Farrell, B M

BERNARD MURRAY FARRELL

Remembered with honour Tyne Cot Memorial: Panel 80 to 82 and 163A.

He enlisted in London; was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914-15 Star medals, his qualifying date being 23 July 1915, and was killed in action.  Unfortunately, Bernard’s Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing.

There is an article about Bernard in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 1 September 1917; plus an In Memoriam in the issue dated 17 August 1918.

Son of Thomas Joseph FARRELL of Watford, and the late Emily (nee WOODHAM) FARRELL.

His parents married 20 July 1888 at St John’s Cathedral, Portsmouth, Hants.  Emily died 1899 in the Bethnal Green, London, district aged 34.  Thomas remarried 7 July 1900 at St Jude’s, Bethnal Green to Jane STEDMAN.  She died 1930 in Watford aged 59, and was buried 19 March in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford; Thomas died 1935 in Watford aged 72, and was buried 20 December, also in Vicarage Road Cemetery.

Bernard was born 28 March 1896 in Bethnal Green, and baptised 26 April 1896 at St Anne’s Roman Catholic Church, Tower Hamlets, London.  He attended first Parliament Street Infants’ School; then St Anne’s Roman Catholic School, Whitechapel, London, from 1 July 1903 to 19 May 1904.  He resided in Watford.

On the 1901 Census, aged 5 he lived in Bethnal Green, with his father, step-mother and four siblings.  On the 1911 Census, an engineering factory assistant aged 15, he lived in Watford, with his father, step-mother and nine siblings.