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Claypits Pond with Horses 1905
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Simpson

Selected Biographies

Simpson, Arthur Frederick – Born: Acton, Suffolk on 30.6.1882.[1]  Parents: Charles Simpson (Agricultural Labourer) and Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ [née Parmenter].  Family Connections: Brother to Frederick Simpson [b1884].  Home: Sudbury Road, Acton (1891), Military Barracks, Meerut, India (1911), 1 Suffolk Square, Sudbury, Suffolk (1921), 44 York Road, Sudbury (1939).  Occupation: General Labourer (1921 to 1939).  Married: Florence Ellen Murrells in 1914.  Service Record: Prior to enlisting with the Royal Horse Artillery in 1900 Arthur had been a volunteer with 3rd [Militia] Battalion, Suffolk Regiment.  In 1906 he was transferred as Dvr.12803 to ‘P’ Battery, 12th Brigade, RHA and posted to India until his discharge in 1912.[2]  In 1921 he is recorded as a Labourer with the Royal Defence Corps, suggesting he had also served in the army during the First World War, however no definitive military record has been found.  Died: Sudbury, Suffolk on 14.4.1948.

Simpson, Frederick ‘Fred’ – Born: Acton, Suffolk on 28.11.1884.[3]  Parents: Charles Simpson (Agricultural Labourer) and Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ [née Parmenter].  Family Connections: Brother to Arthur Frederick Simpson [b1882]; also, brother-in-law of Launcelot Charles Victor Andrews [b1897] and Robert George Andrews [b1899] both of Long Melford.  Home: Sudbury Road, Acton, Suffolk (1891), Newmans Green, Suffolk (1901), Post Office Row, Acton (1921 to 1939).  Occupation: Agricultural Labourer (1901 to 1939).  Married: Alice Eleanor Finch née Andrews of Long Melford in 1924. Alice’s previous husband George Finch had been killed in France in 1917.  Service Record: Fred enlisted on 26.2.1913 as a Waggoner Pte.F.65565 with Special Reserve ‘C’ 114 [Horse Transport] Company of the Army Service Corps 6th Reserve Park and was posted to France from 20.8.1914 to 5.12.1917.  He was downgraded to medical category Bii and transferred in 1918 as Pte.615534 to 692nd [Agricultural] Company, Labour Corps, receiving his discharge in April 1919.[4]  Died: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk in 1969.

Simpson, Harry Frederick – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 22.5.1894.[5]  Parents: Charles Day Simpson (Coconut Mat Maker) and Elizabeth [née Race] (Horsehair Drawer).  Family Connections: Nephew of James Frank Simpson [b1870] and brother-in-law of George Frederick Grice [b1885].  Home: Park Terrace, St Marys Street, Long Melford (1901 and 1911), 26 Rectory Grove, Woolwich, Kent [1916], 105 Kirkland Street, Plumstead, London [1924], 78 The Meads, Hendon, Middlesex (1939).  Occupation: Wheelwright (1911), Carpenter [1924] to (1939).  Married: Florence Louisa Gill in 1924.  Service Record: Harry was conscripted on 18.5.1916 as Wheeler/Gnr.147030 with the Royal Field Artillery.  He was transferred to 180th Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery and posted to France from 24.11.1916, later transferring to Salonika from 18.4.1917 to 8.5.1919 as Wheeler/Gnr.149490.  He received his discharge in September 1919.[6]  Died: Bromley, Kent in 1970.

Simpson, James Frank – Born: Acton, Suffolk in 1870.  Parents: James Simpson (Agricultural Labourer) and Jane [née Day] of Long Melford.  Family Connections: Uncle of Harry Frederick Simpson [b1894].  Home: Newmans Green, Acton, Suffolk (1871[7]), Bulneymoor Farm Cottages, Long Melford (1881), 263 Fort Road, Bermondsey, London (1891), 56 Alderminster Road, Bermondsey [1897], 8 Coxson Place, Horselydown, Bermondsey (1911).  Occupation: Carman (1891 and 1911).  Married: Alice Pritchard in 1905.  Service Record: James volunteered in 1887 as Pte.1569 with 3rd [Militia] Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, transferring to 3rd [Reserve] Battalion, The Queen’s [Royal West Surrey] Regiment, receiving his discharge in 1897.  It is not known if he saw service during the First World War as no definitive record has been found.[8]  Died: Bermondsey, London in 1920.

Simpson, William – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk in 1863.  Parents: Walter Simpson of Great Waldingfield, Suffolk (Asphalt Floor Layer) and Hannah [née Piper] (Horsehair Weaver).  Home: Bone Mill Cottage, Whithindale Mill, Long Melford (1871), St Peters Barracks, Jersey (1881), Morley Hotel, Trafalgar Square, London (1901).  Occupation: Soldier (1881), Hotel Night Porter (1901).  Service Record: William enlisted in July 1880 as No.1935 with ‘K’ Company, 32nd Brigade, transferring in November of that year to 2nd Battalion, 12th Regiment of Foot until his posting to India with 1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment from 1882 to 1887 and then to the Army Reserve for a further three years.[9]

Related Biographies

Finch, George – Born: Acton, Suffolk in 1888.  Parents: Robert Finch (Agricultural Labourer) & Elizabeth Ann [née Chatters].  Family Connections: Brother-in-law of Launcelot Charles Victor Andrews [b1897] and Robert George Andrews [b1899] both of Long Melford.  Home: Spond, Acton, Suffolk (1891), The Green, Acton (1901, 1911).  Occupation: Agricultural Labourer (1911).  Married: Alice Eleanor Andrews of Long Melford in 1910, later the wife of Fred Simpson [see details above] in 1920.  Service Record: George enlisted as Pte.17923 with 9th [Service] Battalion, Suffolk Regiment and was posted to France on 31.8.1915 as part of 71st Brigade, 24th Division, seeing action at the Battle of Loos on 25 September.  In 1916 his battalion came under the command of 6th Division seeing action again at the Battles of Flers-Courcelette, Morval and Le Transloy during the autumn phase of the Somme Offensive.[10]  Died: By the following spring George was in front-line trenches in the Loos-Hulluch sector when on 27.41917 he was killed during one the enemy’s frequent bombardments.  He is buried in St Patrick Cemetery, Loos, Pas de Calais [grave ref: I.K.12] and commemorated on the memorial plaque in All Saints Church, Acton, Suffolk.[11]

Grice, George Frederick – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 6.5.1884.[12]  Parents: George Grice (Horsehair Drawer) and Harriett [née Whittle] (Horsehair Weaver).  Family Connections: Brother-in-law of Harry Frederick Simpson [b1894].  Home: Living with his widowed mother and Susan Whittle (grandmother) at Westgate Lane, Long Melford (1891), King William Inn, Little St Marys, Long Melford (1901), St Catherines Road, Long Melford (1911), Hall Street, Long Melford [1916].  Occupation: General Labourer (1911), Beer Retailer and Brewer [1916].[13]  Married: Maud May Simpson in 1909.  Service Record: At the Melford Military Service Tribunal in July 1916 George applied for exemption, which was granted for three months.  He returned in November were he again applied for exemption.  The Tribunal ruled that no further applications could be made and only two months grace would be given.[14]  He was conscripted as Pte.27478 with 9th [Service] Battalion, Norfolk Regiment, posted to France as part of 71st Brigade, 6th Division, being wounded in 1917.[15]  Died: George was killed in action on 11.10.1918, during an attack on enemy positions that occupied high ground to the east of Bellevue Ridge.  Private Grice is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial [panel 4], Pas-de-Calais, France, and the War Memorial in Long Melford.[16]

Notes – [1] 1939 Register.  [2] Chelsea Hospital British Army Service Record [WO 97].  [3] 1939 Register.  [4] 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].  [5] Baptism Register 21.6.1894, St Catherines Mission Church, Long Melford, his Death Index records the year of birth as 1895. [6] For details of 180th Battery’s deployment in Salonika, see War Diaries [WO 95/4794 and WO 95/4952].  See also 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].  [7] Recorded as Frank James on the UK Census for 1871. [8] Chelsea Hospital British Army Service Record [WO 97] up to 1897.  [9] Royal Hospital Chelsea Pensioner Soldier Service Records, 1760-1920.  [10] For details of 9th Suffolk’s movements on the Western Front see Murphy, Lieutenant-Colonel C. C. R. The History of the Suffolk Regiment 1914-1927 [London: Hutchinson and Co, 1928], pp.120-26 and 194-99.  For details of 9th Suffolk’s movements on the Western Front see Murphy, Lieutenant-Colonel C. C. R. The History of the Suffolk Regiment 1914-1927 [London: Hutchinson and Co, 1928], pp.120-26 and 194-99. [11] Commonwealth War Graves Commission record, British Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929 file [ref: 493286].  [12] Date of birth from the Baptism Register 6.7.1884, Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford. [13] Occupation and address are taken from Kelly’s Directory for Suffolk 1916. [14] For the Tribunal’s rulings see Suffolk and Essex Free Press 26.7.1916 and 29.11.1916. [15] For notification of his wounding see Suffolk and Essex Free Press 19.9.1917.  For details of 9th Norfolk’s movements see War Diary [WO 95/1623/1-4].  See also his Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].  [16] Commonwealth War Graves Commission record, British Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929 file [ref: 796493].

Genealogical Tables

Research by David Gevaux MA © 2024
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