Peterborough & The Great War

Biography

Albert Frederick Pearman was born in Hammersmith, London in 1876, to parents Isaac and Emma (nee Johnson).  In 1891, Albert aged 15, was working as an errand boy and lived at 17 Snargate Street, North Kensington with Isaac (36) general labourer, Emma (37), William (14) van boy, David (8) and Thomas (6).  We have not been able to trace Albert in 1901, but his family were still living at the same address.  In 1911, he was living with his parents at 17 Snargate Street and is listed as a doleyman, working in a laundry.  Albert was one of ten children of whom only four were living.

Albert attested at Bury St Edmunds on 30 October 1915, and joined the 12^th Suffolk Regiment, having previously served nine months with the East Surrey Cadets.  He gave his occupation as a driver and his address as 17 Snargate St, North Kensington, London. His next of kin was his mother, Emma.  All his army paperwork was completed in the name of Alfred Pearman, although he signed his name as Albert (maybe this was an army error as his birth and census returns all name him as Albert.)  On attestation, he gave his age as 34 years and 10 months, but according to census returns he was born in approximately 1876, which would have made him 39 years of age.

Albert was mobilised on 14 November 1915.  He transferred to the South Lancashire Regiment on 4 January 1916 and to the Lancaster Regiment in June 1916, and served with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force from 17 August 1916.  He spent most of the war in Salonika, where British troops started landing in October 1915 to help the Serbs against the German / Hungarian / Austro / Bulgarian forces  http://salonikacampaignsociety.org.uk/campaign/, leaving to return to the UK from Constantinople on 22 May 1919.  Albert changed regiments several times, transferring to the Labour Corps (202 Employment Company) in November 1917, and the 3^rd Middlesex for a short period in 1917, spending some time with the 28^th Division Salvage Company. He was demobilised on 2 July 1919, and joined the Reserve Battalion of The Kings Own Royal Lancaster Regiment.  He gave his address as 235 Acton Lane, Chiswick.  He spent a couple of periods in hospital when it was possible that he was suffering from malaria, as he was awarded a pension due to malaria which was attributed to his war service and defined as a 20% disablement.  He was awarded a weekly pension of 5s 6d from 3 July 1919, which was to be reviewed after a year.  Albert was awarded the British War and Allied Victory Medals.

Albert passed through Peterborough East Station on 25 February 1917 and wrote two poems in the visitors’ book:

“I’ll go one said Belgian
I’ll go two said France
I’ll go three said Germany
And wipe you off the Map
But they all dropped when England said
Blimy I’ll go Nap”

“Hear’s luck to you as good as you are
Hears luck to me as bad as I am
But as bad as I am and as good as you are
I’m as good as you are as bad as I am.

I Au – -to – -graph.
But I can’t.”

Albert married Ada Lammin in Kensington on 12 February 1916, at which time Ada was living at 325 Latimer Road, Notting Hill.

We have traced Albert and Ada on the 1939 Register to 87 Drewry Lane, Derby and Albert is working as an electrical fitter.

We have been unable to find a record for the deaths of either Albert or Ada.  No children have been traced.

Do you recognise the name?  Please get in touch if you can tell us more about Albert and his family.