Cyril John Killick was born and brought up in Chelmsford where he attended the Grammar School. He worked as a clerk and married in 1911, producing one child. He was killed in action near Ypres in August 1917. His home was in Tower Avenue.
KILLICK, CYRIL JOHN,
Rifleman, 1st/16th Battalion, London Regiment (Queen's Westminster Rifles)
On 14th September 1917 the Essex County Chronicle reported:
“Mrs. Killick. of Tower Avenue, Chelmsford, has been officially informed from France that her husband, Rifleman C. J. Killick, is missing since August 18. Rifleman C. J. Killick is the oldest son of Mr. and Mrs. C. Killick, the Brewery House, Chelmsford.”
The same day’s Essex Weekly News carried a similar report:
“Mrs. Killick, Tower-av., Chelmsford, has been officially informed that her husband, Rifleman C. J. Killick, has been missing since August 18. Rifleman Killick is the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Killick, the Brewery House, Chelmsford.”
Cyril was born in Chelmsford on 22nd July 1888, the eldest son of brewer Cyril Killick and Annie Killick (nee Lee). His father had been born c1861 in Chelmsford; his mother c1860 in Guildford, Surrey. The couple had married in 1885 in Brixton London.
Cyril’s grandfather, John Killick, worked for Wells and Perry’s (Chelmsford) Brewery in Duke Street, Chelmsford for more than fifty years, where he became head brewer, a position later occupied by Cyril’s father.
Cyril’s only sibling was his brother Gerald Killick (born on 3rd April 1894 in Chelmsford, died in 1980).
In 1891 the census found two year-old Cyril living with his parents at 2 Eliza Terrace in Chelmsford.
His father was a brewer.
Cyril was educated at King Edward VI’s Grammar School in Chelmsford between September 1895 and July 1897. The school admission register recorded Cyril’s father as resident at Brewery House, Chelmsford and employed as a clerk.
The 1901 census recorded 12 year-old Cyril living with his parents, brother, grandfather and a servant at 1 Lion and Lamb Yard (Brewery House), Duke Street, Chelmsford. His father was a brewer.
A decade later the 1911 census listed 22 year-old Cyril living with his parents, brother and a servant, still at Brewery House. he was employed as the Mayor’s Court Clerk. His father was a brewer, and his brother an accountant’s clerk. Cyril married Minnie Violet Choat later that year. Their children included Cyril Charles Killick (born on 12th June 1912, died in 1981). Cyril was listed in the 1914-15 register of electors at 6 Tower Avenue, Chelmsford.
He enlisted into the army at Finsbury. He was killed in action on 16th August 1917 while serving as Rifleman 554384 in the 1st/16th Battalion of the London Regiment (Queen's Westminster Rifles). He was aged 29.
Cyril has no known grave and is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, on the Civic Centre Memorial, Chelmsford, and at the London Road Congregational Church, Chelmsford.
He left an estate valued at £237 1s. 5d. to his widow.
On 19th October 1917 Cyril was mentioned in a report in the Essex County Chronicle on his mother in law’s death:
“Death of Mrs. Choat. - We regret to announce the death of Mrs. Choat, wife of Mr. Chas. Wm. Choat, of Mildmay Road, which occurred yesterday after a very short illness. Mrs. Choat had not been feeling well since the news arrived of the death of her younger son., Sergt. Stanley Choat, who was killed in action two months ago. On Wednesday she became suddenly worse, and an operation was necessary, but the patient did not rally from it. She leaves one son and one daughter, with whom, as with Mr. Choat, himself, and Mrs, Stanley Choat, much sympathy will be felt. The son is in the Fortress Engineers, and the daughter is the wife of Rifleman Cyril Killick, who unfortunately is reported missing. The funeral will take place in the London Road Cemetery on Wednesday.”
The 1918 register of electors listed Cyril’s parents and absent brother Gerald at 4 Lion and Lamb Yard, Duke Street. His widow was resident with her father at 1 Mildmay Road, Chelmsford. Later she lived at 21 Tower Avenue, Chelmsford. She remarried in 1926 and died in 1972.
Cyril’s father died in London in 1927, aged 67.
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