Edward Lancelot King was born in 1885 in Chenies, Buckinghamshire and was the son of George King, a long time gamekeeper and river keeper for the Chenies Estate, and Mary King née Simpson of 1 Chenies, Rickmansworth.
His father was born in 1860 in Ridgmont, Bedfordshire and his mother Mary Simpson was born in 1860 in Kimberley, Nottinghamshire. Married in 1880, their marriage was recorded in the Basford Registration District. They go on to have seven children all of whom were born in Chenies, including Edward Lancelot, Arthur 1887, William 1890, Florence 1892, Winifred 1894, Herbert 1897 and Ernest 1900.
The history of the King family with the Chenies Estate extends over 200 years. On George’s death in 1939 the newspaper reports”
The death of Mr. G. King, of Chenies, severs a connection of 200 years of service with the Dukes of Bedford. He himself served under three Dukes, and his father, who lived to be.90, served all his life on
the estate as a ” warrenor.” 3 February 1939
Edward Lancelot King married his wife Mary Collins on 21st November 1908 in Rickmansworth and they lived at the Manor House cottages.
In the 1911 census Edward’s parents are living at 1 Chenies along with four of his siblings. William at that time had become a footman, Winifred a servant, Herbert was assisting his father and Ernest at only 11 was a scholar. By this time Edward was married and living at Lower Farm, Longstowe, in Cambridgeshire and working as a gamekeeper like his father.
On the 9th December 1915 he enslists, and records his residence as Buck Gates, Thoresby Lodge, Ollerton where he lived with his wife Mary. He was posted to the reserves and mobilised for war on the 15th June 1916 with the Royal Garrison Artillery, and joined them at their barracks in Retford on 28th March 1917. He embarked from Southampton on 21st August 1917 arriving in Alexandria, Egypt and served with the 422nd Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery. Onthe 11th December 1918 he was admitted to hospital with pneumonia and died on 1st January 1919 at 88th General Hospital, Cairo, aged 35. His name is commemorated on the Cairo War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt.
His brother William also served in the Royal Field artillery as a gunner service number 111500. He enlisted n 19th October 1915 at Mansfield, he gave his address as Buckgates, Thorebsy Park, Ollerton, serving in India between 22nd June 1916 until 11th October 1917 when he was transferred to Mesopotamia arriving on 23rd October 1917. He served there until 20th May 1918 when he was transferred to Egypt arriving on 8th June 1918. He survived the war and was demobilised whilst serving with ‘B’ Battery, Royal Field Artillery on 15th June 1919 at 29 yrs of age.
Newspaper records of the Buckinghamshire Examiner initially show that all five of George King’s sons served during the Great War in some capacity or another. A further article published on George’s death reports instead six sons, saying;
Mr. King had six sons and two daughters. All the sons served in the Great War, and one daughter saw service with the Red Cross. One son was badly wounded in the retreat from Mons; another son is buried in Cairo, Egypt, and the other four were all wounded and gassed’. Buckinghamshire Examiner 3 February 1939
content sources:
Grave number – 112996
Nottinghamshire Roll of Honour
contributer: Rachel Bishop
date published: 16/02/26