Thank you to Patricia Brazier for the following research.
Alfred was baptised at the Parish church in Betchworth on 20th November 1877. His parents are Alfred and Maria.
Alfred senior is a beer brewer by trade; he married Maria Smart on 6th February 1854 in Worthing. They had three children in Worthing, William, Jane and Charles. They then moved to Betchworth and in the 1871 census can be found at the Barley Mow. They now have two more children Charlotte and Eliza.
The family are still living at the Barley Mow in 1881. Alfred Junior is 3 years old. He now has another brother George aged 8 and another sister Alice Maria aged 6.
In September 1881, Alfred’s mother, Maria died. She is buried in the Churchyard of St. Michael in Betchworth.
In the 1891 census, Alfred is aged 13 and working as a labourer, his brother George and Sister Charlotte are still living at home.
When the 1901 census was taken, Alfred is now 23 and working as a builder and carpenter. He is now living at Jubilee Cottages, with his father, his sister Charlotte and two lodgers, Caleb and William Miles.
On the 18th January 1903, Alfred married Florence Lilian Duffield at Christ Church, Brockham. In the 1911 census they are living at Brockham Green, they have three daughters, Florence aged 7, Lily Maria aged 2 and Margaret Lily aged 3 months. Alfred is a Carpenter.
Alfred joined the Royal Engineers at Chatham on 21st November 1916, he was 39 years old. His home address was Rose Cottage, Brockham Green. He transferred to 7th Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment in September 1917. He died of wounds in the 52 Field Ambulance in Belgium, on the 11th November 1917, during the third battle of Ypres (Passchendaele). He is buried in Solferino Farm Cemetery, Plot 11 Row A, grave 26. His personal possessions consisting of letters, a photograph, a broken pipe, a pocket case watch, a silver watch chain, Tobacco pouch and a small purse were returned to Florence. She received a pension of 29 shillings and 4 pence weekly with effect from 27th May 1918.
Florence did not re-marry and in the 1939 register she is living at Dalewood near Dorking. Their two daughters Lily Maria and Margaret Ellen are living with her. Their eldest daughter Florence Mary married Ernest Franks in Dorking in 1924; they had one son also named Ernest. Lily Maria married Frederick Travis in Sussex in 1973. Margaret Ellen married Percival Houghton in 1961.
Alfred’s siblings; Alice Maria married William James Lucas in Dorking in 1907. They had one son Kenneth born in 1908. They are living in Oakdene Road Brockham in 1920. Eliza married William Edward Wright in Marylebone in 1896. They had one son: William George Wright born in 1900. In 1911 she is a Widow working as a servant in Sutton. Charlotte did not marry. In 1911 she is living in Betchworth with her Nephew William George Wright.
| Born | Betchworth, Surrey | |
| Lived | Betchworth, Surrey | |
| Son of | Alfred and Maria of The Barley Mow, Brockham | |
| Husband of | Florence Lilian Duffield | |
| Father of | Florence, Lily Maria and Margaret Lily | |
| Enlisted | Chatham, Kent | |
| Regiment | 7th Battalion. York and Lancaster Regiment | |
| Number | 35345 | |
| Date of Death | 11th November 1917 | |
| Place of Death | Ypres, Belgium | |
| Cause of Death | Killed in action | |
| Age | 39 | |
| Cemetery | Solferino Farm Cemetery, Belgium |
