Essex, Walter Thomas

Walter’s parents were Richard and Sarah Ann.  The family were living at 3 Lammas Walk, Warwick when Walter was baptised at St Mary’s Church on 18th September 1887 and were still there at the time of the 1891 census.  His elder brothers Richard and  William were born in 1883 and 1885 respectively.

More children followed – Emma (b. 1889), Emily (b. 1891), Ada (b. 1892), Kate (b. 1894), Frederick (b. 1895), Joseph (b. 1895), Victor (b.1897).  Sadly, Victor died in 1907.

Walter enlisted as a drummer boy with the RWR in Warwick on 13th August 1902, at the age of 15. His attestation shows him as 5′ 0½” with brown eyes and hair. His address was given as 14 West Rock, Saltisford. He purchased his discharge less than a year later, on 2nd May 1903

The family moved to Coventry and were living at 26 Station Street East, Foleshill, Coventry at the time of the 1911 Census. At that time 4 of the 5 surviving children were living with their parents: William (26) was a wheelwright, Walter (24) was a cycle wheelmaker, Ada (16) was a silk winder and Frederick (16) was a house painter.