Name
Arthur David Ibbott
1981
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
03/09/1916
25
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
26046
The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
9th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 11A.
France
Headstone Inscription
He has no Headstone. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the missing on the Somme, France.
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, Watford Grammar School Memorial, Watford Grammar School Book of Remembrance, St Matthew’s Church Memorial, Oxhey, Paddock Road Baptist Chapel (now Oxhey Village Baptist Church) Memorial, Oxhey
Pre War
Arthur David Ibbott, the eldest son of Arthur Pearson Ibbott, and his wife Victoria Ibbott (nee Miller), was born in (De Beauvoir Town), Bethnal Green, Middlesex, in 1891, the second in a family of five children.
His parents married 1888 in the Islington, London, district. Victoria died 1931 in Watford aged 63, and was buried 7 November in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford; Arthur died 21 November 1955 in Watford aged 89, and was buried 26 November, also in Vicarage Road Cemetery.
Arthur’s father was initially a railway clerk and the family lived at a number of addresses in Middlesex before moving to Hertfordshire in about 1900, where their youngest child Claude was born.
1901 Census records Arthur aged 10, living with his parents, sister Grace 11, brothers Harrold 8, Bertram 5, and Claude 1, at 57, London Road, New Bushey, Herts.
Arthur Pearson Ibbott was now a secretary to a public company and by 1911 he had progressed further and was a secretary and accountant to an investment company and the family employed a ‘lady help’. All his sons were educated at Watford Boys’ Grammar School.
The 1911 census records Arthur David Ibbott as employed as a commercial clerk in an investment company, his elder sister was an art student, Harold was an Engineering Apprentice and the two younger brothers were still at school. The family were living at “Osborne Villa”, 57, Chalk Hill, New Bushey, Herts.
(Oxhey, Herts, was originally known as New Bushey, Herts).
Wartime Service
When war broke out, he enlisted in Watford as a Private with the Bedfordshire Regiment, transferring later to the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, 9th Battalion as Private 26046.
He served on the Western Front and was reported missing and presumed dead on 3rd September 1916, aged 25. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme and on the memorial at St Matthew’s Church, Oxhey. His name is also one of five servicemen on a small stone memorial plaque belonging to Paddock Road Baptist Chapel, Oxhey.
He was entitled to the Victory and British War medals, was reported missing 3 September 1916, and presumed killed in action.
Additional Information
The published Watford Grammar School Book of Remembrance entry reads:
“IBBOTT, ARTHUR DAVID. School period: January, 1905, to April, 1906. Private, Loyal North Lancs. Regiment. France. Reported missing, 3rd September, 1916: presumed killed.”
There is an article about and a Death announcement for Arthur in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 28 July 1917.
Unfortunately, Arthur’s Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing. His brother Bertram died 16 July 1917 and also features on Watford Borough Roll of Honour. His parents later moved to ‘Ivinghoe’, Sherwood’s Road, Watford Heath.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
