Corporal Edward Patten Scarborough

 

Thank you to Lenka Cathersides for the following research.

 

Edward  Scarborough was born on 6^th November 1879 in Brixton, London to electrical engineer Thomas and Sarah (nee Jones). He was baptised on 28^th  December 1879 at St John the Evangelist’s church in Westminster. At the time of the baptism the family lived at 12 Bythorn Terrace, Brixton. Thomas Patten was working as an electrician.

At the time of the 1891 Census, the family lived at 16 Reaburn Street, Brixton. Thomas was working as an electrical engineer and Sarah was looking after their children: Edward, Thomas and Jane.

Edward’s mother Sarah died in 1900 in Lambeth, London.

Edward Scarborough attested at the Guildhall, London on 4^th January 1900 into H Coy, Infantry Battalion of the City of London Imperial Volunteers (CIV). He attested for one year with the Colours. He was a Private with the service number  607. At the time of his attestation he was working as an engineer’s assistant. The ‘CIVs’ was a British corps of volunteers during the Second Boer War. Its infantry and mounted infantry divisions were composed of men recruited mainly from existing volunteer regiments in London and Middlesex. Edward had previously belonged to the 4^th Volunteer Battalion of the Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment.

He had been previously rejected as unfit for Her Majesty’s Service in the Navy on account of defective teeth. It was the rule that a recruit must have sufficient teeth to masticate his food. http://www.historyofdentistry.group/volumes/vol%207%20number%202.pdf

Edward had a dark complexion, brown eyes and hazel hair.

From 4^th January 1900 to 19^th January 1900 he served in the home service. From 20^th January 1900 to 29^th October 1900 he served in the Second Boer War. Edward wounded his foot in action at Diamond Hill on 12^th June 1900. The Battle of Diamond Hill (Donkerhoek) took place on 11^th and 12^th June 1900 during the Second Boer War. From 31^st October 1900 to 31^st December 1900 he served in the home service. On 31^st December 1900 Edward Patten Scarborough was discharged as medically unfit for further service. He received the Queen’s South Africa medal.

Edward married Rosetta Florence Pegg on 14^th April 1906 at St Giles’ Church, Camberwell, London. At the time of their marriage Edward lived at 89 Coldharbour Lane, Camberwell and was working as an electrician. Rosetta lived at 86 Grove Lane, Camberwell. Rosetta was born about 1880 in Camberwell, London to carpenter George, born about 1847 in Islington, London and Mary Anne.

Edward had five children: Margaret Sarah born about 1907; Thomas George born about 1908, both in Deptford, London; Edward born about 1910; Rose L. born in the 3^rd quarter of 1912 and Mary J. born in the 4^th quarter of 1915, all born in Camberwell.

At the time of the 1911 Census, the family lived at 4 Wyndham Road, Camberwell. Edward was a wireman (electrical engineer & contractor) and Rosetta was looking after their children: Margaret, Thomas and Edward. The accommodation had two rooms.

At the outbreak of the WW1 Edward  re-joined the Army as an ex non-commissioned officer for training purposes. He enlisted in London into the 8^th Battalion the Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment. He was a Corporal with service number S/1016.

He was with the 8^th Battalion the Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment at Shoreham and Worthing, and then with the 3^rd Battalion at Chatham. He went to France in June 1916. At the time of his death he was part of the 1^st Battalion the Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment.

Edward was killed in an action on 25^th September 1917 in Belgium.

His body was exhumed and re-buried at the Hooge Crater Cemetery. His grave reference number is: XI.K.8. He was identified by a pay book and a disc.

 

Edward received the British War and Victory medals.

Edward’s wife Rosetta received £3 and 6s on 18^th February 1918 and a further £8 on 24^th October 1919 in Soldier’s Effects.

According to the 1918 Kelly’s Directory, Edward’s father Thomas  was a tobacconist at 21 High Street Buildings in Dorking.

Thomas died on 9^th February 1928 in Dorking. He left to his wife Mary and his son Thomas £2403, 8s and 4d in the Probate.

Scarborough Family History

Edward’s father Thomas was born about 1851 in Chester, Cheshire to brass worker and gas fitter James, born about 1828 in Liverpool, Lancashire and Jane, born about 1826 in Liverpool. At the time of the 1871 Census, Thomas was working as an electric bell hanger. His mother Sarah was born about 1853 in Westminster to gas fitter Edward, born about 1823 and Mary Ann, born about 1823, both in Cheshire. Thomas and Sarah married in April 1878 at St John the Evangelist’s church in Westminster. At the time of their marriage the couple lived at Bessborough Gardens in Westminster and Thomas was working as an electrician.

Edward had two known siblings: Thomas born about 1884 and Jane born about 1889, both in Brixton, London.

At the time of the 1901 Census, the widowed Thomas lived at 16 Reaburn Street, Lambeth. He was working as an electrical engineer. The household further comprised of his children: electrical engineers Edward and Thomas, and Jane. The family was looked after by a housekeeper. Thomas remarried Mary Eleanor Brown on 9^th April 1902 at Birkenhead, Cheshire. Mary was born about 1869 in Birkenhead.

Edward had three known half siblings: Robert born about 1903; Charles born about 1906 and Gertrude born about 1910, all in Brixton.

At the time of the 1911 Census, Edward’s father, Thomas lived at 16 Raeburn Street, Brixton. The household further comprised of his wife Mary and their children: Robert, Charles and Gertrude. Mary stated that she had given birth to four children of whom three were still alive. The accommodation had six rooms.

Born	Brixton
Lived	Camberwell
Son of	Thomas Patten and Sarah (nee Jones) Scarborough
Husband of	Rosetta Florence Pegg
Enlisted	London
Regiment	1st Battalion, The Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment
Number	S/1106
Date of Death	27th September 1917
Place of Death	Flanders
Cause of Death	Killed in Action
Age	37
Cemetery	Hooge Crater Cemetery, Zillebeke, Belgium