Selected Biographies

Starkie-Bence, Edward – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 4.7.1862.[1]  Parents: Edward Robert Starkie-Bence [see details below] and Eliza Charlotte Albinia [née Sullivan].  Family Connections: Uncle of Charles Douglas Bunbury Ross [b1887] and Edmund Starkie Ross [b1889].  Home: Kentwell Hall, Long Melford, Suffolk (1871), Angel Hotel, 3 Angel Hill, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk (1881), 24 Ryder Street, Westminster, London (1921), Angel Hotel, Bury St Edmunds [1937].  Occupation: Landowner of Kentwell Hall [1889-1937].  Service Record:  Edward purchased a commission in the West Suffolk Militia serving as a Lieutenant from 1881, transferring on its redesignation,[2] to 3^rd [Militia] Battalion, Suffolk Regiment in 1883.[3]  As a Justice of the Peace he was a Magistrate at the Long Melford Petty Sessions between 1892 and 1925, and in 1922 is recorded as one of the 14 vice-presidents of the Long Melford Ex-Service Men’s Club.  Died: The Angel Hotel, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk on 4.4.1937.

Starkie-Bence, Edward Robert – Born: Thorington, Suffolk on 26.8.1823.[4]  Parents: Henry Bence of Thorington Hall and Elizabeth Susanna [née Starkie].  Family Connections: Father to Edward Starkie-Bence [b1862].  Home: Ilsington House, Piddletown, Dorset (1851), Kentwell Hall, Long Melford, Suffolk (1861 to 1871), Angel Hotel, 3 Angel Hill, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk (1881).  Occupation: Landowner of Kentwell Hall [1839-1989].  Married: Eliza Charlotte Albinia Sullivan in 1850.  Service Record: Edward purchased a succession of commissions in 1^st (King’s) Dragoon Guards; Cornet in 1842, Lieutenant in 1844 and Captain in 1852.[5]  In 1853 he was granted a commission as Deputy Lieutenant for the County of Suffolk and in 1859 nominated as Sheriff for the same county.[6]  Died: Kentwell Hall, Long Melford, Suffolk on 24.2.1889.[7]

Related Biographies

Ross, Charles Douglas Bunbury [surname changed by deed poll in 1938 to Starkie-Bence, following the death of his brother-in-law Edward Starkie-Bence of Kentwell Hall in 1937] – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 19.8.1887.[8]  Parents: Charles Edmund Ross (Gentleman and Banker) and Leila Emily Katherine Starkie-Bence of Kentwell Hall, Long Melford.  Family Connections: Father to Richmond Douglas Starkie-Bence [b1916]; also, brother to Edmund Starkie Ross [b1889] and nephew of Edward Starkie-Bence [b1862] of Kentwell Hall.  Home: North Lyminge, Elham, Kent (1891), Eastcombe Villas, 5 Charlton Road, Greenwich, London (1901), Kentwell Hall, Long Melford (1939).  Occupation: Farmer in Canada [1915], Landowner (1939).  Married: Maithal Gertrude Halhed in 1915.  Service Record: In 1905 Charles was granted a commission as a Second Lieutenant with 2^nd [Volunteer] Battalion, The Queen’s Own [Royal West Kent Regiment] in England serving for four years, before moving to Canada and joining 38^th Victoria Fusiliers.[9]  He enlisted on 18.3.1915 as Sgt.430637 with 48^th Battalion [British Columbia] as part of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, embarking for England on 1.7.1915.  He was granted a commission as a Second Lieutenant on 28.12.1915, later promoted to Lieutenant with The Royal Sussex Regiment, being posted to France from 5.3.1916.[10]  During the Second World war he acted as the Parish Organiser for Air Raid Precautions in Long Melford.[11]  Died: Sudbury, Suffolk in 1969.

Ross, Edmund Starkie – Born: Folkstone, Kent on 21.2.1889.[12]  Parents: Charles Edmund Ross (Gentleman and Banker) and Leila Emily Katherine Starkie Bence of Kentwell Hall, Long Melford.  Family Connections: Brother to Charles Douglas Bunbury Ross [b1887], also, uncle of Richmond Douglas Starkie-Bence [b1916] and nephew of Edward Starkie Bence [b1862] of Kentwell Hall.  Home: North Lyminge, Elham, Kent (1891), St Michaels, Barrow Green Road, Oxted, Surrey (1911), 11 Graham Street, Knightsbridge, London [1921 to 1925], Ruffield, Hill Brow, Bromley, Kent [1930 to 1962].[13]  Occupation: Insurance Clerk (1911 to 1939).  Married: Dorothy May Faber in 1927.  Service Record: Edmund was conscripted in January 1917 as Pte.764614 with 1/28^th [County of London] Battalion [Artist’s Rifles], London Regiment, being posted to Bailleul in France on 16.2.1917 for officer training.  On 23.7.1917 he was granted a commission with the Labour Corps; however, it is not known where he served.[14]  Died: Como, Lombardy, Italy on 16.9.1962.[15]

Ross, Richmond Douglas Starkie [known after 1938 as Starkie-Bence] – Born: Eton, Buckinghamshire on 1.7.1916.  In 1938 his father changed the family surname by Deed Poll from Ross to Starkie-Bence.  Parents: Charles Douglas Starkie-Bence [né Ross] of Kentwell Hall, Long Melford [see above for military record] and Maithal Gertrude [née Halhed].  Family Connections: Nephew of Edmund Starkie Ross [b1889].  Home: Chemainus, North Cowichan, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada [1921], Kentwell Hall, Long Melford (1939).  Occupation: Timber Yard Foreman in Canada (1939).  Service Record: Richmond enlisted as N^o.957734 with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve serving in 48 Squadron as part of Coastal Command.  The Squadron, formed initially as a General Reconnaissance unit, was by 1941 relocated to Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides, changing its mission to an anti-submarine role patrolling the North Sea.  Died: Rising to the rank of sergeant Starkie-Bence was acting as an air gunner aboard Avro Anson Mk.1 [W1789] when it accidentally crashed into the sea east of the Isle of Harris, after striking a davit when flying low over the sloop HMS Hebe on 5.9.1941.  Richmond is commemorated on several memorials including the Air Forces Memorial, Runnymede, Egham, Surrey [panel 52]; War Memorial, Duncan, British Colombia, Canada, and Long Melford War Memorial.[16]

Notes – [1] Baptism Register of 2.9.1862 for St Marys Church, Glemsford, Suffolk.  [2] Cardwell Reforms of 1881.  [3] Hart’s Army List for 1883.  [4] Baptism Register of 27.8.1823 for St Peters Church, Thorington, Suffolk.  [5] The London Gazette 16.8.1842 and The Edinburgh Gazette 6.8.1844 & 18.6.1850.  [6] The London Gazette 30.12.1853 and The Supplement to The London Gazette 11.11.1859.  [7] Death notice in the Suffolk and Essex Free Press 6.3.1889. [8] Baptism Register of 24.8.1887 for Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford. [9] London Gazette 9.6.1905.  [10] For notice of his commission see London Gazette 18.1.1916, p.741.  For his military record see Library and Archives of Canada [ref: RG 150/609873], also his Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].  [11] 1939 Register.  [12] 1939 Register.  [13] Address taken from Kelly’s Directory for Kent 1930. [14] Conscription date is based on his service number see https://armyservicenumbers.blogspot.com/2009/01/28th-county-of-london-battalion-london.html.  See also his Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372]. [15] National Probate Calendar.  [16] For details of crash see the Allied Airman Roll of Honour; also see Commonwealth War Graves Commission and National Probate Calendar.