Albert Edward Doe came to Chelmsford after marriage in 1902 which led to two children. He hd a variety of jobs, latterly working for a Chelmsford sweet manufacturer. In May 1916 he took the place of a colleague who was due to join the army and he was killed in action in August 1917. His family lived in Hill Road.
DOE, ALBERT EDWARD, Private, 8th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders
(formerly of the Middlesex Regiment, and Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders)
A week later the Essex Weekly News reported:
“Pte. Albert E. Doe, Seaforth Highlanders, formerly Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, of 31, Hill-rd., Chelmsford, is reported wounded and missing. He was in an attach on Aug. 22, and according to a letter from the Chaplain could afterwards be traced, although there was a chance that he was a prisoner. Pte. Doe, who joined up voluntarily in May, 1916, formerly had a greengrocery business in Springfield-rd., but had latterly been employed by Messrs. Hawkes Bros.”
On 23rd August 1918 the Essex County Chronicle carried the following in memoriam notice:
“Doe. - In ever loving memory of my dear Husband, Pt. A. E. Doe, Seaforth Highlanders, who has been missing since August 22nd, 1917, and now presumed to have been killed on that date or since.
‘And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying,, neither shall there be any more pain’, Rev xxi. 4
From his sorrowing Wife and children, Father and Sisters, 31 Hill Road, Chelmsford.”
The same edition also reported:
“Mrs. Doe, of 31 Hill Road, Chelmsford, has received intimation that her husband, Pt. A. E. Doe, Seaforth Highlanders, who has been missing since August 22, 1917, is now presumed to have been killed on that date, or since. Before joining up, Pt. Doe was employed at Messrs, Hawkes Bros.’ Confectionery Works, and he volunteered to go himself in place of a fellow employee when the latter’s case came before the Local Tribunal. which was allowed.”
A week later the Essex Weekly News also carried an in memoriam notice from Albert’s family:
“Doe. - In ever loving memory of my dear Husband, Pt. A. E. Doe, Seaforth Highlanders, who has been missing since August 22nd, 1917, and now presumed to have been killed on that date or since.
‘And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying,, neither shall there be any more pain’, Rev xxi. 4
From his sorrowing Wife and children, Father and Sisters, 31 Hill-rd., Chelmsford.”
Albert was born in Hatfield Peverel in 1877, the son of the bootmaker David Doe and Mary Ann Doe (nee Tyrell).
His father had been born c1848 in Boreham; his mother had been born c1849 in Springfield. The couple had married on 18th February 1871 at St. Andrew’s Church in Boreham and soon afterwards had been recorded by the 1871 census at Lion End, Hatfield Peverel where Albert’s father was a shoemaker.
Albert’s siblings, included Annie Alice Doe (born in 1872 in Boreham, died 1941), Laura Doe (born in 1874 in Hatfield Peverel), Edith Doe (born in 1876 in Hatfield Peverel, died 1939), Ethel Ada Doe (born 1880 in Hatfield Peverel, died in 1948) and Minnie Maria Doe (born in 1882 in Hatfield Peverel, died 1944).
Albert was baptised at St. Andrew’s Church in Boreham on 10th June 1877.
In 1881 the census listed four year-old Albert living with his parents and three sisters in The Street, Hatfield Peverel. His father was a shoe and boot maker.
The 1891 census found Albert, aged 14. lodging at a house in Baddow Road, Chelmsford, where he was an errand boy.
A decade later 24 year-old Albert was
lodging at 88 Bryant Road, Strood in Kent where he was employed as a hawker in oil.
Albert married Hannah Washington on 29th March 1902 at St. Andrew’s Church in Hatfield Peverel. At the time Albert was 25 years-old, employed as an oilman, and resident in Strood in Kent. His bride was aged 34 and the daughter of a gardener, and lived in Hatfield Peverel. She had been born in Southill, Bedfordshire. The couple had a son, Gerald Samuel Washington Doe (born on 3rd March 1903 in Strood, died in 1981).
Albert’s mother died in late 1904.
The 1911 census listed Albert, his wife and son at 31 Hill Road in Springfield. Albert was an outfitter’s traveller. In 1914 they had a daughter Nancy E. W. Doe.
Having run a greengrocer’s Albert began working for a sweet maker’s, Hawkes Brothers of New Street, Chelmsford. On 15th May 1916 the firm appealed at the Chelmsford Military Service Tribunal against the call-up of their foreman warehouseman and packer, 34 year-old Phil Skingley of 2 Nursery Road in Chelmsford. The tribunal was told that Albert was prepared to go in place of Phil, which was agreed to.
Albert subsequently enlisted at Chelmsford in May 1916, and served as Private S/29189 in the Middlesex Regiment. He subsequently served with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. He was killed in action on 22nd August 1917 as Private 235120 in the 8th Battalion of the Seaforth Highlanders. He was aged 40.
On 21st September 1917 the Essex County Chronicle reported:
“Pt. Albert E. Doe, Seaforth Highlanders, recently transferred from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, is missing. His wife, who lives at 31 Hill Road, Chelmsford, received the official intimation yesterday, and a Chaplin writes that Doe is reported wounded but cannot be traced, although there is a chance of his being a prisoner. He was in an attack on August 22. Pt. Doe, who was very popular with his comrades, joined up voluntarily in May, 1916. He formerly had a greengrocery business in Springfield Road, but had latterly been employed by Messrs., Hawkes Bros., confectioners.”
Albert has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen in Belgium, and on the Civic Centre Memorial, Chelmsford.
The 1918 register of electors listed his widow still at 31 Hill Road (pictured).
Albert’s father died in 1930, aged 82.
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