Selected Biographies

Rule, Ernest John Deeks – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk in 1894.  Parents: Harry Rule (Carrier) and Emily Elizabeth [née Watts] (Horsehair Weaver).  Family Connections: Brother to Frederick Charles Rule [b1873] and George Richard Rule [b1892]; also, uncle of Harry Frederick Charles Rule [b1899].  Home: Westgate Street, Long Melford (1901), lodging as farm servant to Thomas Dimmey on Demesne Farm, Shipton, Yorkshire (1911), The Bungalow, Derby Road, Mortlake, Surrey [1922], 39 Bicester Road, Richmond, Surrey [1958].  Occupation: Cowman on Farm (1911), Groundsman [1922].  Married: Elsie Everline Manser in 1922.  Service Record: Ernest enlisted in 1915 as Pte.14866 with ‘B’ Company, 11^th [Service] Battalion, Essex Regiment.  He was posted with his unit to France on 31.8.1915 as part of 71^st Brigade, 6^th Division, the Battalion seeing action during the Somme Offensive of 1916 and at the Battle of Cambrai in 1917.  Before his discharge in March 1919, he was transferred as Spr.144644 to the Royal Engineers.[1]  Died Richmond, Surrey in 1958.

Rule, Frederick Charles – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk 8.12.1874.[2]  Parents: Harry Rule (Carrier) and Emily [née Watts] (Horsehair Weaver).  Family Connections: Father of Harry Frederick Charles Rule [b1899] and brother of George Richard Rule [b1892], and Ernest John Deeks Rule [b1894].  Home: 12 Clark Street, Mile End, London (1881), Cranmore Hill, Long Melford (1891), Grange Cottage, The Green, Long Melford (1901 to 1939).  Occupation: Coachman (1901 to 1911), Groom and Gardener [1918], Gardener (1921 to 1939).  Married: Bessie Digby in 1898.  Service Record: Frederick was a member of the Long Melford Volunteer Training Corps in 1915.  On 9.8.1918 he was coscripted as Pte.282429 with the Royal Air Force, moving to the RAF Reserve in February 1919 and receiving his discharge in April 1920.[3]  Died: Sudbury, Suffolk in 1949.

Rule, George Richard – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 30.12.1892.[4]  Parents: Harry Rule (Carrier) and Emily Elizabeth [née Watts].  Family Connections: Brother to Frederick Charles Rule [b1874] and Ernest John Deeks Rule [b1894]; also, uncle of Harry Frederick Charles Rule [b1899].  Home: Hope Cottage, Westgate Lane/Street, Long Melford (1901 to 1921), 57 Douglas Avenue, Watford, Hertfordshire (1939).  Occupation: Carrier (1911 to 1921), Bus Conductor (1939).  Married: Edith Elizabeth Garwood in 1897.  Service Record: It is not known if George saw service during the First World War as no definitive military record has been found, however in 1922 he is recorded as the Honorary Secretary of the Long Melford Ex-Service Men’s Club.  Died: Watford, Hertfordshire in 1967.

Rule, Harry Frederick Charles – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 24.3.1899.[5]  Parents: Frederick Charles Rule (Coachman) [see details above] and Bessie [née Digby].  Family Connections: Nephew of George Richard Rule [b1892] and Ernest John Deeks Rule [b1894].  Home: Grange Cottage, The Green, Long Melford (1901 and 1911) and [1917], 6 The Avenue, Bickley, Kent (1939) to [1959].  Occupation: Motor Driver [1917] to (1939).  Married: Florence Edwards in 1935.  Service Record: Harry was conscripted on 31.3.1917 as Pte. M/303698 with the Mechanical Transport Section of the Army Service Corps, being discharged on 20.9.1917 as ‘no longer physically fit for War Service’, having suffered in quick succession from scarlet fever, measles, and influenza.[6]   During the Second World War he acted as an Air Raid Precautions Warden.[7]  Died: Bickley, Kent on 23.12.1959.[8]

Rule, Richard – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 25.7.1834.[9]  Parents: Henry Rule (Labourer) and Elizabeth [née Stanhope].  Home: Hollands, The Green, Long Melford (1841), Mill Lane, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey (1851), on board HMS Cressy on Mediterranean Station with the Royal Navy (1861).  Occupation: Miller’s Labourer (1851), Sailor (1861).  Service Record: On 4.5.1854 Richard volunteered as N^o.11433 with the Royal Navy. By 1861 he had risen to the rank of Leading Seaman serving aboard HMS Cressy as part of the Mediterranean fleet off Sicily.  The following year however he was posted on a list entitled ‘Deserters, Stragglers, and Men Discharged from Her Majesty’s Sea Service’ in the Police Gazette, as a straggler from HMS Virago, which at this time was moored off Sheerness in Kent.  At some point he returned to the Navy, serving as Boatswain’s Mate on the shore establishment HMS Fisgard at Woolwich, although he was again listed, this time as a deserter from the troopship HMS Serapsis in September 1870.[10]

Related Biographies

Adams, Alexander Charles – Born: Glemsford, Suffolk on 22.10.1870.[11]  Parents: Andrew Adams (Coconut Mat Maker) and Laura Maria [née Borley] (Bootmaker). Family Connections: Brother to Ezra Adams [b1870], Jesseniah Adams [b1879] and Garfield Adams [b1888]; also, father of Frederick Charles Adams [b1897] and brother-in-law to Frederick Charles Rule [b1873], George Richard Rule [b1892], and Ernest John Deeks Rule [b1894].  Home: Fair Green, Glemsford, Suffolk (1881 and 1891), Westgate Street/Lane, Long Melford (1901 and 1911).  Occupation: Coconut Mat Maker (1901 and 1911).  Married: Bertha Mary Ann Rule of Long Melford in 1897.  Service Record: No definitive military record found.  Died: Sudbury, Suffolk in 1939.

Adams, Frederick Charles – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 28.8.1897.  Parents: Alexander Charles Adams (Coconut Mat Maker) [see above for details] and Bertha May [née Rule] of Long Melford (Horsehair Weaver).  Family Connections: Nephew of Ezra Adams [b1870], Jesseniah Adams [b1879], Garfield Adams [b1888], Frederick Charles Rule [b1873], George Richard Rule [b1892] and Ernest John Deeks Rule [b1894] Home: Westgate Lane, Long Melford [1897], Hall Street, Long Melford (1901), living with Maria Adams (Grandmother) in Westgate Street, Long Melford (1911).  Occupation: Errand Boy (1911).  Service Record: A member of the Long Melford Volunteer Training Corps in 1915.[12]  Frederick attested as Pte.G/27789 with 15^th [Labour] Battalion, The Queen’s [Royal West Surrey] Regiment.  This unit served briefly on the Western Front before being posted to Salonika.  Adams transferred in 1917 as Pte.58204 to 98^th Labour Company, Labour Corps also based in Salonika.[13]  Died: Frederick died on 21.12.1918 and is buried in Mikra British Cemetery [grave ref: 1089], Kalamaria, Greece.[14]

Notes – [1] Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].  [2] Baptism Register of 3.1.1875 for Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford. [3] For Training Corps articles see Suffolk and Essex Free Press 10.3.1915 and 29.12.1915.  See also his Air Member for Personnel and predecessors: Airman’s Records [AIR 79/2458].  [4] Baptism Register of 5.2.1893 for Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford.  [5] Baptism Register of 29.6.1899 for Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford. [6] Soldiers’ Documents and Pension Claims, First World War [WO 364].  [7] 1939 Register.  [8] National Probate Calendar.  [9] Baptism Register of 1.8.1835 for Holy Trinity Church. Long Melford.  [10] Admiralty: Royal Navy Continuous Service Engagement Books [TNA – ADM 139/11511433] and Police Gazette 30.5.1862 & 4.11.1870.  [11] Date of birth from the 1939 Register for Long Melford. [12] Training Corps article see Suffolk and Essex Free Press 10.3.1915.  [13] For details of 15^th Battalion’s and 98^th Labour Company’s movements in Salonika see War Diaries [TNA – WO 95/4932] and [TNA – WO 95/4944].  Medal Roll [WO 329] and Medal Index Card [WO 372].  [14] Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.