Person:Augustus Baker (6)

Augustus George Baker was born in 1874 at Walthamstow in Essex, son of Eliza Baker, formerly Dyer, and her husband George Baker, a florist. The 1881 census finds him living with his parents and a sister at 6 St Andrew's Road in Walthamstow.

Some time between 1881 and 1891 the family left Walthamstow and moved about thirty miles north-west to Luton in Bedfordshire, where the 1891 census finds them living at 56 Dudley Street. By this time Augustus was working as a warehouse man.

On 20th May 1893, aged nineteen, Augustus married Ellen Sarah Moss at Christ Church in Luton. They went on to have eight children in Luton between 1893 and 1909, although three died young.

When Augustus died it was reported that he had spent many years in the Army, including having served during the Boer War of 1899-1902. He was back home in Luton for the 1901 census, appearing with Ellen and their children at 42 New Town Street and working as a bricklayer's labourer. Ellen worked as a straw hat machinist. By 1911 the family was living at 41 New Town Street and Augustus was described as a general labourer.

At the outbreak of the First World War, Augustus rejoined the Army, aged forty, serving as a private in the 5th Bedfordshire Regiment. He was posted to the Gallipoli campaign in the Dardanelles, and served there for four months. One of his sons fought alongside him at Gallipoli. After four months there, Augustus was invalided back to Britain with dysentery. After a period in hospital he was discharged from the Army in May 1916.

Augustus returned home but was in poor health, suffering with bronchitis, asthma and heart trouble. He died on 12th July 1917 at home at 23 Collingdon Street in Luton, aged 43. He was given military honours at his funeral. Ellen survived him by about 42 years.

1. ↑ Births index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   b. Auguste George BAKER, March Quarter 1874, West Ham Registration District, Volume 4a, page 122, mother's maiden name Dyer

2. ↑ England. 1881 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands: . (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG11; Piece 1731; Folio 33; Page 59, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: 6 St Andrew's Road, Walthamstow, Essex
   George Baker, head, married, male, 29 [1851/2], Florist, b. Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire
   Eliza Baker, wife, married, female, 30 [1850/1], b. Bures, Suffolk
   George Baker, son, male, 7 [1873/4], Scholar, b. Walthamstow, Essex
   Jessie Baker, daughter, female, 13 [1867/8], b. Bures, Suffolk

3. ↑ England. 1891 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG12; Piece 1271; Folio 159; Page 6, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: 56 Dudley Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   George Baker, head, married, male, 38 [1852/3], Straw Plait Bleacher, employed, b. Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire
   Eliza Baker, wife, married, female, 39 [1851/2], b. Bures, Suffolk
   Augustus G. Baker, son, single, male, 17 [1873/4], Warehouseman, employed, b. Walthamstow, Essex

4. ↑ England. England. 1901 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG13; Piece 1516; Folio 112; Page 37, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: 42 New Town Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   4 rooms occupied
   Augustus G. Baker, head, married, male, 28 [1872/3], Bricklayers labourer, worker, b. Walthamstow, Essex
   Ellen S. Baker, wife, married, female, 31 [1869/70], Straw Hat machinist, worker, b. Aley Green, Bedfordshire
   Florence M. Baker, daughter, single, female, 7 [1893/4], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Grace E. Baker, daughter, single, female, 5 [1895/6], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Alfred J. Baker, son, male, 4 [1896/7], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   George Baker, son, male, 1 [1899/1900], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

5. ↑ England. 1911 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom: The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), (formerly the UK General Register Office.))
   Class RG14; Piece 8997; Schedule 33, 2 Apr 1911.

   Address: 41 New Town Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   6 rooms occupied
   Augustus George Baker, head, married, male, 38 [1872/3], married, General Labourer, worker, b. Walthamstow, Essex
   Ellen Sarah Baker, wife, female, 40 [1870/1], married 17 years, 8 children born to marriage, 5 children still living, Straw Hat Machinist, worker, working at home, b. Aley Green, Bedfordshire
   Florence Mary Baker, daughter, female, 17 [1893/4], single, Straw Hat Machinist, worker, working at home, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Grace Ellen Baker, daughter, female, 15 [1895/6], single, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Alfred John Baker, son, male, 14 [1896/7], single, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   George Baker, son, male, 11 [1899/1900], single, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Charles Edward Baker, son, male, 6 [1904/5], single, b. Luton, Bedfordshire

6. ↑ Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   d. Augustus George BAKER, September Quarter 1917, Luton Registration District, Volume 3b, page 342, aged 44 [1872/3]

7. ↑ Luton News and Bedfordshire Chronicle, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
   Page 8, 19 Jul 1917.

   DEATHS.
   BAKER. - July 12, at 23, Collingdon-street, Luton, Augustus George Baker, aged 44.

8.   Luton News and Bedfordshire Chronicle, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
   Page 7, 19 Jul 1917.

   DEATH OF 1/5th VOLUNTEER.
   Military Funeral.
   Military honours were accorded the late Pte. Augustus George Baker, who died last Thursday at his home, 23, Collingdon-street, Luton. The deceased had a long Army career, having served 18 years with the Forces, and having participated in the Boer War. Soon after that campaign he obtained his discharge from the Army, but at the outbreak of hostilities in August, 1914, he rejoined the 1/5th Bedfordshire Regiment, and landed at Gallipoli in that memorable July, 1915. After four months' service at the Dardanelles Pte. Baker was invalided home with dysentery, and after a period of treatment in various hospital was discharged from the service on May 19th last year, since when he has been at his home, suffering continually from bronchitis and asthma. These complaints, accompanied by heart trouble, caused his death. He was buried at the General Cemetery on Tuesday afternoon the Rev. E.C. Whitworth officiating at the graveside.
   The coffin was covered with the Union Jack, and the bearing party, firing party, and gun carriage were provided from Biscot, and the buglers sounded "The Last Post" over the grave.
   The chief mourners were the widow, two daughters and two sons, Mesdames Warren, Davis, Moss (aunts), Howes, Miss Barrett, Sgt. Abson, Cpl. Lowe (friends). There were also some beautiful floral emblems. The funeral arrangements were in the hands of Messrs. T. and E. Neville.
   It is noteworthy that one of the sons fought side by side with his father at the Dardanelles, and is now in Palestine.

9.   Luton Reporter, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
   Page 2, 23 Jul 1917.

   DEATH OF GALLIPOLI HERO. - Military honours were accorded by a detachment from the Biscot Camp, at the funeral at the General Cemetery, on Tuesday afternoon, of Mr. Augustus George Baker, 23, Collingdon-street, one of the local Territorials who served in the Gallipoli campaign in 1915. Forty-four years of age, deceased served 18 years with the Forces and went through the South African War. When the present war broke out he was under no liability for military service, but he joined up in the 5th Bedfords directly after the outbreak of hostilities, and served in the Dardanelles with a son who is now in Palestine. He was invalided home with dysentry after four months' service in the East, and after months of hospital treatment was discharged from the Army in May, 1916. Since that time he had been practically a physical wreck, and was rarely well and he passed away on Thursday, the 12th. The Rev. E.C. Whitworth officiated at the funeral, and the coffin, which was covered with the Union Jack, was borne to the graveside on a gun-carriage, accompanied by a firing party and trumpeters.