Name
Frederick Henry Bloom
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
17/07/1915
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
16493
Norfolk Regiment
7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
PONT-DE-NIEPPE COMMUNAL CEMETERY
I. A. 16
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Bushey Town Memorial, St Peter’s Church Memorial, Bushey Heath
Pre War
One of the names on the Bushey memorials is F Bloom and the CWGC data identifies 4 soldiers called Bloom with the initial ‘F’ and who died in the first world war. These are Private 150315 Frederick Bloom, Private 16493 Frederick Henry Bloom, Private 254716 Frank Bloom and Serjeant 9628 Frank Cyril Bloom.
None of the four has a clear-cut link to Bushey, but the 1901 census shows a Frederick Bloom, aged 10 and with birthplace unknown, living as a boarder with the Darville family at 69 Clay Hill near Sparrows Herne, Bushey. William Darville was a hay binder and he and his wife, Mary, had a seven-year-old son. Also boarding with the family was nine-year-old William G Thorp, whose birthplace was also unknown. The 1911 census similarly shows William and Mary Darville and their son still living at the same address, with two more boys as boarders of birthplaces unknown. It is possible these boys were all pupils at the Royal Masonic Boys School, which was located in Bushey.
It is therefore assumed the F stands for Frederick, but all four individuals have been considered to see which provides the most likely fit.
Private 150315 Fredrick Bloom served with the 52nd Battalion of the Canadian Infantry. He was killed in action on 06/12/1916 and is commemorated on the Vimy Memorial. His Attestation Papers for the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force, dated 30th August 1915, gives his place of birth as Norwich, England and a date of birth as Feb 28 1893. It also gives his next of kin as brother John R Bloom, who is based in India. Records show a Frederick Bloom born in 1891 to a George and Ellen Bloom, living at Thorpe Hamlet, Norwich. The 1901 census also shows siblings, including a brother John M Bloom, which is similar but not an exact match to that on the attestation paper. The death of an Ellen Bloom is later registered in Norwich in the first quarter of 1911. It is possible that George Bloom and the children had emigrated to Canada following the Ellen’s death.
Private 16493 Frederick Henry Bloom was born in 1889 in Paston, Norfolk and enlisted as Private 16493 with the 7th Battalion of the 1st Norfolk Regiment. He was the son of Henry and Blanche Bloom, who married in 1888 in Smallburg, Norfolk. The 1901 census records Frederick living with his parents and three siblings, Francis (born 1890), Lucy (born 1891) and Annie (born 1893) at the Rose and Crown in Frettenham, Norfolk. The 1911 census also shows Frederick working as a Footman for Geoffrey Fowell Baxton of Dunston Hall near Norwich. He landed at Boulogne on 31st May 1915 and was killed accidentally on 17/07/15. His pension record identifies his mother as Blanche Bloom, living at 14 Faroe Road, West Kensington, London W14. Her surname is later crossed through and changed to Johnson. There is no apparent connection with Bushey and the 1901 census shows him in Norfolk, so can’t be the same Frederick that was living with the Darville family.
Turning to the other F Blooms, Frank Bloom served as Private 254716 with the 3rd Battalion London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) and was recorded on his pension record as missing on 10/09/18. He was born in Marylebone, London to an Annie Hollis, who described herself on the 1901 census as the Head of the household and as a horse dealer. Frank’s birth was actually registered as Frank Bloom Hollis and the father, George Bloom, was also residing with Annie Hollis. Frank’s pension record identifies the dependent as mother, Olinda Bloom, living at 83-85 Henry Street, St John’s Wood. The death of an Annie Hollis is recorded in the last quarter of 1905 for the Pancras district and George Bloom had then married Olinda Maria Pinell. There is no apparent connection with Bushey.
Frank Cyril Bloom was born in Gorleston on Sea, Norfolk, the second son of Mr and Mrs R J Bloom. He served as Serjeant 9628 with the 11th Battalion of the Essex Regiment and was mentioned in despatches. His pension record states he died of wounds on 14/11/1915 and gives his dependant as his sister, Alice May Bloom of 71 Crown Road, Yarmouth. There is no apparent connection with Bushey.
Whilst there are some anomalies between different information sources, it is considered that Private 150315 Frederick Bloom of the Canadian Infantry is the most likely individual commemorated on the Bushey Memorial.
Wartime Service
Frederick Bloom attested with the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force on 30 August 1915 and served as Private 150315 with the 52nd Battalion of the Canadian Infantry.
His circumstances of death record states "Previously reported missing, believed killed, now Killed in Action" with the date of 6 December 1916.
He is commemorated on the Vimy Memorial.
Additional Information
Information provided with the kind permission of Bushey First World War Commemoration Project – Please visit www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk.
Acknowledgments
Andrew Palmer
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild
