Harry HEDGES (1894–1915)
Harry Hedges (baptised as Henry) was born in Headington Quarry in 1894, the son of George Joseph Hedges (born in Headington Quarry in 1848/9) and Caroline Harriet Drury (born in Oxford in 1850/1).
His parents were married at St Clement’s Church on 20 July 1884, when they were both living in that parish. They had four children:
- Laura Eve Hedges (born at Caroline Street, St Clement’s in 1884 and baptised at Cowley St John church on 8 October)
- Lilian May Hedges, known as Lily (born in Headington Quarry on 11 September 1886 and baptised in the Methodist Chapel, Tyndale Road, East Oxford on 13 October)
- William George Hedges (born in Headington Quarry on 15 January 1890 and baptised at New Inn Hall Street Wesleyan Chapel on 16 February)
- Henry Hedges (born in Headington Quarry on 25 January 1894 and baptised in the Methodist Chapel, Tyndale Road, East Oxford on 18 April).
The 1891 census shows Harry’s father George Hedges (41) working as a brickyard kiln pug and living at The Square, Headington Quarry with Caroline (40) and their first three children: Laura (6), Lilian (4), and William (1). Harry was their youngest child, born in 1894.
At the time of the 1901 census Harry (7) was living in the Square at Headington Quarry with his father George (51), who was a brickyard labourer, his mother Caroline (50), his sister Lily (14), and his brother George (11). His sister Laura (16) had already left home and was working as a kitchenmaid at a lodging house at 12 & 13 Oriel Street in Oxford.
In 1911 Harry (17), described as a “Labourer in garden”, was living “Near the School” in Quarry (possibly in the same house as before) with his father George (61), his mother Caroline (60), and his brother William (21), who was currently an unemployed labourer. His sister Lilian (23) was now a nurse at the Wyke House Private Lunatic Asylum at Isleworth, Middlesex.
Harry Hedges volunteered to serve in the First World War and was a Private in the 5th Battalion of the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (Service No. 10292).
He was killed in action at Flanders in Belgium at the age of 25 on 25 September 1915.
Harry Hedges has no known grave, but as well as being listed on the stone plaque in the porch of Holy Trinity Church in Headington Quarry, he is remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial to the Missing, left
Postscript
Harry’s parents
At the time of the 1921 census George Joseph Hedges (70), who was working as a kiln fireman at the brickworks in Quarry for the brick merchant H. J. Phillips, was living at 17 Quarry Hollow (then St Mary’s Road) with his wife Caroline 70), and their married daughter Lilian Yates (34) was paying a visit.
- George Joseph Hedges died at at 17 Quarry Hollow at the age of 73 and was buried at Holy Trinity churchyard on on 2 February 1924.
- Mrs Caroline Harriet Hedges died at 17 Quarry Hollow at the age of 79 and was buried with her husband on 31 January 1931..
See also
- CWGC: Hedges, Harry
- Oxford Journal Illustrated, 30 August 1916, “Heroes of the War”: photograph of H. Hedges of Headington Quarry, reported as missing (shown above with kind permission of Oxfordshire County Council, Oxfordshire History Centre)
- Wikipedia: Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
- War Memorial to the soldiers of the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry at Rose Hill, Oxford
Back to Holy Trinity Church, Headington Quarry roll of honour