Selected Biographies

Boulden, Edward ‘Ted’ George – Born: Felthorpe, Norfolk on 7.5.1907.[1]  Parents: Frank Richard Boulden S^nr (Verger) [see below for his military record] and Beatrice Annie [née Purnell] residents of Long Melford.  Family Connections: Brother to Frank Richard Boulden [b1897], Harry Thomas Boulden of Long Melford [b1910] and Herbert William Boulden of Long Melford [b1897]; also, brother-in-law of George Goody [b1898] and Percy George Felgate [b1896].  Home: Liston Grove, Liston Lane, Long Melford [1911], Mersea House, Church Walk, Long Melford [1918], 13 Southgate Street, Long Melford (1939) to [1988].  Occupation: Wheelwright and Carpenter, and Special Constable (1939).  Married: Gertrude Gladys Pawsey in 1935.  Service Record: Ted enrolled on 21.3.1942 with ‘B’ Company, 10^th Battalion, Suffolk Home Guard.  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.[2]  Died: Long Melford, Suffolk on 27.5.1988.[3]

Boulden, Frank Richard S^nr – Born: Kensington, London on 5.12.1872.[4]  Parents: Edward William Boulden [Police Officer, later a Farm Bailiff] and Alice Anne [née Foster].  Family Connections: Father of Frank Richard Boulden [b1897], Edward George Boulden [b1907], Harry Thomas Boulden of Long Melford [b1910] and Herbert William Boulden of Long Melford [b1897]; also, father-in-law of George Goody [b1898] and Percy George Felgate [b1896].  Home: 1 Courtfield Gardens, Kensington, London [1875], Royal Artillery Barracks, Woolwich, Kent (1891), 63 Burns Road, Harlesden, Willesden, Middlesex [1897], 5 Ernest Street, Bermondsey, London [1900], Liston Grove, Liston Lane, Long Melford [1915], Mersea House, Church Walk/Row, Long Melford [1918] to (1939).  Occupation: Soldier [Groom] [1890 to 1911], Sexton of Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford [1925],[5] Verger and Caretaker of Schools (1939).  Married: Beatrice Annie Purnell in 1897.  Service Record: From 1891 to 1913 Frank served as a Driver with the Royal Horse Artillery.  He re-enlisted in 1915 as Sgt.RT5/5563 with the Army Service Corps, being posted to Egypt with 43^rd Remount Squadron, ASC.  In November 1916 he was posted to Salonika with 45^th Remount Squadron, receiving his discharge in April 1919.[6]  Died: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk in 1948.

Boulden, Frank Richard J^nr – Born: Foxton, Leicestershire on 25.12.1897.[7]  Parents: Frank Richard Boulden S^nr (Verger) [see above for his military record] and Beatrice Annie [née Purnell] residents of Long Melford.  Family Connections: Brother to Edward George Boulden [b1907], Harry Thomas Boulden of Long Melford [b1910] and Herbert William Boulden of Long Melford [b1897]; also, brother-in-law of George Goody [b1898] and Percy George Felgate [b1896].  Home: 5 Ernest Street, Bermondsey, London (1901), Mersea House, Church Row, Long Melford [1918].  Occupation: Railway Clerk at Cockfield Station in Suffolk for the Great Eastern Railway [1915].  Service Record: Frank enlisted as Pte.12150, later promoted to Sergeant, with 7^th [Service] Battalion, Suffolk Regiment and was posted to France from 30.5.1915 as part of 35^th Brigade, 12^th [Eastern] Division.  The Battalion saw action at the Battles of Loos in 1915, the Somme in 1916, the Arras Offensive in 1917, and the First Battle of Bapaume and the Battle of the Ancre in the spring of 1918.  In May 1918 the Battalion ceased to function as a front-line unit and was reduced in size to just fifty officers and men.  The remainder, which probably included Sergeant Boulden, were amalgamated with 1/1^st Battalion, Cambridgeshire Regiment, staying under the same brigade and divisional command.[8]  Died: Frank was killed in action on 18.10.1918 during the Final Advance in Artois and is buried in Arras Road Cemetery [grave ref: II.P.16], Roclincourt, France.  Sergeant Boulden is commemorated on both the Great Eastern Railway Memorial in Liverpool Street Station, London, and the Long Melford War Memorial.[9]

Boulden, Harry Thomas – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 12.3.1910.[10]  Parents: Frank Richard Boulden S^nr (Verger) [see above for his military record] and Beatrice Annie [née Purnell].  Family Connections: Brother to Frank Richard Boulden [b1897], Edward George Boulden [b1907] and Herbert William Boulden [b1897]; also, brother-in-law of George Goody [b1898] and Percy George Felgate [b1896]. Home: Liston Grove, Liston Lane, Long Melford [1911], Mersea House, Church Walk, Long Melford [1918], 6 Park Terrace, Little St Marys, long Melford (1939) to [1984].  Occupation: Cabinet Maker [1928], (1939).  Married: Jessie Kathleen Branwhite in 1937.  Service Record: Harry enlisted for a period of four years in February 1928 as Gnr.778736 with the Territorial section of the Royal Artillery, being transferred to the Army Reserve in 1932.[11]  In August 1942 he joined ‘H’ Company, 10^th Battalion, Suffolk Home Guard, his name being recorded in the official tribute to the organization entitled The Lion Roared his Defiance, photographed in and around Long Melford in 1944.[12]  Died: Long Melford, Suffolk on 29.8.1984.[13]

Boulden, Herbert William – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 25.3.1913.[14]  Parents: Frank Richard Boulden S^nr (Verger) [see above for his military record] and Beatrice Annie [née Purnell] residents of Long Melford.  Family Connections: Brother to Frank Richard Boulden [b1897], Edward George Boulden [b1907] and Harry Thomas Boulden [b1910]; also, brother-in-law of George Goody [b1898] and Percy George Felgate [b1896]. Home: Mersea House, Church Walk/Row, Long Melford [1918] to (1939), 17 Talgarth Road, Hammersmith, Middlesex [1957], 125 Upshire Road, Waltham Abbey, Essex [1980].[15]  Occupation: Lorry Driver (1939).  Married: Florence Clara Herring in 1940.  Service Record: No military record found.  Died: Waltham Abbey, Essex on 5.5.1980.[16]

Related Biographies

Felgate, Percy George – Born: Alpheton, Suffolk in 1896.  Parents: George Felgate (Agricultural Labourer) and Ellen [née Andrews].  Family Connections: Son-in-law of Frank Richard Boulden [b1872]; also, brother-in-law of Frank Richard Boulden [b1897], Edward George Boulden [b1907], Harry Thomas Boulden of Long Melford [b1910] and Herbert William Boulden of Long Melford [b1913].  Home: Smithwood Green, Cockfield, Suffolk (1901 to 1911).  Occupation: Farm Lad (1911).  Married: Olive Kate Boulden in 1931.  Service Record: Percy was conscripted as Pte.GS/26667 with 2^nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers [City of London Regiment], being posted to France on 9.7.1916, transferring a week later to 8^th [Service] Battalion as part of 36^th Brigade, 12^th [Eastern] Division and seeing action at the following battles of the Somme Offensive of 1916: Albert, Poziers and Le Transloy.  Returning to England from October to February he was re-posted to the Western Front on 14.3.1917, joining 22^nd [Service] Battalion as part of 99^th Brigade, 2^nd Division, this time seeing action at the battles of Arras and Cambrai.  The battalion was disbanded in February 1918 and its men transferred to 23^rd [Service] Battalion [1^st Sportsman’s], a sister unit within the same brigade.  More mayhem followed in March 1918 when the German’s launched their Spring Offensive, pounding many British units to near destruction.  By August Percy was on the move again, transferring to 9^th [Service] Battalion, seeing yet more action at the battles of Epehy and St Quentin Canal in September and the Final Advance in Artois in early October.  Private Felgate was discharged on 26.10.1918.[17]  Died: City of London in 1935.

Goody, George – Born: Glemsford, Suffolk on 31.12.1898.[18]  Parents: James Goody (Iron Founder’s Hammer Man) and Elizabeth Jane [née Bird] (Silk Throwster).  Family Connections: Son-in-law of Frank Richard Boulden [b1872]; also, brother-in-law of Frank Richard Boulden [b1897], Edward George Boulden [b1907], Harry Thomas Boulden [b1910] and Herbert William Boulden [b1913].  Home: Silk Factory Yard, Glemsford, Suffolk (1901), Brook Street, Glemsford (1911), Mill Hill, Melford Road, Sudbury, Suffolk (1939), 18 School Field, Glemsford [1961].  Occupation: Horseman on Farm (1939), Farm Stockman [1961].  Married: Beatrice Annie Boulden of Long Melford in 1920.  Service Record: George was conscripted as Pte.56567 with 6^th [Service] Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment, posted to France as part of 54^th Brigade, 18^th [Eastern] Division.  The Battalion fought in many engagements on the Western Front including the Battles of the Somme in 1916, the Third Battles of Ypres in 1917, and the German Spring Offensive, the Battles of the Hindenburg Line, and the Final Advance in Artois in 1918.  He was issued with a Silver War Badge due to wounds and eventually discharged from the army in August 1919.[19]  Died: Chelmsford, Essex in 1984.

Notes – [1] Date of birth taken from the 1939 Register for Long Melford.  [2] Published by Marten & Son, Ltd., of Market Hill, Sudbury, Suffolk in 1946.  [3] Date of death from the National Probate Calendar.  [4] Date of birth from the 1939 Register for Long Melford. [5] For his occupation see Kelly’s Directory Suffolk 1925. [6] 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].  [7] Date of birth from the Baptism Register 27.3.1898, St Andrews Church, Foxton, Leicestershire. [8] For details of 7^th Suffolk’s movements see War Diary [WO 95/1852/4] and Murphy, Lieutenant-Colonel C. C. R. The History of the Suffolk Regiment 1914-1927 [London: Hutchinson and Co, 1928], pp.129-33 and 177-81.  For details of 1/1^st Cambridge’s deployment after the amalgamation see War Diary [WO 95/1850/2].  See also his Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].  [9] Commonwealth War Graves Commission record and British Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929 file [ref: 797393].  [10] Date of birth taken from the 1939 Register for Long Melford. [11] Royal Artillery Attestations 1883-1942. [12] Marten & Son op. cit.  [13] Date of death from the National Probate Calendar.  [14] Date of birth taken from the 1939 Register for Long Melford. [15] Electoral Roll for Hammersmith and Fulham. [16] Date of death from the National Probate Calendar.  [17] For Percy’s military details see his Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].  [18] Date of birth taken from the 1939 Register for the Melford Rural District. [19] For military details see his Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329], Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372], and Service Medal and Award Rolls, First World War, Silver War Badge [WO 329] record ref: [badge no: B322008].