This plain stone tablet with a pediment remembers the eight men who worked for the county council and died in the First World War. It is inside the main hall (now the staff café) at Old County Hall, New Road, Oxford. A second panel in the same style was added underneath, lengthening the pediment, to remember the three men who died in the Second World War.

IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF THE
MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY
STAFF WHO GAVE UP THEIR
LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY

MAJOR HUGH N. DAVENPORT. M.C. 2-4^TH O.B.L.I.
2^ND L^T D. H. PARROTT. 217^TH LONDON REGT
2^ND L^T A. B. CALCUTT. 3^RD GLOSTER REGT
T^PR A. E. BENNETT. Q.O.O.H.
P^TE R. W. DOUBLEDAY. A.S.C
L^CE CPL C. A. HOBAN. 34^TH SEAFORTHS
P^TE E. J. ROSE. 4^TH O.B.L.I.
T^PR T. P. STONE. Q.O.O.H.

1914 – 1918

[Added later: 1939 – 1945 plus three names]

Albert Edward BENNETT (1896–1915)
Occupation in 1911: Office boy in County Education Offices

Born at 33 South Street, Osney, Oxford in 1896 and baptised at St Frideswide's Church on 23 February.

Son of George Robert Bennett, a Great Western Railway porter and later a brewer's carter by 1911, and Rosa Eeles, who were married at St Frideswide's Church in Oxford on 15 September 1892

At the time of the 1911 census Albert (15) was an office boy working for the county council and living at 28 Blackfriars Road, St Ebbe's, Oxford with his parents and five siblings.

As he had evidently signed up by May 1915, he must have volunteered for the War.

Private in “D” Squadron, Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars (Service No. 1932)
Died in France on 23 May 1915, aged 19
Buried at Bailleuil Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord, France (ref. I.F.45).
Extra paid-for words added to headstone: AT REST

Also on Holy Trinity Church (St Ebbe's) war memorial and Balliol College Boys' Club war memorial and the Oxford City Honour Roll

CWGC

SHORT BIOGRAPHIES on Roll of Honour website: Holy Trinity Church, St Ebbe's and Balliol Boys' Club war memorial page

Albert Birch CALLCUTT (1894–1918)
Occupation in 1911: Accountants' clerk at the County Council

Born in Kidlington on 19 December 1894 and baptised at Kidlington Church on 20 January 1895

Son of Albert Harry Calcutt, a grocer, and Elizabeth Mary Williams, who were married in Oxford in 1893

At the time of the 1911 census Albert (16), described as an accountant's clerk at Oxford County Council, was living on Banbury Road, Kidlington with his parents, both of whom worked in their grocer's shop, his three younger siblings, his two unmarried paternal aunts, and their general servant

Second Lieutenant in the 13th Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment
Died in France on 30 March 1918, aged 23
Remembered on the Pozières Memorial in France

CWGC

Hugh Nares DAVENPORT (1886–1918)
Deputy Clerk of the Peace, Deputy Clerk to the County Council
for Oxfordshire, and Under-Sheriff of the County

Born at Davenport House, Headington on 18 February 1886 and baptised at St Andrew's Church there on 11 April.

Son of Thomas Marriott Davenport, solicitor and Clerk to Oxfordshire County Council, and Emily Jemima Clutterbuck, who were married at Long Wittenham on 23 August 1877

Hugh obtained his B.A. at the University of Oxford (Oriel College) in 1908, and at the time of the 1911 census he was a law student, living at Davenport House with his parents and four of his siblings. He was admitted as a solicitor in July that year and worked for Davenport & Rose at County Hall, Oxford.

Hugh Nares Davenport immediately volunteered to serve in the First World War, commencing service on 14 September 1914. He was mentioned in dispatches, and was awarded the Military Cross

Major in the 2nd/4th Battalion of the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (Military Cross)
He was shot through the head in France on 24 March 1918, aged 32, although there is some uncertainty about the date, as he was originally reported as a war prisoner.
Buried at Ham British Cemetery, Muille-Villette (ref. II.B.1). Extra paid-for words added to headstone:
FOURTH SON OF THOMAS M. DAVENPORT OF HEADINGTON HILL, OXFORD

Also on the war memorials of Oriel College in Oxford and All Saints' Church in Headington, and on the City Honour Roll

CWGC

FULL BIOGRAPHY (All Saints' Church, Headington)

Reginald Walter DOUBLEDAY (1894–1917)
Occupation in 1911: Assistant manual instructor at an Oxford city elementary school

Born at 11 James Street, east Oxford in 1894 and baptised at St Clement's Church on 5 August.

Son of Richard Dixon Doubleday, Oxfordshire County Council's first Inspector of Weights and Measures, and Mary Jane Leather, who were married at St Peter's Church, Walton on the Hill, Lancashire on 25 September 1881

At the time of the 1901 census Reginald (6) was living in Temple Cowley with his parents, five siblings and his cousin

In 1911 Reginald (17) was an assistant manual instructor at a city elementary school and living at “The Elms”, Temple Cowley with his parents and his five surviving siblings, plus their servant girl.

Acting Bombardier in “C” Battery, 83rd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery (Service No. 201669)
Died in Belgium on 27 October 1917, aged 23
Buried at Duhallow A.D.S. Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium (ref. III.A.20)

CWGC

Also remembered on the Oxford Central Boys' School (Gloucester Green) war memorial board

FULL BIOGRAPHY

Cecil Anthony HOBAN (1890–1916)
Occupation in 1911: Law clerk

Born at 9 Trinity Street, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire in 1890 and baptised at Leamington Priors, Gloucestershire on 4 January 1891

Son of Charles James Hoban, a butler, and Kate (marriage not found, so surname unknown)

At the time of the 1891 census Cecil (five months) was living at 9 Trinity Street, Leamington with his mother Kate, who was described as married but was the head of the household, his two younger siblings, and the couple who boarded with them.

In 1901 Cecil (10) was living with his uncle and aunt, Thomas & Jeanetta Holland, at 4 Medwin Avenue, Hove, Sussex.

His father Charles James Hoban and his mother Kate Hoban both died in 1909 in the Warwick district at the respective ages of 49 and 44.

In 1911 Cecil (20) was a law clerk, boarding at 16 Campion Street, Leamington Priors.

Private in the 4th Battalion of the Seaforth Highlanders (Service No. 4477)
Died in France on 25 July 1916, aged 25
Buried at Serre Road Cemetery No. 2, France (ref. XL.H.13)

CWGC

Denis Hele PARROTT (1894–1918)
Still at school in 1911

Born at Shipton-on-Cherwell, Oxfordshire in 1894 and baptised there on 6 April.

Son of Benjamin Parrott (a farmer) and his second wife Charlotte Churchill Smith, who were married at Shipton-on-Cherwell parish church on 2 June 1891

At the time of the 1901 census Denis (6) was paying a visit to the Rose family in Putney. His parents were living at Shipton House, Shipton-on-Cherwell with Denis's half-brother and five full siblings, their governess, and two servants

In 1911 Denis (16) was boarding at Dene Close Memorial School, Shelburne Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.

In July 1914 he passed the preliminary examination qualifying him for registration as a probationer R.I.B.A.

Lieutenant in the 2nd/17th Battalion of the London Regiment
Died in Palestine on 30 April 1918, aged 23
Buried at the Jerusalem War Cemetery (ref. N.64)

CWGC

Also remembered on the Roll of Honour at Dene Close School

Ernest John ROSE (1884–1917)
Occupation: Assistant to the Hall Keeper at County Hall

Born in Woodstock, Oxfordshire on 1 October 1884.

Son of Amos Rose, a carpenter and Emma Hudson Warner, who were married at Woodstock Chapel on 20 May 1872

At the time of the 1911 census Ernest (26) was the workhouse porter at the Woodstock Union Workhouse at Hensington.

On 13 July 1912 at Witney, Ernest John Rose married Eva Elizabeth Hosier, and they had one daughter, Dorothy Winifred Pearl Road, born in Witney on 16 February 1914.

Private in the 2nd/4th Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (Service No. 201967)
Died in Belgium on 22 August 1917, aged 33
Buried at New Irish Farm Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium (ref. VIII.B.11).

CWGC / Oxford City Honour Roll

Also remembered on Woodstock war memorial and the Oxford City Honour Roll

Thomas Percival STONE (1895–1916)
Occupation in 1911: Railway clerk

Born in Bicester in 1895

Son of Alfred Stone, a coachman, and Elizabeth Rosetta Walker, who were married at Bicester parish church on 5 April 1892

At the time of the 1911 census Thomas (16) was a railway clerk, living at 47 Priory Road, Bicester with his parents and two younger siblings, plus a boarder.

Private in “A” Squadron, Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars (Service No. 1849)
Died in France on 8 February 1916, aged 20
Buried at Vermelles British Cemetery, Pas de Calais (ref. II.N.17). Extra paid-for words added to headstone:
HIS MEMORY NOW REMAINS WITH US JUST WHITER THAN THE SNOW

CWGC

BRIEF BIOGRAPHY (Bicester Local History website)

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