Private Arthur Villeneuve was born in Peckham, south London on 16th June 1896, the eldest child of Albert and Amelia Villeneuve (nee Wells), which was also the place of his parents’ birth. We can trace the family’s ancestry back to the French Huguenots living in Berlin. Arthur’s father, Albert, was employed by the Salvation Army Assurance Society [Click to continue…]

Alec John Rushen (1905–1983) Alec John Rushen was born on 1 October 1905 in Rochford, Essex, the second son of James Charles Rushen and Caroline Roberts. He was baptised: 23 December 1906, St Mary’s Church, Runwell, Essex His arrival came at a time of quiet rural life in the county of Essex, a region defined by its rolling fields, farms, and [Click to continue…]

Claude served in France during WW1 and also, in 1919, the Russian Revolution where he was shot and consequently had his left leg amputated. After the war he became a clerk in the civil service. Two of his daughters still have his army notebook which is full of snippets about his day to day life during wartime and the reference he makes to his injuries [Click to continue…]

Family Origins George Thomas Dixon was born in Benwell, Northumberland (today, part of Newcastle-upon-Tyne) although the family moved across the Tyne soon after George's birth to Gateshead, where his three siblings were born.   George's father was also George and his mother Mary Robson (giving us two of the most common surnames in north-east England!) [Click to continue…]