Sergeant Arthur Muggeridge

 

Thank you to Lenka Cathersides for the following research and thank you to the Hodge family for the photographs.

Arthur Muggeridge was born on 3^rd June 1885 in Ockley or Wotton in Surrey to Eliza Taylor/Muggeridge. Arthur was illegitimate and his father is unknown. His stepfather was called Walter Hodge.

Arthur was baptised on 12^thJuly 1885 as Arthur Charman Taylor at St John the Baptist in Okewood, Surrey. Arthur is later listed with the surname Muggeridge.

Arthur’s mother Eliza Taylor/Muggeridge was also illegitimate. She was born in the 3^rd quarter of 1867 in Capel or Ockley and was baptised on 21^st September 1867 at St John’s in Capel. On the baptismal record, Eliza’s father is stated to be Jacob Muggeridge and her mother the deceased Eliza Taylor. Jacob Muggeridge was born about 1837 in Abinger, Surrey. According to the 1871 Census, Eliza seemed to have been brought up by her paternal grandparents, agricultural labourer James and Sarah. Eliza’s surname is written as Taylor. At this time the family lived in Ockley, Surrey.

Eliza married Walter Hodge in Southampton, Hampshire in the 1^st quarter of 1891. At the time of her marriage she used the surname Muggeridge. Walter Hodge was born about 1868 either in Leeds or Hunslet in Yorkshire.

Arthur Muggeridge had three half blood siblings: Walter born about 1892 in Gosport, Hampshire, Dorothy M. born about 1897 in Portsmouth, Hampshire and George Edward born about 1901 in Dorking, Surrey.

At the time of the 1901 Census, Arthur was living at Wallis Wood Cottage in Abinger with his grandfather Jacob and grandmother Mary. Jacob was working as a carman and Arthur as a carter boy.

At the time of the 1901 Census, Arthur’s mother Eliza lived with her husband, miller’s carman, Walter and their children Walter and Dorothy at Millers Cottage in Ockley.

Arthur Muggeridge enlisted on 19^th February 1908 in Horsham, Sussex to the 8^th Royal Garrison Artillery. His regimental number was 28378 and he became a gunner. At the time of his enlistment Arthur resided in Sandhurst, Berkshire and was working as a labourer.

Arthur was over 5ft tall and weighed 133lbs. He had a fresh complexion, grey eyes and dark brown hair. Arthur had a brown birth mark on the right side of his breast bone, a mole two inches above left nipple and a 2/3^rd inch linear transverse scar on the left wrist.

Arthur served at home from 19^th February 1908 until 14^th September 1908. From 15^th September 1908 to 18^th December 1911 he was stationed in Hong Kong. From 19^th December 1911 until his death he served again at home.

During the 1911 Census, Arthur was a gunner of the Royal Garrison Artillery stationed at the Victoria Barracks in Hong Kong, South China. Arthur became a bombardier of the Royal Garrison Artillery on 14^th April 1914.

At the time of the 1911 Census, Eliza, Walter and their son George were living at Oak Cottage Laundry in Sandhurst, Berkshire. Walter was a laundry proprietor, Eliza was assisting him in the business and the family could afford two servants, a house keeper and errand boy for the laundry. The household had four rooms.

At the time of his death, Arthur was an Acting Sergeant of the 2^nd Company, the Royal Garrison Artillery. Arthur had poor health. While in Hong Kong he suffered from catarrhal bronchitis and also from pyrexia. Back at home, the Royal Garrison Artillery manned the Coalhouse Fort in Essex, where he again suffered from bronchitis from 17^th December 1914 to 24^th December 1914. Arthur was re-admitted to the hospital at the Coalhouse Fort on 28^th January 1915. He died there from acute bronchitis on 8^th February 1915. He was in the Army for 6 years and 356 days.

Arthur is buried at St Michael’s churchyard in Sandhurst. His grave reference number is 299.

At the time of Arthur’s death, his mother Eliza lived at Oak Cottage Laundry, Sandhurst. Later she lived at 3 Deepnell House in Sandhurst.

Arthur Muggeridge left his mother Eliza £12, 1s and 8d in 1915 and £6 in 1920 in Soldier’s Effects.

Born	Ockley, Surrey
Lived	Sandhurst, Berkshire
Son of	Walter and Eliza Hodge of Deepnall, Sandhurst
Enlisted	Horsham, West Sussex
Regiment	2nd Company, the Royal Garrison Artillery
Number	28378
Date of Death	8th February 1915
Place of Death	At home
Age	28
Cemetery	Sandhurst (St Michael)

Michael Hodge, the grand nephew of Arthur Muggeridge contacted the Museum with the photograph of Arthurs headstone.

“I was given your link by an American cousin who was researching the family and was absolutely  amazed to find so much information on my great Uncle Arthur Muggeridge
Thank you for collecting and preserving this information as it has filled in a lot of spaces in family history. My late father was always told he died in France.”

The above photo, sent in by Michael, shows Arthur’s mother and brother. Dick Hodge went on to start Hodge’s Coaches, Sandhurst, a company which is still in the Hodge family today.