First World War in Headington and Marston
New Marston War Memorial

Thomas Walter MADDEN (1898–1918)

Thomas Walter Madden was born in New Marston in1898, the son of John Madden (born in St Thomas’s, Oxford in 1871/2, registered first quarter of 1872) and Eliza Agatha Weller (born at 8 Jericho Gardens, Oxford in 1874/5 and baptised in St Paul’s Church on 11 March1875).

His parents were married in the Headington registration district in the third quarter of 1892 and had thirteen children:

• John Madden (born at Jericho Gardens, Oxford on 5 February 1893 and baptised at St Paul’s Church on 11 March 1893)
• Eliza Agatha Madden (born in 1894, birth registered Headington district fourth quarter; died in 1899 aged 4, registered Watford district third quarter)
• Charles Victor Madden (born in New Marston and baptised at St Nicholas’s Church, Old Marston on 7 June 1896)
• Thomas Walter Madden (born in New Marston in 1898, registered second quarter, and baptised at St Mary’s Church, Watford, Hertfordshire on 4 January 1899)
• Emma Sarah Madden (born in New Marston in 1899/1900, registered first quarter of 1900)
• James Madden (born in New Marston on 25 April 1902 and baptised at St Nicholas’s Church, Old Marston on 16 November 1902; died aged two, death registered in second quarter of 1904)
• Alexander James Madden (born in New Marston on 24 March 1904 and baptised at St Nicholas’s Church, Old Marston on 15 May 1904)
• Albert Madden (born in New Marston in 1905/6, registered first quarter of 1906)
• George Madden (born in New Marston in 1907, registered fourth quarter)
• Mark Madden (born in New Marston in 1909, registered third quarter)
• William Madden (born in New Marston on 2 August 1911 and baptised at St Nicholas’s Church, Old Marston on 2 August 1911)
• Mary Ann. Madden (born on 14 August 1913 and baptised at St Nicholas’s Church, Old Marston on 21 September 1913)
• Walter John Madden (born in New Marston on 30 May 1915 and baptised at St Nicholas’s Church, Old Marston on 7 July 1915).

The 1891 census shows Thomas’s father John Madden (19) as a single man, living with his own mother (a tailoress) at 83 Friar Street, Oxford and working as a labourer. Shortly afterwards he married Thomas’s mother (who was only about 17 and already pregnant), and they appear to have started their married life in her parents’ house.

By about 1894 Thomas’s parents had moved to New Marston with their first child, and his father was working as a bricklayer’s labourer.

Following Thomas’s birth in the second quarter of 1898 the family moved for a short period to Watford in Hertfordshire, where their daughter Eliza died in 1898 and Thomas was baptised in January 1899. They soon returned to New Marston, however, and at the time of the 1901 census, when there were four children (including Thomas, aged two), they were living at Edgeway Road.

The 1911 census shows Thomas’s parents still living in Edgeway Road with seven of their children, but Thomas, then a schoolboy of 12, was not with them: he was lodging nearby with his maternal grandfather James Weller, a widower aged 66 born in St Thomas’s, Oxford. Weller was then a shopkeeper in Edgeway Road, New Marston, and three of his other grandchildren (all born in New Marston) were also staying over the shop with him: Sarah Jane Weller (14), Eliza Agnes Titcombe (11) and Alice Titcombe (10).

The address of Thomas’s parents is specified as 6 Edgeway Road, New Marston in Thomas’s war record.

In the First World War Thomas Walter Madden served as a Private in the 1st/4th Battalion of the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (Service No. 201697). He died of wounds in Italy at the age of 20 on 16 June 1918.

H is buried at the Monteccio Precalcino Communal Cemetery extension (Plot 2, Row D, Grave 3) and is remembered on the New Marston War Memorial on the Marston Road, Oxford.

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Postscript

Thomas’s brothers

• John Madden (born 1893) died in 1918 at the age of 25 (death registered in Headington district in the fourth quarter)
• Charles Victor Madden (born 1896) married May Isabel Green in the Headington registrations district in the third quarter of 1921, and they lived in William Street. Their son Reginald Victor Madden was born on 18 March 1922 and baptised at St Nicholas’s Church on 2 April 1922. Charles died in 1925 at the age of 29 (death registered in Headington district in the fourth quarter).
• Alexander James Madden (born 1904) married Florence L. Saunders in the Headington registration district in the first quarter of 1926. They lived at 5 (later 16) Ferry Road and they had the following children: John G. Madden (born 1926, registered fourth quarter) and Beryl Madden (born on 8 May 1931 and baptised at St Nicholas Church, Old Marston on 10 May 1931), and Georgina Elizabeth Madden (born on 12 August 1933 and baptised at St Nicholas’s Church on 12 August 1933).
• Albert Madden (born 1905/6) married Mildred Kate. Edwards in the Headington registration district in the second quarter of 1930. They had four children:Michael J. Madden (born 1932, registered second quarter);; and Janet Madden (born 1937/8, birth registered first quarter of 1938)
• George Madden (born 1907) died on 28 January 1933 at the age of 25 and is buried in St Nicholas’s churchyard, Old Marston. He has a gravestone put up by his wife.

Thomas’s mother

• Mrs Eliza Agatha Madden outlived four of her sons and became known as Granny Madden of Marston.