Name
Herbert George Borrett
19/08/1884
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
08/09/1918
34
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Rifleman
315075
London Regiment *1
5th (City of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CONDE-SUR-L'ESCAUT COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Row A, Grave 86.
France
Headstone Inscription
"DEATH HIDES BUT IT DOSE NOT DIVIDE"
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, Watford Printers Memorial, Watford, St Matthew’s Church Memorial, Oxhey
Pre War
Herbert George Brrett was born on 19th August 1884 in Middlesbrough, Yorks, the youngest of two children of George Borrett a Lithographic Printer and Marguerite Borrett (nee Forster).
His parents married 1870 in the Islington, London, district. George died 12 September 1901 in Wealdstone, Middx, aged 57, and was buried 18 September in St Pancras Cemetery, Camden, London; Margaret died 1909 in the St Pancras district aged 59.
Herbert was born 19 August 1884 in Middlesbrough, Yorks, and baptised 27 January 1885 in the Parish of St John's, Middlesbrough, the family were living at 22 Kent Street, at the time.
1891 Census records Herbert aged 6, at School, living with his parents and elder sister Florence 18, in Janes Street, Stoke upon Trent, Staffordshire.
He attended St Peter’s School, Stoke-on-Trent; then Hanley Higher Grade Board School, Staffs, from 19 August 1895.
By 1901 now aged 17, Herbert was working as an Assistant at a Stationers Shop, living with his parents and elder sister Florence, in Queens Road, Stoke upon Trent.
Herbert moved south and became a Newspaper Jounalist and in his spare time he was Teaching Shorthand.
On 28 June 1910 he married Ellen Jane Doubtfire, the daughter of Frederick James Doubtfire and Ellen Louisa Doubtfire at Emmanuel Church, Northwood, Middelsex.
The 1911 Census record Herbert as married to Ellen Jane, living at 6 Grant Road, Wealdstone, Middlesex. His occupation is a Journalist and working on his own account. Later they had one child and resided in Oxhey, Herts.
Sometime after 1915 they moved to ‘Mendip’, 6, Bushey Grove Road, Watford, a substantial, newly built house.
Ellen never remarried after Herbert’s death, and died 25 November 1951 in Stockport, Lancs, aged 67.
Wartime Service
Herbert enlisted in Watford and posted to the London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade) with the following service numbers, 6202, 392581 & 315075. He served with the 9th (County of London) Battalion London Regiment (Queen Victoria’s Rifles and then the 5th Battalion's
Herbert was wounded in action and taken a Prisoner of War and died in Conde Hospital on 8th September 1918, he was buried by the Germans in the local cemetery at Conde-sur-L'Escaut, France.
He was entitled to the Victory and British War medals and is commemorated at St Matthew’s Church, Oxhey.
Additional Information
There are articles about Herbert in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 18 November 1916, 13 April 1918, 11 May 1918, and 1 February 1919; plus an In Memoriam in the issue dated 6 September 1919. The value of his effects were £ 28-14s-1d, which went to his widow Ellen. Son of George and Marguerite Borrett, of Stoke-on-Trent; husband of Ellen Borrett, of "Mendip", 6, Bushey Grove Rd., Watford, Herts. Unfortunately, Herbert’s Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing.
*1 More correctly London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade).
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)
