VICTOR HAROLD THREADKELL
Victor is not remembered on the war memorial at Christchurch Park.
Image courtesy of Leila Threadkell
Born: Monday, 1st February 1909, at 149, Chadwick Road, Camberwell, Surrey. The home of Edith’s employer
At just 4 hours old, Victor and his mother, Edith Threadkell, entered the Constance Road Workhouse, St. Giles, Camberwell – Master Henry C. Fenton.
On Monday, 22nd February 1909, Edith, with her 21 day old baby left the Workhouse at her request.
Died: 22nd October 1943; age 34; MPK of the Turkish coast.
Residence: 49, Lacey Street, Ipswich.
Enlistment Location: Plymouth; Occupation: Labourer; Height: 5ft 5 1/4ins, fresh complexion, grey eyes, brown hair. 1 mole on the left elbow. Victor signed up on the 1st February 1927 for 12 years.
Service:
Ganges – Boy II – 28th August 1925.
Ganges – Boy I – 21st February 1926 – 28th October 1926.
Benbow – Boy I – 2nd August 1926.
Benbow – Ordinary Seaman – 29th October 1926 – 11th May 1927.
Valiant – Ordinary Seaman – 12th May 1927.
Valiant – Able Seaman – 1st December 1927.
Character – Very Good.
Rank: Gunner.
Regiment: Royal Navy, H.M.S.’Hurworth.’
Memorial Reference:
Panel 78. Column 1.
Plymouth,
Devonshire.
CENSUS
1911 30, Gatacre Road, Ipswich.
Victor was 2 years old and lived with his maternal aunt and uncle, widowed grandmother and cousins.
John William Taylor, 34, a Petroleum Canvasser & Salesman, born Colchester, Essex.
Bessie Taylor (nee Threadkell), 33, born Hollesley, Suffolk.
Hilda Alice Taylor, 7, born Colchester, Essex.
Evelyn Ida Taylor, 6, born Colchester.
Alice Threadkell (nee Cadman), 57, born St. Matthew’s, Ipswich.
On the 1911 census, Victor’s 30 year old mother, Edith Threadkell, was a visitor with her daughter at 46, Palace Road, New Southgate, Wood Green, Middlesex.
Eliza Maria Bonsey (nee Boyer), 73, a widow, born Mortlake, Surrey.
Walter John Bonsey, 41, a Postman, born Balcombe, West Sussex.
William Boyer Bonsey, 31, a Baker, born Shenley, Hertfordshire.
Mabel Threadkell, 3 months, born Edmonton, Middlesex.
In 1912, Edmonton, Middlesex, Edith Threadkell married William Boyer Bonsey.
1921 264, Bramford Road, Ipswich.
Victor was 12 years & 4 months old. He attended School and lived with his maternal aunt, uncle, cousins, and widowed maternal grandmother.
Reuben Victor Riches, 34 years & 6 months old, a Clerk for the Unicorn Brewery Co. Ltd., of Foundation Street, Ipswich, born Ipswich.
Flora Riches (nee Threadkell), 33 years & 4 months old, Home Duties, born Hollesley, Suffolk.
Claude Reuben Riches, 10 years & 6 months old, at School, born Ipswich.
Joan Flora Riches, 4 years & 5 months old, born Ipswich.
Robert Samuel Riches, 3 years & 5 months old, born Ipswich.
Alice Threadkell, 67 years & 4 months old, Home Duties.
Victor’s mother, Edith Bonsey, died 1942, Edmonton, Middlesex.
His grandmother, Alice Threadkell, of Broadway House, 34, The Broadway, High Street, Bromley, Kent, died in March 1931 at Farnborough Hospital, Kent.
On the 8th July 1934, at St. Helen’s Church, Ipswich, Victor married Violet Bertha Cole, born 5th October 1907, Ipswich – daughter of Harry Cole, a watch, clock and jewellery dealer and repairer, and Lucy Eliza Cole (nee Blake), 12, Woodville Road, Ipswich.
Violet and Victor had one son.
ENGLAND and WALES REGISTER 1939
Victor’s wife, Violet and 3 year old son lived with Violet’s parents and brother at the family home – 12, Woodville Road, Ipswich.
Harry Cole, a Watch, Clock and Jewellery Dealer & Repairer, born May 1883, Ipswich.
Lucy Eliza Cole (nee Blake), unpaid Domestic Duties, born August 1882, Stoke Newington, Middlesex.
Ernest George Cole, a Tailor’s Cutter and a member of the St. John’s Ambulance Corps – Ipswich Division, born June 1917, Ipswich.
Probate to Violet Bertha Threadkell – widow.
H.M.S.’Hurworth
22nd October 1943
H.M.S.’Hurworth’ was a Type II Hunt-class Escort Destroyer, ordered for the Royal Navy as part of the War Emergency Programme in December 1939. She was built by Vickers-Armstong at Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria and launched on the 10th April 1941. On the 21st October 1943, H.M.S. Hurworth (Commander Royston Hollis Wright, DSC, RN), left Alexandria as part of the Axis push of diversion and supply through the Dodecanese Islands to Leros, Kalimnos and Rhodes. H.H.M.S. Adrais (Captain J. Toumbas) and H.M.S. Hurworth were proceeding along the Turkish coast between Kastellorizo and Rhodes when they were spotted by the enemy, who began to lay mines. The ships waited until after dark on the 22nd October, then cautiously resumed their journey, but soon H.H.M.S. Adrais struck a mine. H.M.S. Hurworth went to assist the Greek destroyer, but she too struck a mine. H.M.S. Hurworth was carrying fuel on her deck, which caused an explosion that split the ship in two halves. She sank within 10 – 15 minutes, and 113 men lost their lives, with 85 survivors.
H.H.M.S. Adrais survived the mine attack and, on the 23rd October was beached in Gümüşlük Bay, Turkey.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/32/a8761232.shtml
3 Comments
Hello. I just purchased a bible from 1829, and decided to look up the details inside. Its seems to of belong to the cadman family from 1840 and goes right through the family all the way to Alice bonsey, nee threadkell, and her sister in 1869. So i was very happy to find photos of said family on this blog. An interesting read. thankyou every so much for making this.
Hello Claire, I’ve just seen this. My husband Peter is the great grandson of Alice Cadman and Edith Bonsey ( not Alice was his paternal grandmother. I suppose you wouldn’t sell bible.
Hello again Claire,
I’m a bit disappointed not to have heard from you.it would mean so much to my husband to have his family bible. He was orphaned at 12 and lost contact with his family. it is only in the last few years that I have managed to trace them for him. please consider selling us the bible.