Selected Biographies

Bird, Albert ‘Bertie’ William – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 27.11.1884.[1]  Parents: Henry Bird (Baker) and Ellen [née Downey].  Family Connections: Brother to Frederick Walter Bird [b1882]; also, brother-in-law of William Robert Malton [b1883] and John Leslie Robinson [b1898].  Home: St Marys Street, Long Melford (1891), Park Terrace, St Marys Street, Long Melford (1911) to [1944].[2]  Occupation: Master Baker (1901 to 1939).  Service Record: At a Melford Military Service Tribunal in June 1916 Bertie was granted a three month’s exemption.  In October his case was again before the Tribunal, where he was given conditional exemption if he joined the Long Melford Volunteer Training Corps.[3]  Anecdotal evidence, however, suggests he was wounded during the Great War and although his unit is not known with any certainty, he may have served as Pte.35952 with the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment.  If this assumption is correct then he would have been posted to France and issued with a Silver War Badge and discharged on 2.7.1918, due to the effect of wounds.[4]  That he served in the armed forces is in little doubt as his obituary in the local paper in 1944 states that Bertie was Secretary of the Social Committee of the Melford branch of the British Legion and a member of the village Ex-Service and Working Men’s Club.[5]  Died: Sudbury, Suffolk on 7.10.1944.[6]

Bird, Augustus ‘Leonard’ – Born: Lavenham, Suffolk on 2.9.1877.[7]  Parents: Leonard Bulmer Bird (Mat Maker) and Louisa [née Gosling].  Family Connections: Brother to George Charles Bird [b1879].  Home: 4 Walnut Tree Lane, Sudbury, Suffolk (1881), St Marys Street, Long Melford (1891), Purbeck Place, Littlehampton, Sussex (1911 to 1939).  Occupation: Saddler’s Apprentice (1891), Labourer (1911), Harness Maker for Harris & Son of Littlehampton (1921 to 1939).  Married: Sara Kate Elsden (Laundress) in 1910.  Service Record: Augustus served as Spr.139849 with the Royal Engineers during the First World War.[8]  Died: Worthing, Sussex in 1947.

Bird, Frederick William – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 20.4.1881.[9]  Parents: Henry Bird (Baker) and Ellen [née Downey].  Family Connections: [b1884].  Home: St Marys Street, Long Melford (1891), lodging with Thomas Day at 21 St Marys Road, Colchester, Essex (1901), 73 Washington Avenue, Manor Park, East Ham, Essex (1911), 76 Third Avenue, Manor Park (1921 to 1939).  Occupation: House Painter (1901), Gas Meter Collector (1911), Locomotive Fitter’s Mate (1921 to 1939).  Married: Catherine Ethel Lowe in 1906.  Service Record: No definitive military record found.  Died: Wandsworth, London in 1951.

Bird, George Charles – Born: Sudbury, Suffolk in 1879.  Parents: Leonard Bulmer Bird (Mat Maker) and Louisa [née Gosling].  Family Connections: Brother to Augustus Leonard Bird [b1877].  Home: 4 Walnut Tree Lane, Sudbury, Suffolk (1881), St Marys Street, Long Melford (1891), 14 Ellerslie Road, Clapham, London (1911), 5 Walpole Road, Colliers Wood, Mitcham, Surrey [1915] to (1921).  Occupation: Journeyman Baker (1911), Baker’s Carman [1915], Baker for Hill & Son of Westminster (1921).  Married: Ethel Josephine Bull in 1902.  Service Record: George was conscripted on 9.12.1915 as Pte.19425 with the Army Veterinary Corps, being posted to France on 15.8.1916 and receiving his discharge in March 1919.[10]  Died: Mid Surrey in 1938.

Bird, Harry – Born: Great Cornard, Suffolk on 9.3.1896.[11]  Parents:  Harry Bird of Long Melford (Skin Dresser) and Agnes [née Crick].  Family Connections: Brother to William George Bird of Long Melford [b1895] and brother-in-law of Frederick Charles Byham [b1897].  Home:  Bures Road, Great Cornard, Suffolk (1901), Hall Lane, Little Oakley, Harwich, Essex (1911), 11 Mound Place, Sudbury, Suffolk (1921), 2 Brundon Mill Cottages, Sudbury (1939).  Occupation:  Labourer [1914], unemployed Skin Dresser formally with Luptin’s Sausage Skins (1921), Cowman (1939).  Married: Ada Hardy in 1925.  Service Record: Harry attested on 29.12.1914 as Pte.16665 with 3^rd [Reserve] Battalion, Essex Regiment.  Private Bird was posted to France from 2.9.1915, joining 10^th [Service] Battalion, Essex as part of 53^rd Brigade in 18^th [Eastern] Division.  On 1.7.1916, the first day of the Somme Offensive, Harry’s unit was part of the supporting wave during the Battle of Albert, going into action again on 19.7.1916 during the Battle of Delville Wood.  In fighting on the following day, he was buried by an explosion and, suffering from shell shock and concussion, was hospitalized in England for nearly three months.  He was re-posted to France from 8.2.1917 to 23.4.1917, transferring to 11^th [Service] Battalion, Essex, as part of 18^th Brigade, 6^th Division.[12]  On 23.4.1917 he received a gunshot wound to his left hand, being shipped back to England for several months of treatment and resulting in the amputation of one of his fingers.  Following his recovery, he was transferred in January 1918 as Pte.508510 to 684^th [Agricultural] Company, Labour Corps, then as Pte.58705 to 435^th [Agricultural] Company, Labour Corps, receiving his discharge in May 1919.[13]  Died: Sudbury, Suffolk in 1971.

Bird, Maud – Born: West Ham, Essex on 9.10.1893.[14]  Parents: Harry Bird (Horsekeeper on Farm) and Sarah [née Wheeler].  Home: Purls Hill Cottages, Great Maplestead, Essex (1901), Kiln Farm, Long Melford (1911) to [1916], 16 Bull Lane, Long Melford (1939).  Married: George Parker in 1920.  Service Record: Maud was a volunteer with the British Red Cross Society from December 1917 to October 1918 working as a Scullery Maid at the Red Cross Hospital in Finborough Hall, Great Finborough, Suffolk.[15]  Died: Sudbury, Suffolk in 1986.

Bird, William George[16] – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 21.2.1895.[17]  Parents: Harry Bird (Skin Dresser) and Agnes [née Crick].  Family Connections: Brother to Harry Bird [b1897] and brother-in-law of Frederick Charles Byham [b1897].  Home: Bures Road, Great Cornard, Suffolk (1901), Hall Lane, Little Oakley, Harwich, Essex (1911), Lower Barn, Little Oakley, Essex [1914], 11 Mound Place, Sudbury, Suffolk (1921).  Occupation: Agricultural Labourer [1914], Skin Dresser formally for Luptin’s Sausage Skins (1921), Public Works Contractor’s Labourer (1939).  Married: Lily Maud Barker in 1927.  Service Record:  William enlisted on 29.12.1914 as Pte.16666 with 12^th [Reserve] Battalion, Essex Regiment, transferring to ‘B’ Company, 10^th [Service] Battalion, Essex and posted to France on 2.9.1915 as part of 53^rd Brigade, 18^th [Eastern] Division based at Albert.  On 12.3.1916 William was transferred back to 12^th Essex, then briefly with 3^rd [Reserve] Battalion, Cheshire Regiment, before being posted on 6.11.1916 to 2^nd Cheshires as part of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force to Salonika.[18]  Following the Battalion’s return to England in 1918 he was transferred as Pte.488593 to 302^nd Company, then to 435^th [Agricultural] Company, Labour Corps, being discharged in 1919.[19]  Died: Chelmsford, Essex in 1981.

Related Biographies

Lord, Frederick David – Born: Great Oakley, Essex on 7.6.1889.[20]  Parents: Joseph Lord (Agricultural Labourer) and Anna Maria [née Summers].  Family Connections: Brother-in-law of William George Bird of Long Melford [b1895] and Harry Bird [b1896].  Home: Bridge House, Salt Water Bridge, Great Oakley, Essex (1891), Back Road, Little Oakley, Essex (1901 to 1921), Mosses Farm, Great Oakley (1939).  Occupation: Agricultural Labourer (1911), Traction Engine Driver (1921), Cowman (1939).  Married: Elsie Eva Bird in 1921.  Service Record: Fred enlisted on 14.12.1914 as Pte.16325 with 11^th [Service] Battalion, Essex Regiment.  He was posted to France in August 1915 as part of 18^th Brigade, 6^th Division, seeing action during the Somme Offensive of 1916 at the Battles of Flers-Courselette, Morval and Le Transloy.  He was wounded, probably in the last engagement and issued a Siver War Badge and discharged on 26.10.1916.[21] Died: Colchester, Essex in 1968.[22]

Malton, William Robert – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 9.7.1883.[23]  Parents: Robert Malton (Groom and Gardener) and Ellen Palmer [née Randle].  Family Connections: Cousin of Ernest William Malton [b1876], Ethelbert Malton [b1882], Victor John Malton [b1888], Charles Albert Malton [b1896], Albert Malton [b1875] and Percy Walter Moulton [b1892]; also, brother-in-law of Albert William Bird [b1884].  Home: Rodbridge Street, Long Melford (1891 to 1911), Park Terrace, Little St Marys, Long Melford (1921).  Occupation: Wheelwright and Carpenter (1901 to 1921).  Married: Daisy Gladys Bird in 1911.  Service Record: At the Melford Military Service Tribunal in March 1916, William was granted one month exemption from conscription, at the end of November this had been amended to a conditional certificate.[24]  It is not known if the decision was ever amended as no definitive military record has been found.  Died: Sudbury, Suffolk in 1928.

Robinson, John Leslie aka Leslie John – Born: on 23.9.1898.[25] Family Connections: Brother-in-law of Albert William Bird of Long Melford [b1884].  Home: 9 Park Terrace, Little St Marys, Long Melford (1939) to [1969].  Occupation: Grocer’s Delivery Van Driver (1939).  Married: Grace Maud Bird of Long Melford in 1934.[26]  Service Record: Leslie was a member of the ‘H’ Company, 10^th Battalion, Suffolk Home Guard when it was formed in August 1942.  His name is recorded in the official tribute to the organization entitled The Lion Roared his Defiance, photographed in and around Long Melford in 1944.[27] Died: Sudbury, Suffolk on 27.12.1969, recorded as Leslie John Robinson.

Notes – [1] Date of birth from the 1939 Register for Long Melford.  [2] Recorded as Bertie Bird on the UK Census for 1891 and 1901.  [3] For the Tribunal’s rulings see Suffolk and Essex Free Press 7.6.1916 and 11.10.1916. [4] My thanks to Neville Tribe of Bury St Edmunds, who as a boy knew Bertie Bird, for information on his military service.  See also his Service Medal and Award Rolls, First World War, Silver War Badge [WO 329] record [ref: 415717], Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].  [5] ‘Melford Tradesman’ Suffolk and Essex Free Press 19.10.1944. [6] Date of death is taken from the National Probate Calendar.  [7] Date of birth taken from the 1939 Register.  [8] Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329].  [9] Date of birth from the 1939 Register for Manor Park, East Ham, Essex.  [10] Soldiers’ Documents, First World War ‘Burnt Documents’ [WO 363].  [11] Date of birth from the 1939 Register for Sudbury, Suffolk. [12] For details of 10^th and 11^th Essex’s movements during Bird’s time on the Western Front see War Diaries [WO 95/2038/2] and [WO 95/1616/1]. [13] 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].  [14] Date of birth from the 1939 Register for Long Melford. [15] British Red Cross Record Card. [16] Recorded as George William Bird on his military records.  [17] Date of birth from the Baptism Register of 17.5.1895 for St Marys Church, Glemsford, Suffolk and the Admission Register of 28.2.1898 for Pot Kiln County Primary School, Great Cornard, Suffolk.  Assuming this is the same man, the 1939 Register for Dunmow, Essex cites 21.2. 1893 as his date of birth.  [18] For details of 10^th Essex’s movements on the Western Front see War Diary [WO 95/2038/1-2] and for 2^nd Cheshire’s in Salonika see War Diary [WO 95/4917]. [19] 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]. [20] 1939 Register.  [21] [WO 329 – Silver War Badge [ref:63356], Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329], Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372], and Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923 [ref: 11/M/355708].  [22] I am grateful to James Cook for sharing this image.  [23] Date of birth from the Baptism Register 2.9.1883, Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford. [24] For the Tribunal’s rulings see Suffolk and Essex Free Press 29.3.1916 and 29.11.1916 recorded as Molton [sic].  [25] 1939 Register.  [26] Recorded as John Leslie Robinson.  [27] Published by Marten & Son, Ltd., of Market Hill, Sudbury, Suffolk in 1946.