frederick Bryant (1898–1916)

Edwin Frederick Bryant was born in Oxford in 1898, the son of Francis Bryant (born in Oxford, registered third quarter of 1865) and Elizabeth Ann Butler (born in Brize Norton in 1863/4, registered Witney district first quarter of 1864). He was the son of his mother’s second marriage.

At the time of the 1881 census Edwin’s maternal grandmother, Elizabeth Butler (42) was described as married but was living as the housekeeper of the widower Alfred Ashfield (50), a general labourer who lived at 47 Friar’s Street, St Ebbe’s. Edwin’s mother Elizabeth Ann Butler (17) lived in the same house and was a general servant.

Soon after the census (in the second quarter of 1991) Elizabeth Ann Butler married her first husband Henry Thomas (born in Besselsleigh in 1853, registered third quarter) in Oxford.

They had four children, who were Edwin’s half-brothers:

• Albert Henry Thomas (born in Oxford in 1882, registered third quarter)
• Henry Thomas (born in Oxford 1883/4)
• Emily Matilda Thomas (born in Oxford in 1887, registered fourth quarter)
• William Thomas (born in Oxford in 1889, registered fourth quarter)

By the time of the next census in 1891, Elizabeth was living with her first husband at Dingle’s Yard in Castle Street: Henry was a labourer and she was working as a charwoman, despite having four young children aged from one to eight to look after.

Elizabeth’s first husband Henry Thomas died at the age of 39 in 1892 (registered Headington district third quarter).

His widow gave birth to a child by another man, Francis Bryant, the year after her first husband’s death:

• Francis George Thomas, later known as Bryant (born in Oxford in 1893, registered second quarter).

Four years later, in the third quarter of 1897 in Oxford, Mrs Elizabeth Ann Thomas married Francis Bryant, and they had two more children:

• Edwin Frederick Bryant (born in Oxford on 19 January 1898 and baptised at St Aldate’s Church on 19 October 1898)
• Sidney Bryant (born in Oxford on 7 February 1899 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church, Headington at the age of seven on 3 June 1906).

Edwin’s father Francis Bryant was a painter and decorator, and at the time of Edwin’s baptism in 1898 the family was living at 2 Wyatt’s Yard, St Aldate’s.

By the time of the 1901 census they had moved to 9 Waterloo Buildings, Blackfriars Road, St Ebbe’s, and living with them were the two youngest Thomas children: Emily (12), William (11); Francis (8), still with the surname Thomas and Edwin and Sidney Bryant, who were 3 and 2.

By 1906 the Bryant family had moved up to Headington and were living at the house now numbered 63 New High Street in Highfield parish. They were there at the time of the 1911 census, where for the first time Francis Bryant acknowledged that Francis George Thomas, born four years before his wedding, was his child, and lists him with the surname Bryant. He also declared that he had been married for 19 years rather than 13, which may have been an attempt to make Francis appear legitimate. The four Thomas children had now all left home, but the three Bryant children were with their parents: Francis (18) was now working as a jobbing gardener, and Edwin (13) and Sidney (12) were still at school (probably Headington National School on the London Road).

On 6 September 1913, at the age of 15, Edwin emigrated as an individual to Canada, sailing from Bristol to Quebec on the Royal George. His occupation was described as “farming”. By mid-1915, however Edwin (17) had volunteered to fight with the Canadian Expeditionary Force and was sent back to Europe.

Edwin’s father, Francis Bryant, died at New High Street at the age of 52 and was buried at Headington Cemetery on 13 January 1916.

All five of Edwin’s brothers and half-brothers back home in England had also volunteered to serve in the war. The picture below was published in the “Patriotic Families” section of the Oxford Journal Illustrated of 16 June 1915. The caption, which clearly spells out that Francis Bryant was not her first husband’s child, reads:

The six sons of Mrs. Bryant, High-street, New Headington. (Left to right), Pte. H. Thomas (son by first husband), 1st O.B.L.I. (invalided); Sergt A. Thomas (son by first husband), R.W.R. Regiment (wounded); W. Thomas, A.B. (son by first husband), H.M.S. Formidable (died at Chatham); Trp. F. Bryant, Q.O.O.H. (wounded); Pte. S. Bryant, 1/4th O.B.L.I.; and Pte. E. Bryant, 54th Battalion Canadian E.F.

Edwin Frederick Bryant served as a Private in the 54th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (the Oxford local press states that he was a Corporal, but this is probably wrong). He died in Belgium between 2 and 14 June 1916 at the age of 18 from wounds received at the Battle of Mount Sorrel on the Somme.

He is missing from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s database, but is recorded in the Canadian “Six Books of Remembrance” and is remembered on the All Saints’ Church roll of honour.

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Postscript

Edwin’s mother

• Elizabeth Bryant is probably the woman of that name who died at the age of 68 in 1932 (death registered fourth quarter in Headington District). She does not, however, appear to be buried in Headington Cemetery with her second husband.