Name
Heber Brightman
1876
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
20/03/1916
37
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
22082
Bedfordshire Regiment
Depot
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Searched but not found
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
WATFORD CEMETERY
Plot B, Row 3, Grave 7.
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN SAFE IN THE ARMS OF JESUS
UK & Other Memorials
Christ Church Memorial, Watford, Not on the Potten End memorials, Not on the Berkhamsted memorials
Pre War
Heber Brightman was born in 1876 Potten End, Herts, the son of George and Sarah Brightman (nee Waterton).
His parents married in 1872 in the Berkhamsted, district. His mother died in 1877, aged 26 and on the 1881 Census, aged 6 Heber (Eber) was living in Potten End as a nurse child, under the care of Thomas and Mary Ann Sheffield. His widowed father was then living at the Fox Inn, Great Gaddesden as a lodger.
His father remarried on 30 September 1882 at St John’s Chapel, Northchurch, Herts, to Sarah Ann Dean and on the 1891 Census Heber was living at Potten End, Northchurch with his father, step-mother and four siblings and working as a farm labourer. He had moved to Watford by 1901 and was living with his brother William, his wife Bertha and their young daughter Norah, and working as a bricklayer.
Heber married Florence Beament of Bushey, Herts in 1903 in the Watford district and on the 1911 Census he was working as a bricklayer at cocoa factory and lived at 46 Jubilee Road, Watford with his wife and three children, Florrie, Violet and Walter.
His widow later lived at 65 Vale Road, Bushey, Herts.
Wartime Service
Heber enlisted in Bedford and joined the Bedfordshire Regiment. No medal records have been found.
He died of epilepsy on 20 March 1916 at the Training Depot, Ampthill, Beds, and was buried on 25 March in Watford Cemetery, Herts.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £3 14s 7d. She also received pension of £1 3s a week for herself and her three children. When living at 65 Vale Road, Bushey, Herts, she ordered his headstone inscription: "GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN SAFE IN THE ARMS OF JESUS".
There is an article about Heber in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 1 April 1916.
Florence never remarried, she died 18 April 1974 in South Oxhey, Herts, aged 94, and was buried on 24 April, also in Vicarage Road Cemetery.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk),
