Frederick J Hobden

Between January and April 1916, Chailey Parish Magazine notes Fred J Hobden in a special list of attested men.  This is Frederick John Hobden who was born at Chailey in 1880.  He appears on the 1881 census living with his parents at 2 Whites Row, South Street, Chailey.  The household comprised Richard Hobden (head, married, aged 26, working as a gardener), his wife Eliza Hobden (nee Fuller), aged 27, and Frederick (aged one year).  Richard and Eliza, both born in Newick, had married on 3rd May 1879 at Chailey. 

By the time the 1891 census was taken, the family had moved to Fount Hill, Newick and there were siblings for Frederick.  The household, as noted on the census, comprised Richard (aged 36, working as a gardener in domestic service), Eliza (aged 37) and their five children: Frederick (an 11 year old scholar), Owen Hobden (aged nine), Minnie Hobden (aged seven), George Hobden (aged four) and Richard Hobden (aged one). 

I have been unable to locate Frederick or Minnie on the 1901 census but the rest of the family was still living at Fount Hill, Newick.  Richard (aged 47) is noted as an agricultural labourer.  Living with him were Eliza and four children: Owen (aged 19, working as a painter), George (aged 14, working as an agricultural labourer), Richard (aged 11) and Alfred Hobden aged eight. 

I am unsure whether Frederick served during the First World War.  There is no mention of him in Chailey’s parish magazine apart from the information that he attested.  The National Archives gives a couple of possibilities with 19875 Private Frederick J Hobden of the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment (Sherwood Foresters) and 3231 Sapper Frederick J Hobden of The Royal Engineers Transport and further research is necessary to determine whether either of these men is the Frederick mentioned above. 

Private W Grou, 27th Middlesex Regiment

W Grou appears in a special list of attested men in the January 1916 issue of Chailey’s parish magazine. 

In May 1916, the magazine notes that he is serving with the 27th Middlesex Regiment in England and appears to have then served with them up until March 1917 which is when his name ceases to appear in the parish magazine.

Nothing more is known of this man and genealogical searches have revealed little.  England and Wales, Civil Registration Index: 1837-1983 lists two possibilities: William George Grou born in Camberwell in 1895 and George William Grou born in Holborn in 1876.  A search for census returns under the surname “Grou” yielded no results at all.

John Weller

John Weller appears on the 1891 census of England & Wales as a one year old living at South Street, Chailey with his family.  The family comprised John Weller, a Road Man aged 36, his wife Elizabeth Ann Weller aged 33 and their three children: George Weller (aged five and noted as a scholar), John and James Charles Weller (aged one).  The boys’ father had been born in Fletching but their mother and all three boys were born in Chailey. 

By the time the 1901 census was taken, the family was still living at South Street with John Weller senior now noted as a labourer on a farm and George and John working as carters’ mates on a farm.  There are also two additional members of the household noted: Ellen Weller (aged eight) and Charles Buckwell aged 20 (working as a carter on a farm).  Charles’ relationship to the head of the household is noted as “boarder” but he was in fact Elizabeth Weller’s son and therefore a half-brother to the four Weller children.  

Chailey Parish Magazine has only one entry for John Weller and that is in January 1916 where he appears in a special list of attested men.  

John’s two brothers George Weller and James Charles Weller also served their King and Country during the First World War.  His half brother Charles Buckwell also served and was killed in action on 11th July 1917.

George Walker

George Walker appears in a special list of attested men published in the January, March and April 1916 editions of The Chailey Parish Magazine.  No further information about this man is currently available.

230970 Private Alfred R Braysher, 21st Dorset Yeomanry

Chailey Parish Magazine notes a Private A R Braysher serving with the Dorset Yeomanry in England in April 1916.  Nearly two years later, in January 1918, that information is updated to note that Driver A R Braysher is serving with the 21st Dorset Yeomanry. 

This latter information is clearly incorrect.  There was no 21st Dorset Yeomanry but rather a 2/1st which was formed at Sherborne in September 1914.  In October 1915, the 2/1st Dorset Yeomanry was stationed at Lewes which is possibly where A R Braysher got to know of them.  The unit though, never went overseas and was broken up in 1916 to become a cyclist unit. 

A R Braysher served throughout the war and gets a final mention in the August 1919 edition of the Chailey Parish Magazine.  The National Archive lists him as 230970 Private A R Braysher of the 2/1st Dorset Yeomanry. 

An Alfred Braysher is recorded on the 1891 census of England and Wales as a two year old pauper inmate at the Lewes Union workhouse.  His place of birth is recorded as Lewes but there are two other Brayshers listed who were born at Chailey – Sarah Ann Braysher (aged 27, single, working as a char woman) and Edith Braysher (aged six).  

It seems likely that the two children were Sarah’s.  Alfred appears on the 1901 census as the 12 year old step son of 58 year old Alfred Trasly (the surname is difficult to read on the census so this may be an inaccurate spelling).  Alfred is noted as being blind and no occupation is recorded for him.  His wife is Sarah (aged 39), presumably the Sarah Ann of 1891.  Alfred’s surname is spelt Brayzer.  The family was living at 2 Edward Street, Lewes.  There is no mention of Edith who would have been 16 or so and presumably at work elsewhere.