Rupert was born on 5th March 1898 at 87, Northside, Clapham Common, Battersea, London (the white house in the photo).
He was William and Amie’s sixth child, the second youngest of seven. His siblings were Amy (b.1886), Ida (b.1888), Wilson (b.1891), Cecil (b.1893), Sissy (b. 1894), Phyllis (1904).
RWH Birth Certificate
Childhood
The 1901 census gives the family’s address as 55, West Kensington Mansions near Earls Court, a beautiful red brick apartment complex. At the time of the 1911 census the 13 year-old Rupert William was a ‘boarder’ at Thorne House, Westgate-on-Sea, in Kent. It seems this was a very small mixed boarding school near Margate, around 85 miles from Rupert’s west London home ( www.shelwin.com/e/Thanet_Research/pt_schools.pdf ).
From Bee’s Notes (2007):
The river at Putney was really for serious-minded people of the rowing fraternity. In fact the University Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge takes place there every year – this year on the 7th April. It draws crowds of people who wear their ‘favours’ dark or light blue. In the past it was a day of celebration, jugglers, strong men, Punch and Judy, fireeaters, hot-dog stands, ice-cream vendors etc. etc. but now it is purely for spectators but still a happy day.Rupert and his brother Cecil were the cheeky boys and considered their elder brother, Wilson to be ‘a Dada’s boy and was very serious They had never heard Wilson swear so they conspired to change this. They fixed the tennis net over the top of the door leading to Wilson’s room and waited for him to enter – You can imagine the air was black and blue and they had succeeded in their mission!! Rupert felt the cold and was not keen on going swimming. Cecil and Wilson decided to change the situation and promptly threw him in at the deep end – sink or swim? – he swam, and from then on was ‘a water baby’.
War Service
In 1914, just days after the First World War broke out, Rupert joined the army when he was just 16. It looks like he lied on his sign-up and said he was 17 1/2. Since his father William signed all the forms, he presumably knew this and approved of him going off to war. At this time the family was living at 5, Westmoreland Road in Barnes.
He served in three different areas. Days after war broke out in Europe at the end of July he joined the 13th Battalion (Kensington) London Regiment, but served only from 6 August to the 10th of August. No. 1798. his medical indicates that he was 18 years/1 month old, 5’7.5″, vision “fair”, and physical development “good”! This regiment was part of the Territorial Force:
Territorials were not obliged to serve overseas, but were enlisted on the basis that in the event of war they could be called upon for full-time service (“embodied”). The physical criteria for joining the Terriers was the same as for the Regular army but the lower age limit was 17.
Perhaps he chose the 13th Ken because he looked closer to 17 than 18? Whatever the reason, he transferred very quickly to the 2nd/25th County of London Reserve Cyclist Battalion: The London Regiment, “H” Company. His Attestation papers show that he signed up at Fulham House on August 31 as Private/Cyclist, number 1730. His company was formed at Fulham, moved in November to the Sussex coast, then moved in April 1915 to Norfolk. According to Simon Parker-Galbreath (here) “H” Company “was formed exclusively from members of well-known cycling clubs”, so it looks like Rupert was already a cyclist!
While on the coast, cyclists like Rupert were primarily tasked with patrolling and keeping lookout in locations stretching from Lewes in the east to Littlehampton in the west. A wealth of information about the London 25th can be found here, including a record of Rupert, along with pictures of his service medals and a postcard from Norfolk to “Mrs Scott” back in Barnes. The cyclists were used mainly for reconnaissance and messengering. A wonderful photo album of the 25th in Norfolk is here.
His Military History Sheet shows that he served at “Home” until 30 May 1915. A letter from the Battalion HQ in Holt, Norfork to William Wilson to confirm his transfer to the “regular army” was addressed to 55 Ludgate Hill, EC – this must have been WWH’s work address, on the main road between Fleet Street and St.Pauls Cathedral (now a Starbuck’s coffee shop).
On the 19th [of April 1915], the companies from Brighton went to Lewes and the whole unit left the county town in two trains for Norfolk. Four companies and headquarters went direct to Holt and the other half battalion to Sherringham. This course was rendered necessary owing to the lack of billetting facilities at Holt, where the Sussex Cyclists were still installed […] The battalion took over all coast duties, from the retiring battalion, two days’ later, on a line from Runton Gap (inclusive) to Shettisham, just south of Hunstanton […] It then found itself in an area quite different to that on the South Coast. Instead of sea fronts with rows of houses bordering on esplanades, it found a lonely coast line with occasional small villages or isolated farmhouses. It included Weybourne, with a beach having deep water at all states of the tide and low hills a short distance inland. These, if occupied by an enemy, would permit of a landing on the beach without molestation. An old rhyme, current in Norfolk from ancient times, ran thus :
“He who would be England’s King, Must at Weybourne Beach begin.”
The hint was not disregarded by the C.O. when making his dispositions to guard the coast. [More here…]
Perhaps Rupert was frustrated that the cyclists were not being posted overseas any time soon, so he re-enlisted into the Royal Army Service Corps Motor Transport division at Grove Park in London in May 1915, No. M2/101580. His discharge papers from the 2nd/25th are dated June 11 that year. Another letter from Holt (17 July 1915) to the Commanding officer of 202 Company A.S.C in Warminster near Wells, confirms that Rupert had been innoculated. The 202 was a Horsed Transport company and was part of the 26th Division of the 3rd Army, formed in September 1914 and which embarked for France in September 1915. The concentration of units was at Guignemicourt, west of Amiens. The 26th then left the Western Front for Salonika in Greece, and Rupert must have transferred to the newly formed 602.
He would probably have initially trained at the Grove Park Depot, then shipped out and served in France from September 1915 to May 1916 as a motor driver in this new ammunition column for the 36th Brigade RGA, later absorbed into 48th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery (from the Long, Long Trail):
The ASC MT Companies attached to the Royal Garrison Artillery as Ammunition Columns / Parks
The heavy guns and howitzers of the RGA, with attendant equipment and ammunition, needed motorised transport to haul them. The MT Companies called Ammunition Parks operated dumps, or stores, of ammunition. The larger calibres of artillery shells required special mechanical handling equipment. http://www.1914-1918.net/asc.htm
The Royal Garrison Artillery developed from fortress-based artillery located on British coasts. From 1914 when the army possessed very little heavy artillery it grew into a very large component of the British forces. It was armed with heavy, large calibre guns and howitzers that were positioned some way behind the front line and had immense destructive power.
From what I can ascertain of the 36th Brigade/48th Siege Battery, it looks like Rupert would have at one point been close to Albert, near Amiens in the Somme – or at least involved in supplying the action on the Western front.
A newspaper recruitment ad from May 1916 provides some interesting details on training and service in the RGA:
Good Men Wanted [OFFICIAL.]
We have officially ascertained, by applying to the right quarters at the War Office, that good motor drivers and mechanics are now being enlisted direct. The authorising Order, was only issued on the 17th inst., prior to which date such direct recruiting had been in suspense for a period of some months.
How to Join. Any man wishing to join the A.S.C., M.T., can do one of two things : (1) he can apply in writing, with references, to the Secretary, War Office, Q.M.G.3, London, S.W.; (2) he can apply to one of the M.T. Recruiting Officers, a complete list of whose names and addresses we give below. Any man who is considered suitable will be furnished with a form, on completion of which, and on its presentation to the local recruiting officer, he will be posted direct to the Mechanical Transport. His pay will be is. 2d. a day on joining, and a further is. 2d. Corps pay on his passing the tests. These tests are usually passed, in the case of good drivers, a day or two after they join the Corps […] The drill is stiff, and includes route-marching. Men above 40 years of age are considered.
On May 22 1916 he was admitted to hospital; it is unclear what his injury or condition was. He was then listed on the Home front until he was discharged from 621 Company, Army Service Corps in September 1916 as “no longer medically fit for service”. A copy of his Statement of Services from September 1916 has the handwritten reason for discharge, but it is almost illegible – perhaps a gastric (duodenal, per Bee) ulcer?
In 1917 he applied for a King’s Certificate of Discharge, and the paperwork states that his “disability was not attributed to or aggravated by service overseas”.
For his service Rupert received the 1914/18 Star, the British War Medal and the victory Medal, (below).
[images copyright of Simon Parker-Galbreath, here and here ]
Winnie, meanwhile, had served as a munitions inspector and driver throughout the war. Read more here.
Family Life
Shortly after leaving the army he married Annie Winifred Knight, on 8th December 1917 at St. Stephen’s Mission Church in Putney. He was only 19, which was not untypical for the time, though it seems very young by today’s standards.
According to Bee’s notes, the couple met in 1915 because Win’s friend Elsie had a boyfriend who was posted with Rupert.
He was obviously still very interested in cars, and had become a “motor salesman”, the occupation listed on the marriage certificate.
After the War ended Rupert’s health improved and he and Winnie had their first child Marjorie Winifred (Betty, Bee), born in March 1919 – a 21st birthday present for Dad!. Cecil Rupert (Buster, John) came along next, in August 1920. Peter John was born much later in August 1934, when Winnie was 40 – this was a real late arrival in those days.
In Auntie Bee’s Notes (2007) she describes some of her early memories:
They [Rupert & Winnie] had a small top flat at the family home, at that time, Dryburgh House, Dryburgh Road, Putney London.
I was born on the 4th Mar 1919 and was considered to be one of my father’s 21st birthday presents!
Dryburgh was a large Victorian house with a large garden, orchard and tennis court, in fact a Garden Centre now exists in its place. Although very young I can recall seeing the family and friends playing tennis and always the love and affection given to me by Grannie (SAH) and Parrie (WWH) and even sitting on my Great-Grandfather’s lap [Thomas Story Horn, or Barker?] whilst he cut out paper dolls and ‘danced’ them on the arm of his chair. He would have been in his 90’s and always wore a red fez to keep his head warm.
They moved from Dryburgh House to a small mews flat near Marble Arch and Hyde Park [Bee’s stories].
As a small family Rupert and Winifred moved house quite frequently.
Another memorable home was a very large flat with a very large garden. There was a small lawn then the soft fruit plot berries of every sort including beautiful dessert gooseberries. Beyond the soft fruits were the vegetables and lastly a plot where the children ruled supreme!! On three side were apple, pear and plum trees, apricot and peach and figs and two cherry trees, one had white cherries and the other was a red variety and between these two trees father put up a hammock which gave us no end of enjoyment – sometimes it was a ship or an aeroplane and a castaway island.
At one time we lived in a ‘mews’ flat close to Oxford Street, London. Selfridges, a very large departmental Store (which is still in existence today) was my mother’s ‘local shop’. Whilst living there our daily walks would be in Hyde Park and father taught John and me to ride our little bicycles in the same park.
We were never far away from the river, commons and, of course, Richmond Park where there were frequent picnics, all units of the family gathering at a certain point, the older members being taken care of, the mums and aunts providing the food and the younger ones just enjoying themselves.
In the early 1920’s Rupert became manager of a garage and workshop, then the travel-adventure bug bit again…
Betty & Buster c.1922
Australian Adventure
On the way to Australia
In January 1925 Rupert set sail for Australia, in search of fortune ‘down under’. He left Winnie and the children back in London and took the steamship Ormonde on an adventure which wound past Gibraltar, through the Mediterranean to Naples, Port Said, the Gulf of Suez, Colombo, and across the Indian Ocean to Freemantle, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney Australia – a journey of about six weeks. He would stay with older brother Cecil and his wife Ruby who had already emigrated.
S.S. Ormonde
Things did not work out there, however. The story goes that while on board the Ormonde he was offered a job managing a fleet of cars for a ‘Majarajah’, but Rupert wanted to wait and see how things looked in Oz before committing. Needless to say, by the time he had done so the post had been taken by another.
While in Australia he also visited aunt Jessie (?) and uncle Stanley(?) in New South Wales?
So about 5 months later he set sail again for England, this time on the S.S.Ormuz. He brought home with him many souvenirs and had many tales to tell of his adventures: swimming and surfing at the beautiful beaches -including Bondi-, the eucalyptus trees, kookaburras and koala bears.
More Ormonde pictures, including some interior shots, can be found here.
A love of motor vehicles
Back in London the young family had to start from scratch again…he tried many jobs, including a car showroom saleman, mechanic and others, before starting his own car repair and car hire business, where the family also had their living accommodation (per Bee)
Winnie & Bee, 1927
Nice wheels! (c.1940?)
World War 2
[Doodlebug story – 9, Burston Road, Wandsworth]
Cornwall & Back Again
Win and Rupert moved to Cornwall in 1952, presumably to be close to John and Kay, and the two grand-daughters Gillian and Margaret. Rupert worked as a night watchman at the dockyard. They remained there until 1959, when they came back to live with Ivor and Betty in Bramcote Road, Putney, in southwest London.
A Horn Family Chronicle 
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