PHILIP HORACE KEEBLE
Images and additional information courtesy of Muriel J. Harvey and the Keeble family.
Born: 23rd May 1914, Ipswich.
Baptised: 1914, at St. Peter’s Church, Ipswich.
Died: 15th June 1945; age 31; died from a coma due to an infection of the nervous system of unknown cause, coinciding with a primary vaccination reaction, at North Walsham, Norfolk.
Residence: 59, Medway Road, Ipswich.
Occupation: a Printer Linotyper – East Anglian Daily Times.
Rank: Signalman; Service Number: 2594089.
Regiment: Royal Corps of Signals, 47 Infantry Division Signals.
Grave Reference:
J.J.1.13.
Ipswich.
Father: Lester Joseph William Keeble, born 1886, Harwich, Essex. A Mariner.
Mother: Eleanor Kate Maria Keeble (nee Ramsey), born January 1889, Witnesham, Suffolk.
The Keeble family – sister Muriel Blanche, 1911, brothers Lister Nelson Coomber, 1909, Simeon Conrad, 1912 – mother Eleanor Kate Maria (nee Ramsay) with young Phil on her mother’s lap.
Philip was educated at Wherstead Road School, Ipswich.
CENSUS
1921 37, Turin Street, Ipswich.
Philip was 7 years and 1 month old. He attended School and lived with his parents and siblings.
Lester Keeble, 34 years & 9 months old, a Mercantile Seaman for J. Sully – Ship Broker, of Mark Lane, Great Tower Street, London.
Eleanor Keeble, 32 years & 5 months old, Home Duties.
Lester Nelson Coomber Keeble, 11 years & 11 months old, at School, born Ipswich.
Simeon Conrad Keeble, 8 years & 9 months old, at School, born Ipswich.
Muriel Blanche Keeble, 9 years & 9 months old, born Ipswich.
ENGLAND & WALES REGISTER 1939.
Philip was a Printer Linotyper. He lived with his mother and brother at their family home and business – 51 – 53, Cemetery Road, Ipswich.
Eleanor – a Shopkeeper – General Shop.
Lister Keeble, a Lorry Driver.
Mother, Simeon, Phil, Doreen, Lester, and their bridesmaid.
In 1940, in Ipswich, Philip married Doreen Olive Joan Addison, an assistant at a chain store, born May 1917, Ipswich – daughter of Ernest George Addison, a master gentlemen’s hairdresser – own account, and a shopkeeper of toiletries, and the late Maud Lottie Addison (nee Barton), of 69, Bramford Road, Ipswich.
Doreen and Philip had one daughter:
Sandra D. Keeble, born 1941, Ipswich.
Probate to Doreen Olive Joan Keeble – widow.
1945 Evening Star Newspaper:
IPSWICH SOLDIER’S UNUSUAL DEATH
Cause Not Established at Norfolk Inquest
At North Walsham on Thursday afternoon the Coroner (Mr. G.W. Barnard) re-opened the inquest on Sig. Philip Horace Keeble (31), Royal Corps of Signals, of 59, Medway Road, Ipswich, who died on June 15th in an instrumental aid post at Worstead, when he was being treated for headaches and feverishness following vaccination.
The inquiry had been adjourned from June 18th so that the findings of a microscopical examination of Keeble’s brain could be made available to the Coroner.
Dr. Edgar G. Watson, who was recalled at Thursday’s hearing, said in the morning of June 9th Keeble, together with the rest of the men in the intake that arrived at Worstead the previous day, was inoculated with the normal Army issue of vaccine against tetanus, typhoid and paratyphoid fevers. No one reported sick as a result of the inoculations.
Speaking of a post-mortem examination he performed on Keeble on June 15th, Capt. Harold B. Hewitt, R.A.M.C. of Eastern Command Laboratory, Military Hospital, Colchester said, “I am of the opinion that death was due to some affection of the nervous system of unknown cause.”
In reply to the Coroner, Capt. Hewitt said it was normal practice for inoculations against tetanus, typhoid and paratyphoid fevers and typhus fever to be given at the same time and to follow closely upon vaccination.
Capt. Hewitt concluded, “I am unable to say whether the cause of death resulted from the vaccination or not. I don’t know of any similar condition having arisen as a result of inoculation.
The Coroner recorded a verdict that death was from a coma due to an affection of the nervous system of unknown cause, coinciding with a primary vaccination reaction.
The relatives were told it was proposed to make further examinations on Keeble’s brain and that if there were any new findings, details would be communicated to them.
A letter was sent to the family, following the newspaper report. It was sent by the National Anti-Vaccination League, wanting to learn more about his death.
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