Detailed information of the people whose names are on the Cirencester Memorials
Click here to see Introduction to this project for an explanation of why the names are or are not on each memorial. These pages outline what we know about the named people, in many cases, very little. If you find errors or have more information we would be pleased to know. Contact: WW1 @ cirenhistory.org.uk
The Names
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A chronological list of Cirencester deaths is available in Newsletter 61
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PANTOLL, Alfred
Memorial Parish Church ALFRED PANTOLL
Memorial Hospital PANTOLL A.
S4/072094 Staff Sergeant Major Alfred James Pantoll. 16th Div. H.Q., Royal Army Service Corps.
Born [c.1890. Cirencester].
Enlisted Dublin.
Died 22 May 1916. Aged 25. Died of Wounds. France
Grave V.D.21. Bethune Town Cemetery
Formerly 15733, Royal Irish Rifles.
Son of Samuel James Pantoll and Sarah Jane Pantoll. Husband of Alice M. Pantoll, 57 Edridge Road, Croydon. Married 1914.
In 1901 Census living at Stratton (Alfred Panthold), aged 1.
In 1911 Census Alfred James Pantoll, 23 (c.1888, Ciren) boarder at 2 Nelson Ave., Tonbridge, Kent. Accountants Clerk in Crystalate Manufacturing Co.
Grammar School Memorial, Bingham Hall, Cirencester
Wilts & Glos Standard 3 June 1916
STAFF SERGEANT-MAJOR ALFRED PANTOLL DIES OF WOUNDS
We regret to announce the death of Staff Sergeant-Major Alfred Pantoll, Superintendent Clerk, 16th Division, only son of Lieutenant and Quartermaster S.J. Pantoll and Mrs Pantoll, of Cirencester. He joined the Headquarters 16th Division on its formation by Lieutenant-General Sir L. Parsons, K.C.B., upon the 23rd September, 1914, in Dublin.
The following letter gives the particulars of Sergeant-Major Pantoll’s death:
Station Road, Andleigh, Colchester, Essex, 24/5/16.
Dear Sir, – I am very sorry indeed to have to confirm my wire which I sent this morning telling you your boy died of wounds at (France) at 10 a.m. on 22nd May. He was crossing the square going from headquarters to the latrines, which as you know were at the back of the church, when a shell came and burst right in front of the D.A.D.O.S.’s office. Your boy was hit in the stomach, the back, head and in the leg. I am told his leg was almost severed. He was at once taken by stretcher bearers to the 112th Field Ambulance, and in a few minutes was removed by motor ambulance to No. 33 Casualty Clearing Station. He lived through the night, but died at 10 o’clock the following morning. He was to have been buried at 2 p.m. on the 23rd, but I left before then, but Sergeant Campbell, of Signals, was making all arrangements, I believe. You know, of course, the people where he was billeted: they were awfully upset over it, and had only taken his photo the day before. He was in their house having his tea when the first one came over and told them to get down in the cellar, and he went out – to run into the shell himself. I can only express my deepest sympathy to you and the family. If there is anything I can do, it will afford me great pleasure to do it. I am here until the 30th inst. Again offering my deepest sympathy, W.J. Russ, S.Q.M.S. “Q” Branch, 16th Div.
Sergeant-Major Pantoll, who was educated at the Cirencester Grammar School, was married and leaves a widow but no family. Much sympathy will be extended to Lieutenant and Mrs Pantoll and their daughter, Mrs Holloway, wife of Corporal P. Holloway, R.G.H., on the death of their only son and brother. Lieutenant Pantoll has himself been serving in France, but is now recruiting his health in England.
Source: FB image 1916 06 03 Ref 139, photo
Source: FB image 1916 03 18 Ref 047 [Item 3
PARSONS, Algernon
Memorial Parish Church ALGERNON PARSONS
Memorial Hospital PARSONS A.
203507 Private Algernon John Parsons. 2/6th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment.
Born [c1891. Cirencester].
Enlisted Cirencester.
Died 28 August 1917. Aged 26. Killed in Action. France
Panel 72 to 75. Tyne Cot Memorial
Son of Mrs Parsons, 89A Cricklade Street.
In 1901 Census living at 89A Cricklade St, age 10. In 1911 Census at 89A Cricklade St, single, butcher, with parents and three brothers.
PEACHEY, William
Memorial Parish Church WILLIAM PEACHEY
Memorial Hospital PEACHEY W.
4483S Stoker William Thomas Peachey. H.M.S. Black Prince, RNR.
Born [c.1877. Cirencester].
Enlisted [location].
Died 31 May 1916. Aged 36. Battle of Jutland, Plymouth Naval Memorial
Son of George & Mary Ann Peachey.
In 1891 Census, age 14, errand boy, living at 45 Coxwell Street with parents and siblings.
Wilts & Glos Standard 1 July 1916
LOCAL WAR NOTES CIRENCESTER MAN KILLED IN THE JUTLAND BATTLE
Stoker William Peachey, of H.M.S. Black Prince, son of Mr George Peachey, late of Watermoor Road, Cirencester, was killed in action on May 31st.
Source: WGS 1916 07 01 Peachey Ratcliff
Source: FB image 1916 07 01 Ref 20
PEACHEY, William J.
Memorial Parish Church WILLIAM J. PEACHEY
Memorial Hospital PEACHEY W.J.
S/28469 Rifleman William John Peachey. 9th Battalion, Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort’s Own).
Born [c.1895. Ashton Keynes].
Enlisted Cirencester.
Died 27 April 1917. Aged 22. Killed in Action. France
Bay 9. Arras Memorial. Note
Son of late Philip & Fanny Peachey.
In 1911 Census, age 16, boarding at Ballengers Farm, Chedworth, farm worker. Head of house, his uncle Thomas Peachey, farmer.
Husband of Amy Naomi Peachey, married in Congregational Church, Cirencester.
PEARCE, Frederick
Memorial Parish Church FREDERICK PEARCE
Memorial Hospital PEARCE F.
SPTS/1575 Private Frederick Pearce. 23rd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment).
Born [c.1890. Tewkesbury]. Enlisted Hornchurch.
Died 1 November 1916. Aged 27. Killed in Action. France
Grave II.P.10. Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps
Son of Fred and Jessie Pearce, 54 Ashcroft Road. In 1911 Census, living at 54 Ashcroft Road, single, assistant draper, with parents and 9 siblings.
Wilts & Glos Standard 25 November 1916
THE LATE LANCE-CORPORAL F. PEARCE
As recorded in our obituary column a fortnight ago, Mr and Mrs F. Pearce of 54 Ashcroft Road, have been acquainted by the Captain of his Company of the death of their son, Lance-Corporal Frederick Pearce, Royal Fusiliers, who was killed in action on November 1st. He was struck by a bomb and died soon afterwards. Lance-Corporal Pearce was in London at the outbreak of war and at once volunteered for service, but owing to the inability of the military to cope with the rush of recruits his services were not accepted till June 1915, when he joined the Sportsmen’s Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers. He had been in France for 13 months and had taken part in much of the heavy fighting since the commencement of the big offensive. Like his younger brother, Sergeant Ben. Pearce, R.A.M.C., who was home on leave at the time of the sad occurrence, Lance-Corporal Pearce was one of the original members of the 1st Cirencester Company Boys’ Brigade. [In referring to the award of the Military Medal to Sergeant B. Pearce recently, it was erroneously stated that he was the eldest son of Mr and Mrs Pearce. He is, of course, the fifth son.]
Source: FB image 1916 11 25 Ref 330-2 [Item 3] with photo
PEARSON, Sidney F.
Memorial Parish Church SIDNEY F. PEARSON
Memorial Hospital PEARSON
S.F. 2933 Rifleman Sidney Frank Pearson. 1st Battalion, Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort’s Own).
Born [c.1890. Eltham, Kent].
Enlisted Mill Hill, Middx.
Died 13 July 1917. Aged 27. Killed in Action. France
Grave III.C.26. Roclincourt Military Cemetery
Son of Edmund John & Emily Pearson. Husband of Mary Louis Pearson, 130 Gloucester Street
PEART, Edward J.
Memorial Parish Church EDWARD J. PEART
Memorial Hospital PEART E.J.
8311 L/Corporal Edward James Peart. 1st Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment.
Born [Date. Cirencester].
Enlisted Cirencester.
Died 8 October 1915. Aged 27. Killed in Action. France
Panel 60 to 64. Loos Memorial
In 1901 Census living at 9 Coates Lane, Coates, aged 13 and working as a stable boy on farm. His father, John, was a carter on the farm. Mother and two younger sisters.
Wilts & Glos Standard Oct 3 1914
THREE CICETER MEN WOUNDED
News was received early in the present week of three more Ciceter men who had been wounded in action. Mr and Mrs William Fletcher, of School-lane, have received information that their son, Private Edwin Fletcher, a reservist of the Wilts Regiment, is at one of the base hospitals in France suffering from a slight scalp wound. The other two men were Private Edwin Peart and Private Frederick Francis, both reservists of the Gloucester Regiment, and before rejoining the colours were carters in the employ of Mr. W.G. Lock, timber merchant. Peart has received a wound in the head and Francis, whose parents reside at Tarlton, is at present in Brighton Military Hospital suffering from an injury to one of his ankles. All three men are progressing favourably.
Edward Fletcher, died Oct 3 1915, 2 Wilts. Photo in CC&GG Oct 23 1915.
Edward J. Peart, died Oct 8 1915?, 1 Glosters. Photo in CC&GG Dec 25 1915.
Wilts & Glos Standard 30 October 1915
CIRENCESTER SOLDIER KILLED
Information has been received that Lance-Corporal Edward James Peart, 1st Gloucester Regiment, was killed in action in France on October 8th. The deceased soldier was the son of the late Mr John Peart, of Cirencester, and was 27 years of age. He enlisted in the 1st Gloucester Regiment in 1904, and was recalled to the colours on the outbreak of hostilities, and five weeks later (September 14th) he was slightly wounded in the head. On October 21st last year Peart was again wounded, his right wrist being damaged in the battle near Neuve Chapelle. He was shot in the head on October 8th, and death was instantaneous. A sad feature in connection with Peart’s death was that he was expecting a few days’ furlough, and had made arrangements in the event of being granted a short holiday to have returned home to be married to Miss Cuss, of 5 Sunview Cottage, Calcutt Street, Cricklade, to whom the information of his death was officially communicated on Tuesday, and to whom sympathy will be extended.
Source: FB image 1915 10 30 Ref. 397, with photograph published 6 November 1915, Ref. 405.
Cheltenham Chronicle & Glos’ Graphic, 25 Dec 1915, photo.
Lce.-Corpl. E.J. Peart, 1st Glos. Regt., killed in action in France, Oct 8 1915 aged 27. Son of the late Mr J. Peart of Cirencester
PENSON, Arthur R.
Memorial Parish Church ARTHUR R. PENSON
Memorial Hospital PENSON A.R.
2655 Private Arthur Richard Penson. 1/4th Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.
Born [c.1886. Faringdon, Berks].
Enlisted [location].
Died 23 July 1916. Aged 30. Killed in Action. France
Grave I.A.37. Pozieres British Cemetery, Ovillers-La Boisselle
Son of Richard & Clara Penson, 32 Alexandra Road, Reading.
Wills & Probate: Penson Arthur Richard of 9 Tower Street, Cirencester, private OBLI died 23 July 1916 in France on active service. Administration London 14 Nov 1916 to Richard Penson bank manager. Effect £589 18s 4d.
Wilts & Glos Standard 5 August 1916
ANOTHER CIRENCESTER BANK CLERK KILLED IN ACTION
We regret to record the death in action on July 21st of Private Arthur Richard Penson, Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, younger son of Mr J.W. Penson, Clanfield, Alexandra Road, Reading, aged 30 years. Mr Penson was on the staff of Lloyds Bank, Cirencester, when war broke out, and enlisted forthwith. This is the third member of the staffs of the Cirencester banks to be killed in action, the two former being Mr Maurice Hayward, Canadian Contingent, formerly of the Capital and Counties Bank, and Mr M.H. Taverner, of the North Somerset Yeomanry, formerly of the Wilts and Dorset Bank.
Source: FB image 1916 08 05 Ref 118
PERRY, Chester
Memorial Parish Church CHESTER PERRY
Memorial Hospital PERRY C.
9282 Private Chester Hubert Perry. 2/6th (Territorials) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment.
Born [c.1892. Bisley].
Enlisted Cirencester.
Died 28 August 1917. [Aged]. Killed in Action. France
Panel 72 to 75. Tyne Cot Memorial.
In 1901 Census, age 8, living at 25 School Lane, Watermoor, with parents and siblings.
In 1911 Census, age 19, Private, with 2 Glos. Reg. in Malta.