Drayton Remembers

This lovely photograph, probably taken in Drayton looks like a Harry Stone one – the way he has arranged the people. We would love to know who all the people are.

On the 25 January 1919, the LANGPORT HERALD reported that a Parochial Church Council meeting was held to discuss the erection of a war memorial for the village. Those present included Major M F Cely TREVILIAN in the chair, Vicar, the Rev FW SOAMES, Mrs GRIFFEN, Mrs James ALFORD, Mrs STONE and Mrs COATE. At this meeting, …

One hundred years ago, our War Memorial was unveiled. Read More »

(1921 – 1945) Richard was born on the 6 September 1921. son of Ralph Edmund Dabinett and Jessie (nee Alford).Edmund (Ralph) and Jessie married in St Catherine’s Church on the16 April 1913 and, like many other people from the village, emigrated to Schenectady, New York to seek work. They must have left for the USA …

Drayton Remembers – Sapper RICHARD JAMES DABINETT Read More »

Arthur was lodging with the Lock family in Brick House when he enlisted in the Second World War.Arthur was born on the 22 February 1911 in Devon. On the 1911 Census, the family were living in Topsham. Sadly, his father, Herbert, was killed in the Great War.   He came to live in Drayton because …

DRAYTON REMEMBERS – Lt. ARTHUR HERBERT MANNING Read More »

Richard Dabinett was born in Drayton in 1897 and Baptised at our Church on the 2 January 1898. Son of Frederick and Elizabeth Dabinett, he was one of eleven children. The 1911 Census has the family living in the White House, Drayton but not long after this Frederick took over the running of the Crown …

Drayton Remembers – Richard P Dabinett Read More »

Bernard L Trott, son of Henry (Sometimes Thomas) and Annie (Sometimes known as Nancy) was Baptised in our Church on 30 October 1892. On the 1901 census, the family of 7 were living in School Street. By 1911, when the next census was published, Bernard was in London, a member of the 2nd Battalion, Grenadier …

Drayton Remembers – Bernard Trott Read More »

Albert was born in 1895 at Heaton Punchardon in Devon. He was the son of George and Norah Vickery.  They lived in Bridgwater in 1901 but by the time Albert’s younger sister, Norah was born in August 1902.  they were living in Drayton. Albert joined the Somerset Light Infantry and on the 5 May 1917, …

Drayton Remembers – Albert George Vickery Read More »

Herbert was the younger brother of Bert Smith, also killed in the Great War. He was the son of Frederick and Mary Anne Smith who were living at Haywards Way, Drayton at the time of his death. Herbert was born in Curry Rivel in 1889 and had moved to Drayton by 1894. On the 1911 …

Drayton Remembers – Herbert Smith Read More »

Harry was born on 11 November 1894 in Drayton, the son of George and Charlotte and they lived in Church Street. Harry, like many of the lads in the village, emigrated to Schenectady, New York. Harry enlisted on the 7 March 1918 at Montreal. He was 23 years, 5ft 5 1/2” and weighed 123 pounds. …

Drayton Remembers – Harry Trott Read More »

Although Frederick Charles Parsons’s name is on our War Memorial, he does not have a Commonwealth War Grave and does not have an entry on the CWWG site. Frederick was Baptised in our Church on the 25 August 1889. He was the son of George and Ann who were living in East Street in 1891, …

Drayton Remembers – Frederick Charles Parsons Read More »

Cliford (one ‘f’) was the son of Harry and Susannah Stone. Harry is still well known to us now, over 80 years after he died, because of the fantastic pictorial history he left us of our village. Susannah was the Head Teacher at our village school. Cliford was born on the 5 June 1898 but …

Drayton Remembers – Cliford Stone, Devonshire Regiment. Read More »

 Charles’s Father, George Bisgrove was born in the Drayton area but he and his family were living in Wales when Charles was born in 1890. Charles married Louisa in 1911 and they had two children. He enlisted at Colwyn Bay with the Welsh Regiment and Louisa probably with her two children came to Drayton to …

Drayton Remembers – Charles Bisgrove Read More »

Bert Smith was born on 8 September 1886 in Curry Rivel and was one of 11 children born to Frederick and Mary Ann. The family were living in Curry Rivel at the beginning of their married life but by 1894 they had moved to Drayton, living at Haywards Way. Bert emigrated to New Zealand, date …

Drayton Remembers – Bert Smith Read More »

William Gillard and his twin brother Charles was Baptised in St Catherine’s Church, Drayton on the 25 November 1877. They were the sons of Thomas and Elizabeth Gillard. On the 1911 census they were living at Midelney Place. Thomas was a Coachmen and William was a Footman for the Trevilian family.At the outbreak of the …

DRAYTON REMEMBERS – WILLIAM GILLARD Read More »

Herbert Alford was born in Drayton in 1889, one of eleven children. His parents were James and Sarah, nee Hodges. They lived in North St.  In April 1911 Herbert was at home in Drayton for the 1911 census, but just 3 months later he was getting married to Louisa Willey in Chipping Sodbury. Their first …

DRAYTON REMEMBERS – HERBERT ALFORD – 27148 – SOMERSET LIGHT INFANTRY Read More »

Bert Gould was born in High Ham and was Baptised there on the 25 May 1890. He was one of eight children. By 1901 the family had moved to Drayton and his father, Joseph was a carter on the farm at Midelney. Ten years later, they were still living in Drayton and Bert was working …

DRAYTON REMEMBERS – Lance Corporal BERT GOULD Read More »

Every now and then we are given a photograph which makes me smile. This is Toby and Ellen Alford, their daughters, Barbara and Gwen and Gwen’s (future?) husband Sid Petty. They look determined to enjoy themselves despite being wrapped up against the cold! I wonder what is in the case? From Richard Petty’s family album.