Selected Biographies

Ponder, Albert Edward – Born:  Alpheton, Suffolk on 24.9.1902.[1]  Parents: Harry Ephraim Ponder (Agricultural Labourer) and Mary [née Bowers].  Family Connections: Brother to George William Ponder [b1901], half-brother of Frederick Ponder [b1886] and Alfred Ponder [b1889]; also, stepbrother of Bertie Fred Bowers [b1891].  Home: near The Lion Inn, Alpheton, Suffolk (1911), The Haven, Sutton Courtney, Berkshire [1933], 48 Milton Road, Sutton Courtenay (1939) to [1976].  Occupation: Agricultural Labourer (1921), College Stoker (1939).  Married: Dorothy ‘Doris’ Lucy Hemmings in 1933.  Service Record: No definitive military record has been found.  Died: Sutton Courtenay, Berkshire on 14.7.1976.[2]

Ponder, Alfred – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk in 1889.  Parents: Harry Ephraim Ponder (Agricultural Labourer) and Sarah Ann [née Day].  Family Connections: Half-brother of George William Ponder [b1900] and Albert Edward Ponder [b1902]; also, stepbrother of Bertie Fred Bowers [b1891].  Home: Bridge Street, Long Melford (1891 and 1901), Alpheton, Suffolk (1911).  Occupation: Agricultural Labourer (1911).  Service Record: Alfred enlisted on 2.1.1915 as Pte.17445 with 3^rd [Reserve] Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, being discharged the following month as ‘unlikely to become an efficient soldier’.[3]

Ponder, Bertie William – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 18.2.1890.[4]  Parent: Martha Ann Ponder.  Family Connections: Father to William Bertie Ponder [b1913] and father-in-law of William Sydney James Ford [b1909]; also, brother of Ernest Harry Ponder [b1893] and cousin of George Henry Sampson Ponder [b1894], William James Ponder [b1896] and Sydney Lewis Claude Ponder [b1899].  Home: Bridge Street, Long Melford (1891), Alpheton Tye, Suffolk (1901 to 1921), Lodge Farm, High Street, Long Melford (1939).  Occupation: Agricultural Labourer (1911 to 1921), Horseman on Farm (1939).  Married: Annie Elizabeth Salvage in 1912.  Service Record: At the Melford Military Tribunal on 24.7.1916 Bertie’s employer Mr J. Underhill of Alpheton requested an exemption from military service on his Horseman’s behalf, which was granted conditionally.[5]  It is not known if the exemption was ever revoked as no extant military record can be found.  Died: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk 1986.

Ponder, Bertram Thomas – Born: Ely, Cambridgeshire on 21.1.1894.[6]  Parents: Thomas Ponder of Long Melford (Warrener) and Emma Jane [née Snare].  Home: Heath, Bridgham, Norfolk (1901), London Road, Attleborough, Norfolk (1911).  Occupation: Grocer’s Assistant at the International Stores (1911).  Service Record: Bertie was conscripted as Gnr.38144 with the Machine Gun Corps [Heavy Branch] attached to the Royal Tank Corps.[7]  Died: of pneumonia on 18.12.1916 at the Military Hospital at Bovington Camp in Dorset and is commemorated by a memorial plaque in the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Attleborough and on the village’s War Memorial.[8]

Ponder, Ernest Harry – Born: Alpheton, Suffolk in 1893.  Parent: Martha Ponder of Long Melford.  Connections: Brother to Bertie William Ponder [b1890] and uncle of William Bertie Ponder [b1913]; also, cousin of George Henry Sampson Ponder [b1894], William James Ponder [b1896] and Sydney Lewis Claude Ponder [b1899].  Home: Alpheton, Suffolk (1901) lodging with Silas Long (uncle) in Alpheton (1911).  Occupation: Agricultural Labourer (1911).  Service Record: Ernest enlisted as Pte.4345 with the Suffolk Regiment, transferring as Pte.6107 to 1/4^th Battalion, Suffolks and posted to France as part 98^th Brigade, 33^rd Division, where he saw action during the Somme Offensive of 1916.[9]  Died: Private Ponder was killed in action on 1.11.1916 in an attack on German lines at ‘Dewdrop Trench’ and is buried in Delville Wood Cemetery [grave ref: XXV.J.8], Longueval, Picardie, France.  He is also remembered on the Memorial Plaque in St Peter and St Paul Church, Alpheton in Suffolk.[10]

Ponder, George Henry Sampson – Born: East Ham, Essex on 7.12.1894.[11]  Parents: James Henry Ponder of Long Melford (General Labourer) and Mary Ellen [née Sampson].  Family Connections: Brother to William James Ponder [b1896] and Sydney Lewis Claude Ponder [b1899]; also, cousin of Bertie William Ponder [b1890] and Ernest Harry Ponder [b1893].  Home: 5 St Albans Avenue, East Ham, Essex (1901), 25 Auberon Street, North Woolwich, Essex (1911 to 1921), North View, Frederick Road, Rainham, Essex (1939).  Occupation: Factory Office Lad (1911), Department Clerk for W. T. Henley, Cable Manufacturer (1921 to 1939).  Married: Elizabeth Abbott in 1923.  Service Record: George enlisted as Pte.6596 with 1/23^rd Battalion, London Regiment, transferring first as Pte.43765 to 8^th [Service] Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, then as Pte.18637 to 2^nd Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment.  Both Irish regiments came under the command of 16^th [Irish] Division and saw action on the Western Front.  Private Ponder received his discharge in February 1919.[12]  Died: Newham, London in 1976.

Ponder, George William – Born:  Long Melford on 16.7.1900.[13]  Parents: Harry Ephraim Ponder (Agricultural Labourer) and Mary [née Bowers].  Family Connections: Brother to Albert Edward Ponder [b1902], half-brother of Alfred Ponder [b1889] and stepbrother of Bertie Fred Bowers [b1891].  Home: Bridge Street, Long Melford (1891 to 1901), near The Lion Inn, Alpheton, Suffolk (1911), 142 Pixmore Way, Letchworth, Hertfordshire (1939).  Occupation: Bookbinder (1939).  Married: Violet Footman in 1934.  Service Record: No definitive military record has been found.  Died: Hitchen, Hertfordshire in 1972.

Ponder, Sydney Lewis Claude – Born: North Woolwich, London on 27.8.1899.[14]  Parents: James Henry Ponder of Long Melford (General Labourer) and Mary Ellen [née Sampson].  Family Connections: Brother to George Henry Sampson Ponder [b1894] and William James Edward Ponder [b1896]; also, cousin of Bertie William Ponder [b1890] and Ernest Harry Ponder [b1893].  Home: 7 St Albans Avenue, East Ham, Essex (1901), Auberon Street, North Woolwich, Essex (1911 to 1939).  Occupation: Cable Worker (1921 to 1939).  Married: Elizabeth Roberts in 1940.  Service Record: Sydney was conscripted as Pte.57503 with 18^th [Service] Battalion [Arts and Crafts], King’s Royal Rifle Corps.  The battalion came under the command of 41^st Division and saw action in France, Belgium and Italy between 1916 and 1918.[15]  Died: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk in 1978.

Ponder, William Bertie – Born: Alpheton, Suffolk on 22.8.1913.[16]  Parents: Bertie William Ponder of Long Melford (Agricultural Labourer) [see above for details] and Annie Elizabeth [née Salvage].  Family Connections: Nephew of Ernest Harry Ponder [b1893]; also, brother-in-law of William Sydney James Ford [b1909].  Home: Alpheton Tye, Suffolk (1921), Lodge Farm, High Street, Long Melford (1939).  Occupation: Farm Stockman (1939).  Married: Lavinia Shelley in 1954.  Service Record: During the Second World War William was a member of the Local Defence Volunteers in Long Melford, being part of ‘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.[17]  Died: Bury St Edmunds in 1986.

Ponder, William James Edward – Born: North Woolwich, London on 28.2.1896.[18] .  Parents: James Henry Ponder of Long Melford (General Labourer) and Mary Ellen [née Sampson].  Family Connections: Brother to George Henry Sampson Ponder [b1894] and Sydney Lewis Claude Ponder [b1899]; also, cousin of Bertie William Ponder [b1890] and Ernest Harry Ponder [b1893].  Home: 6 St Albans Avenue, East Ham, Essex (1901), 25 Auberon Street, North Woolwich, Essex (1911 to 1921).  Occupation: Cable Braiding Hand for W. T. Henley, Cable Manufacturer (1911 to 1921).  Married: Beatrice Sarah Lillian Monroe in 1923.  Service Record: William enlisted in 1913 as Pte.587 with 1^st Divisional Territorial Force, Army Service Corps.  During the First World War he was transferred as Dvr.T4/238337 to 509^th [Horse Transport] Company, Army Service Corps, 58^th [London] Divisional Train and posted to the Western Front from 24.1.1917, where he saw action in the following battles: Third Ypres in 1917 and the following year at First and Second Somme, Epehy and the Final Advance in Artois.  He received his discharge in March 1919.[19]  Died: Newham, London in 1968.

Related Biography

Ford, William ‘Bill’ Sidney James – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 8.4.1909.[20]  Parents: James Ford (Ostler at the Bull Hotel) [see details above] and Fanny [née Wheeler].  Family Connections: Nephew of Arthur Ford [b1884] and Sidney Charles Ford [b1895]; also, son-in-law of Bertie William Ponder [b1890] and brother-in-law of William Bertie Ponder [1913].  Home: Bull Tap, Bull Hotel, Hall Street, Long Melford (1911), lodging with William Bulmer (uncle) in Hall Street, Long Melford (1921), St Catherines Road, Long Melford (1939), Hartsbuckle, Liston, Essex [1977].  Occupation: Galenical Maker’s Charge Hand for Stafford Allen & Sons (1939).  Married: Mabel Hilda Ponder [d1930] in 1930 and Ada Margaret Daniels in 1935.  Service Record: Bill was a member of ‘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.[21]  Died: Liston, Essex on 9.6.1977.[22]

Notes – [1] 1939 Register.  [2] National Probate Calendar.  [3] Soldiers’ Documents and Pension Claims, First World War [WO 364].  [4] 1939 Register.  [5] Suffolk and Essex Free Press 26.7.1916.  [6] Date of birth from the Admissions Register of 1900 for Bridgham Road Board School, Bridgham, Norfolk.  [7] Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923 [ref: 11/D/103251].  [8] Commonwealth War Grave Commission record and British Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929 [ref:432093].  [9] For details of the action see 1/4^th Suffolk’s War Diary [WO 95/2427/2] and Lieutenant-Colonel C. C. R. Murphy, The History of the Suffolk Regiment 1914-1927 [London: Hutchinson and Co, 1928], pp.192-93.  See also his Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].  [10] Commonwealth War Graves Commission record and British Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929 file [ref: 416832].  [11] 1939 Register.  [12] Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].  [13] 1939 Register.  [14] 1939 Register.  [15] Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].  [16] 1939 Register.  [17] Published by Marten & Son, Ltd., of Market Hill, Sudbury, Suffolk in 1946.  [18] Baptism Register of 22.3.1896 for St Marks Church, Silvertown, London.  [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] Date of birth from the 1939 Register. [21] Published by Marten & Son, Ltd., of Market Hill, Sudbury, Suffolk in 1946.   [22] National Probate Calendar.