FRANCIS, Arthur William b c1889 Suffolk - WW1

[fullscott]

This man enlisted as MARKHAM, which is the surname of his father and unmarried sister, but as there is ONE note that he is "alias A W FRANCIS" - for which there is a suitable birth (Q2 1888 Plomesgate) - I suspect that FRANCIS is correct ...

Arthur William FRANCIS (MARKHAM), Greengrocer of WEYBRIDGE, Surrey, joined the East Kent regiment in June 1915, declared age 26y 2m, born WICKHAM MARKET, Suffolk.
Served as Pte 7581, died in 1917.

His sister Maud filled out the "family" form:
Father: John Hazael(?) MARKHAM, of IKEN, Suffolk. This man signs the receipt for the Memorial Scroll - the signature looks like John F L MARKHAM;
Mother Ellen: - deceased by 1919
Sisters: Mrs Emma MORGAN of Eastbourne, (c1893) & Miss Ellen Maud MARKHAM of Bedford (c1895).

Anc****y, WW1 Service Records, MAR, pages 34879-34900

[Lesley Robertson]

CWGC have him as G/7581 Pte Arthur William Markham, 6Bn The Buffs, East Kent Regt. Arras Memorial. No family info.

I'm having trouble finding them in the census. Was wondering if he was the eldest, and Mr Markham's step son, father having been Mr Francis....

In the 1911 for Middleton, Sfk, there is a John Hazel Markham b Iken, wife Elizabeth. They have either been married 3 or 5 years with 1 child born alive. Trouble is that there are 5 children listed as 1 dau (Ellen Mabel, age 11) and 4 boys (none Arthur).

[Pam Downes]

1901 census
RG12/1788 folio 148 page 9
Sudbourne Suffolk

John MARKHAM, head, 32, horseman on farm, Iken Suffolk
Ellen, wife, 32, Sudbourne Suffolk
William FRANCIS, son,13, agricultural labourer, Wickham Market Suffolk
Emma MARKHAM, daur, 8, Iken
Maud MARKHAM, daur, 6, Iken

Marriage registered June quarter 1891 Plomesgate registration district John Hazell Markham and Ellen Francis.

Birth registrations, all Plomesgate registration district.
Arthur William FRANCIS June quarter 1888 no mother's maiden name
Emma Markham March quarter 1893 mother's maiden name Francis
Ellen Maud Markham June quarter 1895 mother's maiden name Francis
Also Elvina Mary September quarter 1894 mother's maiden name Francis, but Elvina death is registered in the same quarter and year.

Ellen Markham, aged 33, death registration June quarter 1902 Plomesgate registration district.

Marriage John Hazel (sic) Markham and Elizabeth Eliza Francis registered September quarter 1905 Blything registration district.

1911 census
RG14/10959 SN13
Middleton
John Hazel Markham, 45, yardman, Iken
Elizabeth, wife, 32, Orford
Ellen Mabel(sic), daur, 11, Chillesford
Christopher George, son, 7, Middleton
Thomas William, son, 5, Middleton
George Edward, son, 3, Middleton
Arthur Leonard, son, 1, Middleton

Christopher George's birth registered with surname of FRANCIS. No mother's maiden name.

Slightly off-topic from Arthur William.
Judging by the 1881 census Ellen and Elizabeth Eliza Francis are sisters.
RG11/1887 folio 10 page 14
Orford
Thomas Francis, head, 36, groom, Sudbourne
Alice, wife, 25, Chillesford
George, son, 14, scholar, Sudbourne
Ellen, daur, 12, scholar, Sudbourne
Thomas W, son, 4, scholar, Orford
Elizabeth, daur, 1, Orford
Samuel, son, 1 month, Orford

Pam