Selected Biographies

Bean, Charles Ernest – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk in 1870.  Parents: George Bean of Acton, Suffolk (Agricultural Labourer) and Eliza Jane [née Rayner].  Family Connections: Father to George Frederick Charles Bean [b1898]; also, brother of Edmund James Bean [b1874] and uncle of George Edward Bean [b1899], Walter Charles Bean [b1910], and Edward James Bean [b1918].  Home: Newmans Green, Acton, Suffolk (1871), North Street, Halstead, Essex (1881), 9 Jacksons Lane, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire (1901), 36 St Johns Street, Wellingborough (1911).  Occupation: Coachman (1901), Labourer (1911).  Married: Mary Fryer in 1896.  Service Record: No definitive military record found.  Died: Wellingborough, Northants in 1931.

Bean, Edmund James – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk in 1874.  Parents: George Bean (Agricultural Labourer) and Eliza Jane [née Rayner].  Family Connections: Father to George Edward Bean [b1899], Walter Charles Bean [b1910] and Edward James Bean [b1918]; also, brother of Charles Ernest Bean [b1870] and uncle of George Frederick Charles Bean [b1898].  Home: North Street, Halstead, Essex (1881, 1891), 21 Blackthorn Street, Bromley-by-Bow, London [1898], 47 Campsbourne Road, Hornsey, Middlesex (1911), 126 Ormwell Road, New Southgate, Middlesex [1914].[1]  Occupation: Bricklayer’s Labourer (1891), Labourer (1911), Railway Labourer [1914].  Married: Rebecca Hall [d1900] in 1898 and Ellen Beatrice Monroe in 1909.  Service Record: Edmund enlisted on 29.9.1914 as Edward Bean, Pte.6498 with 13^th [Service] Battalion, Royal Fusiliers [City of London] Regiment.  On his Attestation Sheet he states his age falsely as 34 years and 10 months, implying a birth year of 1879, on the Medical Report, further into his file, his true age is given of 41.  He was diagnosed with tuberculosis of the lung and discharged as being ‘permanently unfit’ on 13.1.1915.[2]  Died: Edmonton, Middlesex in 1917.

Bean, Edward James – Born: Edmonton, Middlesex on 9.5.1917.[3]  Parents: Edmund ‘Edward’ James Bean of Long Melford [see military record above] and Ellen Beatrice [née Monroe].  Family Connections: Brother to George George Edward Bean [b1899] and Walter Charles Bean [b1910]; also, nephew of Charles Ernest Bean [b1870] and cousin of George Frederick Charles Bean [b1898].  Home: 19 Holly Park Road, Friern Barnet, Middlesex (1939), Margate, Kent [1942].  Occupation: Grocer’s Assistant (1939).  Married: Joan Lilian Peall in 1942.  Service Record: Edward enlisted on 5.3.1940 as Pte.6467972 with 1/5^th Battalion, The Queen’s [Royal West Surrey] Regiment.  Died: of wounds on 8.1.1943, buried in Tripoli War Cemetery, Lybia [grave ref: 11.A.15].[4]

Bean, George Edward – Born: Poplar, London in 1899.  Parents: Edmund ‘Edward’ James Bean of Long Melford [see military record above] and Rebecca [née Hall].  Family Connections: Brother to Walter Charles Bean [b1910] and Edward James Bean [b1918]; also, nephew of Charles Ernest Bean [b1870] and cousin of George Frederick Charles Bean [b1898].  Home: Alexander Road, New Southgate, Middlesex. (1901, 1911) [1915], 1 Upper Park Road, Southgate [1921 to 1926].  Occupation: Milk Carrier [1915], Shipyard Labourer [1918].  Service Record: George enlisted on 4.3.1915 as Dvr.97776 with 22^nd Reserve Battery, Royal Field Artillery, discharged 7.7.1915 ‘having given a mis-statement as to age on enlistment’.  He was conscripted on 10.7.1918 as Pte.G/34789 with the Royal Sussex Regiment, being posted on 10.11.1918 to 1/5^th [Cinque Ports] Battalion, Royal Sussex.  He served in Italy, transferring on 16.2.1919 as Pte.49521 to 1/6^th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment as part of 144^th [Gloucester and Worcester] Brigade, 48^th [South Midland] Division.  A few months later he joined the Egyptian Expeditionary Force in Palestine and by April 1920 is recorded as Acting L/Cpl.497732 in 2/13^th [County of London] Battalion, London Regiment, attached to the Military Mounted Police.[5]  Died: Barnet, Middlesex in 1933.

Bean, George Frederick Charles – Born: Wellingborough, Northamptonshire on 2.2.1898.[6]  Parents: Charles Ernest. Bean of Long Melford, Suffolk (Coachman) and Mary [née Fryer].  Family Connections: Bean [b1899],.  Home: 9 Jacksons Lane, Wellingborough (1901), 36 St Johns Street, Wellingborough (1911), 26 Abbey Road, Wellingborough (1939) to [1961].  Occupation: Railway Blacksmith (1939).  Married: Elsie Elizabeth Maries in 1925.  Service Record: George enlisted as Pte.13392 with 5^th (Service) Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment, his unit being posted to France from 31.5.1915 as a Pioneer Battalion for 12^th [Eastern] Division, seeing action at the Battles of Loos in 1915, the Somme in 1916, Arras in 1917 and the Hindenberg Line in 1918.  Died: Wellingborough, Northants on 22.7.1961.

Bean, Harry James – Born: Acton, Suffolk in 1884.  Parents: Alice Bean (Horsehair Weaver).  Frederick East (Stepfather from 1891) (Coconut Mat Maker).  Family Connections: Half-brother of Frederick John East mm [b1896].  Home: Newmans Green, Acton, Suffolk (1891), Back Lane, Long Melford (1901, 1911).  Occupation: Builder’s Labourer (1901), Road Foreman (1911).  Married: Rosetta Elizabeth Ball in 1921.  Service Record: No definitive military records found.

Bean, Percy John – Born: Kelvedon, Essex on 12.3.1900.[7]  Parents: Moses Bedford (Railway Stationmaster at Long Melford) and Naomi [née Hills].  Family Connections: Brother to Sidney Francis Bedford [b1897].  Home: Railway Station, Long Melford (1901), 2 Queens Down Road, Clapton, London (1911), 2 Hamilton Road, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk (1939), 9 Paget Road, Ipswich, Suffolk [1978].  Occupation: Branch Manager of a Grain Importers (1939), Barley Buyer [1949].  Married: Gladys Elizabeth Dorothy Matthews in 1927.  Service Record: No definitive military records found.  Died: Ipswich, Suffolk on 6.11.1978.[8]

Bean, Walter Charles – Born: Friern Barnet, Middlesex on 15.8.1910.[9]  Parents: Edmund ‘Edward’ James Bean of Long Melford [see military record above] and Ellen Beatrice [née Monroe].  Family Connections: Brother to George Edward Bean [b1899] and Edward James Bean [b1918]; also, nephew of Charles Ernest Bean [b1870] and cousin of George Frederick Charles Bean [b1898].  Home: 47 Campbourne Road, Hornsey, Middlesex (1911), 14 Chaucer Road, Forest Gate, London (1939).  Occupation: Manager of a Provisions and Grocery Shop (1939).  Married: Gladys Margaret Hall in 1938.  Service Record: Walter enlisted in 1941 as Gnr.1785849 with the Royal Artillery to the end of hostilities, re-enlisting in 1951 as Pte.22565150 with the Royal Army Service Corps.  Died: Poplar, London in 1953.

Notes – [1] Recorded as Edward Bean on the UK Census for 1911. [2] Soldiers’ Documents and Pension Claims, First World War [WO 364].  [3] Date of birth taken from the 1939 Register for Friern Barnet.  [4] Commonwealth War Graves Commission.  [5] Soldiers’ Documents, First World War ‘Burnt Documents’ [WO 363], Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].  [6] Date of birth taken from the 1939 Register for Wellingborough.  [7] Date of birth taken from the 1939 Register for Great Yarmouth.  [8] National Probate Calendar.  [9] Date of birth taken from the 1939 Register for Forest Gate.