Private Joseph Tickner

 

Thank you to Lenka Cathersides for the following research.

Job Tickner was born on the 21^st of January 1894 in Bletchingley, Surrey to carter Job Tickner and Emily Matilda Weller.

Job’s father Job Tickner was born in the 4^th quarter of 1869 in Horsham, Sussex to Emily Tickner. He was baptised on the 20^th of March 1870 in Rudwick, Sussex.

Job’s mother Emily Matilda Weller was born in the 1^st quarter of 1863 in Capel, Surrey to carter and agricultural labourer William Weller, born about 1824 in Capel, and Caroline Weller, born about 1824 in Wotton, Surrey.

At the time of the 1881 Census, Emily Matilda Weller was working as a general domestic servant to farmer William Batchelor of Wattlehurst. In the 3^rd quarter of 1886 she gave a birth to Arthur Edward. W. J. Weller.

Job Tickner and Emily Matilda Weller married in the 3^rd quarter of 1893 in the Registration District of Dorking.

Job Tickner had three blood siblings: Beatrice Emily Tickner born in the 4^th quarter of 1896 in Dorking; Gilbert Tickner born on the 17^th of May 1899 in Dorking and Henry Tickner born about 1902 in Dorking.

Gilbert Tickner had brown hair, blue eyes and a fresh complexion. He also had a clasped hands and horseshoe tattooed on his left forearm. Before WW1 Gilbert was working as a carman. Gilbert Tickner enlisted into the Royal Navy. His service number was K46513. His first date of navy service began on the 13^th of October 1917 on the HMS Pembroke II. On the 3^rd of April 1919 Gilbert finished his service on the HMS Prince George.

Job Tickner also had one step brother: Arthur Edward W. J. Weller/Tickner. Arthur Edward was born in 1886 in Dorking. On the 16^th of September 1904 in Guildford he enlisted into Army Service. At the time of his enlistment Arthur Edward worked as a fettler. He became part of the 2^nd Battalion the Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment. He was a private with a regimental number L/8163. On the 25^th of April 1908 he married Elizabeth Upward. At the outbreak of WW1 Arthur Edward was transferred to the 1^st Battalion, Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment and embarked on the 12^th of August 1914 on the SS Breamer Castle from Southampton to France. The 1^st Battalion the Queen’s were engaged in the 1^st Battle of Ypres in Belgium (19 October – 22 November 1914). Arthur was reported missing and is considered dead from or since 31^st of October 1914. His body was never found and he is commemorated at the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing in Ypres, Belgium.

At the time of the 1901 Census, the family lived at 13 Ansell Road in Dorking. Job Tickner was working as a builder’s carter and Emily was looking after their children: Job, Beatrice Emily and Gilbert. With the family also lived Job’s step-son Arthur Edward Weller/Tickner, who worked on a farm.

On the 25^th of February 1907, Job Tickner was admitted into the St Martin’s Church of England School in Dorking for boys. At this time the family lived at 13 Ansell Road in Dorking. It was stated, that Job previously attended St Paul’s School. He left St Martin’s School on the 17^th of January 1908 for the given reason of age exemption.

At the time of the 1911 Census, the family still lived at 13 Ansell Road in Dorking. Job was working as a carman and Emily Matilda was looking after their children: carman Job, Beatrice Emily, Gilbert and Henry. The accommodation had five rooms.

Job Tickner enlisted in Guildford and joined the 7^th Battalion, the Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment. He became a private with a regimental number G/1869. At the time of enlistment Job resided in Dorking and was working as a carter for the Messrs. T. Meakins and Son. Later, he became a stretcher bearer of the Depot Battalion, the Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment.

Job disembarked on the 27^th of July 1915 to France.

Job Tickner had a fine record of bravery and was awarded the Military Medal in November 1916. As a stretcher bearer he risked his life to save a wounded Captain.

On the 4th May 1917, Job went out to succour a wounded officer at Arras in France, when he was hit in the back by a sniper. The bullet lay embedded near the spine. The wound was serious.

Job’s father Job Tickner went over to France to visit his son. The Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser, issued on the 19^th of May 1917, stated that at the time of the father’s visit the son was making “favourable progress” after extraction of the bullet. At this time the family lived at 7a North Street in Dorking.

Job was transported into the Halifax Military Hospital, where on the 16^th of June 1917, he died from his wounds.

His death was reported in the Dorking Advertiser as follows;

BRAVE STRETCHER-BEARER’S DEATH.  The remains of Pte. J. Tickner, Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regt., a brave Dorking lad, who was one of the first to win the Military Medal, were laid to rest in the Dorking Cemetery on Wednesday afternoon. He died in St. Luke’s Hospital, Halifax, on Saturday, where he had been suffering from a wound received while trying to succour a wounded officer in May last. A stretcher bearer, he was bandaging the officer’s wound when he was hit in the back by a sniper, the bullet lodging near the spine.

Pte. Tickner had previously distinguished himself by his bravery. This was in November last, when he went out at great personal risk and brought in a wounded officer. It was for this act he was awarded the Military Medal.

The body was covered with the Union Jack, and soldiers from the Depot at Guildford acted as bearers. Among those present was Mr. A. Saunders (Messrs. Meakins and sons, in whose employ the deceased was before he joined up), and the firm’s employees, while the Dorking firemen also attended out of respect. The wounded soldiers who were attending the fete in Pippbrook grounds lined up outside as the cortege passed, and respectfully saluted the remains of their late comrade.

Job Tickner was buried on the 20^th of June 1917 at the Dorking Municipal Cemetery. His grave reference number is: 17.9495.

He received the British War and Victory medals and the 1915 Star.

Job left £19, 6s and 9d on the 15^th of June 1918 and £13 on the 27^th of October 1919 to his father Job Tickner in Soldier’s Effects.

By 1919 his family had moved to 24 Marlborough Road in Dorking.

 

Born	Dorking, Surrey
Lived	Dorking, Surrey
Son of	Job and Emily Tickner of 24 Marlborough Road, Dorking
Regiment	7th Battalion, The Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment
Number	G/1869
Date of Death	16th June 1917
Place of Death	Dorking
Cause of Death	Died of Wounds
Age	22
Gallantry	Military Medal 12th December 1916
Cemetery	Dorking Cemetery