I am looking at a picture of Alfred Frederick Shrub, taken in the studios of Joseph Gothard.
The story of this young man is a fascinating one, which like many of his generation ended on the Western Front during the Great War.
The photograph belongs to my old friend David Harrop, who because he knows I grew up in Woolwich, thought I would be interested.
And so, began a journey across the early 20th century, taking me by stages to Canada, Croydon and on to New Zealand and Rochdale, and linking together the young Alfred with his photographer.
On the surface there was not much to go on.
The address of the studio was 45 Plumstead Road, which was that short street between Burrage Road and Maxey Road facing the Royal Arsenal.
Sadly, none of the properties still exist, and judging from the historical records Mr. Gothard did not linger over long in Woolwich.
Nor would it seem did Alfred’s family. I know they were here by 1900, because of the inscription on the back of the photograph, and the census record for 1901 which has them at 9 Nyanza Street, but they may not have stayed much longer.
And the clue is suggested by the admission book of Plumstead Road school which has Alfred attending from November till just December 1902. There after the next official record is of them living in Croydon in 1911.
But it is the Canadian connection which has yet to be fully researched, because I know from Alfred’s military records that he was born in Braccebridge, Winnipeg, in Manitoba in 1896, which it turns out is incorrect.
Braccebridge is in Ontario, and was the first of the mistakes on his military records.
I suppose the family must have spent time there, and given that his father was a general labourer Mr. Shrub may have been working on a civil engineering project, or they have just taken a chance on the New World.
Either way they were back by 1900 to have the picture taken in Mr. Gothard’s studio and for some one to write on the back of the photograph, “This his Alfred Frederick Shrub 4 years old 1900”, and for some else to add “WW1 Casualty, The Queens Regiment Pte No S/5792”
The military records show that he enlisted in the October of 1914, aged 18, and died on March 18th, 1915.
But here there is a slight confusion given that a Private Alfred Frederick Shrube was present at the wedding of James Edward Lawrence, also a soldier and Eva Amelia Shrub on September 2nd, 1917, at Christ Church, Croydon.
It may be a coincidence, but our Alfred had a sister by that name and the family had been in Croydon six years earlier.
It is one of those twisty turny stories I like, made that bit more interesting because his mother was born in India in 1869.
And because the search for Mr. Gothard was equally messy. He came from Yorkshire, was in Norfolk in 1891, listing his occupation as photographer, a decade later was in Plumstead, only to move again to Rochdale in 1911, with his New Zealand wife and child.
All of which leaves me to say I doubt we have heard the end of either families.
Not least because my friend Tricia has promised to go looking n the archives, down at Greenwich.
Location; pretty much all over
Pictures; picture postcard of Alfred Frederick Shrub, 1900 from the collection of David Harrop
The photograph belongs to my old friend David Harrop, who because he knows I grew up in Woolwich, thought I would be interested.
And so, began a journey across the early 20th century, taking me by stages to Canada, Croydon and on to New Zealand and Rochdale, and linking together the young Alfred with his photographer.
On the surface there was not much to go on.
The address of the studio was 45 Plumstead Road, which was that short street between Burrage Road and Maxey Road facing the Royal Arsenal.
Sadly, none of the properties still exist, and judging from the historical records Mr. Gothard did not linger over long in Woolwich.
Nor would it seem did Alfred’s family. I know they were here by 1900, because of the inscription on the back of the photograph, and the census record for 1901 which has them at 9 Nyanza Street, but they may not have stayed much longer.
And the clue is suggested by the admission book of Plumstead Road school which has Alfred attending from November till just December 1902. There after the next official record is of them living in Croydon in 1911.
Braccebridge is in Ontario, and was the first of the mistakes on his military records.
I suppose the family must have spent time there, and given that his father was a general labourer Mr. Shrub may have been working on a civil engineering project, or they have just taken a chance on the New World.
Either way they were back by 1900 to have the picture taken in Mr. Gothard’s studio and for some one to write on the back of the photograph, “This his Alfred Frederick Shrub 4 years old 1900”, and for some else to add “WW1 Casualty, The Queens Regiment Pte No S/5792”
The military records show that he enlisted in the October of 1914, aged 18, and died on March 18th, 1915.
It may be a coincidence, but our Alfred had a sister by that name and the family had been in Croydon six years earlier.
It is one of those twisty turny stories I like, made that bit more interesting because his mother was born in India in 1869.
And because the search for Mr. Gothard was equally messy. He came from Yorkshire, was in Norfolk in 1891, listing his occupation as photographer, a decade later was in Plumstead, only to move again to Rochdale in 1911, with his New Zealand wife and child.
All of which leaves me to say I doubt we have heard the end of either families.
Not least because my friend Tricia has promised to go looking n the archives, down at Greenwich.
Location; pretty much all over
Pictures; picture postcard of Alfred Frederick Shrub, 1900 from the collection of David Harrop
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