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

Alfred ROBINSON (1890–1917)

Alfred Robinson was born in Oxford in 1890, the son of William Thomas Robinson (born in St Clement’s, Oxford in 1848 and baptised at St Clement’s Church on 10 September 1848) and Fanny Gosling Couling (born in Oxford in 1849 and baptised at St Mary Magdalen Church on 29 July 1849).

His parents were married in the Oxford registration district in the third quarter of 1871 and had nine children:

• Ann Elizabeth Robinson, known as Annie (born at George Street, St Clement’s, Oxford and baptised at Clement’s Church on 29 November 1874)
• Fanny Matilda Robinson (born at 30 George Street, St Clement’s, Oxford and baptised at Clement’s Church on 30 July 1876)
• William Henry Robinson (born at 40 George Street, St Clement’s, Oxford and baptised at Clement’s Church on 28 March 1880)
• George Robinson (born at Caroline Street, St Clement’s, Oxford and baptised at Clement’s Church on 30 April 1882)
• Eva Robinson (born at Caroline Street, St Clement’s, Oxford and baptised privately via Clement’s Church on 14 December 1885); died aged 17 months, and buried in St Clement’s churchyard on 16 November 1889
• Ernest Robinson (born at Caroline Street, St Clement’s, Oxford in c.1887 and baptised at Clement’s Church on 29 January 1888)
• Percy Robinson (born at Caroline Street, St Clement’s, Oxford and baptised privately via Clement’s Church on 29 January 1888); died aged 21 months and buried in St Clement’s churchyard on 16 November 1889
• Alfred Robinson (born at Caroline Street, St Clement’s, Oxford and baptised at Clement’s Church on 27 April 1890)
• Thomas Henry Robinson, known as Henry or Harry (born at Caroline Street, St Clement’s, Oxford and baptised privately via Clement’s Church on 15 December 1893)

At the time of the 1871 census, Alfred’s parents, still single, were both were boarding in the house of Miss Harriet Gardner in Cherwell Street, St Clement’s: William Robinson (22) was a porter , and Fanny Couling (21) was a domestic servant. Later that year they were married.

After his marriage, Alfred’s father became a house painter like his own father, and by 1874 to 1881 the family were living at Cave Street in St Clement’s (which was then known as George Street). The house number is given as 40 in the 1881 census, by which time they had three children.

By 1882 the family had moved to 11 Caroline Street in St Clement’s. Alfred himself was born at that house and is shown there the 1891 census, aged one. His older siblings were all still at home: Annie (16) was now a dressmaker, and Fanny (14) a domestic servant.

The family was still living at 11 Caroline Street at the time of the 1901 census. Alfred (11) and his brothers Ernest (12) and Henry (8) were at school. Of his four eldest siblings, only George (18) was still at home, and working as a gas fitter. William (20) was lodging at Leighton Buzzard and working as a grocer’s manager; and Fanny (24) was living elsewhere in St Clement’s with her husband and three children.

By 1911 Alfred’s family had moved back to Cave Street, and were living at No. 26. Alfred (20) and his younger brother Harry (18) were the only children still living at home, and both worked for an outfitter: Alfred as a hosiery assistant, and Harry as a porter. Alfred’s brother George was now married with three children, and living in another house in Cave Street.

♥ In the second quarter of 1912 in the Headington Registration District, Alfred Robinson married Caroline Beatrice Ingram (born in Sevenhampton, Wiltshire in 1889, registered third quarter). At the time of the 1911 census, Caroline had been working as a parlourmaid at 16 Linton Road, Oxford.

The couple settled in Holyoake Road (then called Western Road), the eastern side of which was in St Andrew’s parish. They had just one daughter, and Alfred is described simply as a “soldier” in the baptismal register.

• Gwendoline Beatrice Robinson (born in Headington on 24 March 1916 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 4 June 1916).

 

Robinson served as a Private, first in the Somerset Light Infantry (Service No. 25291), and then in the 11th Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment (Service No. 18509).

He died of wounds in France at the age of 27 on 23 April 1917 and is buried in the Aubigny Communal Cemetery extension (II. D. 13). He is listed on the roll of honour of St Andrew’s Church in Old Headington.

 

 

Left: Photograph of Alfred Robinson’s grave in Aubigny, France, kindly supplied by British War Graves.

The crest of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, showing an antelope, “ducally gorged and chained standing on a heraldic torse”, is at the top, and the text reads:

18509 PRIVATE
A. ROBINSON
ROYAL WARWICKSHIRE REGT
23RD APRIL 1917 AGE 27
†
WHO LOVED US
AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR US