Name
James Warby
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
29/11/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
612320
London Regiment *1
1st/19th (County of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CAMBRAI MEMORIAL, LOUVERVAL
Panel 12.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Bushey Town Memorial, St Peters Church, Bushey Heath
Pre War
Born in Bushey on 26 January 1891 and later baptised at St Peter’s Church, James Warby was the son of William and Alice (nee Cobb) Warby of Clay Hill, Bushey. He was one of five children, two of whom died in childhood. His parents were married on 10 October 1885 in Bushey.
At the 1891 census James was one month old and was living with his parents and two older siblings in London Road, Bushey. William (Snr.) and Sarah 31 and 28 years old respectively and William (Snr.) was working as a seasonal labourer. James’ siblings were Alice and William and they were aged 3 and 2 years respectively. The birthplaces were given as Aldenham in Hertfordshire for William (Snr.) and Bushey for all of the other family members.
By the time of the 1901 census, the family had moved to Clay Hill in Bushey and Sarah is now recorded as Alice. William (Snr.) is still working as a labourer and his birthplace is given as Letchmore Heath, which is near to or part of Aldenham. James now has two siblings, his older sister Alice and a younger brother named Charles who is 8 years old. William is not present and may either have been elsewhere or one of the two children who died in childhood.
At the 1911 census, James was 20 years old and was one of nine domestic gardeners working at ‘The Warren’ in Little Stanmore, Middlesex. William (Snr.) and Sarah were living in Aldenham with Charles who, like his father, is working as a labourer.
James is recorded in the Kelly’s directory for 1914, giving his address as 25 Glenhurst Road in Brentford.
Both William (Snr.) and Sarah died in 1926 in the Watford registration district. They were aged 63 and 67 years old respectively.
Wartime Service
James Warby enlisted in Shepherds Bush as Private 18425 in the King’s Royal Rifle Corps, giving his residence as Shepherds Bush. He later transferred to the London Regiment as Private 612320 in the 19th (County of London) Battalion (St Pancras). He served in France and Flanders and was killed in action on 29 November 1917. He was entitled to the British and Victory medals.
He is remembered with honour on the Cambrai Memorial, Louverval in France and is also commemorated on the Bushey Memorial and at St Peter’s Church in Bushey Heath.
His pension card named Mrs Louisa Annie Warby (with note stating unmarried wife surname Reed) with an address of 32 Hadyn Park Flats, Curwen Road in Shepherds Bush. She is awarded a pension of 21s./8d. per week with effect from 23 July 1918. A further note on the card states “Guardian of child Evelyn Warby” with the surname subsequently crossed through and replaced with Griffin.
Additional Information
*1 Believed more correctly, (County of London)
Bn. London Regiment (St Pancras).
Acknowledgments
Andrew Palmer
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild
