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This research is by Peter Holden of the surnames Kingdom and Kingdon.
John Kingdon
This one of my Kingdon military men had been a problem for many years with confusion about which John he was as all I had was a RMLI reference? Preparing my records for posting here made me look again and lo and behold his Devon Militia service records popped up which have proved who he was!
Kingdon, John: Private, #4217, Devon Militia, 4th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment.
Kingdon, John: Private, #11642, Royal Marine Light Infantry, Plymouth Division; ADM 159/150;
Notes: John Kingdon, born in Molland, South Molton, residing in Bishops Nympton, a single Labourer claiming to be age 18 (b.1884) enlisted in the Devon Militia for Attestation in Barnstaple on 23.04.1902; He was declared fit on 24.04.1902 in Exeter & completed 49 days’ enlistment drill before joining the Royal Marines on 17.07.1902; His Military History Sheet records his Father as Henry John Kingdon, Brewery Cottages, Molland, South Molton; The record shows that he has 2 brothers – an older, Albert Henry of Ash Mills, Rose Ash & a younger Thomas Charles living with parents;
There are no further service records available.
I did find ADM records for a John Kingdon born 29.06.1884, with no birthplace, but I cannot find any suitable John Kingdon candidates born in that year in any ancestry records? The nearest John Kingdon birth is however, one born in South Molton in June 1885;
The ADM records in our National Archives state that this John Kingdon joined the RMLI, Plymouth Division on 17.07.1902, served in WW1 & was Discharged to Pension; At the time of his medal issue, this Soldier was serving at the Royal Marine Barracks in Plymouth;
Further research revealed in The British Army Marriage & Death Records, an ‘approved with permission Marriage’ between John Kingdon & Margaret Tooze on 11.10.1919 in Bampton Parish Church, Devon; I presume this permission was given by his Royal Marine Commanding Officer?
Further Notes: Based on this information, subsequent research indicates that this is actually John Kingdon, born 29.06.1885 in Molland, (baptised there 13.12.1885), a son of Henry John Kingdon, a Farm Labourer (b.1857 Shoreditch, London) & Sarah Jane Wright, (b.1860 Rose Ash, Devon), who were married in 1883 in South Molton, Devon; [John Kingdon, for the record, is the Grandson of Henry Kingdon (b.1837 South Molton) & Elizabeth Perryman, (b.1834 Bishops Nympton, Devon), who married 19.05.1857 in Bishopsgate, London];
In the 1891 Census John Kingdon age 5 lives with his parents at Copphall Cottage in Molland, Devon; In the 1901 Census John Kingdon is aged 15, living with parents in Molland, Devon & working as an Agricultural Horse Teamster; I did not locate this John Kingdon in the 1911 Census as he was serving with the RMLI, despite having trawled every Royal Marine location in that Census;
John Kingdon, #11642 Royal Marines, then married Margaret Tooze (b.20.06.1895) in Bampton, Devon on 11.10.1919. They had 5 children up to 1934.
In 1939, John is a General Labourer, they lived at #10, South Molton Road, Tiverton, Devon; I understand that John Kingdon Died & was Buried in Bampton on 20.02.1957 aged 71; His wife Margaret Kingdon Died in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire but was buried in Bampton on 05.09.1982 aged 87;
(His Grandfather b.1837 was the Henry Kingdon who served with the Grenadier Guards for 22 years who’s history had caused us some family research issues, now resolved); (He was the Brother of Kingdon, Albert H: #8162, Private, 1st Battalion, Devonshire Regiment, 1914-1920 WO 372/11; Died in WW1); (Brother of Kingdon, Thomas: Private, #15107, Royal Marine Light Infantry, Plymouth Division);
Awarded the 1914-15 Star, Victory & British War Medals;
Ernest Kingdon
Kingdon, Ernest: #8737, Private, Devonshire Regiment; 1914-1920 WO 372/11, WW1;
Notes: This is most likely Ernest Kingdon born 06.12.1888 & baptised in Bishops Nympton, Devon on 06.01.1889, the son of George Kingdon (b.1851 Bishops Nympton) & Ann Kingdom (b.1863 Knowstone) [she was the daughter of William Kingdom b.1819 & Eliza Howard] who married in 1881; In the1891 & 1901 Census Ernest Kingdon, aged 2 & 12 respectively, lived with his parents at Crosside Cottage, Knowstone; There are no Service Records found; In the 1911 Census there is a Private Ernest Kingdon, Aged 21, serving with the 2nd Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment in Malta;
The UK Spring 1919 Absent Voters List for South Molton Division, Devon, Parish of Rose Ash has reference #4154 to a Kingdon, Ernest – Ash Moor (No service details given);
I now understand that following the War this soldier was placed under the most common form of army reserve service for men who had completed their service in the regular army and were serving their normal period (typically of five years) on reserve; He was a Section B reservist on 22.05.1919 & could only be called upon in the event of general mobilisation; His pay would have been 3 shillings and 6 pence a week; The Rose Ash Victory Hall Memorial in Devon records a Private E. Kingdon in the Devonshire Regiment;
I don’t believe that Ernest Kingdon ever married; In the 1939 Register Ernest Kingdon is a single Boot Repairer living at Ash moor, Ash Mill, South Molton; Aged 64, Ernest Kingdon Died in 1953 at Nutcombe, Little Ash Moor, Rose Ash, Devon leaving £520 to 2 of his brothers; Medals Card on file;
(Brother of Kingdon, Frederick: #814692, Private, 139th Overseas Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force); (Brother of Kingdon, Eli: #2348, Driver, Royal Field Artillery; 1914-1920 WO 372/11); (Brother of Kingdon, Bert: #8673, Private, Devonshire Regiment; 1914-1920 WO 372/11); (Brother of Kingdom, Francis W: #1775, Private, Devonshire Regiment; 1914-1920 WO 372/11);
Ernest Kingdon-Insufficient information to identify!
Kingdon, Frederick J: #129253, Devon Regiment;
Notes: On the Absent Voters Spring 1919 List there is reference to a Fredk J. Kingdon of the above unit being absent from Princes Road West in the Ellacombe Polling District, Torquay Division; A search of his given address of #37, Princes Road West, Tormoham, Torquay in the 1911, 1921 & 1939 Census also fails to identify any Kingdon living there? So I then researched #37, Princes Road West in the 1919 Electoral Register for Torquay and found a Frederick W Kingdon living there, but still failed to identify this family?
I have also failed to identify this soldier as there are no Military Records for the #129253 on file and particularly for any Devon Regiment Battalion as they were renumbered to 6 figures in 1917 but in the number series 200001 to 350000; Could this be a misprint & should read #229253, which would fit in the 4th Battalion renumbering range?
I have scoured all military records available and can find nothing that matches?
I have examined my Parish Census lists and can find no matches for Frederick J Kingdon that has not already been fully researched or identified and could not be connected to living in Torquay;
This one has me beaten, despite lots of ‘outside box thinking’!
Insufficient information to identify;
Fred Kingdon
Kingdon, Fred: #23938, Private, Devonshire Regiment & #70395, Private, Worcestershire Regiment; 1914-1920 WO 372/11, WW1;
Notes: Also served as #70395, Private, 2/8 Battalion Worcestershire Regiment; This is (Fred) Frederick Kingdon b.19.05.1884 in South Molton, a Boot Maker from Barnstaple; He was the son of Thomas Kingdon, a Gardener, (b.1847 South Molton) & Anne Hierford (b.1847 in Meshaw) who married on 29.04.1873 in South Molton, Devon; In 1891 Census Fred Kingdon lived with his parents at #82, East Street, South Molton & also in 1901 when Fred was aged 16 & is a Shoemaker’s Apprentice; In the 1911 Census Fred, a Boot Maker age 26 & his new wife Henrietta Kingdon age 31 lived at #7, Pulchrass Street in Barnstaple.
Fred Kingdon was aged 31 years & 6 months when he enlisted in Barnstaple on 08.12.1915, he gave his address as #7, Pulchrass Street, Barnstaple, Devon; He also gave his next of kin as his wife Henrietta Emma Francis Kingdon (nee Rudall) who he married in the Parish Church in Barnstaple on 16.11.1910; (His wife was born in Teignmouth on 24.08.1879);
In 1915 he was with the Army Reserve until being mobilised on 01.06.1916; He served with the 2nd & 3rd Battalions of the Devonshire Regiment in the first 2 years; He served at Home from 08.12.1915 to 10.11.1916; Served in France from 11.11.1916 to 29.03.1917; He was at the Convalescent Hospital in Woodcote Park in June of 1917 with Trench Foot; Further research shows that he was first admitted to 31st Ambulance Train from D Company 2nd Devons on 26.03.1917 & discharged on 27.03.1917 suffering from Trench Foot; He served at Home station between 30.03.1917 & 27.03.1918; He was sent back to the front line in France again on 28.03.1918 & stayed there until 27.11.1919; He was wounded in September of 1918 in France I believe; He also served in Alexandria, Egypt in 1919 as he signed the No Disability Statement there on 14.10.1919 & embarked on ‘HS Himalaya’ for England on 12.11.1919; He was transferred to the Class Z Reserve in Warwick on 25.12.1919 & finally Discharged on Demobilisation on 31stMarch 1920 having served a total of 3 years & 209 days; His Protection Certificate dated 28.11.1919 shows that he served with 2/8 Battalion, Worcester Regiment.
In the 1939 Register Fred, a Master Boot Repairer & wife Henrietta E F Kingdon lived at #27, Albion Street, Hastings, Sussex; I believe that Fred & Henrietta Kingdon had no children, she died in Hastings in 1947 age 67; I did not find a death for Fred Kingdon?
Medals Index Card on file; (He is the Brother of Kingdon, William: Wiltshire Regiment No: 203121 Rank: Private 1914-1920 WO 372/11);
Frank Kingdon
Kingdom, Frank W: #7862, Private, 2nd Battalion, Devonshire Regiment; 1914-1920 WO 372/11, WW1; Kingdon, Frank Wm: #7862, Private, 2nd Battalion, Devonshire Regiment; 1914-1920 WO 372/11, WW1; Kingdom, F.W: T/Sgt, Attached Nigeria Regiment, Medal Index Card;
Notes: With a regimental number of #7862, this soldier’s enlistment would have been between 24.01.1904 & 09.03.1905; There are records to indicate that Private Frank Wm. Kingdon #7862 originally enlisted on 05.01.1905 & was Discharged under King’s Regulations Para 392 xvi for Sickness on 07.04.1916 & also indicating that he had served overseas; On 13.08.1917 he was issued with a Silver War Badge #226276 which gives his enlistment as 05.01.1905 & his discharge due to sickness on 07.04.1816.
Private Frank W Kingdom #7862 appears to have initially gone to Africa on 24.08.1914 & when his MIC was issued it indicates that he had been ‘Discharged’; Another MIC is on record for a Temporary Sergeant, F.W. Kingdom, attached to the Nigeria Regiment, from 30.09.1914 to 06.08.1915, his records state that he ‘Resumed Civil Duties’ but there are no indications as to what this means? This record also confirms that he first went to Africa on 30.09.1914; I found that on 06.05.1914 Mr. Frank Kingdon age 26 (b.1888), a Valet? sailed from England to Lagos Nigeria onboard the ‘Mendi’. On the 26.08.1915 I found a Frank William Kingdon of the Military returning from Lagos, Nigeria to Liverpool on the ‘Mendip’ & he gave a contact as a Mrs. Fox of Kewstoke, Somerset; {Despite searching for Kewstoke, Weston Super Mare & trying to locate a Fox family I can find no link to any Frank William Kingdon or Kingdom};
After exhaustive research I believe this man to be Frank William Kingdom baptised 29.07.1888 in Knossington, Somerset, the son of James Kingdom, a Gamekeeper, (b.1839 Swimbridge) & Elizabeth Dendle (b.08.12.1852 Buckland Filleigh) who married in 1881, in Tormoham, Torquay, Devon; In the 1891 Census Frank William Kingdon age 2 lived with his parents at the Market House in Black Torrington, Halwell, Devon; In 1901 his widowed mother age 44 is a Brewer living with 4 of her other children in Dodds Road, Attleborough, Norfolk; I did find a Frank Kingdon age 12, (born in Devon) working as a ‘?? Boy’ and Boarding with a Thomas Collins, a Gardener & family at #105, Manor Road, Woodford, Essex; We have to presume that Frank W Kingdon was serving in Malta in 1911;
Searching the British Red Cross Volunteers pages for that period I found a Frank William Kingdon, age 29 of #30, Belgrave Road, London SW. being engaged as an Orderly on 16.04.1918 and working for the Red Cross until 28.12.1918 with the Department of Home Hospitals;
I next find Frank W Kingdon marrying a Marguerite Amoudru (a Nigerian surname), (b.01.09.1892), in St George, Hanover Square, London in 1919; Frank William & Marguerite Kingdon lived in ‘Trenchmore’, St Andrew’s Road, Hornchurch, London in 1927; Frank William & Marguerite Kingdon lived in ‘La Maisonette’ Hempstead Road, Watford in 1929; They have a son Gordon Robert Kingdon b.15.09.1929 in Hemel Hempstead, (he will die in 1990 in Tower Hamlets age 60); Frank William & Marguerite Kingdon lived in #28a, Hempstead Road, Watford in 1930;
On 11.12.1936 Frank William age 48 & wife Marguerite Kingdon age 43, alongwith son Gordon Robert Kingdon age 7 are found returning to Southampton, England from South Africa onboard the ‘Stirling Castle’;
In the 1939 Register Frank W, a War Disabled man (b.09.07.1888) & wife Marguerite Kingdon (b.01.09.1892) and son lived at #24, Forde Park, Newton Abbot, Devon;
In 1950 they live #48, St John’s Avenue, Putney & Streatham; 1951 all three of them, Frank W, Marguerite & Gordon R Kingdon live at #43, St John’s Avenue, Wandsworth & Putney. Gordon R Kingdon is recorded as a Service Voter;
I believe that Frank W Kingdon died in Wandsworth in 1956 age 67; Marguerite Kingdon died 08.01.1986 Wandsworth – at #5, Augustus Road, London SW19 leaving £146,915;
Awarded the Silver War Badge #226276 issued 13.08. 1917 under #7862 Private Frank William Kingdon; Medals Index Card for T/Sgt. F.W. Kingdom, attached to the Nigeria Regt. is on file for the Victory & the British War Medals, however this MIC is also marked, ‘on 1915 Star Roll, col/5/40-11; Another Medals Index Card is on file for award of the 1915 Star for #7862 Private Frank W. Kingdom, Devon Regt. & marked ‘Discharged’; The Medals Record Card for Private #7862 Frank Wm Kingdom (changed to Kingdon) indicates award of the Victory & the British War Medals;
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