Private Alfred Langston

Thank you to Jane Anthony for the following research.

Alfred was born in about 1882 when the family were living in Plymouth and was the second son. In 1891 he was living in Peckham with the rest of the family, in 1901 he could not be traced. In 1911 he had moved, and was lodging with the Willis family in Clapham. He was a boot maker; as was the head of the Willis household. They used the family home as a workshop.

Alfred was a member of the British Expeditionary Force, and being in the Royal Fusiliers meant that he must have been in the Territorial Army prior to the start of the war. He was deployed to the front at a very early stage. He died aged 32 at the 3^rd Northern General Hospital, Sheffield, on 5th November 1914 and was buried at the Burngreave Cemetery. His effects were left to Mrs Doris Busby, of whom no trace can be found.

The Langston family certainly moved around to various parts of the country at the end of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Their father Charles Bradby Langston was born in Wantage Berkshire and his wife Clara in Reading. At various times they lived in Plymouth, Ipswich, Stoke Newington, Peckham and Holmwood. Charles Bradby made a living as a salesman selling both dried fruits and tea at various times. There were seven children in the family of whom six were living in 1911. At that time they were living at Fernhurst in Holmwood. Their eldest daughter Constance was also living in South Holmwood with her husband Alfred Bourne, who earned his living repairing shoes.

The Langston family had connections to South Holmwood through their parents and sister although it is unlikely that either of the brothers actually lived in South Holmwood or Dorking.

Born	Plymouth
Son of	Charles Bradby and Clara J. Langston of Holmwood, Surrey
Brother of	Private Charles William Langston
Regiment	1st Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
Number	L/8019
Date of Death	5th November 1914
Place of Death	England
Cause of Death	Died of Wounds
Cemetery	Sheffield (Burngreave) Cemetery