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

Marguerite Gertrude WOODCOCK (1900–1918)

Marguerite Gertrude Woodcock (registered as “Margurite”) was born in Oxford in 1900. She was the daughter of Henry Thomas Smalden Woodcock (born in Exmouth, Devon in 1863) and Emily Mary Hammond (born in Lamberhurst, Kent in 1866).

Her parents were married in the Saffron Walden area near the end of 1892 and had eight children:

• Henry George Woodcock (born in London in 1897, registered Paddington district third quarter)
• Douglas Avard Woodcock (born in Kensington, London in 1898, registered fourth quarter)
• Marguerite Gertrude Woodcock (born at St John’s Street Mews, Oxford and baptised at St Mary Magdalen Church on 8 February 1900)
• Ethel Gladys Woodcock (born at St John’s Street Mews, Oxford on 13 March 1903 and baptised at St Mary Magdalen Church on 19 April 1903)
• Herbert John Woodcock (born in Manor Cottage, Old Headington on 6 February 1906 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 6 May 1906)
• Dorothy Phyllis Woodcock (born in Manor Cottage, Old Headington on 6 September 1907 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 5 January 1908)
• Walter Woodcock (born in Headington in early 1911)
• Beatrice Annie Woodcock (baptised at All Saints’ Church on 23 July 1916)
• A stillborn and unnamed baby of “Mr & Mrs H. Woodcock” of Windsor Street buried in Headington Cemetery on 1 March 1919.

Marguerite’s father was a coachman, and her parents evidently began their married life in London, first in Paddington and then in Kensington

They moved to Oxford, where Marguerite was born, in about 1899. The 1901 census shows them living at Alfred Place & Mews off St John Street, Oxford with their first three children: Henry (3), Douglas (2), and Marguerite (1). Also living with them was Marguerite’s maternal uncle, Walter G. W. Hammond, and a lodger, who were both grooms.

The family moved up to Headington in about 1905, and until 1911 the family lived in Manor Cottage in Osler Road, Old Headington: Marguerite’s father was still a coachman, and probably worked for Colonel James Hoole, who lived at the Manor House. The 1911 census shows the family in Manor Cottage: the seven eldest children were all home, and none had yet left school.

Later in 1911 the family moved to 7 Windsor Street in All Saints’ parish.

 

 

In the First World War Marguerite Gertrude Woodcock served as a Member of the 44th Training Depot Station of the Women’s Royal Air Force (Service No. 19911). She died of pneumonia in the Headington registration district at the age of 18 on 6 November 1918 and was buried in Headington Cemetery two days later (9.4). She is not listed on the Roll of Honour of any Headington church.

 

 

 

Left: Photograph of Marguerite Woodcock’s grave in Headington Cemetery taken in 2009. The text reads:

[Emblem of the Royal Air Force with
“Per ardua ad astra” motto]

19911 MEMBER
M. WOODCOCK
WOMAN’S ROYAL AIR FORCE
6TH NOVEMBER 1918   AGED 18

†