Biography of Cecil Edward George BROUGHTON
[Ref. R.26]
| Ancestors |  |
Profile | |
Keepsakes |
Biography of Cecil Edward George BROUGHTON
[Ref. R.26]
| Ancestors | |
Profile | |
Keepsakes |
Cecil Edward George Broughton was born on 1 July 1897 at Brixton in Surrey. He was known as George and was one of the seven children of Edward and Kate Broughton.
At some stage, George's parents separated after which his mother resumed her maiden name of Cowdery. George and his siblings also adopted that surname. Furthermore, as he was known as George, he re-arranged his names to George Edward Cecil Cowdery, which is how he is registered thereafter. He was a Builder's Clerk before the first World War and was living at 45 Millbrook Road, Brixton, S.W.4.
George enlisted with East Surrey Regiment on 14 November 1914. He also served in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment where he was allocated army number 203949. He seems to have spent most of his time in the Royal Sussex regiment as number 203217, firstly in the 15th batallion then the 1/4th Battery. He trained as a signaller at the Army Signal School at Dunstable and became a signaller 1st class, also assistant instructor. He served in this capacity from May 1916 to January 1918.
He served in Egypt, Palestine and France from February 1916 to March 1919. Besides signalling, he was also employed in clerical duties.
At the time of his demobilisation at Dover on 15 April 1919, George was a private in the Royal Sussex Regiment. Although he is listed as a private, the photograph on this page shows him wearing the stripe of a lance-corporal. He was also a marksman according to the crossed rifles on the sleeve of his uniform. He returned home to Millbrook Road in Brixton.
After the war George attended the first annual re-union of signallers from the Signal Section of the 70th Provisional Batallion and the 15th Royal Sussex Regiment which was held at the Ship restaurant at 45 Charing Cross Road, London S.W.1.
George married Agnes Marie Smith at Tonbridge Register Office on 14 March 1944. George had lived at 29 Park Hill Road, probably with his mother, close to Marie's family home in Otford. The couple went to live in a flat in Brixton initially then moved to a maisonette in Ingleborough Street which had been built by a builder called H Bragg & Son.
George worked for H Bragg & Son who were Funeral Directors as well as builders. They owned property which was rented out, and one of Georges duties was to collect the rent each Monday. Marie joined the business as a secretary.
Their daughter Eileen Marie Cowdery was born at Shardeloes hospital in Amersham on 3 June 1946. Shardeloes had been used for mothers from London to give birth in an environment away from the blitz.
George was photographed with daughter Eileen shortly before he sadly passsed away on 28 June 1951. He left a Will. He was cremated at the South London Crematorium and his ashes scattered in the Garden of Remembrance. Marie and Eileen lived at 19 Hale Lane in Otford and Marie continued to work for H Bragg and took over the collection of rent until the business was sold soon after.
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