This article was first published by the Pirton Magazine in April 2006, and is provided courtesy of the magazine, the editor Derek Jarrett. Further acknowledgments appear at the end of the article.

Arthur SIDney Lake

All with Pirton connections; we know much about some of the men on our War Memorial, but so little about others. Of the 28th victim, Arthur Lake, we probably know the least. Yet in recording what we have discovered, we hope that some day others will continue the search and fill in many of the gaps of his life and death. Most of what we do know is of his family and early life in Pirton.

On the 1871 census we learn that living at the Royal Oak (now property at no. 20) or one of its adjacent cottages lived George Lake, a ‘dealer’, his wife Eliza, a straw plaiter, and five children. One was Arthur who, in May 1879, married Julina Bunker. Both were born in Pirton and they naturally married at St. Mary’s. By 1891, Arthur and Julina had two daughters; Arthur was working as a labourer with the railways. They were living at Royal Oak Yard, probably one of several cottages that were, later demolished

Arthur, our War Memorial soldier, was born late in 1891, christened Sidney Arthur Lake. He was admitted to Pirton School in 1894/95 school year, although this record shows his birthday as 1st April 1892 – incorrectly we think. He later preferred to be known by his second Christian name, Arthur (the Sidney name rather confused researchers!) Before the turn of the century the family had moved to Great Green, probably towards the Wood Lane end.

On the last available census (1901) when he was nine, his father was employed as a gravel pit worker, digging out clay. To add to researchers’ confusion his mother Julina, is variously recorded as Juli Ana and Selina. It is possible that neither of Arthur’s parents was literate and certainly the census recorders’ writing is unclear!

Arthur probably finished at Pirton School in 1904 and went to work on one of the Pirton farms. We know nothing more of Arthur for several years. By the outbreak of the Great War he was 23, but whether he volunteered or joined when conscription came into effect is unknown. He seems to have enlisted locally.

He became a member of the 138th Heavy Battery, Royal Artillery Garrison and became 60473 Gunner Lake. From a relatively small unit in 1914, the RGA massively expanded as the war moved on and the Artillery became a war-winning factor.

Again we know nothing of Arthur’s wartime years. A member of 138th Heavy Battery, Arthur’s battery described one of his own experiences as “absolute hell with the lid off. Dying and wounded all over the place. Shall never forget this day." It is likely that Arthur, a young man from the quietness of a rural Pirton, knew many days like that. Wherever Arthur was he was almost certainly in the midst of the ‘hell-hole’ called The Front.

In the very last stages of this ‘war to end all wars’, or even after the Armistice was declared, Arthur was killed, Information on the date varies; in one case it is given ‘died in action’ on 23rd October 1918, the date on which Pte Frederick Baines also of Pirton was killed; this seems a slightly improbable coincidence. In another record it is given as the 28th November 1918, two weeks after the War finished. If the latter date is correct, it indicates that he died of wounds.

He was 27 when he died, and there is a headstone for him at Le Cateau Communal Cemetery, 1. 24, France. No note of his death has been found in any local paper, or parish magazine, though his parents seem still to have lived in the village. Memorials in Pirton and France seem the only way his death is shown.

Lake, a common Pirton name occurs over twenty times in St. Mary’s churchyard, but none are Arthur’s parents. One sister of Arthur, Lizzie, died in 1911, aged 27; of his other sister, Augusta, we know nothing after that 1901 census. Maybe when the 1911 census is available we will learn more of the family. As far as we know the direct family line’s connection with our village ended; perhaps Arthur’s parents moved away from the Pirton altogether.

The only known present day connection is through George, a brother of Arthur’s father. The two brothers were married within weeks of each other in 1879; Arthur to Julina, George to Emma Parkins. The daughter of George and Emma was Annie Elizabeth Lake the mother of Audrey Ford. Audrey, now living in Oundle, was born and lived for nearly eighty years in Pirton, latterly in Priors Hill. Sadly, she knows nothing about Arthur other than knowing the Arthur Lake on our War Memorial was her mother’s cousin.

For their help with this article and series we thank: Clare Baines, Audrey Ford, Denise Marshall, Lynda Smith, Jonty Wild, Helen Hofton and the Hitchin Museum

*** For help with this article we thank Clare Baines, Audrey Ford, Denise Marshall, Lynda Smith www.roll-of-honour.com, Jonty Wild www.pirton.org.uk, Helen Hofton and the Hitchin Museum

Points of contact are:
Pirton Website Jonty Wild via jontywild@pirton.org.uk

We would like to ask for your help, if you have any information, photographs or artefacts:

Please get in touch jontywild@pirton.org.uk

Also if anyone would like copy of any Pirton WW1 war grave or memorial please contact Jonty Wild, digital copies for personal use will be provided free of charge to relatives, photographs can be provided for a small charge.

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