First World War in Headington and Marston
Roll of Honour of St Nicholas’s Church, Old Marston

Arthur DREWITT (1884–1916)

Some of this information is repeated under the previous entry for Arthur Drewitt’s brother Albert

Arthur Drewitt was born in Marston in 1884, the third son of William Drewitt (born in Old Marston and baptised at St Nicholas’s Church on 18 June 1848) and Rosa Hewlett (born in Old Marston in 1856, registered fourth quarter, and baptised at St Nicholas’s Church on 23 November 1856).

His parents were married at St Nicholas’s Church, Old Marston on 24 December 1877, two and a half years after the birth of their first child and as soon as Rosa came of age, and had seven children:

• William Richard Hewlett, later Drewitt (born in Marston in the second quarter of 1875 and baptised at St Nicholas’s Church on 6 June 1875, described as the son of Rosa Hewlett, “single woman”)

• Ellen Louisa Drewitt (born in Marston and baptised at St Nicholas’s Church on 14 July 1878)
• Henry Thomas Drewitt (born in Marston and baptised at St Nicholas’s Church on 1 May 1881)
• Arthur Drewitt (born in Marston and baptised at St Nicholas’s Church on 27 July 1884)
• Mary Drewitt (born in Marston and baptised at St Nicholas’s Church on 4 July 1886)
• [The Albert Drewitt who died aged six months and was buried at St Nicholas’s Church on 25 January 1894 may be the missing child]
• Albert John Drewitt (born in Marston and baptised at St Nicholas’s Church on 9 August 1896).

Arthur’s father was an agricultural labourer all his life. The 1881 census shows him living in Main Street, Marston with his wife and first three children, and his sister-in-law Clara Hewlett.

At the time of the 1891 census, the family are listed as living in Old Marston, and Arthur was a schoolboy of six.

By 1901 both Arthur (16) and his father are described as carters on a farm. His brother William Hewlett (25) was a bricklayer’s labourer, and Henry (20) and Arthur (16) were carters on a farm. His sister Ellen had already left home to marry, and Mary was a general servant.

♥ In the second quarter of 1909 in the Headington Registration District Arthur Drewitt married Jane Keziah Eadle (born in Marston and baptised at St Nicholas’s Church in the second quarter of 1888). They had four children:

• Gladys Amelia Drewitt (born in Old Marston on 19 July 1909 and baptised at St Nicholas’s Church on 29 August 1909)
• Arthur Drewitt (born in Church Lane, Old Marston on 18 July 1910 and baptised at St Nicholas’s Church on 11 September 1910)
• Edwin William Drewitt (born in Old Marston on 28 November 1912 and baptised at St Nicholas’s Church on 26 January 1913)
• Winifred May Drewitt (born in Old Marston on 6 June 1914 and baptised at St Nicholas’s Church on 9 July 1914).

The 1911 census shows Arthur (26), a market gardener, living with his wife and two children in Church Lane, Old Marston. His parents were living separately in Old Marston: his father (63) was still working as a farm labourer, while his mother (54) was running a grocer’s shop on her own account: she was still listed as a shopkeeper in Kelly’s Directory for 1915. Their house had only three rooms, including the kitchen, but as well as their sons Henry (30) and Albert (13) they were looking after their daughter Ellen’s illegitimate daughter and had a lodger.

 

In the First World War Arthur Drewitt served as a Private in the 2nd Battalion of the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (Service No. 24330).

He was killed in action at the Somme in France at the age of 32 on 13 November 1916.

He has no known grave, but is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial (Pier and Face 10A and 10D) and on Roll of Honour of St Nicholas’s Church, Old Marston.

 

Arthur’s younger brother Albert was killed nine months later in the First World War, on 22 August 1917. William John Walton, who had married their sister Mary Drewitt in the third quarter of 1907, was also killed.

 

 

 

Left: The grave of Arthur’s parents in St Nicholas’s churchyard, Old Marston also remembers their two sons who died in the First World War. Albert is remembered first (see detail below) with the words:

ALSO ARTHUR THIRD SON OF ABOVE
KILLED IN ACTION
NOV. 13 ^TH. 1916 AGED 31 YRS.