William Ernest Webb

The Will with two Codicils of George Vertue formerly of High Street Norwood but late of East-street High Street Lower Norwood both in the county of Surrey who died 19 February 1874 ... by Mary Ann Vertue, widow and Samuel Clapham of Oxford Road Upper Norwood in the said County Gentleman theExecutors. Under £200

Maternal grandfather’s name Robert Wheeler, maternal grandmother’s name Dorcas.

Source Citation: Place: St. Mary Newington Walworth, Surrey, Eng; Collection: Dr. William's Library; Nonconformist Registers; Date Range: 1797 - 1797; Film Number: 813803.

His parents may have been Robert Webb and Elizabeth Smith, married 12 December 1785 in St Leonard, Shoreditch (which strangely comes under Hackney, Surrey). This is a total guess, but it may explain the Smith in Mary Ann Smith Webb, born 1853.

Profession Mathematical Instrument Maker and residence Harleyford Street in 1850 according to Marriage Certificate

Not at all sure that the baptism record for Mary Ann Smith Webb is her, but the parents match and occupation of father. Have not found Mary in 1911 census, but she was alive according to Frederick and Mary’s census return.

William Bysh of 11 Raynton-road Enfield, probate 21 July to Joseph Vickers gardener. Effects £599 1s 9d.

Ethel “was brought up in the Plymouth Brethren and was a Sunday School teacher before going to university. She graduated with 1st Class Honours in French at Somerville College, Oxford, in 1916. While on a travelling scholarship to Paris she met Don at the "Rue de Sevres Meeting" in January 1920 and they were married in September 1922. We have been told that Don first spotted Ethel on a bus in Paris and was so attracted by her that he followed the bus on his own bicycle. In 1924 they had their house Noonsun, 25, Churchfields, Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, built to their own designs. Here their three children, Eirene, Rosalind and Peter were born. Ethel later obtained her Oxford M.A. and was an active academic all her life, mainly at the London University Institute of Education and as G.C.E. Chief Examiner. One person who has particularly made a point of telling me that he studied under her at the Institute is Mr. Southey, organiser of the Spring and Autumn concert seasons at Deal. Her nickname at the Institute of Education was Prudence, and her character in later life probably reflected the influence of the Plymouth Brethren in her childhood. Like her husband, she was an ardent pacifist.”

Frank Middlemiss’s online notes

Was living at 52 Hertford Road at time of death. Probate showed her leaving £13,184

Enlisted: Westminster

Residence: Enfield

Rank: Corporal

Regiment: Corps of Royal Engineers

Number: 113094

Theatre of war: Western European Theatre

Died: 10th June 1918

cause: Died of wounds

Comments: "F" SPEC. COY., R.E.

Source: Ancestry quoting Military-Genealogy.com

Fred’s last letter transcript (he died two days later):

8/6/18

Dear Ethel,

For twenty four hours political discussion and conjecture was the universal diversion here and then ceased as suddenly as it began. The immediate cause of its rise was the distribution of printed cards for the sequestration of “the mugs” under the Representation of the People Act (which will next October at the latest be instrumental in supersceding the Repression of the People act — otherwise DORA — [Defence of the Realm Act] by something more sane). The discussion which ensued was amusing for political ideas are rather like army jam at present — mixed. And it is to be hoped that those men of influence who do not hold highly salaried positions in the present government or are not so sychophantic as to sacrifice their nationality to their purses will see that the election is held on social and humanitarian issues instead of political. If it is political it will be a [farce?]. If the issue is for Knock out Blow or negotiations the

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war will not drag on its detested existence to mock and desecrate another Christmas.

However, from May to October is a long cry, and many things may happen between. In fact the papers hint at startling events at the present moment, more “victories” apparently only Fritz doesn't regard them in that light.

The weather has threatened to break again, but today has been sunny though fresh and of course we have been for our daily swim. We usually have one a day when we are down here unless the weather is unusually cold, and if it is decently warm the one becomes two or three. After all the salt water of last year I find swimming in fresh is quite difficult, though of course there are no waves to contend with.

The writer of “Two years before the mast” [Richard Henry Dana, Jr., 1840] (which I have been reading) continues to make you quite interested in the intricacies of a sailing ship and the problems of sea trade and transport before the era of the steamboat and steam labour saving machinery.

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Have you noticed how mainly the ideals of different writers — and of the same writer — are at varience concerning the best way of arranging if not a perfect, at least a more sane and stable system of life than has been evolved in the last half century? They drift towards the opposite poles of single self-sufficing existence on a basis of 40% of agriculture and a revival of farmhouse industries, and of highly complex civilisation in which manual labour in its unskilled sense has no place and old [??????] work is done mechanically. I think that H. G. Wells was right when he wrote (in the War in the Air)[see book as html ] that the only solution was entirely to destroy the existing [status?] — or rather give it room & time to compass its own destruction and allow a new system to evolve itself. And in our country at least this has happened & we don’t know how soon it will happen in others.

Well tea is just up so I suppose I had better leave off.

Quite well.

With best love.

Fred.