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Essex Regiment/HRH Prince Christian Victor Memorial Cottage Homes. 144 & 146 Woodman Road, Warley, Essex CM14 5AJ.

Colonel Thomas Stock, who was in command at Warley, led a local campaign to raise funds for memorial cottages at Warley in memory of the officers and men of the Essex Regiment. Supported by local subscription, public donations and the Prince Christian Victor Memorial Fund. By 1904, sufficient funds were raised to erect two semi-detached cottages, containing 5 rooms each at within the grounds of Warley Asylum at Woodman Road. The site was purchased for £600 with an additional £300 being invested to provide finance for future expenses relating to the cottages. Agreement was reached that one soldier from the two Essex Regular Infantry Battalions would each be entitled to one of the cottages on a rent free basis.

Some of the first occupants were Sergeant Bartholomew Gordon of the 2nd Essex ( 56th West Essex) Battalion and Sergeant Edward Thomas England of the 1st Essex (44th East Essex) Battalion, who was a veteran of the Indian Mutiny and the China Campaigns. I understand that the latter died in 1925 at the age of 88 years.

The 1911 Census reveals William Stearn, b.1874 Navestock, Essex, “Army Pensioner Blind Through South Africa War” and his wife Elizabeth, living at Memorial Homes, Woodman Road. He also appears on the 1921 and 1939 Censuses, living at Essex Regimental Memorial Homes (1921), 146 Woodman Road (1939). Died 1956. I understand that he enlisted 1890, 1st Battalion Essex Regiment No. 2878, Private, casualty South Africa 1899-1902. South Africa Medal with Paardeberg, Dreifontein, Relief of Kimberley clasps.

The 1939 Census also reveals (144 Woodman Road), Ernest Lee b. 25th March 1877, army pensioner (ARP Brentwood, telephone control) and wife Mary E and two daughters.

The occupancy of the houses was controlled by the Hon. Secretary of the Essex Regimental Association at Warley Barracks who advertised locally whenever there was a vacancy, inviting applications from Essex Regiment Pensioners.

The use of these houses continued until both the site of Warley Hospital and the barracks were sold for housing development. Taken over by Haig Housing Homes for the Veteran Community in 2004.

Dorsetshire Regiment/HRH Prince Christian Victor Memorial Cottage Home - 49 Alexandra Road (formerly numbered 24), Dorchester, Dorset DT1 2LZ.

This building was purchased in 1902, by the Dorset Regiment and with assistance from The Soldiers' and Sailors' Help Society in memory of H H Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig- Holstein and officers and men of the regiment who fell in the war in South Africa. It is an example of an existing dwelling that was purchased by a regiment rather than being built from scratch.

An article in the Western Chronicle dated 31st December 1902, reports the opening of the memorial cottage home on a site "...pleasantly situated at the top of Alexandra Road in the Victoria Park, Dorchester, and will be at once recognisable by the visitors, by reason of the striking carving..." The carving was undertaken by Cllr E C Westcott.

Google image (see below), although somewhat blurred, appear to show the Dorset Regiment badge carved in stone on the front elevation - "the striking carving"? (To me, this lppears to be a castle with a scroll, 'Primus in Indus', within a wreath, surmounted by a sphinx.)

The 1911 Census reveals the occupants of 24 Alexandra Road as Harry Shirley (army pensioner) and his family. H Shirley is mentioned in the 1902 newspaper report as the first occupant of the memorial cottage home.

The 1921 Census still has Harry Shirley occupying the property and the 1939 has Harry Shirley living in 49 Alexandra Road. (I think the properties were renumbered sometime after 1921 as more houses were built in the street. In counting the houses in the street, 24 from the top of the row = No.49 if odd numbers are used.)

Harry Shirley (service no. 1594) served in the 2nd Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment in South Africa. His service record states that he was "Invalided Home."

The property is mntioned in Gildea's 1911 book, 'In Remembrance and In Honour of Those Who Lost Their Lives in the South African War 1899-1902' - "Dorsetshire Regiment....One Home at Dorchester", as well as p10-11 in Julian Paget's 1999 book, 'No Problem Too Difficult. A History of the Forces Help Society and Lord Roberts Workshops.'



Sold off in 1995.

Regarding the DLI memorial cottage homes at Back Western Hill, Durham above, I think that the metal (copper rather than bronze?) plaques that are on the front gable of the building were originally displayed above the mantlepieces in the cottage homes. The upper part of the gable was also half-timbered.

The first occupants were Privates Joseph Norwood (6066?) and Joseph Coulthard (6271?) of the 1st Battalion DLI and their families. Both were wounded at Vaal Krantz on 5th February 1900 (Norwood - Mauser bullet severed the arteries in his left leg, Coulthard - bullet through the left arm). Coulthard was also later wounded by a shell splinter in his leg.

Regarding the DLI Cottage Homes:

The QSA Medal Roll for the 1st Btn DLI lists 6066 Pte J Norwood & 6271 Pte J Coulthard as each being issued with a QSA with a single clasp - Relief of Ladysmith.

Their attestation papers & service records for both can be found on Find My Past, also for Coulthard his discharge papers.

They were both still living in the cottages at the time of the 1911 Census. Norwood was still there in 1921 but the other cottage was occupied by a 43 years old James Campion & family who was employed as a clerk in HM Requisitioning Office in Durham.

This newspaper article confirms initially there were copper plaques over the mantlepieces with wording identical to that on the plaques now found on the outside of the homes. I am not convinced the plaques on the outside are made of copper. The second half gives interesting detail regarding Norwood & Coulthard.



This article from the Sunderland Daily Echo of 12 September 1903 shows there was a third cottage home nearby and a fourth might also have been created.

Worcestershire Regiment – 1 & 2 Regimental Cottages, Crookbarrow Road, Brockhill Village, Norton, Worcester, WR5 2PA.

Scheme originated in 1901, when Lieut. Colonel Oakes collected £84 14s 9d from all ranks of the 1st Battalion in South Africa and Mrs Papilion (Hon. Secretary of the Regimental Homes Committee) collected £206 4s 8d. A grant of £100 was made on behalf of the Regimental Homes Committee, as well as a grant of £500 from the Worcester Transvaal War Fund.

The erection of two cottage homes was considered appropriate, which were to be used for the benefit of deserving men of the Worcestershire Regiment, including the Line, Militia or Volunteer Battalions, with their wives and families, or other relatives who usually resided with them. The properties were invested in trustees and were governed and administered by a committee of the regiment
Site adjacent to Norton Barracks selected, with room for others to be built when circumstances permitted. (I do not think any others were ever built.)

1906 newspaper report - “Artistic effect has been combined with light, airy accommodation, in the erection of the cottages, in which due provision is made for the comfort and convenience of the soldiers and their families. Each is partly furnished, and surrounded by a spacious garden. The fundraising was largely due to the energetic efforts of Lieut. Ryder.” No maintenance fund was set up, but instead annual subscriptions from each line and Militia battalion and the Depot at Norton.

Opening ceremony (April 1906) performed by Lord Coventry, the Lord Lieutenant who was the Hon. Colonel of the Worcestershire Militia. About 300 officers, NCOs and men on parade. Cottages named the Worcestershire Regimental Cottage Homes. “The Homes would not only be a memorial to those of their men who fell in the war, but also a constant reminder to all ranks of the Regiment of the kindly interest taken by the people of the county to which they had the honour to belong.”

The first occupants were: Private Price, who was badly injured at Dewetsdorp. One of the first men in the 1st Battalion to fall to a pom-pom charge, that caught him in the stomach. Married man with several children and; Private Giles of the 2nd Battalion who was injured at Bethlehem and was caught in the back by a shell. They were selected from about 25 wounded or disabled men from the regiment.

James Frederick Giles (b.1876, Kentish Town) living with his wife and three sons at Regimental Cottages, Norton. It would appear that James Frederick Giles enlisted in 1895, and served in the Worcestershire Regiment (service No. 4291), receiving the King's South Africa medal with two clasps (1901 & 1902).

There is a photograph on p151 of Gildea's book. Not entirely sure about copyright so have not put it on here just in case. (70 years + life of the author?)

I am now suffering from an information overload regarding the residents of the Worcester Regiment Regimental Cottages at Norton Juxta.

Using the address search facility on Find My Past and entering “Regimental” as the street name leads straight to the 1911 & 1921 Census returns for them. Searching for one of the 1921 residents in the 1939 Registrar shows they were still in use as Regimental Cottages at the start of WW2.

Cottage No.1:
1911 – Harry Price & family
1921 - Harry Price & family (passed away in 1926)
1939 – Frank Lester & wife – occupation = “Army Pensioner”

Cottage No.2:
1911 – James Frederick Giles & family (passed away in October 1911)
1921 – James Broadwater & family – occupation = “Beer Bar Charge Hand” working for the “Navy & Army Canteen board” at Norton Barracks. His family give James away as an old solider – wife Irish, eldest child born in Aldershot, followed by 3 in India and 1 in Burmah (sic) and the youngest in Norton.
1939 – James Broadwater and (diminished) family - occupation = "Army Pensioner".

When filling out the census returns Harry Price seemed a bit uncertain about where & when he was born but there is no doubt he was a Black Countryman. The information he gives on the census returns allows one to find his 1884 attestation papers and service records which do not mention him being wounded in SA. His regimental number was a lowly 851, he actually joined the Worcestershire Regiment only three years after it had been created. After 5 years service in the “East Indies” he was discharged to the A class Army Reserve in 1891 and fully discharged in 1896. However, the very next day he extended his time in the Army Reserve but was demoted to Class D. Class D received late recalls to the Colours and thus Harry went out to SA as a draft in March 1900. Seven months later he was back in England and was discharged “medically unfit” on 5 November 1901 by when he had completed 17 years and 4 months of service of which nearly half was in reserve. He can be found on the 1st Battalion QSA medal roll which shows he was awarded the CC & OFS clasps and in the Remarks column it says “Invalided”.

James Frederick Giles was born a decade after Harry and attested in 1895 and was assigned to the 2nd Battalion with the regimental number of 4291. Thus he did the usual Malta, Bermuda run followed by the hurried return to England so they could partake in the conflict in SA. Thus he departed for SA on 7 December 1899 but on 8 August blotted his copybook by being drunk on duty for which he received 28 days of “Field Imprisonment No.1”. It is interesting that this recorded transgression does not appear to have disqualified him from being considered a “deserving man” when it came to the allocation of the Regimental Cottages.

His service records also tell us he received a “GS wound Left Iliac Region”. He arrived back in England ahead of the majority of his comrades in arms on 3 July 1901 and was discharged “medically unfit” on 19 April 1902. His discharge papers initially gave a London address for his future intended residence but this has been crossed out and written alongside is “10/05/06 Cottage Homes Near The Barracks Worcester”.

The Battalion QSA Medal Roll shows he was awarded the Wittebergen” clasp as well as CC & Tr. In the Remarks column is written “To 5th MI” which I presume means after arrival in SA he was transferred to the 2nd Worcestershire Regiment Mounted Infantry Company who served as part of the 5th Mounted Infantry. He does also appear on the KSA Roll as having been awarded the KSA Medal with both date clasps. As his South Africa service (including the voyage there and back) only comprised 1 year 198 days from 17/12/1899 to 02/07/1901 this seems to have been a rather blatant error unless his service records are incorrect. However the newspapers of the day tell us he was severely wounded at Bethlehem on 29 December 1900 making him being invalided home during July 1901 very likely.

James Bridgewater was born on 3 May 1875 and attested for service in the Worcestershire Regiment during November 1895. He was given the regimental number 4549 and after basic training was assigned to the 1st Battalion but remained on home service throughout the South African War of 1899-1902. A year after he enlisted he spent 10 days in prison for “insubordination” but by June 1902 had progressed to the rank of Sergeant when he extended his service. On 30 August 1904 he married in Tipperary. A case of drunkenness during the 1905 Christmas period lead to him being court-martialled and as a result he was reduced to the rank of Corporal. On 27 November 1907 he was finally posted abroad to South Africa where he spent 11 months. After a brief visit home he was posted to India as a member of the 4th Battalion, where he spent 5 years. During his time in India he was returned to the rank of Sergeant and took part in the Delhi Durbar to celebrate the Coronation of King George V and for which he received a medal. This was followed by a year in Burma during which period the Great War broke out. We can assume his wife Mary Rebecca (née Colhoun) accompanied him during his time in India & Burma.

In January 1915 he was posted back home and then two months later he was posted to the Dardanelles as part of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. On the 28 April 1915 he was wounded in action thus qualifying him to be a future resident of No.2 Regimental Cottages. He was invalided home and discharged on 23 April 1917 “No Longer Physically Fit For War Service”.

James passed away on 12 February 1940 aged 64 and is buried in Norton Juxta Cemetery.



As for Frank Lester, I wish to be temporarily discharged from duty to enable me to obtain some new spectacles. I can say that he never served in the South African War 1899-1902 but he did serve alongside James in South Africa during 1907/08, was MiD in WW1 and discharged with the rank of Sergeant. In the meantime if anybody could decipher this very faint writing I would be grateful.