First World War in Headington & Marston
Roll of Honour of Holy Trinity Church, Headington Quarry

Edward GURL (1892/3–1916)

Edward Gurl was born in Headington Quarry in 1892/3, the son of Henry Gurl or Girl (born in Headington Quarry in 1865 and baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 18 June 1865) and Emily Kislingbury (born at Brightwell-cum-Sotwell in 1869, baptised at the church there on 5 December 1869).

His parents were married in the Headington district in the third quarter of 1888 and had ten children (the eldest born two years before their wedding):

• Henry Gurl (born at Headington Quarry in 1886, registered third quarter as Henry Gurl Kislingbury and baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 31 October 1886 with that name and described as son of Emily Kislingbury, “single woman”)
• Edward Charles Gurl (born at Headington Quarry in 1888/9, registered first quarter of 1889 with surname Girl, and baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 24 February 1889); died aged 3 months and buried in the churchyard on 6 April 1889
• Ivo Gurl (born at Headington Quarry in 1890, registered fourth quarter with surname Girl, and baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 28 December 1890)
• Edward Gurl (born at Headington Quarry in 1892/3, registered first quarter of 1893 with surname Girl, and baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 26 February 1893)
• Kate Gurl (born at Headington Quarry in 1895, registered second quarter with surname Girl, and baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 26 May 1895)
• Edwin Gurl (born at Headington Quarry in 1897, registered third quarter with surname Girl, and baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 26 September 1897); died aged 20 months and buried in the churchyard on 22 February 1899
• Emily Lily Gurl, known as Lily (born at Headington Quarry in 1899/1900, registered first quarter of 1900 with surname Girl, and, baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 15 April 1900)
• Arthur Gurl (born at Headington Quarry in 1904, registered second quarter and baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 26 June 1904)
• Percival Gurl (born at Headington Quarry in 1905/6, registered first quarter of 1906 and baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 2 June 1906)
• Alfred Reginald Gurl (born at Headington Quarry on 3 March 1909 and baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 30 May 1909); died aged 22 months and buried in the churchyard on 20 April 1911).

Back in 1881 Emily Kislingbury (11) was living with her sister Martha (22) and Martha’s husband Stephen Gurl (21) at East View, Headington Quarry. Her future husband Henry Gurl (16), who was Stephen’s younger brother, was also living in East View with his parents, William (64) and Hesther (60). Emily was only 16 when she gave birth to her first (illegitimate) son, and it was two years before they married: possibly they had to wait until Henry Gurl had reached the age of 21.

Edward’s father Henry was originally a quarryman and then a brickyard labourer. At the time of the 1891 census he was living with his wife and their first two sons at The Square, Headington Quarry.

By the time of the 1901 census, Henry & Emily Gurl had moved to Winterbourne’s Piece in Headington Quarry, where they lived with their first five surviving children: Henry (14), Ivo (10), Edward himself (8), Kate (5), and Emily (1). They also had two family members boarding with them: Henry’s brother William Robert Gurl (15), who was a general labourer and Emily’s widowed mother Maria Kislingbury (73).

By 1911 the family was living at Church Lane (Trinity Road, probably No. 4) in Quarry. Edward (18) and his elder brother Ivo (20) were working as builder’s labourers; Kate (15) probably helped her mother; and Lily (11), Arthur (7), and Percival (5) were at school. William Robert Gurl (25) was still boarding with them, and Henry (24), who had only got married in 1908, had died a matter of days before the census.

In the First World War Edward Gurl served as a Private in the ill-fated 2nd Battalion of the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (Service No. 22426). Gurl was killed in action in France at the Somme at the age of 23 on 31 July 1916.

He is buried in the Dantzig Alley British Cemetery, Mametz (VII E. 3), and is listed on the stone plaque in the porch of Holy Trinity Church in Headington Quarry.

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Postscript

Edward Gurl’s parents

• Mrs Emily Gurl died at 4 Trinity Road at the age of 62 on 25 January 1931 and was buried in Holy Trinity churchyard four days later.
• Henry Gurl died at 4 Trinity Road at the age of 87 on 19 February 1952, and was buried with his wife in Holy Trinity churchyard six days later.

Edward Gurl’s siblings

• Henry Gurl, formerly Kislingbury (born 1886) married Mary Elizabeth Smith of Old Headington at St Andrew’s Church on 11 April 1909. He died less than two years later at the age of 24 and was buried at Holy Trinity churchyard on 4 April 1911. His wife Mrs Mary Elizabeth Gurl died at Trinity Road at the age of 85 and was buried with him on 3 November 1954.
• Ivo Gurl (born 1890) died at 10 William Kimber Crescent at the age of 69 and was buried at Holy Trinity churchyard on 22 December 1959.
• Kate Gurl (born 1895) married Joseph Arthur Coppock at St Clement’s Church, Oxford on 20 December 1919. She was then living at 102 St Clement’s.
• Arthur Gurl (born 1904) married Hilda De Luc in the Headington registration district in the first quarter of 1926. Their daughter Hilda Josephine De Luc was born at 4 Trinity Road (Arthur’s parents’ home) on 29 June 1926 and baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 19 September 1926)
• Percival Gurl (born 1906) married Winifred Whittick at Holy Trinity Church on 16 February 1935.