Selected Biographies

Risby, Albert Victor – Born: Lavenham, Suffolk on 22.6.1897.[1]  Parents: Charles Jones Risby (Mat Maker, later Gamekeeper) and Susannah [née Lambert] (Horsehair Weaver).  Family Connections: Brother to Arthur Charles Risby [b1899].  Home: High Street, Long Melford (1901), Holt Common, Woodlands St Mary, Hungerford, Berkshire (1911), Thedden Grove, Alton, Hampshire (1939).  Occupation: Chauffeur (1939).  Married: Gertrude Hance in 1922.  Service Record: Albert enlisted in 1915 as Pte.M2/105759 with the Mechanical Transport Section of the Army Service Corps, posted to France from 12.8.1915 and discharged in June 1919.[2]  Died: Southwestern Surrey in 1975.

Risby, Arthur Charles – Born: Lavenham, Suffolk on 15.2.1899.[3]  Parents: Charles Jones Risby (Mat Maker, later Gamekeeper) and Susannah [née Lambert] (Horsehair Weaver).  Family Connections: Brother to Albert Victor Risby [b1897].  Home: High Street, Long Melford (1901), Holt Common, Woodlands St Mary, Hungerford, Berkshire (1911), Hoyle Lane, Heyshott, Midhurst, Sussex (1939), River House, Petworth, Sussex [1976].  Occupation: Gamekeeper (1939).  Married: Elsie M. Butler [d1951] in 1924 and Maria Meilke in 1952.  Service Record: Arthur was conscripted as Pte. G/25766 with 10^th [Service] Battalion, The Queen’s [Royal West Surrey] Regiment, being posted to France as part of 124^th Brigade, 41^st Division.  His unit saw action during the Somme Offensive of 1916, the Third Battles of Ypres in 1917 and at several key encounters in 1918.[4]  Died: Petworth, Sussex on 25.2.1976.[5]

Risby, Charles Henry – Born: Ballingdon, Essex in 1840.  Parents: James Risby (Brickmaker) [see below for military details] and Rebecca [née Felton].  Family Connections: Uncle of William Risby [b1880].  Home: Ballingdon Street, Ballingdon, Essex (1841 to 1851), 1 Prospect Place, Bulmer, Essex (1871), 5 Harrows Yard, Ballingdon (1881).  Occupation: Agricultural Labourer (1841 to 1851), Soldier [1858 to 1870], Brickmaker (1871), Brewer’s labourer (1881).  Service Record: Charles enlisted in September 1858 as Pte.159 with his father’s old unit the 43^rd Regiment of Light Infantry, receiving his discharge in June 1870 after 18 years with the Colours.  During his time with the regiment, he saw action during the Indian Mutiny in 1859 and the Tauranga Campaign of 1863 against the Māori in New Zealand.  This latter campaign included the catastrophic defeat of British forces at the Battle of Gate Pā.[6]  Died: Sudbury, Suffolk in 1883.

Risby, James – Born: Ballingdon, Essex in 1793.[7]  Parents: James and Mary Risby.  Family Connections: Father to Charles Henry Risby [b1840].  Home: Ballingdon Street, Ballingdon (1841 to 1851).  Occupation: Labourer [1811], Soldier [1811 to 1833], Brickmaker (1841 to 1851).  Married: Rebecca Felton in 1837.  Service Record: James enlisted in 1811 as a Private with 43^rd [Monmouthshire Light Infantry] Regiment of Foot, seeing action during the Napoleonic War in Spain and Portugal, between July 1813 and June 1814, and at the Battle of New Orleans in 1815.  Returning to Europe in June 1815 he was part of the Army of Occupation in France up to 1818 and then stationed in Portugal and Malta, before retiring in October 1833.  He was awarded the Peninsula War Medal with clasps for Vittoria, Pyrenees and Nivelle, and the Napoleonic Wars Medal with a clasp for Toulouse.[8]  Died: Sudbury, Suffolk in 1859.

Risby, Reginald Frederick Walter – Born: Sudbury, Suffolk on 14.12.1913.[9]  Parents: Frederick Risby and Kate [née Alleston].  Family Connections: Great-grandson of James Risby [b1793].  Home: Magna Farm, Newmans Green, Acton, Suffolk (1921), Waldingfield Road, Chilton, Suffolk (1939), 3 Playford Court, Sudbury, Suffolk [1992].  Occupation: Driver and Farm Work (1939).  Married: Daisy Maud Copsey of Long Melford in 1937.  Service Record: Reginald 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.  Died: Sudbury, Suffolk on 28.12.1992.

Risby, William – Born: Ballingdon, Essex in 1880.  Parents: James Alfred Risby (Bricklayer’s Labourer) and Lucy [née Jacobs].  Family Connections: Nephew of Charles Henry Risby [b1840].  Home: 27 Ballingdon Street, Ballingdon, Essex (1891 to 1901), 5 Middleton Road, Ballingdon (1911), 80 Ballingdon Street, Ballingdon (1921).  Occupation: House Painter (1901 and 1921).  Married: Hannah Stanhope of Long Melford in 1904.  Service Record: William was medically categorised as Bii when he was conscripted on 8.8.1917 with the Royal Field Artillery.  Such a moderately low fitness grade would normally preclude any combative posting.  He was transferred to 399^th [Home Service] Company, Labour Corps, then on 26.6.1918 as Pte.106132 to ‘C’ Company, 28^th [Home Service] Battalion, Durham Light Infantry based at Frinton-on-Sea in Essex, where he stayed until the end of the War.  By the middle of January 1919, he had been transferred as Pte. T/446273 to 1050^th [Mechanical Transport] Company, Royal Army Service Corps, receiving his discharge shortly after.[10][11]   Died: Sudbury, Suffolk in 1924.

Related Biography

Eary, Arthur – Born: Lavenham, Suffolk in 1867.  Parents: Charles George Eary (Agricultural Labourer) and Ellen [née Rushbrooke].  Family Connections: Uncle of Frederick Rudolph Eady [b1888], Walter Eady [b1890] and Sydney Eady [b1891].  Home: High Street, Lavenham, Suffolk (1871), Nookey Green, Preston, Suffolk (1881), living with Matilda Risby (mother-in-Law) in Hall Street, Long Melford (1891), Hall Street, Long Melford (1901 to 1921).  Occupation: Miller’s Carter (1891), Carrier (1901), Grocer and Provisions Merchant (1911), Hawker (1921).  Married: Annie Eliza Risby in 1891.  Service Record: Arthur was a member of the Long Melford Volunteer Training Corps in 1915.[12]  Died: Sudbury, Suffolk in 1932.

Notes – [1] Baptism Register 5.9.1897, St Peter and St Pauls Church, Lavenham, Suffolk.  [2] Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].  [3] Baptism Register 7.5.1899, St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Lavenham, Suffolk.  [4] For details of 10^th Royal West Surrey’s movements see War Diary [WO 95/2643/1-2].  See also his Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].  [5] National Probate Calendar.  [6] Chelsea Pensioners British Army Service Records 1760-1913 [WO 97].  [7] Year of birth based on his Army Record and the Baptism Register of 31.1.1794 for All Saints Church, Sudbury, Suffolk.  [8] Royal Hospital, Chelsea: Regimental Registers of Pensioners, 1713-1882 [WO 97/588] and Out Pensioner: Admission Books [WO 23/4]; also, Military Campaign Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1949 [WO 100/6 and WO 100/9].  [9] 1939 Register.  [10] Published by Marten & Son, Ltd., of Market Hill, Sudbury, Suffolk in 1946.  [11] Soldiers’ Documents, First World War ‘Burnt Documents’ [WO 363], which records that his poor physical condition was due in part to lead poisoning, presumably brought about by its contemporary use in the manufacture of paint.  [12] For Training Corps article see Suffolk and Essex Free Press 10.3.1915.