Thomas Henry Cooksey
Male, b. 2 February 1895, d. 3 October 1942
Thomas Henry Cooksey, son of George Philip Cooksey, was born on 2 February 18951,2 and was baptized on 1 March 1895 at St Mary, Battersea, London.1 He was the George and Selina's sixth child and fourth son.3
In 1911 aged 16 Thomas was working as an errand boy, living at the family home at 128 Lavender Road, Battersea, London,4 but within three years he had signed up to become a soldier, joining the 1st Lincolnshire Regiment.
The declaration of war between Great Britain and Germany was made on 4 August 1914 and as a regular soldier with the the 1st Battalion Lincoln Regiment Thomas was on active service a little over a week later. His regiment was based in Portsmouth and was part of the 9th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Division, that disembarked at Le Havre, France, on 13 August 1914 as part of the British Expeditionary Force.
"At 6.15 a.m. on 13 August the right-half battalion marched out of Victoria Barracks, Portsmouth to the Town Station and entrained for Southampton. An hour later, the left-half battalion followed. At Southampton the battalion went aboard the S.S. 'Norman' ... Darkness had fallen when the vessel put out to sea. Standing on the deck, watching the lights of England disappear in the distance, officers and men were alike ignorant of their destination. Land lights were seen at about 1am on the 14th. By 2.30 a.m. the 'Norman' had berthed in the docks and soon the word passed that this was Havre".
Once disembarked, a gruelling march of 6 miles in stifling heat and with heavy packs took them to a plateau where they sheltered in an orchard. Tents arrived in the evening. A violent thunderstorm broke overnight and in incessant rain on the 15th they marched back to Le Havre and entrained for Landrecies where the British Expeditionary Force concentrated before moving to the position allotted to it on the left flank of the Fifth French Army. They were about to take part in the Battle of Mons.
The 1st Lincolnshire went on to see a great deal of action on the Western Front during 1914 including The Battle of Mons and the subsequent retreat, The Battle of Le Cateau, The Battle of the Marne, The Battle of the Aisne, The Battles of La Bassee and Messines and the First Battle of Ypres. Thomas received the British War Medal 1914-1918, Allied Victory Medal and the 1914 Star for his war service.5,6,7
Somehow Thomas came through the hostilities and in 1919 was living again at 128 Lavender Road, Battersea, London, in 19198 when he married Agnes Wybry Cook at St Peter, Battersea, London, on 12 July 1919.9,10 The couple probably lived with Agnes' parents at 1 Rinaldo Street, Balham, London, but Thomas was now working as a ship's steward and for the next decade or so he was often away. Mrs Agnes Cooksey was with her parents and brother at Rinaldo Street in 1923, without Thomas,11,12 and it wasn't until 1932 that Thomas gave up his life at sea.13 They remained at 1 Rinaldo Street, Balham, London, until at least 1936.14
Thomas Henry Cooksey died on 3 October 1942 in the General Hospital, Southend, Essex, at age 4715,16 and administration was granted to his widow Agnes on 7 November 1942.15
In 1911 aged 16 Thomas was working as an errand boy, living at the family home at 128 Lavender Road, Battersea, London,4 but within three years he had signed up to become a soldier, joining the 1st Lincolnshire Regiment.
The declaration of war between Great Britain and Germany was made on 4 August 1914 and as a regular soldier with the the 1st Battalion Lincoln Regiment Thomas was on active service a little over a week later. His regiment was based in Portsmouth and was part of the 9th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Division, that disembarked at Le Havre, France, on 13 August 1914 as part of the British Expeditionary Force.
"At 6.15 a.m. on 13 August the right-half battalion marched out of Victoria Barracks, Portsmouth to the Town Station and entrained for Southampton. An hour later, the left-half battalion followed. At Southampton the battalion went aboard the S.S. 'Norman' ... Darkness had fallen when the vessel put out to sea. Standing on the deck, watching the lights of England disappear in the distance, officers and men were alike ignorant of their destination. Land lights were seen at about 1am on the 14th. By 2.30 a.m. the 'Norman' had berthed in the docks and soon the word passed that this was Havre".
Once disembarked, a gruelling march of 6 miles in stifling heat and with heavy packs took them to a plateau where they sheltered in an orchard. Tents arrived in the evening. A violent thunderstorm broke overnight and in incessant rain on the 15th they marched back to Le Havre and entrained for Landrecies where the British Expeditionary Force concentrated before moving to the position allotted to it on the left flank of the Fifth French Army. They were about to take part in the Battle of Mons.
The 1st Lincolnshire went on to see a great deal of action on the Western Front during 1914 including The Battle of Mons and the subsequent retreat, The Battle of Le Cateau, The Battle of the Marne, The Battle of the Aisne, The Battles of La Bassee and Messines and the First Battle of Ypres. Thomas received the British War Medal 1914-1918, Allied Victory Medal and the 1914 Star for his war service.5,6,7
Somehow Thomas came through the hostilities and in 1919 was living again at 128 Lavender Road, Battersea, London, in 19198 when he married Agnes Wybry Cook at St Peter, Battersea, London, on 12 July 1919.9,10 The couple probably lived with Agnes' parents at 1 Rinaldo Street, Balham, London, but Thomas was now working as a ship's steward and for the next decade or so he was often away. Mrs Agnes Cooksey was with her parents and brother at Rinaldo Street in 1923, without Thomas,11,12 and it wasn't until 1932 that Thomas gave up his life at sea.13 They remained at 1 Rinaldo Street, Balham, London, until at least 1936.14
Thomas Henry Cooksey died on 3 October 1942 in the General Hospital, Southend, Essex, at age 4715,16 and administration was granted to his widow Agnes on 7 November 1942.15
Citations
- [S186] Ancestry.com. England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1906 London (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 15 March 2014). Original data: Register of baptisms at St Mary, Battersea, London Metropolitan Archives, 40 Northampton Road, London, reference P70/MRY2, Item 024. [LONPAR].
1895, 1 Mar, born Feb 2 1895, Thomas Henry, s. of George and Selina Cooksey, 128 Lavender Road, Painter. - [S153] Ancestry.com. FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915 England & Wales (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 6 March 2014). Original data: England and Wales Civil Registration Indexes, London, England: General Register Office. GRO Index of births. [GROINDXD].
1895, Mar Q, Cooksey, Thomas Henry, Wandsworth, Volume 1d, Page 713. - [S150] 1901 England Census (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 24 November 2006), household of George W Cooksey (b 1851). Original data: Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901, Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1901. Source Citation: Class: RG13; Piece: 453; Folio: 48; Page: 27. [C1901-0002].
London, Battersea, 128 Lavender Road;
George W Cooksey, Head, M, 46, Painter, Worker, London Clerkenwell;
Selina Cooksey, W, M, 40, Hants, Gosport;
Julia Cooksey, Daur, 13, London, Battersea;
George, Son, 11 London, Battersea;
Frederick, Son, 10, Battersea, London;
Albert, Son, 9, Battersea, London;
Thomas H, Son, 6, Battersea, London;
Philip, Son, 4, Battersea, London;
Ellen F, Daur, 1, Battersea, London;
Lilian F, Daur, 3 mths, Battersea, London.
Daughter Lilian is shown with a middle initial of 'F' but at birth she was recorded as Lilian Mary. - [S151] Ancestry.com. 1911 England Census (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 4 February 2014), household of George Cooksey (b 1851). Original data: Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911, Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1911. Source Citation: Class: RG14; Piece: 2210. [C1911-0022].
George Cooksey, Head, 60, Married, House Painter, Employer, Clerkenwell, London;
Selina Cooksey, Wife, 50, Married, 25, 10, 9, 1, House Work, Gosport, Hampshire;
Selina Cooksey, Daughter, 24, Married, House Work, Battersea, London;
Julia Cooksey, Daughter, 23, Single, Domestic Servant, Battersea, London;
George Cooksey, Son, 21, Single, Greengrocer, Employer, Battersea, London;
Frederick Cooksey, Son, 20, Single, Soldier, Battersea, London;
Albert Cooksey, Son, 18, Single, left home, Battersea, London,
Thomas Cooksey, Son, 16, Single, Errand Boy, Employer, Battersea, London;
Philip Cooksey, Son, 14, Single, Errand Boy, Employer, Battersea, London;
Ellen Cooksey, Daughter, 11, Single, at School, Battersea London;
Lillian Cooksey, Daughter, 10, Single, Dead, Battersea, London;
Edith Cooksey, Daughter, 7, Single, at School, Battersea London;
128 Lavender Road, Battersea.
This is the first time that daughter Selina has been shown in the Cooksey family although she was not actually living with them as she is shown elsewhere in the census return as the wife of Augustus Knipe. Similarly, neither Frederick (serving as a soldier in the Far East) or Albert Edward (working in Salisbury) were living in the household. The line for Lillian has been crossed through. - [S169] Ancestry.com. 1914-1920 British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 6 March 2014). Original data: Medal Rolls Index Cards, Army Medal Office. WWI Medal Index Cards: The Western Front Association. [MILITARY/MIL0003].
Cooksey,Thomas H., 1st Bn Lincoln Regt, Pte, 9267, 1914 Star, British War Medal 1914-1918, Allied Victory Medal, Disembarkation date 13.8.14. Address 128 Lavender Road, Battersea, S.W.11, London is written on reverse of card.
No other details of Thomas Cooksey's military career have been found. A series of figures that could be a date, near the word 'Discharged' shows '1/3/35.' - [S177] The Long Long Trail. The British Army in the Great War of 1914-1918 (www.1914-1918.net : accessed 6 March 2014). [MILITARY].
The Lincolnshire Regiment. Battalions of the Regular Army. 1st Battalion. August 1914 : in Portsmouth. Part of 9th Brigade, 3rd Division. Landed at Le Havre on 14 August 1914. - [S178] The Internet Archive. The History of the Lincolnshire Regiment 1914-1918 (www.archive.org : accessed 7 March 2014). Major-General C.R. Simpson C.B. "Military. The History of the Lincolnshire Regiment 1914-1918. Compiled from War Diaries, Despatches, Officers' Notes and Other Sources, The Medici Society Ltd, London, (1931). [MILITARY].
The History of the Lincolnshire Regiment states that some of the men sent to France in Ausust 1914 were experienced soldiers while others were recent recruits; we cannot be sure which category Thomas fell into. We also cannot be absolutely sure that Thomas was present at all of these major actions but the likelihood is that he was, especially as his medal index card states that he disembarked on 13 August 1914 which ties in with the official History of the Regiment. - [S179] Ancestry.com. London England Electoral Registers 1832-1965 (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 10 March 2014). Original data: Electoral Registers, Electoral Register for Battersea, published 1919, London Metropolitan Archives, 40 Northampton Road, London. LCC/PER/B/1575. [LONELR].
Page 133. No. 1348, Cooksey, Thomas Henry, 128 Lavender Road, R, O. - [S183] Ancestry.com. England, Marriages & Banns 1754-1921 London (ancestry.co.uk : accessed 7 March 2014). Original data: St Peter, Battersea, Register of Marriages, London Metropolitan Archives, 40 Northampton Road, London. Ref. P70/PET, Item 015. Record of marriage of Thomas Henry Cooksey and Agnes Wybry Cook on 12 July 1919. [M0009].
1919, Marriage solemnized at St Peter's Church in the Parish of Battersea in the County of London, July 12 1919, Thomas Henry Cooksey, 24, Bachelor, Ship Steward, 128 Lavender Road, s. of George Philip Cooksey (deceased), Decorator, and Agnes Wybry Cook, 27, Spinster, 1 Rinaldo Street, Balham, d. of George Henry Walter Cook, Employee L.C.C., in the presence of George Walter Henry Cook, Julia Wilcock. - [S165] Ancestry.com. Marriage Index, 1916-2005 England & Wales (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 6 March 2014). Original data: England and Wales Civil Registration Indexes, London, England: General Register Office. GRO Index of marriages. [GROINDXM].
1919, Sep Q, Cooksey, Thomas H., Cook, Agnes W., Wandsworth, Volume 1d, Page 1183. - [S181] Ancestry.com. London England Electoral Registers 1832-1965 (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 7 March 2014). Original data: Electoral Registers, Electoral Register for Wandsworth, published 15 October 1923, London Metropolitan Archives, 40 Northampton Road, London. LCC/PER/B/1744. [LONELR].
Page 253. No. 2835. O, O, Cooksey, Agnes (Mrs), 1 Rinaldo Street, SW12.. - [S180] Ancestry.com. London England Electoral Registers 1832-1965 (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 7 March 2014). Original data: Electoral Registers, Electoral Register for Wandsworth, published 15 October 1928, London Metropolitan Archives, 40 Northampton Road, London. LCC/PER/B/1887. [LONELR].
Page 292. No 2917 R, O, Cook, George Walter Henry, 1 Rinaldo Street, SW12.
Cook, Elizabeth Page 292. No 2918 HO, HO, Cook, Elizabeth, 1 Rinaldo Street, SW12.
Page 292. No 2919 R, -, Cook, Edward Albert, 1 Rinaldo Street, SW12.
Page 292. No 2920 R, O, aCooksey, Thomas Henry, 1 Rinaldo Street, SW12.
Page 292. No 2921 HO, HO, Cooksey, Agnes, 1 Rinaldo Street, SW12. - [S182] Ancestry.com. London England Electoral Registers 1832-1965 (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 10 March 2014). Original data: Electoral Registers, Electoral Register for Balham & Tooting & Central, published 15 October 1932, London Metropolitan Archives, 40 Northampton Road, London. LCC/PER/B/2008. [LONELR].
Page 374. No. 3655, R, O, Cooksey, Thomas Henry, 1 Rinaldo Street, SW12.
Page 374. No. 3656, Rw, Dw, Cooksey, Agnes Whybry, 1 Rinaldo Street, SW12.. - [S184] Ancestry.com. London England Electoral Registers 1832-1965 (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 11 March 1936). Original data: Electoral Registers, Electoral Register for Balham & Tooting & Central, published 15 October 1936, London Metropolitan Archives, 40 Northampton Road, London. LCC/PER/B/2131. [LONELR].
Page 366. No. 3614, R, O, Cooksey, Thomas Henry, 1 Rinaldo Street, SW12.
Page 366. No. 3615, Rw, Dw, Cooksey, Agnes Whybry, 1 Rinaldo Street, SW12. - [S176] Ancestry.com. National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966 England & Wales (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 6 March 2014). Original data: Principal Probate Registry. Calendar of the Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration made in the Probate Registries of the High Court of Justice in England, Principal Registry of the Family Division, 7th Floor, 42-49 High Holborn, Holborn, London. Administration of the estate of Thomas Henry Cooksey of 49 Christchurch Road, Southend-on-Sea, Essex on 7 November 1942 [ADM0007].
Cooksey Thomas Henry of 49 Christchurch Road, Southend-on-Sea, Essex died 3 October 1942 at General Hospital Southend-on-Sea Administration Llandudno 7 November to Agnes Whybry Cooksey widow. Effects £265 10s. - [S166] Ancestry.com. Death Index, 1916-2007 England & Wales (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 6 March 2014). Original data: England and Wales Civil Registration Indexes, London, England: General Register Office. GRO Index of deaths. [GROINDXD].
1942, Dec Q, Cooksey, Thomas H., Southend on Sea, Volume 4a, Page 765.