St Albans Cathedral and Abbey Church
The first Tearle to come to St Albans was Richard b1754 in Stanbridge. He married Mary Webb in Sandridge, just outside St Albans, in 1778. In the 1780s Richard was recorded as a member of the Sandridge militia. As the last son of Thomas 1710 he is the originator of his own branch, Richard 1754. This is St Leonards, Sandridge where the first three of Richard and Mary’s children were born.
St Leonards, Sandridge
There are memorials to just three Tearle men in Hertfordshire and all of them are very closely related. The second family to come to St Albans lost one of their sons in World War 1 and he is listed on the war memorial alongside St Peters church. His name was Leslie James b1896 in St Albans.
He is remembered also on the honours board inside the Old Town Hall.
Here are the details kept by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
Initials:L J
Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Hertfordshire Regiment
Unit Text:1st Bn.
Age: 19 Date of Death: 11/07/1915 Service No:2007
Additional information: Son of Edward and Emma Tearle, of 49, Culver Rd., St. Albans, Herts.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: I. B. 9.
Cemetery: WOBURN ABBEY CEMETERY, CUINCHY
He is also listed on the Hertfordshire Btn memorial in Hertford.
Woburn Abbey Cemetery, Cuinchy (right) as photographed by CWGC. There was no one battle here; the area was always in range of German guns and Woburn Abbey, the name given to a building nearby, was used as a battalion headquarters and dressing station. No details are given by CWGC about the circumstances in which young Leslie died.
St Albans War Memorial alongside St Peters Church
His parents were Edward Joseph, b 1869, Simonshyde, Hatfield and Emma Warner b1872, Hatfield. Edward was the son of John b1831 Soulbury and Harriet nee Figg. John was the son of Richard 1805, Stanbridge and Martha nee Burnard. Richard was one of the many sons of Richard 1773, Stanbridge and Elizabeth nee Bodsworth - my ggggg-parents. And this Richard was the son of John 1741. Thus Leslie is of the branch John 1741.
The Hellespont Memorial, photo from CWGC site.
Here are the details supplied by the CWGC -
Name: TEARLE, JOHN HENRY Initials:J H
Nationality: United Kingdom Rank:Lance Serjeant
Regiment/Service: Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers Unit Text:1st Bn. Age:28 Date of Death: 29/06/1915 Service No:9054
Additional information: Son of Mrs. Sarah Tearle, of 71, Port Hill, Bengeo, Hertford.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 97 to 101.
Memorial: HELLES MEMORIAL
I know of no memorial in Hatfield for John Henry.
The parents of John Henry Tearle 1888 Hatfield, were William Francis Tearle 1857 Soulbury and Sarah nee Kefford. Bengeo is a suburb of Hertford. I have a special affinity for John – he died in Gallipoli. The CWGC says of the Helles Memorial: “The Helles Memorial stands on the tip of the Gallipoli Peninsula. It takes the form of an obelisk over 30 metres high that can be seen by ships passing through the Dardanelles.”
William’s parents were John 1831, Soulbury and Harriet nee Figg. William and Edward Joseph, were brothers, so John Henry of Hatfield and Leslie James of St Albans were first cousins. Thus John Henry is also of the branch John 1741.
Elaine and I got quite a surprise, even a shock, to see the name E TEARLE on a WW2 memorial outside St Marys Church in the pretty little village of Old Welwyn. Welwyn Garden City is close to St Albans, and you can walk to Old Welwyn from Hatfield. It took us a while to gather the information needed to tell his story, but here it is now.
The E Tearle honoured on WW2 section of the Old Welwyn memorial is Edward Kefford W Tearle, of the military police, b1907 in Essex.
The memorial itself is next to St Marys, Old Welwyn.
Edward was the son of Edward Kefford Tearle 1878 of Hatfield and Maud nee Micklefield. He also is on the branch of John 1741.
Here is a detail of the plate on which Edward’s name appears.
This Edward Kefford W Tearle b1907 Lexden, Kent, is the grandson of William 1857 Soulbury and Sarah nee Kefford. Their first son, Edward Kefford b1878 Hatfield, married Maud S Micklefield of Essex and as far as I know, this was their only child. He is the great-grandson of John 1831 Soulbury and Harriet nee Figg. Thus he, too, is of the branch John 1741.
The CWGC said of Edward’s last hours: The British Expeditionary Force was involved in the later stages of the defence of Belgium following the German invasion in May 1940, and suffered many casualties in covering the withdrawal to Dunkirk. De Panne village was the site of the final General Headquarters of the BEF in 1940, and there was a Casualty Clearing Station on the beach, which was an embarkation beach for the evacuation. From 27 May to 1 June 1940, the Germans strove to prevent the embarkation of the troops by incessant bombing, machine-gunning and shelling. The first German troops reached the village between 14.00 and 15.00 hrs on 31 May, and after heavy fighting, the commune was completely occupied by about 9.00 hrs on 1 June.
Jonathon Tearle wrote to me on 20 Sep 2006
“This is my grandfather who was killed at Dunkirk in WW2. Although the evacuation was considered a great success, some poor souls got left behind to slow down the German advance. Edward was one of these brave men, and he wasn't even a regular.”
Here is the information supplied by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
Name: TEARLE, EDWARD KIFFORD Initials: E K
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Lance Corporal
Regiment/Service: Corps of Military Police
Age:32
Date of Death:31/05/1940
Service No: 7683659
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Plot 2. Row C. Grave 26.
Cemetery: DE PANNE COMMUNAL CEMETERY
