Selected Biographies

Brunning, Charles Thomas – Born: Earls Colne, Essex on 21.10.1894.[1] Parents: Charles Walter Brunning of Long Melford (Agricultural Engineering Fitter) and Rachel [née Cheek]. Family Connections: Brother to Walter Fred Brunning [b1892] and Geordie Harry Brunning [b1897]; also, nephew of Robert Brunning [b1873] and Thomas Brunning [b1881]. Home: 45 Hay House Road, Earls Colne, Essex (1901), Little Baddow, Essex (1911), 45 Hay House Road, Earls Colne [1918 to 1926], New House Road, Earls Colne [1927 to 1947].[2] Occupation: Gardener (1911), Agricultural Labourer (1921) Gardener (1939). Married: Margaret Esther Coppen in 1926.  Service Record: Although no definitive military record has been found, Charles may have enlisted as Dvr.73463 with the Royal Field Artillery.  If this assumption is correct, then he was posted to France on 7.11.1915.[3] Died: London Hospital Annexe, Brentwood, Essex on 10.3.1947.[4]

Brunning, Georgie Harry – Born: Earls Colne, Essex on16.4.1887.[5] Parents: Charles Walter Brunning of Long Melford (Agricultural Engineering Fitter) and Rachel [née Cheek]. Family Connections: Brother to Walter Fred Brunning [b1892] and Charles Thomas Brunning [b1894]; also, nephew of Robert Brunning [b1873] and Thomas Brunning [b1881].  Home: 45 Hay House Road, Earls Colne, Essex (1901 to 1939).  Occupation: House Boy (1911), Servant (1921), Gardener (1939). Service Record: Although no definitive military record has been found, Geordie may have enlisted as Dvr.88584 with the Royal Field Artillery.  If this assumption is correct, then he was posted to France on 1.9.1915.[6] Died: Colchester, Essex 1955.

Brunning, Harry Wale – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 4.11.1872.[7]  Parents: William Brunning (Blacksmith) and Matilda [née Smith] (Housekeeper). Family Connections: Brother to Walter Brunning né Smith [b1870]. Home: Living with Caroline Brunning (grandmother) in White Hart Yard, Little St Marys, Long Melford (1881), St Marys Street/Little St Marys, Long Melford (1891 to 1911). Occupation: Coconut Mat Maker (1891 to 1911). Service Record: No definitive military record has been found. Died: Long Melford in 1920.[8]

Brunning, Robert ‘Bob’ – Born: Earls Colne, Essex on 3.1.1874.[9] Parents: Robert Brunning (Blacksmith) and Sarah Ann [née Piper], both of Long Melford. Family Connections: Brother to Thomas Brunning [b1881] and Golden Brunning [b1884]; also, uncle of Walter Fred Brunning [b1892], Charles Thomas Brunning [b1894], Geordie Harry Brunning [b1873] and Bertie Brunning [b1900]. Home: High Street, Earls Colne, Essex (1881), 13 Belle Vue Cottage, Back Lane, Earls Colne (1891 to 1911). Occupation: General Labourer (1891), Labourer in a Timber Yard (1901), Sawyer (1911). Service Record: No definitive military record has been found.  Died: Earls Colne, Essex and buried on 4.4.1918 at St Andrews Church, Colne Engaine, Essex.

Brunning, Thomas – Born: Earls Colne, Essex in 1881.  Parents: Robert Brunning (Blacksmith) and Sarah Ann [née Piper], both of Long Melford. Family Connections: Brother to Robert Brunning [b1873] and uncle of Walter Fred Brunning [b1892], Charles Thomas Brunning [b1894] and Geordie Harry Brunning [b1897]. Home: Back Lane, Earls Colne, Essex (1891), Bridge Foot, Earls Colne (1911 to 1921).  Occupation: Labourer [1898], Iron Turner (1911), Machinist for R. Hunt & Co [General Engineers of Atlas Works, Earls Colne] (1921). Married: Agnes Jeanette Everitt in 1909. Agnes was remarried in 1930 to William Martin. Service Record: Thomas enlisted in 1898 as Gnr.28042 with 44^th Battery, Royal Field Artillery, being posted to South Africa from 1900 to 1905 and seeing action in the Second Anglo-Boer War.  During the First World War he was posted to the Western Front with 6^th Divisional Ammunition Column from 13.8.1914 to 29.10.1915, receiving his discharge on 9.11.1915.  Died: Earls Colne, Essex in 1923.[10]

Brunning, Walter [né Smith] – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk in 1870.  Parents: William Brunning (Blacksmith) and Matilda [née Smith] (Housekeeper).  Family Connections: Brother to Harry Wale Brunning [b1872].  Home: Hall Street, Long Melford (1871).[11]  Service Record: No definitive military record has been found.

Brunning, Walter Charles [b1874] see under Blythe

Brunning, Walter Fred – Born: Coggeshall, Essex on 19.9.1892.  Parents: Charles Walter Brunning of Long Melford (Agricultural Engineering Fitter) and Rachel [née Cheek].  Family Connections: Brother to Charles Thomas Brunning [b1894] and Geordie Harry Brunning [b1873]; also, nephew of Robert Brunning [b1873] and Thomas Brunning [b1881].  Home: 45 Hay House Road, Earls Colne, Essex (1901, 1911).  Occupation: Agricultural Engineering Fitter (1911).  Service Record: Walter enlisted as Spr.40824 of 67^th Field Company, Royal Engineers, being posted to Gallipoli on 12.7.1915 as part of 11^th [Northern] Division.  Died: killed in action near Chocolate Hill on 22.8.1915 and buried in Hill 10 Cemetery, Gallipoli, Turkey.[12]

Related Biographies

Blythe, Edward Brunning – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 5.9.1899.[13] Parents: Walter Charles Blythe (Horsehair Dyer) [see record below] and Nellie Olive Deeks [nee Ambrose].  Home: Swan Cottage, Swan Lane Gardens, Long Melford (1901 and 1911), Melford House, Hall Street, Long Melford (1939). Occupation: Fruiterer and Confectioner (1939). Married: Margery E. Smith in 1933. Service Record: Edward was eligible for conscription from 1918, however no definitive military record has been found. During the Second World War he acted as an Air Raid Warden. Died: Sudbury, Suffolk in 1968.

Blythe [né Brunning], Walter Charles – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 28.10.1874.[14]  Parents: William Blythe (Greengrocer and Pork Butcher) and Emma [née Brunning].  Family Connections: Father of Edward Brunning Blythe [b1899].  Home: St Marys Street, Long Melford (1891), Swan Cottage, Swan Lane Gardens, Long Melford (1901 and 1911), Hall Street, Long Melford (1921), Melford House, Hall Street, Long Melford (1939) to [1965].  Occupation: Horsehair Packer (1901), Horsehair Dyer for List & Son of Long Melford (1911 to 1921), unemployed Horsehair Labourer (1939).  Married: Nellie Olive Deeks Ambrose in 1899.  Service Record: Walter was a member of the Melford Silver Band in 1914 and is recorded as a member of the Long Melford Volunteer Training Corps in 1916.[15] Died: Sudbury, Suffolk on 16.1.1965.[16]

Notes – [1] 1939 Register.  [2] Some addresses from the Electoral Roll.  [3] Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].  [4] National Probate Calendar.  [5] 1939 Register.  [6] Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].  [7] Baptism Register 3.8.1873 for Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford.  [8] Buried in Holy Trinity Church on 26.10.1920 [Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk Record Office ref: FL509/4/17].  [9] Date of birth kindly provided by Tony Pennick.  [10] See his 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].  [11] Recorded as Walter Smith on 1871 UK Census.  [12] For details of 67^th Field Company’s movements in Gallipoli see their War Diary [WO 95/4298].  For Walter’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], also his Commonwealth War Graves Commission record and British Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929 file [ref: 160372].  [13] Baptism Register 14.10.1899, Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford.  [14] 1939 Register for Long Melford.  [15] My thanks to Tim Seppings of Sudbury for showing Walter’s connection to the Melford Silver Band.  For Training Corps article see Suffolk and Essex Free Press 27.12.1916. [16] National Probate Calendar.