Henry Arnold

Family and Home ^{1, 2}

Henry George Arnold was born in Edward Street, Dunstable, the eldest child of Henry James Arnold and Ellen, née Pitkin. His parents worked in the hat trade.

His sister Florence Nellie was born 27th September 1883 and his brother Albert William on 15th March 1886.

The family lived at 24 Winfield Street, Dunstable in 1881 and at 17 Edward Street, Dunstable by 1891.

Employment, Marriage and Birth of his Children ^{2, 3, 4}

By 1901, Henry was working as a Wheelwright at Mentmore, Buckinghamshire, living at 36 Mentmore Square.

In 1902 he married Ann Darvill. Their son, also Henry George, was born 18^th October 1907.               

In the 1911 Census, Henry, his wife and son were resident at Riverwoods House, Riverwoods Estate, Marlow, where he was the Estate Foreman. His daughter Winifred Florence Mary was born there on 25^th January 1914.

Moving to Little Gaddesden ⁵

By May 1914, they had moved to Little Gaddesden. His 6 year old son Henry entered the Infant Class of Little Gaddesden School on 11th May that year.

Military ^{6, 7}

Henry joined the Army Ordnance Corps. He first served overseas in France on 26^th November 1915. By September 1918 he had been promoted to Sergeant. His Absent Voters’ list entry shows him then living at 36 Ashridge Park (now part of Witchcraft Hill on Ringshall Drive). For his War Service, Henry was awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Allied Victory Medal.

Post-War in Little Gaddesden ^{7, 8}

On 7^th January 1919, Henry’s daughter Winifred started at Little Gaddesden School, shortly before her 5th Birthday.

Henry was discharged from the Army during 1919. In the Spring 1919 Absent Voters’ list as a Wheeler in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, which fitted with his 1901 civilian occupation as a Wheelwright. By Autumn 1919 he had returned home and was living with his family at 3 Little Gaddesden. Between 1920 and 1922 they lived at 17 Ringshall; he had resumed work as a Wheelwright.

Men who have answered their country’s call in defence of a “Scrap of Paper”

Henry G Arnold – Army Ordnance Corps is named on the Roll of Honour, which hangs in St Peter & St Paul’s Church, Little Gaddesden and lists 119 men from Little Gaddesden, Ringshall and Hudnall who served in the 1914 – 1918 War. The corps is named as it was when he first served. He is similarly shown on the Centenary Revision of the Roll.

Rolls of Honour photos: Jane Dickson, Michael Carver

Moving Away ^{8, 9}

The Arnold family left Little Gaddesden in 1922, moving to 21 High Street, Markyate. By 1931, they had moved again, to Lynn Lodge, Weeting-with-Broomhill, Norfolk. Henry was a Journeyman Carpenter, still living in Weeting at the time of his death, aged 54, on 24th June 1933. The causes of death were carcinoma of the colon and chronic myocarditis.

References

1. https://www.findmypast.co.uk England & Wales births 1837-2006 Transcriptions and pdf copy of Birth Certificate

2. https://www.findmypast.co.uk  1881 – 1921 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcriptions

3. https://www.findmypast.co.uk England & Wales marriages 1837-2005 Transcriptions

4. https://www.ancestry.co.uk The 1939 Register

5. Little Gaddesden School Log Book 1906 – 1934

6. https://www.ancestry.co.uk  British Army WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards 1914-1920

7. 1918-19 Absent Voters’ Lists Parliamentary County of Hertford, Hemel Hempstead Division, Little Gaddesden

8. https://www.findmypast.co.uk Electoral Registers 1832 – 1932

9. https://www.findmypast.co.uk England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007 and copy (pdf) of the Death Certificate of Henry George Arnold d. 24th June 1933