Alfred William Pilcher (1893 - 1954)

Born 18 Jun 1893 in Folkestone, Kent, England

Ancestors

Husband of Wilda Emily (Brown) Pilcher — married Dec 1923 in Stamford Baron, Lincolnshire, England

Descendants

Died 1954 at about age 60 in Harrow, Middlesex, England

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Alfred Pilcher was Wounded in Action during World War I.

Biography

Alfred was born about 1893. Alfred Pilcher ... He passed away 1954.

When he was about 12, his father Thomas (a coachman) asked Alf to hold the horses while Thomas attended to something. One of the horses reared and terrified Alf. From then on he was afraid of horses. This was a bit difficult since they lived over the stables.

The house, 1&3 the Bayle in Folkestone has what appears to be a late 20th century facade, but has retained the original design, with living quarters over what are now rented-out garages, with an open area now used for private parking.

In 1911 he was a footman at 61 Eaton Square, London,at a house similar to the one used as a model for "Upstairs Downstairs".

At some point he learned to drive and became a chauffer- a role similar to his father's, but without the horses. It was not uncommom for a footman to be assigned to the care of the family automobile(s), and to evolve to to be a driver.

When he enlisted in the Army in 1914 (initially the Royal Fusiliers) he listed his occupation as "mechanic". So we can not be sure he was already a driver.

He was gassed, and injured by shrapnel, at Ypres. After he recovered he was transferred to the ASC, and sent back to Europe as a troop transport driver. If he did not already know how to drive, he was certainly a driver by the time he left the Army.

After the end of the war, he became a (double decker) London bus driver. After a lengthy (10 year) courtship, he married Wilda Brown, a cook at various "stately homes", in 1923.

After the birth of his two daughere, Freda (known as Betty) and Margaret (known as Lu), he moved from Central London to Harrow in the late 20s, where he continued to be a bus driver.

He also had his own car, but he was anxious to keep this a secret from the other bus drivers. he would drive miles out of his way to avoid the bus depot, or a bus route, where he might be spotted.

He was fond of dogs, especially Airedales- almost every picture of him from Harrow has at least one Airedale in it.

He died in late 1954 of kidney cancer

Civil Registration event: Birth

Name: PILCHER, Alfred William

Registration district: Elham

County: Kent

Year of registration: 1893

Quarter of registration: Jul-Aug-Sep

Mother's maiden name: Not available before 1911 Q3

Volume no: 2A

Page no: 1006

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Transcriptions © brightsolid online publishing ltd

1901 census transcription details for: 1& 3, The Bayle, Folkestone

National Archive Reference:

RG number: RG13

Piece: 847

Folio: 21

Page: 33

Reg. District: Elham

Sub District: Folkestone

Parish: Folkestone

Enum. District: 6

Ecclesiastical District: St Mary & St Eanswyth

City/Municipal Borough:

Address: 1& 3, The Bayle, Folkestone

County: Kent

Name Relation Condition Sex Age Birth Year Occupation , Disability Where Born

PILCHER, Thomas B Head Married M 41 1860 Coachman (Domestic) Stelling Minnis, Kent

PILCHER, Elizabeth S Wife Married F 39 1862 Blind New Romney, Kent

PILCHER, Dorothy E Daughter Single F 15 1886 Folkestone, Kent

PILCHER, Daisy F Daughter Single F 11 1890 Folkestone, Kent

PILCHER, Alfred W Son M 8 1893 Folkestone, Kent

PILCHER, Elsie M Daughter F 4 1897 Folkestone, Kent

PILCHER, Laura L Daughter F 2 1899 Folkestone, Kent

PILCHER, Violet A Daughter F 1 1900 Folkestone, Kent

1911 census transcription details for: 61 Eaton Square

National Archive Reference:

RG14PN439 RG78PN15 RD5 SD2 ED8 SN39

Reg. District: St George

Sub District: Belgrave

Parish: St George Hanover Square

Enum. District: 8

Address: 61 Eaton Square

County: London

Name Relation Condition/

Yrs married Sex Age Birth Year Occupation Where Born

NORTHEY, Laura Sophia Head Widow F 70 1841 None 4 Notting Hill Sq London

NORTHEY, Elizabeth Amy Daughter Single F 50 1861 None 4 Notting Hill Sqre London

CORNER, Ellen Servant Single F 38 1873 Lady'smaid Domestic Stonham Aspall Suffolk

WOODMAN, Hannah Visitor Married F 47 1864 None Maidenhead Berks

STANLEY, Edith Emily Servant Single F 24 1887 Housemaid Domestic Buckhurst Hill Essex

ELLARD, Louisa Servant Single F 17 1894 Kitchenmaid Rochester Kent

PILCHER, Alfred William Servant Single M 18 1893 Footman Domestic Folkestonr Kent

PARSONS, Edgar George Servant Single M 29 1882 Butler Domestic Smallridge Devon

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© brightsolid online publishing ltd

Civil Registration event: Marriage

MarriageFinder: Alfred W Pilcher married Wilda E Brown

Name: PILCHER, Alfred W

Registration district: Stamford

County: Lincolnshire

Year of registration: 1923

Quarter of registration: Oct-Nov-Dec

Spouse's last name: Brown

Volume no: 7A

Page no: 793

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Name: BROWN, Wilda E

Registration district: Stamford

County: Lincolnshire

Year of registration: 1923

Quarter of registration: Oct-Nov-Dec

Spouse's last name: Pilcher

Volume no: 7A

Page no: 793

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Transcriptions © brightsolid online publishing ltd

1939 Register Transcription

Pilcher Household (3 People) 21 Avondale Road , Harrow U.D., Middlesex, England

First name(s) Last name(s) DOB Sex Occupation Marital status Schedule Schedule Sub Number

Alfred W Pilcher 18 Jun 1893 Male Omnibus Driver L P T Married 157 1

Wilder E Pilcher 19 Feb 1891 Female Unpaid Domestic Duties Married 157 2

A closed record.

Ref: RG101/0793B/014/41 Letter Code: BIEN© Findmypast Ltd

Civil Registration event: Death

Name: PILCHER, Alfred W

Registration district: Harrow

County: Middlesex

Year of registration: 1954

Quarter of registration: Oct-Nov-Dec

Age at death: 61

Volume no: 5F

Page no: 308

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Transcriptions © brightsolid online publishing ltd

Sources

• Find My Past