Captain John Peake Knight, of Sundridge Mansions, was the son of James Percy and Ellen Gray Knight, of 17, Castle Hill Avenue, Folkestone; and Grandson of the late Mr J P Knight for many years manager of the London Brighton and South Coast Railway. He attended Quernmore School. He had married his cousin, Miss Olive Phyllis Wall Row (formerly Knight), of 8, Rodborough Rd., Golders Green, Hampstead, London. She was a native of Brighton, and the eldest daughter of Mr & Mrs Gray Knight of Preston Park, Brighton. They married at St John’s…
Category: WW1
Private Charles Mitchell
Private Charles Mitchell was the son of Mrs H Mitchell of Chatterton Road, Bromley, and was an old boy of Raglan Road Boy’s School. He signed up to the Royal West Kent Regiment at the outbreak of war. Source: Bromley & District Times, October 1914 (searched via www.militaryancestors.co.uk)
Italian Recipes for Meatless Days – Risotto in Bianco
Another recipe that appeared in the Bromley & District Times in January 1917, was this simple Risotto in Bianco, which helped give ideas to housewives looking to provide an interesting and delicious meal to their family, even though meat was in short supply. Risotto in Bianco 1/2 pound Rice, washed and dried 2 pints of Broth 2oz of Butter (or less if preferred) 2 tbsp Grated cheese Bring the broth to boil, then throw in the rice Boil until the broth is absorbed (about twenty minutes) Remove from the fire and…
Italian Recipes for Meatless Days – Gnocchi alla Romana
By 1917, certain foods were in short supply, especially meat, wheat for bread, butter and sugar. Here is a recipe that appeared in the Bromley & District Times newspaper in January 1917. I liked the elegant suggestions about serving the Gnocchi alla Romana. Definitely for the middle-class housewife who maybe has lost her live-in cook! Gnocchi alla Romana 3/4 pint Water 3/4 pint Milk 1/2 pound Semolina Butter Grated cheese Salt. Boil the semolina in the milk-and-water, with salt to taste for fifteen or twenty minutes, stirring well occasionally…
Do you like the boots? Bon Marché fashion
This advert for the Bon Marché store in Brixton appeared in the Bromley & District Times in early January 1917. The cost of ladies boots was 12s (shillings) 11d (pence), which, if I remember correctly, is about 65p in today’s money! However, when you think that some families had to manage on £1 (20 shillings) was a lot of money for a working class woman! Brixton’s Bon Marché department store opened in 1877. It claimed to be the first purpose built department store in the UK and was the brainchild…
Hugh Bertram Neely, 2nd-Lieutenant
Hugh Bertram Neely was 2nd-Lieutenant of the 3rd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment (attached to 1st Battalion). He was the second son of William and Clare Neely, of Ruxley House, Widmore Road, Bromley. His brother Clive William Neely also fell in World War 1 in Basra. Hugh was educated at Quernmore School, Lancing College and then to Rouen. He entered the Medical School at Guy’s hospital where he took the Licentiate in Dental Surgery. He was noted as being a clever and able student. He then went on to start a dental practice at…
Private Ronald Young Hedderwick
Ronald Young Hedderick was the son of Robert Munter Hedderwick and Isabel Corbet Hedderwick, of Woodlands, Chislehurst, Kent. Born in London. He was a member of the Honourable Artillery Company, Ronald died on the 16th May 1915, aged 27, having just woken up. He stretched, exposing his head above the parapet and was picked off by a German sniper. He was one of 1,001 causalities buried at Voormezeele Enclosre no.3, in West Vlaanderen, Belgium. His grave stone is inscribed with the words “HE FOUGHT HIS WAY TO EVERLASTING LIFE MET BY HIS GOD’S…
Rifleman James William Hodson
James William Hodson, a native of Orpington, was a member of the 2nd Battalion, King’s Royal Rifle Corps. His parents, William and Mary Ann Hodson, lived at 1 Bank Cottages, Lower Rd., St. Mary Cray, Kent. He was killed in action on the 21st May 1915, aged 23 Featured in the Bromley & District Times, 24th May 1918, page 4 He is buried at Woburn Abbey Cemetery, Cuinchy in Pas de Calais, France. His grave stone is inscribed with the words “GONE FROM US BUT NOT FORGOTTEN NEVER SHALL HIS MEMORY FADE” Researched using www.militaryancestors.co.uk…
Private Edward Butcher
Edward Butcher was the younger son of Mr William Butcher of Spout Hill Cottage, West Wickham. Prior to World War 1, he was a member of the Territorial Force (Croydon) for 7 years and joined the Queen’s Surrey Regiment about 2 years before the war broke out. He was in the band, a First Class Drummer. He went to the Front at the beginning of the war. He was killed at the retreat of Mons on the 15th September 1914, and buried at Moulins and a memorial service was held…
Gunner Walter Bax
Walter Bax was part member of a large family of boys, who were all in the Army. The son of Mr Alfred W. Bax and Clara E. Bax, of 17 North Road, Bromley, Kent. He was brother to Private George Bax. Walter was an old boy of Wharton Road School in Bromley and had worked for a time for Mr Cox, fruiterer. Before World War 1 he had joined the 5th Dragoon Guards, but was invalided out after 2 years’ service. He rejoined the Royal Field Artillery in October 1914, and after training…