First World War in Headington & Marston
Roll of Honour of St Andrew’s Church, Old Headington

Sidney George BULLOCK (1888–1917)

Sidney George Bullock was born in 1888 at East Hanney, Berkshire, the son of Rupert Bullock (born at Garford, Berkshire in 1859/60, registered first quarter of 1860) and Louisa Fletcher (born in Steventon, Berkshire in 1859, registered fourth quarter). His parents were married in the Wantage Registration District in the fourth quarter of 1886 and had the following children:

• Sidney George Bullock (born at East Hanney in 1888, registered second quarter)
• Sarah L. Bullock (born at East Hanney in 1890, registered second quarter)
• Florence Bullock (born at East Hanney in 1893, registered first quarter)
• Rupert Charles (“Charley”) Bullock (born at East Hanney in 1894/5, registered first quarter of 1895).

Sidney’s father was a farm labourer, and at the time of the 1891 census, when Sidney was a child of three, the family can be seen living in East Hanney

Sidney’s mother died in the third quarter of 1897 when she was 37 and Sidney was only nine.

The 1901 census shows Sidney’s father Rupert still working as a farm labourer in East Hanney and looking after his four children, including Sidney (13), by himself.

It appears that in the next few years Sidney’s father brought his family to the Headington/Oxford area, where he died in 1907 at the age of 47 (death registered Headington District in the first quarter).

♥ Near the beginning of 1911 Sidney George Bullock married Alice Frances Tolley in the Headington registration district. Alice was born in Headington on 10 July 1881, the daughter of George & Mary Ann Tolley, and was baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 2 August 1881 (with her forenames reversed). Her family lived in the Croft, and Alice can be seen with them there at the time of the 1891 and 1901 censuses.

Sidney and Alice Bullock had three children:

• George Rupert Sydney Bullock (born in Cassington in 1911, registered third quarter and baptised there on 15 October 1911, died in the same quarter)
• Percival George Bullock (born in Cassington in 1912/1913, registered first quarter of 1913 and baptised there on 9 March 1913)
• Reginald John Bullock (born in Cumnor in 1914/15, registered first quarter of 1915, and baptised at St Michael’s Church in Cumnor on 31 January 1915; died aged eight and buried in Headington Cemetery on 14 July 1923).

By the time of the 1911 census the newly-wed couple were living in Worton Cottages in Cassington, and Sidney (23) was a carter on a farm there. By the beginning of 1915 they had moved to Cumnor, and they were living there when Sidney enlisted.

It seems likely that in about 1917 Alice moved back to Headington with her two surviving sons Percival and Reginald to live with her parents in The Croft in St Andrew’s parish.

In the First World War Sidney George Bullock served as a Private, first in the Royal Horse Artillery and Royal Field Artillery (Service No.82141), and then in the “C” Company, 1st/5th Battalion of the Essex Regiment (Service No. 251375). He was killed in action in Palestine on 28 November 1917 at the age of 30, and is buried in the Ramleh War Cemetery (K.9). He is listed on the Roll of Honour of St Andrew’s Church, Old Headington (with his forename spelt as Sydney).

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Postscript

Sidney’s widow

• Mrs Alice Frances Bullock had by about 1920 moved to Old Road, Headington: the house (then numbered 33) was the third one to the west of the York Road junction. By 1923 she had moved to 35 Holyoake Road (then called Western Road), where her son Reginald died at the age of eight. Alice herself died in Holyoake Road at the age of 43, and was buried at Headington Cemetery on 3 March 1925.

Sidney’s parents-in-law

• Mrs Mary Ann Tolley died at Holyoake Road at the age of 72 and was buried in Headington Cemetery on 7 February 1927.
• George Tolley died in Woolwich at the age of 80 and was buried with his wife on 9 February 1932.