Name
Thomas Brinklow
5 August 1878
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
03/07/1916
37
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
19349
Bedfordshire Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
OVILLERS MILITARY CEMETERY
Plot VII, Row C, Grave 9
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, Benskin's Brewery Memorial, Watford, We are not aware of any Two Waters memorial
Pre War
Thomas Brinklow as born on 5 August 1878 in Two Waters, nr Hemel Hempstead, Herts,(*1) the son of Thomas and Isabella Brinklow, and baptised on 18 September 1878 at St John the Evangelist, Boxmoor.
His parents had married in 1876 at St Mary’s, Hemel Hempstead but on the 1881 Census they had moved to Summerleys, Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire where his father was working as an agricultural labour. By the 1891 Census they were living at Eddlesborough, Bucks, and Thomas was a scholar with five siblings.
His father died in 1896, age 45 and Thomas decided to join the army, He originally attested in the 4th Bedfordshire Militia on 10 January 1898 at Hemel Hempstead, and served as Private 3632. He then attested on 25 February 1898 for Short Service (7 years with the Colours, 5 years in the Reserve) with the Bedfordshire Regiment, and was posted to the 2nd Battalion on 26 February 1898 as Private 6225. later being transferred to the 1st Battalion on 20 September 1899.
He served at Home from 25 February 1898 to 21 September 1899 and then in the East Indies from 22 September 1899 to 31 January 1906, during which time he was awarded a Nursing Certificate in 1902, becoming a Hospital Orderly as a qualified nurse. He extended his service to complete 8 years with the Colours on 18 April 1904, and served at Home from 1 February 1906 to 24 February 1914, having re-engaged for four more years on 12 February 1910. (This may have been as a reservist as he is listed on the 1911 Census as a brewery labourer)
He married Violet Dunton on 2 March 1907 at St Peter’s, Berkhamsted and on the 1911 Census the family were living at 43 George Street, Berkhamsted and Thomas was working as a brewery labourer. They had three children, Dorothy, Gladys and Stanley and later had another daughter, Ruby born in Watford registration district in 1915.
His mother Isabella remarried in 1902 in Ampthill, Beds, to William Dicks. and his mother and stepfather later lived and died at Beckenham, Kent.
Wartime Service
He was discharged on 24 February 1914 at the termination of his engagement.
He re-enlisted in Bedford at the outbreak of war, serving with the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, and was killed in action on 3 July 1916 in the new front line near Montauban-de-Picardie, where they were under intermittent shell-fire.
He is buried at Ovillers Military Cemetery, France.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £6 and pay owing of £3 0s 9d. She also received a pension of £1 2s 6d for herself and her children. His widow later lived at 17 Hartington Street, Loughborough, Leicestershire on pension records. Violet and the children emigrated to Australia 26 March 1926 aboard the Aberdeen Line Themistocles from London to Brisbane. *1 Born location is given as Hemel Hempstead (1881 census), Bennetts End (1891 census), Two Water, Hemel Hempstead (1911 census) and Hemel Hempstead (SDITGW). We believe Two Waters is correct as Thomas (as Head of Household) completed the 1911 census and because Hemel Hampstead was probably in the postal address for Two Waters.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk), eatonbray.com/forums/genealogy/brinklow
