Stanley Edward Etheridge (sometimes ‘Etheredge’) came to Chelmsford when his father took over the Two Brewers pub in Springfield Road in 1908. He worked as a machine hand before joining the army by early 1912. As a regular he was sent to France in August 1914 and was killed in November 1914 by an exploding shell while he was exercising horses near Armentieres. His home was at the Two Brewers.
Stanley was born in Ipswich, Suffolk in 1893, the youngest son of the publican Walter Charles Etheridge and Emma Etheridge (nee Oliver). His father had been born in 1854 in Ipswich; his mother c1859 in Colchester. They had married in 1880 Suffolk and in 1891 had been living in Ipswich.
His siblings, all Ipswich-born, included Henry Walter Etheridge (1881-1950), Arthur Charles Etheridge (1882-1947), Thomas Bertie Etheridge (1883-1955), Ethel May Etheridge (1887-1961), and Grace Etheridge (1889-1968).
Stanley was recorded in the 1901 census, aged seven and living with his parents and four elder siblings at the Cardinal’s Hat Inn, in Cardinal Street, Ipswich. His father and brother Arthur were both engine makers.
On 2nd October 1908 Stanley’s father was granted a temporary licence for the Two Brewers pub at 25 Springfield Road, Chelmsford (now number 80).
ETHERIDGE, STANLEY EDWARD,
Driver, 4th Signal Company, Royal Engineers
The day’s Essex Weekly News carried a similar account:
“Mrs. Etheridge of the Two Brewers, Springfield-road, Chelmsford, received on Monday the sad news of the death of her step-son, Stanley Etheridge, a driver in the Signals Section, Royal Engineers. The young man who was only 21 years of age, was killed by a shell while exercising horses. He was the younger son of the late Mr. Walter Etheridge, of the Two Brewers, and had been in the army for about three years,
On Monday Mrs.. Etheridge received a letter from the Lieutenant commanding No. 4 Signal Section R.E., notifying her of her step-son’s death. The letter dated Nov. 4. stated that the section had been in the place from which he wrote for a week. he added:
‘Yesterday, suddenly, about 10 a.m. a sudden volley of shells was fired within fifty to a hundred yards of our headquarters at the very moment the horses were going out for exercise. Your step-son was riding was riding one and leading another, and one of the first three shells struck the road; several of the splinters struck your step-son and his horse, and killed them almost at once’. The writer adds that deceased was a good boy, always willing cheerful, and his death is a great loss to all his fellow comrades. He was buried with some other poor fellow who were killed at the time, being laid to rest with all the honours due to a soldier who dies for his country. His grave is just outside Armentieres, and all the inhabitants sent flowers - by the same post Mrs. Etheridge received a letter from Pte. F. C. Wallis. 2nd Essex, whose house is in Anchor-street, Chelmsford, notifying her of her step-son’s death.’”
He is buried at Ration Farm Military Cemetery, La Chapelle-D'Armentieres, Nord, France (grave: VII. A. 13), a few yards from fellow Chelmsfordian, Sidney Walter Rule.
Stanley is commemorated on the Civic Centre Memorial, Chelmsford. He was entitled to the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and Victory Medal.
On 2nd October 1908 Stanley’s father was granted a temporary licence for the Two Brewers pub at 25 Springfield Road, Chelmsford (now number 80).
Stanley’s mother died in 1909. His father married
Mary Jane Hingley in 1910. The following year Stanley, his father, step-mother, brother Arthur and two other men were recorded by the census at The Two Brewers. Stanley was a machine hand, while his father was the licencee of the pub. Brother Arthur was a turner and a fitter.
Within a year or so Stanley enlisted into the army
Stanley’s step-mother died on 16th August 1913, aged 49, at which point Stanley’s father was still resident at The Two Brewers.
Stanley’s father died on 22nd June 1914 aged 60, shortly after having married his third wife Edith Maud Smith. The licence for the Two Brewers was granted to her on 5th September 1914.
By then Stanley was already in France, having landed there on 23rd August 1914, within three weeks of the start of the war,
Stanley was killed in action on 3rd November 1914 by a shell whilst exercising horses at Armentieres. He was serving as Driver 22404 in the 4th Signal Company of the Royal Engineers. He was 21 years old.
On 13th November 1914 the Essex County Chronicle reported:
“Stanley Etheridge, Royal Engineers, the youngest son of the late Mr. Walter Etheridge, Chelmsford, was killed in action Nov. 3, near Armentieres. He was 21 years old. and had been in the Army for about three years. The intimation of his death is conveyed in a letter received by Mrs.. Etheridge from the officer commanding the section. The horses were going out from the headquarters to exercise, and Etheridge was riding one and leading another when a shell from the enemy fell on to the road and exploded. Several splinters struck Etheridge and his horse, killing them almost instantaneously. The writer concludes: ‘He was a very good boy, and always willing and cheery, and is a great loss to all his comrades. He was laid to rest with all the honours due to a soldier who dies for his country. His grave is just outside Armentieres. and enclosed with a wire fence. All the inhabitants have sent flowers.’”’
His stepmother was recorded in the 1918 register of electors at The Two Brewers and continued to run the pub until 18th September 1926 when she set sail for Trinidad with her daughter, son-in-law (a customs officer) and their two children.. She died there in June 1934.
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