First World War in Headington and Marston
New Marston War Memorial

Herbert Baker (1893/4–1916)

Herbert Baker was born in Waterperry in 1893/4, the son of George Baker (born in Waterperry and baptised there on 11 February 1849) and Lucy Piddington (born in Brill, registered in Thame District fourth quarter of 1864). His mother was a domestic servant in Stokenchurch at the time of the 1881 census, while his father, who was 17 years her senior, was a labourer in Waterperry.

His parents were married (apparently in haste) in the Thame Registration District in the fourth quarter of 1887 and had eight children:

• Mary Baker (known as May, born in Waterperry and baptised at St Mary the Virgin Church there on 29 January 1888)
• Theodore Baker (born in Waterperry and baptised at St Mary the Virgin Church there on 12 January 1890)
• Jesse or Jess Baker (born in Waterperry and baptised at St Mary the Virgin Church there on 17 April 1892)
• Herbert Baker (born in Waterperry in 1893/4 and baptised at St Mary the Virgin Church there on 25 March 1894)
• Ella Baker (born in Waterperry and baptised at St Mary the Virgin Church there on 7 June 1896)
• Reginald Baker (born in Headington Quarry and baptised at Holy Trinity Church there on 15 April 1900)
• Mabel Dorothea Baker (born at King’s Mill Cottage, New Marston in 1906, registered second quarter and baptised at St Clement’s Church as Dorothea Mabel Baker on 24 June 1906)
• Kathleen Baker (born at King’s Mill Cottage, New Marston in 1909, registered third quarter and baptised at St Clement’s Church on 26 September 1909).

In 1891 Herbert’s father George Baker (42) was an agricultural labourer, living on Waterperry Common with his wife Lucy (26) and their first two children Mary (3) and Theodore (1).

By 1900 the family had moved from Waterperry to the Moors, Headington Quarry. Herbert’s father was described as a cowman when Herbert’s younger brother was baptised at Holy Trinity Church there in early 1900, but in the Headington census the following year, when Herbert first appears as a seven-year-old schoolboy, he is described as a labourer on an estate.

By 1906 the family had moved to King’s Mill Cottage, New Marston, and George’s father working as a cowman on a farm. At the time of the 1911 census Herbert Baker (19) was not at home: he had already joined the army, and was based at Shorncliffe Camp near Folkestone as a Private in the Second Battalion of the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. Meanwhile his parents were living at King’s Mill Cottage with six of his seven siblings, and Mary (23) was a now housemaid, Jess (19) was a gardener, and Ella (15) was a dressmaker. The missing sibling, Theodore (21), was living at The Rectory in Bishopstoke, Hampshire, where he was working as a groom.

King’s Mill Cottage at the entrance to Mesopotamia Walk in 2012

In the First World War Herbert Baker served as a Quartermaster Sergeant in the 1st Battalion of the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (Service No. 9341). He died in Mesopotamia (Iraq) at the age of 22 on 2 August 1916.

He is buried in the Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery (XXI.A.19), and is remembered on the New Marston War Memorial on the Marston Road, Oxford.

Herbert’s three brothers Theodore, Jess, and Reginald also signed up voluntarily. The following photograph appeared in the Oxford Journal Illustrated in April 1916:

The caption underneath reads: “The four sons of Mr. & Mrs. Baker, King’s Mill, New Marston (left to right),
Sergeant H. Baker, Oxf. and Bucks Lt. Infy.; Pte. J. Baker, Oxf. and Bucks Lt. Infy.;
Driver T. Baker, A.S.C.; and Lc.-Cpl. R. Baker, Oxf. and Bucks Lt. Infy.”

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Postscript

Herbert’s parents

• Herbert’s family moved to Holton shortly after his death, and lived at the Grey House. George Baker continued to work as a labourer, and died at the age of 78 and was buried in Holton churchyard on 4 July 1927. Lucy Baker died at the age of 75 and was buried with him on 13 December 1939.

Herbert’s siblings

• Mary (May) Baker (born 1888) married Henry Berry (24), a gunner, at Holton Church on 6 May 1918.
• Jess Baker (born 1892) was a gas worker. He married Ethel Hall in the Headington registration district in the second quarter of 1915, and the birth of their daughter Jessie Irene was registered in the Headington district in the first quarter of 1917. Jessie Irene Baker married Arthur Hartland at Holton Church on 5 December 1951.
• Ella Baker (born 1896) married William Arthur Liggins (32), a widower, who was a foreman joiner at Coventry, at Holton Chuch on 3 August 1919. They had two children, with both births registered in the Coventry registration district: Ruby D. Liggins (third quarter of 1920) and Eric G. Liggins (first quarter of 1926).
• Mabel Dorothea Baker (born 1906) married Reginald Holloway (24) of Colney, Herts (a London bus driver) on 22 December 1934 at Holton Church.