LIONEL JACK DEAN 1892-1915

Lionel Jack Dean was born in Ashcott on 12 April 1892 and baptised in the parish church on 5 June 1892, the son of Fuller Fletcher, ‘gardener’, and Sarah Ann Dean (nee Pocock).

Fuller Dean was born in Duncton near Petworth, Sussex in 1854 and Kelly’s Directory for that period shows the Dean family providing the blacksmith and grocer for Petworth.

Fuller, a ‘domestic gardener’ by trade, married Sarah Ann Pocock from Ashcott, in Hackney, London in 1882. Sarah was born in 1860 at Burrowbridge, Somerset.

Their first child, James William, was born in 1884 in Hackney.  By 1891 the family was living in the ‘Poor House Reading Room’ in Ashcott but in 1901 they had moved to the New Inn, Brent Knoll with six of their children

 

Douglas Ball   born 1887

Isabel Annie   born 1889

Lionel Jack      born 12 April 1892

Arthur             born 19 November 1893

Eric Percy        born 7 March 1896

Colin               born 20 October 1900

Fuller was a ’domestic gardener’- not the inn-keeper.

In 1903 twin sisters Dorothy and Laura were born and in 1904 the family was back in Ashcott where Arthur, Eric, and Colin enrolled in Ashcott School on 4 July 1904.  There is no record in the School Admissions for Lionel who would have been 12 years old.

About 1912 Lionel left Somerset to work as a coalminer in South Wales. He enlisted in the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry and by 1915 was serving in France with the rank of Lance Corporal.

Lionel was killed in action on 15 July 1915 at the age of 23 and is buried in

Houplines Communal Cemetery Extension. The grave reference is III.A.8.

Houplines is a village on the French/Belgium border near Armentieres.

The Bridgwater Mercury reported his death on 28 July 1915 noting that a ‘gloom was  cast over Ashcott’ on receipt of the news. It also reported that two other brothers were serving soldiers. The 4 August 1915 issue printed a photograph of Lionel.

 

Lionel was awarded the Victory, British War, and the 1914/15 Star Medals.

 

 

 

 

Attachments – Commonwealth War Graves Commission Certificate

– Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery Details

 

 

References    – Lionel Jack Dean Birth Certificate 12 April 1892

– BMD Marriages

Fuller Fletcher Dean September Quarter 1882 Hackney 1b 772

– Ashcott School Admission Logs 1904

– Bridgwater Mercury July-August 1915

– World War 1 Medal Card

Casualty Details
Name: DEAN
Initials: L J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Lance Corporal
Regiment/Service: Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry
Unit Text: 2nd Bn.
Date of Death: 15/07/1915
Service No: 20379
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: III. A. 8.
Cemetery: HOUPLINES COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION

In Memory of
Lance Corporal L J DEAN

20379, 2nd Bn., Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry
who died
on 15 July 1915

Remembered with honour
HOUPLINES COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION