Selected Biographies

Hurst, Alexander Burnett – Born: Cavendish, Suffolk in 1862.  Parents: Robert Hurst (Schoolmaster) and Margaret [née Burnett] (Schoolmistress).  Family Connections: Brother to Bernard Horace Hurst [b1860]: also, uncle of Lionel Alexander Hurst [b1898] and Percy James Boggis [b1892] and William Boggis [b1895].  Home: Grammar School, High Street, Cavendish (1871 and 1881), Hall Street, Long Melford (1891 and 1901), 134 Kennington Park Road, Kennington, London (1911) and [1917].  Occupation: Assistant Teacher (1881), Pianoforte Tuner (1891), Teacher of Music (1901), Piano Tuner (1911).  Married: Maud Thurston of Long Melford in 1900.  Service Record: Alexander was attested as Pte.2014 with 24^th [County of London] Battalion [The Queen’s], London Regiment, transferring as Sgt.3223 to the Royal Defence Corps.  Died: Sergeant Hurst died from pneumonia in Lambeth, London on 26.2.1917 and is commemorated the Streatham Park Cemetery [screen wall 1.7135], Mitcham, Surrey.[1]

Hurst, Bernard Horace – Born: Barley, Hertfordshire in 1860.  Parents: Robert Hurst (Schoolmaster) and Margaret [née Burnett] (Schoolmistress).  Family Connections: Father of Lionel Alexander Hurst [b1898] and brother to Alexander Burnett Hurst [b1862]; also, brother-in-law of Walter Boggis [b1870], and uncle of Percy James Boggis [b1892] and William Boggis [b1895].  Home: High Street, Barley, Hertfordshire (1861), Grammar School, High Street, Cavendish, Suffolk (1871 and 1881), Hall Street, Long Melford (1891) to [1937].  Occupation: Organist (1891), Teacher of Music, Organist and Clerk to Long Melford Parish Council [1900 to 1937], Clerk to the Parish Council [1937].[2]  Married: Amelia Boggis of Long Melford in 1892.  Service Record: Bernard was a member of the Long Melford Volunteer Training Corps in 1915 and recorded as a Special Constable in July 1919.[3]  Died: Sudbury, Suffolk in 1939.

Hurst, George Bernard – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk 25.4.1903.[4]  Parents: Bernard Horace Hurst (Music Teacher) and Amelia [née Boggis].  Family Connections: Brother to Lionel Alexander Hurst [b1898]; also, nephew of Alexander Burnett Hurst [b1862] and Walter Boggis [b1870], and brother-in-law of Graydon John Palmer Randle [b1896], and Austin Jarvis Palmer Randle [b1899].  Home: Hall Street, Long Melford (1911 to 1939).  Occupation: Bank Clerk [1922], Clerk at the Ministry of Transport and Volunteer Ambulance Driver (1939).  Married: Dorothy Maud Randle of Long Melford in 1936.  Service Record: George enlisted in 1922 as Pte.6079909 with Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment, receiving his discharge in 1934.[5] Died: Stourbridge, Worcestershire in 1981.

Hurst, Lionel Alexander – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk 11.3.1898.[6]  Parents: Bernard Horace Hurst (Music Teacher) and Amelia [née Boggis].  Family Connections: Brother to George Bernard Hurst [b1903]; also, nephew of Alexander Burnett Hurst [b1862] and Walter Boggis [b1870], and brother-in-law of Wilfred Ernest James Kemp [b1899].  Home: Hall Street, Long Melford (1901 and 1911), School House, Great Cornard, Suffolk (1939).  Occupation: School Teacher [1916], Head Teacher (1939).  Married: Edith Elvira Theobald in 1924.  Service Record: Lionel was a member of the Long Melford Volunteer Training Corps in 1915,[7] enlisting in July 1916 as Ordinary Seaman N^o. Z/6044 with the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve.  In April 1917 he qualified as a signaller, receiving his discharge in March 1919.[8]  Died: Colchester, Essex in 1963.

Hurst, Mrs Rosetta Elizabeth see under Gooday

Related Biographies

Boggis, Walter – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 16.12.1870.[9]  Parents: Frederick Boggis (Agricultural Labourer) and Jane [née Pryke].  Family Connections: Uncle of Percy James Boggis [b1892], William Boggis [b1895] and Arthur Boggis [b1904]; also, brother-in-law of Bernard Horace Hurst [b1860] and uncle of Lionel Alexander Hurst [b1898] and George Bernard Hurst [b1903].  Home: The Green, Long Melford (1871, 1881), Church Walk, Long Melford (1891), 66 Herbert Road, East Ham, London (1901), Third Avenue, Manor Park, London (1911 to 1939).  Occupation: Coconut Mat Weaver (1891), Railway Shunter (1901) to [1936].  Married: Ada Nice in 1900.  Service Record: Walter was a member of the National Union of Railwaymen from 1913 until his retirement in 1936.  No definitive military record has been found.  Died: Brentwood, Essex in 1943.

Gooday, Rosetta Elizabeth – Born: Lavenham, Suffolk on 15.12.1895.[10]  Parents: George Charles Gooday (Builder and a member of the South Suffolk National Service Committee in 1917) and Elizabeth [née Pryke] (Dressmaker).  Home: 7 Church Street, Sudbury, Suffolk (1891), 36 Friars Street, Sudbury (1901 and 1911), Hall Street, Long Melford [1916], 5 Pot Kiln Road, Great Cornard, Suffolk (1939), Flat 13, Clibbon House, Butt Road, Great Cornard [1971].  Occupation: Shop Assistant (1911), Cook (1939).  Married: Charles Robert Hurst of Long Melford in 1915.  Service Record: Mrs Hurst was a volunteer with the British Red Cross Society from December 1916 engaged as a Cook at Melton Red Cross Hospital in Woodbridge, Suffolk and from August 1918 at the Auxiliary Hospital in Sudbury, Suffolk.  She continued in this role after the War.[11]  Died: Sudbury, Suffolk on 13.10.1971.[12]

Randle, Austin Jarvis Palmer – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 3.3.1899.[13] Parents: John Palmer Randle (Wheelwright) [see below for military details] and Augusta [née Chinnery].  Family Connections: Brother to Graydon John Palmer Randle [b1895]; also, cousin of Harry Palmer Randle [b1889] and Albert William Palmer Randle [b1898], and brother-in-law of William Coe [b1891].  Home: Hall Street, Long Melford (1901 and 1911).  Occupation: Clerk at Barclays Bank in Sudbury [1918].  Service Record: Austin was a member of the Long Melford Volunteer Training Corps in 1915.[14]  Based on his service number, he enlisted in March 1918 as Gdmn.17409 with 1^st Battalion, Scots Guards, joining them in France as part of 1^st Guards Brigade, 1^st Division.[15]  Died: Austin was killed in action on 27.9.1918 during the retaking of Flesquières and is buried in Flesquières Hill British Cemetery [grave ref: VIII.B.10], Nord, France and is also commemorated on the Long Melford War Memorial.[16]

Randle, Graydon John Palmer[17] – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 18.12.1895.[18]  Parents: John Palmer Randle (Wheelwright) [see below for military details] and Augusta [née Chinnery].  Family Connections: Brother to Austin Jarvis Palmer Randle [b1899]; also, cousin of Harry Palmer Randle [b1889] and Albert William Palmer Randle [b1898], and brother-in-law of William Coe [b1891].  Home: Hall Street, Long Melford (1901 to 1939), Wayside Cottage, Thorpe Road, Tendring, Essex [1950].  Occupation: Assisting in family’s Wheelwright business (1911), Carter [1917], Chauffeur [1917], Carpenter and Undertaker (1939).  Married: Ida Chadwick in 1942.  Service Record: Graydon was a member of the Long Melford Volunteer Training Corps in 1915.  At the Melford Military Service Tribunal in June 1917 his application for exemption was deferred for six months.[19]  During this period, he was diagnosed with tuberculosis.[20]  It is not known if he was eventually conscripted as no extant military record has been found.  Died: Tendring, Essex on 20.2.1950.[21]

Notes – [1] See his Commonwealth War Graves Commission record and British Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929 file [ref: 439157].  [2] For his occupations see Kelly’s Directory for Suffolk from 1900 to 1925.  [3] For Training Corps articles see Suffolk and Essex Free Press 10.3.1915 and 29.12.1915.  For status as a special constable see SEFP 23.7.1919.  [4] 1939 Register for Melford Rural District in Suffolk.  [5] Queen´s Royal West Surrey, 1921-1922 Enlistment Register, Book 4.  [6] 1939 Register for Melford Rural District in Suffolk.  [7] For Training Corps articles see Suffolk and Essex Free Press 10.3.1915 and 29.12.1915.  [8] Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve: Records of Service [ADM 337/43] and Medal and Award Rolls [ADM 171/127].  [9] Baptism Register of 3.9.1871 for Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford.  [10] Baptism Register St Peter and St Pauls Church, Lavenham, Suffolk.  [11] British Red Cross Record Card.  [12] National Probate Calendar.  [13] Baptism Register 13.4.1899, St Catherines Mission Church, Long Melford.  [14] For Training Corps article see Suffolk and Essex Free Press 29.12.1915, recorded as A. Palmer [sic].  [15] For a possible date of enlistment see http://armyservicenumbers.blogspot.co.uk /2009/01/scots-guards.html.  For details of 1^st Scots Guards movements in 1918 see War Diary [WO 95/1219/3].  See also his Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372] [MI Card shows Regimental No. 17419, M Roll shows both] all in the name of Austin Jarvis Palmer [sic].  [16] See also his Commonwealth War Graves Commission record, British Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929 file [ref: 835012].  [17]  He had changed his name by deed poll to Graydon John Palmer, see London Gazette 23.6.1942, p.2794 for notification.  [18] Date of birth from the Baptism Register 13.2.1896, St Catherines Mission Church, Long Melford.  [19] For Training Corps article see Suffolk and Essex Free Press 10.3.1915, recorded as G. Palmer [sic].  For the Tribunal’s ruling see SEFP 6.6.1917.  [20] See the Tuberculosis Register of Notification from Medical Practitioners 4.9.1917 [Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk Record Office ref: EF501/4/23].  [21] Date of death from the National Probate Calendar under the surname Palmer.