Paper, Brass, Bronze and Portland Stone - remembering Leonard Victor Lee Glassborow
Subtitle: Prince George and the Battle of the Somme
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| William and Catherine Rose David Austin Roses Photograph Copyright Stuart Kreloff |
Prince George of Cambridge, currently fourth in line to the
British throne, has numerous notable family members: Victoria, Empress of
India; King George V of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond
the Seas; Queen Elizabeth II, Head of the Commonwealth - and that's just on his
father's half of the family!
The news that his mother and father became engaged led to an
enormous interest in the Middleton family culminating in the ultimate honour: a
David Austin rose named "William and Catherine".
Catherine's family genealogy was researched and reports of her
great-great-great-grandfather's (Edward Thomas Glassborow) brush with the law and
her grandmother's (Valerie Glassborow) service at Station X (Bletchley Park
Until now.
In the 20th century, the Glassborows produced the typical size
of family:
Valerie Glassborow, Catherine's grandmother, was one of
three siblings.
Valerie's father, Frederick George Glassborow, was one of three
children.
But the situation was different in the 19th century:
Emily Sarah Lee and her husband, Valerie's great-uncle
William Henry Glassborow, had 14
children stretching (pardon the pun) over 23 years from 1877 to 1900.
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| Leonard Glassborow - George Cambridge relationship Copyright Stuart Kreloff |
One of their sons, Leonard Victor Lee Glassborow, a cousin
of Prince George [first-cousin four-times
removed] was born on midsummer day in 1897 in Leyton, Essex on the eastern edge
of London London 69 Wallwood Road 32 Forest Drive West
Leonard and his younger brother, John, went to a council
elementary school, followed by attendance at Parmiter's School in Bethnal
Green. Leonard was a below average student [along with half of his class] but
'soldiered on' in spite of the stern remarks from his Edwardian teachers.
Remarkably, he was caned only once; his misdemeanour: "drawing nasty
pictures". I have not inspected any school punishment books, if they still
exist, for any other incidents. It does not appear that he enjoyed his time in
full-time education. On a more positive side, his handwriting and conduct were
generally good and he was a Form Captain for two terms, a role that carries
some responsibilities.
By September 1913, at age 16, Leonard had left Parmiter's to
work as a clerk at the Prudential Assurance Company. This began his last two years as a civilian.
On 4 August 1914, war commenced and 70% of Prudential's Chief
Office staff left to serve. Leonard was no exception; sometime in November 1915 at age 18, he joined The
Rangers, the 1st/12th battalion of the London Regiment.
The allied general staff decided that 1 July 1916 would be
the start of the Battle of the Somme .
The London Division was detailed for what is known as the Battle of
Gommecourt, a diversionary attack to the west of the main battle front.
According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Leonard
was one of 149 Rangers who died on that first day of battle. The war diary for
the battalion shows 39 other ranks
killed, 173 missing and 318 wounded; many of the MIA would be classified 'assumed dead'. Of 100 men who enlisted about the same
time as Leonard, eight men were killed. And of
the 100 'revised' service numbers near Leonard's number, seven
additional men were killed.
His body was never identified. With hope that Leonard was
captured and still alive, his older brother, Edward James Lee Glassborow, made
enquiries to the Prisoners-of-War Agency of the International Committee of the
Red Cross in Geneva
The War Office paid Leonard's war gratuity to his father in
two stages: 13 June 1917 and 16 October 1919.
But it seems that his war medals were not delivered to his
next-of-kin as they were returned to the War Office.
Unfortunately, I have not been able to find any photographs of Leonard nor
any family stories about him but he has been remembered in four memorials:
PAPER
The Prudential Assurance Co. published a Roll of Honour
listing not only members of staff who lost their lives, but also those who
served & survived. Leonard's details are shown on the original page 15.
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| Prudential Roll of Honour - Image by Prudential plc and used with permission |
BRASS
Parmiter's School raised a memorial to the fallen headed
"Pro Patria" [For One's Country]. Leonard's name is on the left panel
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| Parmiter's School Roll of Honour, Garston, Hertfordshire, England |
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| © IWM (WMR-2097) Prudential Assurance cenotaph plaque |
BRONZE
In 1922, the Prudential Assurance Co. raised a cenotaph to
their fallen colleagues which was installed by the head office. Ferdinand Victor Blundstone was the sculptor. Leonard's name is on the
upper left of the middle of the three plaques. © IWM (WMR-2097)
PORTLAND STONE
The Thiepval Memorial was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens,
built by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and unveiled on 1 August 1932
by Prince Edward, Prince of Wales. Leonard's names is engraved on the Portland
stone panel Pier 9, Face C along with his comrades. Bythis time, Leonard's parents,William Henry and Emily Sarah Glassborow, resided at 21A, Montpelier Crescent, Brighton [ in 2019, it is still an impressive residence]
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| Thiepval Memorial Panel 9, Face C - Courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission |
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| Leonard Glassborow on the Thiepval Memorial. Photograph copyright Stuart Kreloff |
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| 21 Montpelier Crescent, Brighton, England in August 2019. Photograph copyright Stuart Kreloff |
Sources:
David Austin Roses (ausrapper)
Edward Thomas Glassborow:
1881 England Census [FindMyPast] (Kew, Richmond , Surrey ,
England
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/5075000/Biographer-traces-Kate-Middletons-ancestry-to-Holloway-Prison.html
Valerie Glassborow:
Emily and William Glassborow:
1901 England Census [Ancestry] (Kew, Richmond, Surrey, England, The National Archives of the UK (TNA)), Ancestry.com, Class: RG13; Piece: 1622; Folio: 14; Page: 19.
1911 England Census [Ancestry] (Kew, Richmond, Surrey, England, The National Archives of the UK (TNA)), Ancestry.com, Class: RG14; Piece: 9668; Schedule Number: 234
Glassborow_69 Wallwood Road_Leytonstone_1911_England_Census_rg14_09668_0467_03_ancestry_20190516
Viewed: 20190516.
Prudential Assurance Company - thanks for the assistance from John Porter, Group Archivist:
Prudential Assurance Company, Roll of Honour
(Prudential plc), Prudential plc, https://www.prudential.co.uk, page 9 in PDF,
Page 15 in original - Glassborow
Cenotaph © IWM (WMR-2097)
Parmiter's School - thanks for the background information from Helen Clark, PA to the Headmaster:
Roll of Honour photo on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/parmitersschool/photos/a.959120074169407/2074505589297511/?type=3&theater
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Thiepval Memorial Panel 9, Face C
Casualty Record for Leonard Victor Lee Glassborow
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/748655/glassborow,-leonard-victor-lee/
Copyright © Stuart Kreloff - Revision: 201909090v3
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