SIDLEY BLOG No 6

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After the war…back in England


On his return home, George Thomas SIDLEY’s wife Louisa quickly became pregnant with another daughter Jessie May who was born on 15 May 1903. She was followed by Walter Stanley born December 1904, and twins Dorothy Louisa and Ethel Georgina who were born in December 1905. The twins died in 1906 before their first birthday and unfortunately Walter died aged two in 1907.

In the 1911 census Louisa is recorded having 8 children with 4 deceased and 4 living. Valerie Davidson STRUB, her granddaughter, thought she had 9 children but I cannot find any record of another.
Louisa May Chapman Sidley about 1939

George appears in the London, England Electoral Register for 1905 living at 36 Coningsby Road and in 1911 to 1913 living at 12 Coningsby Road. One of the questions I asked in an earlier blog was ‘what prompted George to join the army” and subsequently fight in the Boer War?

I may have found the answer…..

When George completed his attestation document, in February 1901, he was living at 1 Coningsby Cottages.  The CATERER family with close connections to the SIDLEY family were living at 28 Coningsby Road, just a few houses away from the SIDLEY family.  This was the family of Alfred CATERER who married Louisa SIDLEY’s half-sister, Sarah Ann FRENCH, in 1903.

Alfred CATERER was a Private in 1/8th Middlesex Regiment, and served in the North West Frontier of India, and also in the South African War. He re-enlisted for WW1 in June 1915 and took part in many engagements in the Western Front and in Egypt.  Although Alfred was 11 years older, with this extensive military service I am sure he would have had a great influence on George.

Alfred was discharged from 1/8th Middlesex Regiment as medically unfit for further service in February 1917.  He had been awarded the India Medal 1895 with the “Tirah” clasp (1897-1898), the Queen’s and King’s South African Medals, the 1914-1915 Star and the General Service and Victory Medals. He was born in Watlington, Oxfordshire about 1867 and died on 1 March 1922 in Brentford, aged 55.

Sarah and Alfred’s daughters Ada Nellie (born 1904), Mary Doris (Cissie) (born 1910) and their son Ted (born 1914) were lifelong friends of my grandmother Ada Annie Maud Sidley BUCHANAN (born 1899) and were half first cousins. 

Ada Annie Maud Sidley BUCHANAN as a young girl.
Photo taken between 1914 and 1917

The reverse of the card has Bayleys Studios of London and Provinces. This photo was given to me by her eldest daughter, Peggy Buchanan McALEESE.

So, there is one puzzle possibly solved with many more to research especially George’s possible enlistment in WW1.

Keep looking….for more about my great-grandfather and about Alfred CATERER and his family.
There are possible intriguing connections with Adelaide, South Australia.

Read  more in SIDLEY BLOG No 7.


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