Lionel George EDENS (1896–1916)
© Images & Voices,
Oxfordshire County Council
Lionel George Edens was born at 11 Leckford Road, Oxford on 6 November 1896.
His father George Edens was born in Wardington on 1 December 1871, and in 1891 when he was aged 19 he was working as an assistant to the Oxford Professor of Geology and living with his parents at 33 New Inn Hall Street, where they kept a lodging house. Just before his marriage in 1895 he he moved to a house of his own at 11 Leckford Road (then in SS Philip & James parish).
Lionel's mother Emma Mary Maycock was born in St Ebbe’s on 12 February 1871 and baptised at Holy Trinity Church there on 26 April. By the time of the 1891 census she was living with her parents at 38 Plantation Road.
Lionel's parents were married at SS Philip & St James Church on 13 August 1895 and had three children:
- Lionel George Edens (born on 6 November 1896 at 11 Leckford Road and baptised at SS Philip & James Church on 6 December 1896)
- Phyllis Edens (born on 13 December 1900 and baptised at St Margaret’s Church on 31 January 1901)
- Sylvia Edens (born in St Margaret’s parish, Oxford on 29 November 1908 and baptised at St Margaret’s Church on 3 February 1909).
Lionel's parents remained at 11 Leckford Road until about 1899, when they moved with him to 81 Kingston Road in St Margaret’s parish. They were there at the time of the 1901 census, and Lionel’s father was described as a clerk.
Lionel was educated first at Bedford House School in Walton Street. In January 1906 he moved on to the City of Oxford High School for Boys in George Street: he was the first son of an old boy to be educated at the school. He was also a choirboy at St John’s College from the age of 14 to 16. When applying for a commission in July 1915, the Headmaster of the Boys' High School, A. W. Cave certified to Lionel's “good moral character” for the period 1905 to 1915, and N. A. James, President of St John's College, for the period from January 1910 to June 1913.
At the time of the 1911 census Lionel (14) was still at school and living at 81 Kingston Road with his father George (39), who was now described as “Clerk to the University Extension Delegacy and Organist”, his mother Emma (40), and his sisters Phyllis (10) and Sylvia (2), plus their 16-year-old servant girl.
When war broke out Lionel had been working for a short time with Messrs Linnell & Murphy, solicitors, and had hoped to be articled to the firm.
In the First World War Lionel George Edens enlisted as a Private in the 4th (Reserve) Battalion of the Oxford & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (Service No. 3221) on 19 September 1914, when he was 18 years old. He served on the home front until 26 August 1915, when he was gazetted Second Lieutenant in the 8th Battalion of the Royal Berkshire Regiment. He was killed in action in France at the age of 19 on 3 September 1916.
He is buried at the Thistle Dump Cemetery, High Wood, Longueval (B.12).
Below is a copy of the telegram delivered to 81 Kingston Road:
Edens is remembered on a plaque in the Old Boys’ High School, George Street (left) and on the war memorial outside St Margaret’s Church in north Oxford.
Edens’ obituary in The Times of 3 October 1916 reads:
Second Lieutenant Lionel George Edens, Royal Berkshire Regiment, only son of Mr. and Mrs. George Edens, Kingston-road, Oxford, was killed on September 3, aged 19. Educated at Bedford House and the Oxford High Schools, he had been for a short time with Messrs. Linnell and Murphy, solicitors, and was hoping to be articled to the firm. As a boy he was a chorister at St. John’s College. He enlisted in the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry in September, 1914, and was gazetted Second Lieutenant in the Royal Berkshire Regiment in August, 1915. His colonel writes:— “Only two nights before he had done very valuable patrol work, and all his work, whether in the line or out of it, was extremely good. By his death we have all lost a good friend, and it is no exaggeration to say one of the bravest officers it has been my luck to meet. His disregard of personal danger and his determination had already begun to make their mark, and his men would have followed him anywhere. His death was instantaneous and he fell cheering his men on. It is lads such as he was that keep up the reputation of the regiment and the Army in the field.”
His obituary in the Oxford Chronicle of 15 September 1916 is very similar and is shown below
After the War
Lionel’s parents
At the time of the 1921 census George Edens (49), described as the Assistant Secretary of the Oxford University Extension Delegacy at the Examination Schools, was living at 81 Kingston Road with his wife Emma Mary Edens (50) and their daughter Sylvia (12). The situation was the same at the time of the 1939 Register, when both their daughters lived with them. Lionel's mother died at the age of 79 and was buried in Wolvercote Cemetery on 16 March 1950.
From 1954 Lionel's father described himself as “M.A.”, which suggests that he may have been awarded an honorary degree for his services to the University. He remained at 81 Kingston Road until he died at the age of 89. He was buried with his wife on 19 December 1960.
Lionel’s sisters
- Phyllis Edens (born 1900) was aged 20 and at a teacher's training college in Salisbury at the time of the 1921 census, and at the time of the 1939 Register was a certified infant school teacher living with her parents at 81 Kingston Road. On 24 April 1943 at St Margaret’s Church she married John Edward Richards, a civil servant who lived at 31 Southmoor Road. Phyllis died in Oxford in 1995.
- Sylvia Edens (born 1908/9) married Ronald Alfred Johnson at St Margaret’s Church in the first quarter of 1945. She was then living at home and working as a secretary, and Ronald, who was a clerk of works, lived at 4 Bainton Road. Ronald died at the age of 59 and was buried in Wolvercote Cemetery on 17 February 1948, and Sylvia died at the age of 96 and was buried with him on 3 February 2005.
See also
- CWGC: EDENS, L G
- Postcard: Kingston Road in 1906 (Lionel’s house, No. 81, was at the north-west end)
- Oxford Chronicle, 15 September 1916: Obituary of L. G. Edens
- Oxford Chronicle, 29 September 1916: Photograph of L. G. Edens
- Wikipedia: Royal Berkshire Regiment
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