Name
Albert William Joseph Rumbold
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
08/05/1917
34
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Serjeant
16409
Bedfordshire Regiment
8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
NOEUX-LES-MINES COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Plot I, Row R, Grave 6.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Printers Memorial, Watford,
Bushey Memorial, Clay Hill,
St James’ Church Memorial, Bushey,
Congregational Church Memorial, Bushey,
Not on the St Albans memorials
Pre War
Born in St Albans in 1883, Albert William Rumbold was the son of Albert (Snr.) and Caroline (nee Austen) Rumbold. His parents were married on 19 January 1873 in the parish church of St John the Evangelist in Clifton, Gloucestershire. Albert was working as a gardener and was living at 16 Highland Place and Caroline was living at Redland Cottages. Albert’s father, Joseph, was a labourer and Caroline’s father was a saddler.
At the 1891 Census, Albert was 8 years old and living with his parents at The Coffee Tavern, next to the Bell Inn, in High Street, Bushey. Caroline, aged 45, was working as the Coffee Tavern Keeper and Albert (Snr.), aged 44, was a domestic servant. Albert had four siblings, 17-year-old Ethel who was working as a dressmaker, 11-year-old Herbert, 6-year-old Elsie and 3-year-old Robert. Herbert, Albert and Elsie are at school. Birthplaces are given as Gloucestershire for Albert (Snr.), Haslemere in Surrey for Caroline, Clifton in Gloucestershire for Ethel, Colney Street in Hertfordshire for Herbert and St Albans for the remaining three children.
At the 1901 Census, the family was still living at the Coffee Tavern, 72 High Street, Bushey. Albert (Snr.) was now employed on his own account as coffee shop proprietor and Albert is a plumber’s apprentice.
Also present were three of Albert’s siblings, Ethel, Elsie and Robert, a visitor named George Allen and four boarders.
Albert (Snr.) died, aged 57, on 11 September 1903 and was buried on 17 September at St James’ Church in Bushey.
By the time of the 1911 Census, Caroline and three of the children, Ethel Austen, Albert William and Elsie Lois, had moved to 26, High Street, Bushey. Albert was employed as a book binder and commercial printer by the Watford Observer.
Caroline died, aged 68, in 1914 in the registration district of Whitechapel in London and was buried on 4 July, also at St James’ Church.
Wartime Service
Albert enlisted in Watford and served on the western front as Sergeant 16409 in the 8th Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment. He died on 8 May 1917 at No. 7 Casualty Clearing Station, of wounds received in action. He was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914-15 Star medals, his qualifying date being 30 August 1915. He is remembered with honour at the Noeux-Les-Mines Communal Cemetery and is commemorated on the Bushey memorial, at St James’ Parish Church and at the Congregational Church in Bushey High Street. His name can also be found on the family grave in Bushey churchyard.
The Register of Soldiers’ Effects named his brother Herbert as the beneficiary and shows a payment of £38 3s. 11d. on 11 December 1917 and a second payment of £15 on 8 November 1919.
There is an entry for Albert in the National Probate Calendar for 1917, which reads: "RUMBOLD Albert William of 22 Koh-i-Noor-avenue Bushey Hertfordshire died 8 May 1917 in France Administration London 28 September to Herbert Arthur Rumbold school-master. Effects £175 14s. 6d."
His death was also reported in The Watford Observer:
“Miss Rumbold of 22 Koh-i-Noor Avenue, Bushey has received the news of the death of Sergt. Albert Wiiliam Rumbold of the Beds Regiment, who from the beginning of 1907 had been in the book binding department at the “Observer” Printing Works, Secretary of the Bushey Branch of the National Deposit Friendly Society since its formation, and a member of the choir of the Congregation Church, Bushey. Sergt Rumbold, who was 34 years of age, joined up a few weeks after the outbreak of war, gained rapid promotion, and left for France in August 1915.”
He was attached to the staff of the A P M. His captain writes:
“I am very sorry to tell you that Sergt Rumbold was wounded on Sunday 6 May and died in hospital here on the morning of 8 May. I reached him within a few minutes of his being wounded, and got him into hospital at once, where all that was possible was done for him, but without success. He was buried in the cemetery here with two of his friends who were hit at the same time, and the number of officers and men who attended the funeral was some indication of his popularity with everyone. He was my Traffic Sergeant, and my right-hand man here, one whom I knew I could trust to do anything – careful, efficient, and conscientious; and I cannot tell you how grieved I am personally to lose one who has worked with me for so many months, and whom I looked on as a friend. I cannot realise yet that he is gone, and that I have to get on without him.”
"Sergeant Rumbold is the fourth man from the Watford Observer Works who has given his life for his country.”
Additional Information
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
There is an article about and a Death announcement for Albert in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 19 May 1917.
Additional information’ provided with kind permission of Bushey First World War Commemoration Project – Please visit www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk.
Acknowledgments
Andrew Palmer
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk), Gareth Hughes, Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild
