Edmund Stanley Cornwell

LIFE GOES ON: AN INTRODUCTION

MY GRANDPARENTS - I - MY GREAT-GRANDPARENTS - I - MY GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS - I - MY GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS

THE SIXTEEN FAMILIES

KNOTT - I - BOWLES - I - WATERS - I - HARRALL - I - PAGE - I - WISEMAN - I - CROSS - I - CARTER

CORNWELL - I - HUCKLE - I - MORTLOCK - I - MANSFIELD - I - REYNOLDS - I - CARTER - I - ANABLE - I - STEARN

CHRONOLOGY - I - DRAMATIS PERSONAE - I - WHERE PEOPLE CAME FROM - I - CALENDAR

MAP OF ELY - I - MAP OF MEDWAY
MAP OF CAMBRIDGE AND DISTRICT

THE WORKHOUSE

WORLD WAR I - I - WORLD WAR II

simonknott.co.uk I home I e-mail

LIFE GOES ON

Edmund Stanley Cecil Cornwell
born Oakington, Cambridgeshire, 31st July 1903
died Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, 2nd October 1953

on the Cornwell family tree
part of the Cornwell, Huckle, Mortlock and Mansfield family stories

married to Winifred Ellen Reynolds

son of
William Cornwell
and Eliza Mortlock

Edmund Stanley Cecil Cornwell (1903-1953). My Mother's Father. My Grandfather.

Edmund Stanley 'Stan' Cornwell was born in Oakington on the outskirts of Cambridge on the 31st July 1903. On the birth certificate, Stan's father gave his occupation as a bricklayer's labourer, but by 1911 he is shown as a roadman for Chesterton District Council. William had adapted his parents' surname of Cornell into Cornwell. Nevertheless, some of Stan's siblings had their births registered under the surname Cornell rather than Cornwell. His mother was a member of the Mortlock family of Huntingdonshire.

Edmund was always known as Stan. He married my grandmother Winifred Ellen Reynolds in 1923. She came from the neighbouring village of Dry Drayton, but they married in Lichfield, Staffordshire when they were both just 19 years old. They gave false ages to acquire the certificate, as one of them had to be of age, that is to say 21 or over. Stan's older sister Ruth lived at Colton on the outskirts of Rugeley, and they gave their address as hers. Their first child was born less than three months later. He had a learning disability, and lived with his mother for the rest of her life.

They returned to Cambridge after the birth of their first child, living at Oakington with Stan's parents and then in Castle Row, Cambridge, near to Win's parents. However, they seem not to have got on well with them, and after the birth of two more children they moved to Barway near Ely and then to Grunty Fen on the other side of the river, before settling in Little Thetford. They had nine children altogether. Stan was a farrier, working with horses on farms in the Isle of Ely. He is the only one of my grandparents that I did not know - he died of a heart attack at the age of 50, in 1953, eight years before I was born. He is buried in Little Thetford cemetery.

1901 Census:

Edmund Stanley was not born at the time of the 1901 census. The Cornwell family were living on Dry Drayton Road, Oakington, Cambridgeshire, as they would be at the time of the 1911 census.

Edmund Stanley's father William is shown as a bricklayer's labourer, aged 38. His mother Eliza was aged 37.

The Cornwell family had seven children living at home at the time of the 1901 census: Charles was 15, Lily was 13, Walter was 11, Violet was 9, Catherine was 7, Frances was 5, and Ruth was 1.

Edmund Stanley's father William was born in Histon in Cambridgeshire, and his mother Eliza was born at Needingworth in Huntingdonshire, today modern Cambridgeshire. The children were all born in Histon except for Ruth who was born in Oakington. The transcript for their entry is here.

1903: Edmund Stanley Cecil Cornwell was born at Oakington, Cambridgeshire on 31st July. His father William Huckle Cornwell gave his occupation as a bricklayer's labourer. The birth was registered by Stan's mother, Eliza Cornwell, who signed her own name. He was baptised at St Andrew's Church, Oakington on 27th September.

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1911 Census:

Edmund Stanley was seven years old at the time of the 1911 census. The Cornwell family were living on Drayton Road, Oakington, Cambridgeshire. Drayton road still exists, as Dry Drayton Road, and is home to one of the largest glasshouses in Cambridgeshire.

His father William is shown as a roadman, and his mother Eliza as a farm labourer. They were both aged 47, and had been married for 26 years.

Edmund Stanley's name is misspelt as Edmund Standly Sicil - he was the youngest of seven children: Charles was 25, Walter 21, Violet 18, Frances 15, Ruth 11 and William 9.

Stanley was born in Oakington, Cambridgeshire. the other children were all born in either Oakington or the neighbouring village of Histon. Today, both are suburbs of Cambridge.

Stanley's father was born in Histon, but his mother was born at Needingworth in Huntingdonshire, which is today in modern Cambridgeshire. The transcript for their entry is here. The page itself is here.

1920: The Cambridge Daily News reported on 5th July that Edmund Cornwell of Oakington had been fined 7s 6d for riding his bike without lights at 10.50pm.

1921 Census:

Edmund Stanley was a month short of his 18th birthday at the time of the 1921 census. The Cornwell family were living at Wheeler Street, Oakington, Cambridgeshire. He was recorded as being a bricklayer's labourer for Mortlock builders of Willingham (his mother's family). His father William was 54 and is shown as a roadman (repairer) for Cambridge County Council. His mother Eliza was not at home on the night of the census.

Also in the household on census night were his sister Francis, aged 26, whose occupation was shown as household duties, and his brother William, 19, a driver for the Laurie and MacConnall department store in Fitzroy Street, Cambridge. The census return is here.

His mother Eliza was staying with his sister Ruth Wheeldon and husband John Wheeldon at Hamstall Ridware, Staffordshire. Eliza was 55 years old. John was a plate layer for the civil engineering department of the Rugeley TU. As well as John and Ruth, a two year old daughter Cynthia was also in the household. The census return is here.

1921: Stan enlisted as a Private in the North Staffordshire Regiment (Territorial Army), based in Lichfield, Staffordshire on 30th April 1921. His sister Ruth and her husband John Wheeldon lived locally at Colton. Some six months later on the 3rd November he enlisted as a Private in the Royal Army Veterinary Corps at Longstanton, Cambridgeshire. His occupation was given as bricklayer's labourer, his next of kin as his father WH Cornwell, Oakington and his age as 18¾.

1922: Stan was discharged at Woolwich from his service with the Royal Army Veterinary Corps on 31st May, the reason being given as disbandment of unit. His place of residence was given as Oakington, Cambridgeshire and his papers were returned to Lichfield.

1923: Stan married Winifred Ellen Reynolds of Cambridge on the 10th July at the Register Office, Lichfield, Staffordshire. Their address was recorded as Colton Hall Barn Cottages, Colton, Staffordshire. This was near the home of Stan's sister Ruth and her husband John Wheeldon, who were witnesses. On 29th October, their son Cecil Thomas Walter was born and his birth registered in the Lichfield registration district.

1925: Their son Stanley Arthur James was born. he was baptised at St Andrew, Oakington, Cambridgeshire on 27th September, suggesting that Stan and Win were living with Stan's parents.

Given that there were nine children altogether, the three year gap here is interesting.

1927: The electoral roll shows Edmund Cornwell living at 2 Castle Row, Cambridge. Winifred is not listed on the roll as she was under the age of 30.

1928: Their son Jack Travers was born at 2 Castle Row, Cambridge and baptised at St Giles, Cambridge on 4th March. He was named after Jack Travers Cornwell, a 16 year old posthumous winner of the Victoria Cross, who at the time was one of the great heroes of the First World War.

The 1928 electoral roll shows Edmund Cornwell at 2 Castle Row, Cambridge. Winifred is not listed on the roll. She was under the age of 30, but the Representation of the People Act 1928 would entitle all women over the age of 21 to vote from that year.

1929: The electoral roll shows Edmund Cornwell living at 2 Castle Row, Cambridge. Winifred is not listed on the roll although by 1929 women under the age of 30 were entitled to vote.

1930: Their son Reginald Trevor was born at River Bank, Barway, Cambridgeshire. His baptism on 6th April was recorded in the Soham parish registers as being at St Nicholas, Barway, which served as a chapel of ease to Soham.

1931: Their son Edward Malcolm was born. When he was baptised at St Nicholas, Barway on 7th June his abode was given as 'of Little Thetford', but he was probably born in Barway. Little Thetford was the larger village on the other side of the river.

1932: Their daughter Betty Katherine was born, and at her baptism at St Nicholas, Barway on 2nd July 1933 her abode was recorded rather confusingly as 'River Bank Little Thetford Barway Soham'! It is likely that the family were still living at River Bank, Barway as they were in 1930 and presumably in 1931. Betty would contract polio and be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life.

1933: The family moved across the river to Grunty Fen.

1934: Their daughter June Frances was born at Red Fen Road, Grunty Fen, Little Thetford, Cambridgeshire. There is no baptism record in the parish registers for Little Thetford, Stretham, Barway, Witchford or for Cambridge St Giles where her maternal grandparents lived.

1935: The electoral roll shows Stan and Win living at Ware Hall Terrace, Little Thetford (is this the house on Red Fen Road?)

1936: Their daughter Marion Patricia was born on 27th February at Red Fen Road, Grunty Fen, Little Thetford, Cambridgeshire. There is no baptism record in the parish registers for Little Thetford, Stretham, Barway, Witchford or Cambridge St Giles.

1937: Their son Albert Paul was born in Little Thetford, Cambridgeshire. Again, there is no baptism record in the parish registers for Little Thetford, Stretham, Barway, Witchford or Cambridge St Giles.

1939: On National Registration Day, 29th September, Stan was not at home, suggesting that he had already joined up with the Cambridgeshire Regiment. Win is listed at 15 Council Houses, Little Thetford, Cambridgeshire. Her occupation is recorded as unpaid domestic duties. There were eight children listed in the household.

1943: Stanley Arthur James, 'Jim', their second son, was badly injured on 16th September aboard HMS Warspite. He was just 17 years old. The battleship was taking part in the Salerno Landings off the toe of Italy when it was hit by a German glider bomber. This photograph shows the ratings being addressed shortly before the battle. Jim is in this photograph somewhere.

1946: Their son Stanley Arthur James died and was buried in Little Thetford cemetery.

1949: The Little Thetford electoral register for this and subsequent years up until 1953 shows the family living at Council House, Front Street, Little Thetford. Front Street was later renamed Green Hill. Those in the household old enough to vote were Stan and Win and their sons Cecil and Jack.

1950: The Little Thetford electoral register shows those in the household old enough to vote as Stan and Win and their sons Cecil, Jack and Reginald. The family surname was recorded as 'Cornwall'. Malcom was also by now of voting age, and was probably doing National Service. Reginald had been excused National Service because of his acute asthma.

1951: The Little Thetford electoral register taken on 20th November shows those in the household old enough to vote as Stan and Win and their sons Cecil, Jack and Reginald. By now, Betty was also of voting age, and so it is likely that by now she was at Manfield Hospital in Northampton. Malcolm was probably still doing National Service. The family surname was recorded as 'Cornwall'.

1952: The Little Thetford electoral register taken on 20th November shows those in the household old enough to vote as Stan and Win and their sons Cecil, Jack and Reginald. The family surname was recorded as 'Cornwall' except for Reggie who was recorded correctly as 'Cornwell'.

1953: Stan died of a heart attack on 2nd October at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge. He was fifty years old. The family address was given as 15 Green Hill, Little Thetford. He was buried in Little Thetford cemetery. The Little Thetford electoral register taken on 20th November shows those in the household old enough to vote as Win and her sons Cecil and Jack. The family surname was recorded as 'Cornwall'.