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

Walter George HERBERT (1891–1917)

Walter George Herbert (sometimes known simply as George) was born in Headington in 1891, the eldest child of Jesse Herbert (born in Headington in the first quarter of 1863) and Adelaide Agnes Davis (born in Denchworth near Wantage in the last quarter of 1864).

His parents were married (apparently in haste) in the Wallingford Registration District in the first quarter of 1889. Their first child was stillborn and buried in Headington cemetery on 26 April 1889. They had nine more children:

• Walter George Herbert (born in New Headington in 1891, birth registered third quarter)
• Dorothy Kate Herbert (born in Headington on 19 November 1892 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 3 March 1893)
• Sydney John Herbert (born in Headington, on 18 August 1894 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 28 October 1894)
• Frederick Jesse Herbert (born in Headington on 26 September 1896 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 6 December 1896)
• Florence Millicent Herbert (born in Headington on 4 February 1899 and privately baptised via St Andrew’s Church on 4 February 1899)
• Henrietta Iris Herbert (born in Headington on 12 April 1901 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 23 June 1901); died aged 3, buried in Holy Trinity churchyard on 17 November 1904
• William Thomas Herbert (born in Headington on 23 October 1903 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 6 March 1904)
• Cliff Arthur S. Herbert (born in Headington in 1905/6, registered Headington district first quarter of 1906)
• Hilda Marjorie Herbert (born in Headington on 4 February 1909 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 2 May 1909).

Herbert’s parents were living on their own at the present 106 Lime Walk (then numbered 40) at the time of the 1891 census, and his father was a plasterer, employed by someone else. Walter was born there shortly afterwards, but does not appear to have been baptised in Headington.

By the time of the 1901 census the family had moved to the present 82 Lime Walk (then numbered 68). Herbert’s father was working from home as a plasterer and employing at least one other person. There were now five children: Walter himself (9), Dorothy (8), Sydney (6), Frederick (4), and Florence (2).

By early 1904 the family had moved to Windmill Road. Their address is given as “Holly Cottage, Windmill Road” in directories until 1922, and specifically as 99 Windmill Road from 1923. The family continued to have their children baptised at St Andrew’s Church, even though the south-east side of Windmill Road where they lived was in Holy Trinity parish.

The family can be seen at Windmill Road in the 1911 census with seven of their eight surviving children. Walter George Herbert (19) is recorded as George and had already joined his father in the plastering business, as had his younger brother Sydney (16), while Frederick (14) was a telegraph messenger. The missing child, Dorothy Kate Herbert (18) was working as a housemaid in Loughborough in the home of Walter Andrew Wynter (a retired colonel who had been born in Oxford, the son of the President of St John’s College).

♥ In the fourth quarter of 1916 Walter George Herbert married Lucy Agnes Whitchelo (born 1888, birth registered fourth quarter in Henley district) in the Reading registration district. They were married for only a few months, and do not appear to have had any children.

In the First World War Walter was a serjeant in the 1st/4th Battalion of the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (Service No. 200467). He was killed in action at the Somme in France aged 26 on 19 April 1917.

 

His name is recorded on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing (Pier and Face 10 A and 10 D), as well as on the stone plaque in the porch of Holy Trinity Church in Headington Quarry. His mother also had the following words added to the rim of her husband’s grave in the churchyard:

 

ALSO IN LOVING MEMORY OF

WALTER GEORGE HERBERT   KILLED IN ACTION

APRIL 19TH 1917. AGED 26 YEARS.