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* The army records of George Marlow Leeson and his wedding certificate both list his father as George Harvey Leeson. So it may be that Harvey was known as George.
[Harvey George LEESON] [Lizzie BONEHAM] [Biography] [Children]
Harvey George LEESON
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Born:
aka:
Father:
Mother:
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02 June 1892 in Napton, WAR
George*
William Adams LEESON
Hannah MARLOW
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Married:
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09 December 1909 at Abbey Hill Chapel, Kenilworth, WAR
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Died:
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27 January 1927 in Pontsarn Sanitorium, Merthyr Tydfil, GLA
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[Page Index]
Lizzie BONEHAM
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Born:
Father:
Mother:
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18 March 1892 in Coundon, WAR
Mark BONEHAM
Phoebe WATTS
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Died:
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16 November 1925 in Mardy Hospital, Merthyr Tydfil, GLA
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[Page Index]
Biography
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1892:
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Lizzie Boneham was born on 18 March to Phoebe Boneham née Watts and Mark Boneham, a gardener servant. The family lived in the Coundon area of Coventry.
Harvey George Leeson was born on the 02 June in Napton-on-the-Hill. He was a third son for Hannah Leeson née Marlow and William Adams Leeson. Napton, as it was usually known, is situated on a hill between Daventry and Southam. The windmill, which dates from 1543, was a local landmark that was visible from many miles away. Although Napton was a tiny village, it was a busy industrious place with its own market. The Oxford Canal and the Grand Union Canal separate at Napton Junction. The Oxford Canal has a flight of nine locks, spread over nearly two miles, which wind around Napton. From here the Oxford Canal continues southwards and the Grand Union Canal heads west to Birmingham. There was also a railway branch line that ran from Weedon via Daventry, Braunston and Napton to Leamington. For many years Napton was an important source of clay, which was shipped out by both boat and rail. There was a thriving local brick works, which is where William Adams Leeson worked as a labourer.
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Map Sources: 1. Image produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service. Image reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland. 2. Google Map
Picture Source: Window on Warwickshire
[Page Index]
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1901:
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By the time of the census Mark Boneham and his family had moved to Warwick Road, Kenilworth (piece RG13/2936 folio 77 p.5 schedule 44). Kenilworth was a small country town of less than 6,000 people and a notable site for day trippers from the cities of Coventry and Birmingham, who came to walk in Abbey Fields and admire Kenilworth Castle (Tall& Sunley, 2004). The southern end of Warwick Road was home to many working men, known locally as the Jackenders because of their proximity to St. John’s Church (Tall& Sunley, 2004). Mark was still working as a gardener, noted as being ‘not domestic’. Kenilworth boasted many market gardens that sent strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers and cut flowers to the London markets; Mr. Whateley’s orchid houses were also of particular note (Tall& Sunley, 2004). Phoebe no doubt had her hands full with Ada (11), Lizzie (9) and William (4). The house must have been quite noisy at times, since it was next door to the Bear Inn and smelly too, being just two doors away from the local butchers shop.
Harvey was still living in Napton in Hackwell Street (piece RG13/2949 folio 49 p.9 schedule 56). Father William is still working at the brick works as a brick former. The extra money that brother Charles was making as a Grocer’s Assistant was probably very welcome.
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1909:
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I don’t know when Harvey moved to Kenilworth or whether the rest of the family came too. However, by 1909 he was living at 11 Henry Street and was working as a journeyman gas fitter. He may have been working at Kenilworth Gas Works in Dalehouse Lane or at Messrs. G. Winstanley & Sons, a gas engineering firm (Tall& Sunley, 2004). He had also met and wooed Lizzie, rather too actively as it turned out. I was once told by a genealogist friend that it was common practice in Scotland to wait until girls ‘in trouble’ were in labour and then to ask them to name the man who had ‘put them to shame’. Perhaps something similar happened to Lizzie. but as it turned out to be a false labour, there was time to do something about it. I have visions of her father going round to see Harvey and offering him two options.
Mark: The first option is that you marry my girl.
Harvey: And the second option?
Mark: (Leaning in menacingly) You don’t really want to know what the second option is, do you lad?
Whatever the truth of the matter, Harvey and Lizzie were married on 09 December at the Abbey Hill Congregationalist Chapel. Both were just 17 years old. Lizzie’s father acted as one witness, but the other was a Lizzie Allen. Since the ceremony was conducted by Charles Llewellin Allen, I can’t help wondering if she was the chaplains wife. Perhaps Harvey’s family refused to attend the ceremony?
Lizzie’s home address is given as Clifton Cottage, Lower Ladies’ Hills on the marriage certificate. This was probably her parents house at that time and it was there that she gave birth to her daughter, Maud Lizzie Leeson just six days after the wedding on 15 December.
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Map Source: Google Map
Picture Source: Window on Warwickshire
[Page Index]
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1911:
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At the time of the census Lizzie and daughter Maud, listed as Maudie, were living with her widowed father Mark Boneham at 1 Clifton Cottages, Lower Ladyes Hills, Kenilworth (RG78PN1120RD393 SD3 ED8 SN50). Lizzie was probably there not just to look after her father, who remarried later on this year, but also her brother William (14) and sister Lucy (5). William was working as an office boy in the gasworks, perhaps the same gas works as Lizzie’s husband Harvey. The house must have been pretty crowded as the five of them were living in just 4 rooms.
Kenilworth Gas Works
Harvey, a Gas Fitter at the local gasworks, is still listed at his parents’ home at 11 Henry Street, Kenilworth (RG78PN1120 RD393 SD3 ED8 SN262). Also living there is a boarder, but with 6 rooms for just four people it must have been much less crowded than at his father-in-laws house. There is a suggestion that Harvey is still not fully reconciled to marriage and parenthood. Though Lizzie is listed as the parent of 1 child, Harvey does not list any children and he was the one who signed the census form. Although living apart at the date of the census, Lizzie and Harvey were still very much a couple, as Lizzie was probably already pregnant with their second child.
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1912:
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Lucy Ada Leeson born 08 January. Kenilworth was subjected to major flooding in both July and September after severe storms (Tall& Sunley, 2004).
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1913:
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George Marlow Leeson born 04 November. There were several cases of typhoid fever in the town, some fatal (Tall& Sunley, 2004). All residents were advised to boil their drinking water and the town supply was disinfected. However, the outbreak carried on until the New Year, when the infected bore hole was finally shut down and a clean water supply re-established.
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1914 - 1918:
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Harvey’s War
World War 1 finally broke out in the autumn of 1914 after weeks of war mongering and politicking. The British army was woefully under manned, so Lord Kitchener proposed the recruitment of 100,000 volunteers (Tall& Sunley, 2004). By September of 1914 200 Kenilworth men had enlisted, their names being published in the local paper. I don’t yet know whether Harvey was among this first wave, but he must have enlisted in the army very early on during the war.
Harvey initially served in the Welch Fusiliers as a private, regimental number 23083, and was eventually promoted to acting sergeant. He was sent to France for the first time on the 19 July 1915. Sadly his army records were destroyed during the bombing of WW2. However, military historian Mark Offord estimates that Harvey transferred to the Royal Engineers around October 1915, regimental number 164088. If that was so, he probably saw action at the Battle of Loos. The first battle where the British troops used gas on the Germans, who had earlier used it on the British at Ypres. It wasn’t altogether successful, as in places it was blown back to the British trenches, where it caused many casualties. Family legend has it that he survived at least one gas attack, and that this contributed to his later health problems, but which battle(s) this happened at are unknown.
The method of organization within the Royal Engineers means that it’s not possible to say what actions he served in, though it’s believed that he continued fighting in Europe until the end of the war. It is more than likely that the army made use of his experience as a gas fitter for some kind of engineering works and / or handling of gas. He was finally posted to the reserve on 03 June 1919, when he returned home to Kenilworth.
After the war he was awarded the Victory Medal, British Medal (War Service Medal) and the 1915 Star. The latter appears to have been issued twice and the duplicate medal returned. The combination of a Star, Victory Medal and War Medal was fairly commonplace (more than 2.5m were issued). This combination earned for itself the common nickname, "Pip, Squeak and Wilfred". Pip, Squeak and Wilfred of the Daily Mirror were popular cartoon characters of the day.
Lizzie’s War
Lizzie must have been very worried while Harvey was away at the front, especially after the gas attack. But the war did have the unintended bonus of relieving her of childbearing for several years. News of the war was sent by the Central News Agency to the Conservative Club and the Tannery, where it was posted outside the factory for all to read. No doubt Lizzie often consulted the board for information about Harvey's regiment. Lizzie must have been worried sick when the very first fatality from Kenilworth was William James Smith, their neighbour from Henry Street.
The children probably found the war more of an adventure, at least initially. In 1914 there was a Christmas entertainment laid on for the children of serving soldiers and sailors (Tall& Sunley, 2004). Perhaps Maud and Lucy attended and saw the conjurer and Punch & Judy Show? There was a present for each child on the tree, and a flag, mince, pie, orange and cracker to take home.
By 1915 over 300 men and boys had enlisted from Kenilworth and a Red Cross Hospital established in the Parochial Hall (Tall& Sunley, 2004). The children were no doubt very excited when over 400 troops were temporarily billeted in the town on their way to France. Sewing lessons in the local schools took an unusual turn, with the children making sandbags for the front so that they could ‘do their bit’ for the war effort. The first Zeppelin raids occurred on the East coast early in the year and Kenilworth responded by turning off the street lights. By November some key street lights were resumed, but afternoon school began 30 minutes early to save fuel and enable the children to get home safely in the dark.
In March 1916 severe snow and hail brought chaos to the telephone and telegraph lines, destroyed many trees and closed the roads (Tall& Sunley, 2004). Although the war dragged on, the children were doubtless excited by the aeroplane that ran out of fuel and landed in the local fields. Later on a film crew arrived at the castle to film the period drama “When Knights Were Bold”, which must have caused quite a stir.
1917 saw food shortages beginning to hit home (Tall& Sunley, 2004). Spare land was appropriated by the War Allotments Committee and rented out to local families. The Kenilworth Volunteer Corps assisted women whose husbands were fighting by digging over their gardens or allotments for them. Public lectures on vegetable growing were well attended. Everyone was asked to eat less bread, as there was a chronic shortage of grain. By the end of the year potato flour was being added to bread to eke out supplies. Children were given purple ribbons to wear to show that they intended to reduce their bread consumption. They were also asked to refrain from buying sweets to save on sugar. Milk was also in scarce supply and was reserved for infants, invalids and nursing mothers.
Maud had mentioned to me that she went blackberry picking, but I hadn’t realized its significance (Tall& Sunley, 2004). Children were given a half-holiday from school to pick the fruit to make jam for the troops. They were paid 1d a pound in 1917 and a whopping 3d a pound in 1918. By 1918 meat and tea were also being rationed, so many folk began to keep rabbits for the pot. That year also saw epidemics of whooping cough in the town around Easter.
The Armistice in November was celebrated by the ringing of bells (Tall& Sunley, 2004). Of the over 800 men who enlisted from Kenilworth, 139 died during the war or soon afterwards from the effects of ‘The Great War’. More deaths followed when Spanish Flu spread throughout the country. Many of the heroes returned only to find they were unemployed and living in poverty.
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[Page Index]
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1920:
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Geoffrey Charles Leeson born 09 February at 11 Henry Street, Kenilworth. No doubt as a result of the ‘celebrations’ when Harvey returned home from the war. Harvey is listed on the birth certificate as a fitter at the gas works and an ex-sergeant of the Royal Engineers.
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1921:
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Phoebe Hannah Joan Leeson born on the 19 August. At some time between the birth of Geoffrey and Phoebe’s arrival the family had moved to Dowlais near Merthyr Tydfil in Glamorganshire, no doubt in search of better paid work to support the ever growing family.
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1923:
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William Ronald Leeson born 04 December.
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1925:
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Lizzie Leeson was admitted to the Mardy Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil, where she died from tuberculosis on the 16 November. The death certificate suggests that Harvey was still working as a gas fitter and the family were living at 21 Winifred Street, Dowlais.
Phoebe was admitted to the Infirmary at the Merthyr Tydfil Union Infirmary for treatment for an eye infection on 04 September and didn’t return home until 05 December.
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1926:
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Phoebe was readmitted to the Infirmary on 09 March. By this time Harvey was not working and was in receipt of 31 s. 6d parish relief per week .
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1927:
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Harvey was admitted to the Pontsarn Sanatorium on the 6 January. He died there from chronic pulmonary tuberculosis and tuberculous laryngitis on the 27 January. The National Probate Calendar was checked for the years 1927 -1930 but no grant of probate was found, suggesting that Harvey died intestate.
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Map Source: Google Map
[Page Index]
Children
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Name:
aka:
Born:
Died:
Married:
Spouse:
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Maud Lizzie LEESON
Gerry
15 December 1909 in Kenilworth, WAR
29 August 1985 at Plymouth, DEV
08 November 1947 in Dartford, KEN
George Stephen ANDREWS
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Name:
Born:
Died:
Married:
Spouse:
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Lucy Ada LEESON
08 January 1912 in Kenilworth, WAR
07 May 1996 in Worthing, SSX
26 August 1935 in Islington, LND
Ernest CHEESEWRIGHT
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Name:
Born:
Died:
Married:
Spouse:
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George Marlow LEESON
04 November 1913 in Leamington Spa, WAR
14 September 1969 in Brockville, Ontario, Canada
04 July 1959 in Brockville, Ontario, Canada
Viola May GUILD
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Name:
Born:
Died:
Married:
Spouse:
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Geoffrey Charles LEESON
09 February 1920 in Kenilworth, WAR
29 August 1989 in Chalfont St. Peters, BKM
27 August 1960 in Gerrards Cross, BKM
still living
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Name:
aka:
Born:
Died:
Married:
Spouse:
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Phoebe Hannah Joan LEESON
Joan
19 August 1921
? April 2002
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George SMITH
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Name:
aka:
Born:
Died::
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William Ronald LEESON
Ron
04 December 1923 in Merthyr Tydfil, GLA
02 June 1957 in South Mimms, Potters Bar, HRT
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[Page Index]
S.Tall & B. Sunley (2004) Kenilworth And The Great War. Kenilworth: Clock Tower
[Page Index]
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