Selected Biographies

Betts, George William – Born: Balsham, Cambridgeshire on 12.11.1888.[1]  Parents: William Betts (Shepherd) and Alice Ann [née Linsdell].  Home: Wood Hall Cottage, Balsham, Cambridgeshire (1891), Rodbridge Street, Long Melford (1901), Stone Cottage, Sudbury Road, Long Melford (1911), Chestnut Terrace, Hall Street, Long Melford (1921 to 1939).  Occupation: Blacksmith and Wheelwright (1901), Carpenter (1911), Wheelwright for John Palmer of Hall Street [1916] to (1921), Carpenter and Wheelwright (1939).  Married: Theresa Hilda Warner in 1916.  Service Record: At the Melford Military Service Tribunal in March 1916 George’s employer, John Palmer applied for his exemption.  Palmer said he had lost two men already and was under contract to produce two hundredweight of horseshoes a week for the Army and do repairs for twelve farms in the district.  Perhaps because Betts work had scant bearing on the Army contract his application was refused.[2]  George was conscripted as Pte.M2/167245 with the London Repair Depot, Mechanical Transport Section, Army Service Corps.  In 1939 George served in Long Melford as an Auxiliary Fireman.[3]  Died: Long Melford, Suffolk on 12.1.1966.

Betts, Harry Thomas – Born:  Stanningfield, Suffolk on 26.5.1891.[4]  Parents: William Betts (Borough Council Roadman) and Emma [née Mortlock].  Family Connections: Brother-in-law of George Stafford Gostling [b1884], William Aubrey Catt Gostling [b1887] and Samuel Sidney Gostling [b1890].  Home: Bury Road, Stanningfield, Suffolk (1901, 1911), 5 Fox Cottages, Thingoe, Suffolk (1939) Occupation: Agricultural Labourer (1911 to 1939).  Married: Violet Goldsbury Gostling in 1914.  Service Record: Harry enlisted as Pte.22715 with Suffolk Regiment, later being transferred as Pte.13251 to the Machine Gun Corps. MR and MIC Died: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk in 1984.[5]  Died: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk in 1984.

Betts, Margaret ‘Peggy’ Teresa – Born:  Long Melford, Suffolk on 10.7.1928.[6]  Parents: George William Betts (Wheelwright) [see military details above] and Teresa Hilda [née Warner].  Home: Chestnut Terrace, Hall Street, Long Melford [1928 to 1951], Forest Lodge, Stock Road, Ingatestone, Essex [2002 to 2012[7]].   Married: Henry Maurice Wreathall in 1951.  Service Record: Peggy was a member of the Women Home Guard Auxiliary attached to the Signals Branch of ‘H’ Company, 10^th Battalion, Suffolk Home Guard.  Her name is recorded in the official tribute to the organization entitled The Lion Roared his Defiance, photographed in and around Long Melford in 1944.[8].  After the war she joined the Long Melford Good Companions Players, in 1949 appearing in Quality Street and in 1950 in Daddy Long Legs.[9]  Died: Chelmsford, Essex on 19.6.2013.

Notes – [1] Date of birth from Admission Register 2.12.1895, St Catherines Infants School, Long Melford. [2] For the Tribunal’s ruling see Suffolk and Essex Free Press 22.3.1916. [3] Soldiers’ Documents, First World War ‘Burnt Documents’ [WO 363].  [4] 1939 Register.  [5] Medal Roll [WO 329] and Medal Index Card [WO 372].  [6] 1939 Register.  [7] Electoral Roll.  [8] Published by Marten & Son, Ltd., of Market Hill, Sudbury, Suffolk in 1946.  [9] Suffolk Free Press 17.5.1949 and 28.3.1950.