Peterborough & The Great War

Biography

We are fairly certain that this soldier is Oscar Joseph Pauling who was born in Norwich on 16 February 1880 to parents Henry, a master baker and Elizabeth (nee Dunnell).  Oscar was the youngest of ten children. In 1881 Oscar (1) was living with his family at 17 Julian Street, Norwich – Henry (44), Elizabeth (44) and siblings Henry D (20), Stanley (18), Susanna M (16), Edgar J (14), John F (11), Sidney H (8), Edwin F (6), Lyndoe C (4) and Ada E (2).  In 1891 the family have moved to 11 Julian Street. Oscar’s father died in 1899 and his mother in 1900.  In 1901 he is living at 11 Walpole Street with his brother Edwin, who is a baker and Edwin’s wife Laura; Oscar is a baker and probably working for Edwin.

Oscar married Louisa Beatrice Cadreman in Norwich in 1906. They had two daughters, Phyllis Evelyn Cadreman (1905) and Edna Blanche (1908).

In 1911 Oscar, a baker, was living with his sister Ada and her husband and their six children at 68 Vauxhall Street, Norwich.  Oscar’s wife Louisa was living with her widowed mother Susan Cadreman and her two children Phyllis and Edna at 146 Lewisham Road, Lewisham.

When Private Oscar Pauling passed through Peterborough East Station on 4 October 1916, he was with a group of comrades who wrote “five boys of the 2/5 Yorks “C” Company rested here and passed on refreshed”.  Oscar’s service record has not been traced but his medal records state that he was awarded both the British War and Allied Victory medals.

In 1939, Oscar is living in Chieveley, Berkshire. He was a baker and states that he is single. His wife Louisa is living at 39 Lewisham Hill, Lewisham with her daughter Phyllis and she states that she is widowed.

Louisa died in Lewisham in 1944, and Oscar died in West Hertfordshire Hospital, Hemel Hempstead on 20 January 1952, aged 71.  He was living at 69 High Street, Abbotts Langley, Watford.  They both made wills and in both cases probate was granted to Phyllis Evelyn Trawles-Tuppenny and Edna Blanche Tait, married women, their daughters.

Do you recognise the name Oscar Joseph Pauling?  Please get in touch if you can tell us more about him.