First World War Memorial, St Margaret’s Church, Oxford

Herbert Augustus HARRIS (1893–1915)

Herbert Augustus Harris was born at 103 Kingston Road, Oxford on 10 October 1893. He was the son of Reuben Harris (born at Slough in Buckinghamshire on 13 October 1859 and baptised at Upton-cum-Chalvey on 11 December) and Mary Harriet Mainey (born in Liverpool on 17 May 1863). His parents were married at St Chad's Church, Liverpool on 1 October 1887 and had four children:

• Reuben Fred Harris (born at Walton-on-the-Hill, Liverpool in 1888/9 and baptised at St Mary's Church there on 17 February 1889)
• Beatrice Mary Harris (born at Walton-on-the-Hill, Liverpool in 1892 and baptised at St Mary's Church there on 18 September)
• Herbert Augustus Harris (born at 103 Kingston Road, Oxford on 10 October 1893 and baptised at SS Philip & James Church on 19 November)
• Nora Margaret Harris (born in Oxford on 26 March 1900 and baptised at St Margaret’s Church on 23 April).

In 1881 Herbert’s father Reuben Harris was a butler in the household of the Vicar of Walton-on- the-Hill, Liverpool. He continued as a butler in Walton after his marriage, but lived in his own home: the 1891 census shows him at 19 Hampden Street with his wife and eldest son.

In about 1893 the family moved down to Oxford, where Herbert’s father obtained work as a college butler. They had three addresses in Kingston Road, which was originally in SS Philip & James parish, but came under the new parish of St Margaret from 1896). They first lived at No. 103, but by the time of Nora’s baptism in 1900 were at No. 169.

In about 1904 the family was at 170 Kingston Road in St Margaret’s parish.

At the time of the 1911 census Herbert (17) was an apprentice reporter, living at 170 Kingston Road with his father Reuben (51), who was still a college servant, his mother Mary (47), and his three siblings: Reuben (22) was a bank clerk, Beatrice (18) was a pupil teacher, and Nora (11) was at school.

In about 1914 the family moved to 44 Rectory Road in east Oxford (which was then called Pembroke Street).

In the First World War Herbert Augustus Harris volunteered in 1914 and enlisted in the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion of the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. He then served as a Lance Corporal in the 4th Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment (Service No. 23055). He took part in the Gallipoli campaign and died of wounds at sea off Turkey at the age of 21 on 9 August 1915.

He has no known grave, but is remembered on the Helles Memorial in Turkey (Panel 104 to 113) and on the war memorial outside St Margaret’s Church in north Oxford.