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

Thomas George KIMBER (1896–1917)

(Kimber is also listed on the Holy Trinity Church Roll of Honour and thus appears twice in the “tour”)

Thomas George Kimber was born in New Headington in 1896, the son of John Thomas Kimber, usually known as Thomas (born in Horspath in 1852, baptised there privately on 23 March 1852) and Anne Jones (born in Headington Quarry in 1858/9, registered first quarter of 1859).

His parents were married on 15 May 1875 at Holy Trinity Church, and had 16 children:

• Lilian Emily Kimber (born at Shotover Place and baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 26 September 1875)
• Charles Arthur Thomas Kimber (known as Arthur, born in New Headington and and baptised at Holy Trinity Church, Headington Quarry on 26 November 1876; died aged 11, buried at Headington Cemetery 7 March 1888)
• Albert Anthony Kimber, known as Anthony (born in New Headington and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 27 January 1878); died aged 4 years 8 months, buried in St Andrew’s churchyard on 18 August 1882)
• Charles Kimber (born in New Headington and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 28 September 1879; died aged 21 months and buried in St Andrew’s churchyard on 17 May 1881)
• James Henry Kimber (born in New Headington on 7 February 1881 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 29 May 1881)
• Beatrice Annie Kimber (born in Oxford in 1882, registered in Headington district in fourth quarter)
• May Esther Kimber, known as Ethel May (born in Oxford 1884, registered in Headington district in fourth quarter)
• Anthony Kimber (born in Headington on 24 November 1886 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 30 January 1887)
• Arthur John Kimber (known as John or Jack, born in Headington on 7 January 1889 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 24 February 1889)
• Alice Kimber (born in Headington on 27 September 1890 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 9 November 1890, died 1894)
• Ada Kimber (born in Headington on 17 April 1892 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 5 June 1892;
  died aged 20 months and buried at Headington Cemetery on 23 February 1894)
• Ada Kate Kimber (known as Kate, born in Headington on 1 June 1894 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 12 August 1894)
• Thomas George Kimber (born in Headington on 10 April 1896 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 17 May 1896)
• Nellie Kimber (born at 2 Belle Vue Terrace, Headington on 14 May 1898 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 17 July 1898)
• Albert Joseph Kimber (known as Bert, born in New Headington on 14 September 1900 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 21 October 1900)
• Hilda Phyllis Kimber (born at 2 Belle Vue Terrace, Headington on 19 January 1905 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 9 April 1905).

At the time of her marriage Thomas Kimber’s mother had only just had her sixteenth birthday and was already pregnant, and it looks as though the couple started their married life in her parents’ home at Shotover Place.

Thomas’s father was a carpenter. By the end of 1876 when their second child was born they had moved to New Headington, and the 1881 census reveals that their home was at 2 Belle Vue Cottages (on the south side of the London Road, on the eastern corner of New High Street). James’s mother was there on census night with her first four surviving children, Lilian (5), Albert Anthony (3), Charlie (1), and James (two months), plus their lodger; but Thomas’s father spent census night as a patient in the Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford.

At the time of the 1891 Thomas’s parents were at home in Belle Vue Cottages with baby Alice (7 months) and five children (ranging in age from 2 to 10) who were at school. Lilian Emily, their eldest daughter, had left home and was married.

The family had another four children by the time of the 1901 census, including Thomas George himself (2). James (20) and Anthony (14) were now carpenters & joiners like their father. There were still only nine children at home in Belle Vue Cottages, as Lilian (25) was married and Beatrice (18) was in service at Elmbank, Headington Quarry.

Thomas’s family was still living in New Headington in 1911 but had moved around the corner to 11 New High Street (then one of the pair of Hope Villas). Six children were still at home, including Thomas himself (14), who was was now out to work as a gardener. Thomas’s brothers James and (Arthur) John and sisters Beatrice and May had all married since the last census and now had homes of their own.

By the time of the marriage of Thomas’s sister Alice in November 1913, the family had moved to Headington Quarry.

Thomas George Kimber volunteered to serve in the First World War and was a Private in the 43rd Battalion (Infantry) of the Machine Gun Corps (Service No. 71165). He was killed in action at the age of 21 on 24 August 1917 at Paschendaele in Belgium, and was buried at the Tyne Cot Cemetery (LVIII. B 4).

 

Left: Photograph of Thomas George Kimber’s grave in the Tyne Cot Cemetery, kindly supplied by British War Graves. The text reads:

[Emblem of the
Machine Gun Corps]

71165 PRIVATE
T. G. KIMBER
MACHINE GUN CORPS INF.
24TH AUGUST 1917

†

His parents’ tombstone in Holy Trinity churchyard has these words added:

ALSO OF THOMAS GEORGE KIMBER
KILLED IN ACTION AUG 24th 1917.

Thomas George Kimber is listed on the roll of honour of St Andrew’s Church as well as on the stone plaque in the porch of Holy Trinity Church in Headington Quarry.

The Kimber family lived at Headington Quarry during the First World War, which explains why Thomas Kimber is listed on the roll of honour of Holy Trinity Church. It is hard to say why he is on the memorial at St Andrew’s Church: it is possible that between 1911 and 1914 he became a live-in gardener at Old Headington.