We think that my maternal grandfather Harry Sealey may have been presented with this vase (found among my mother's posessions) in 1915 on his transfer from the Red Cross to the Royal Army Medical Corps. Harry was born on 3 June 1892 at Norton Fitzwarren, Somerset. His nickname was ‘Tiny’. His father was Charles SEALEY (1855–1918), born Broomfield, Somerset, variously recorded as a farm labourer and carter. His mother was Marianne (or Mary Anne) BERRY (1857–1951), from Kingston St Mary, Somerset. (Broomfield, Kingston St Mary and Norton Fitzwarren are all at the south-east end of the Quantock Hills.) Harry had eight siblings who survived infancy. In 1911, Harry became a valet to William Houlton WORRALL (b.1850, Salford, Lancashire) at Eastcombe House, Tawstock, near Barnstable, Devon. He then became a chauffeur. On 8 May 1915 Harry married Mildred Mary FISHER (born Dublin, 6 November 1888) at St Joseph’s RC church, Avon Dassett, having converted from the Church of England to Roman Catholicism, his bride’s faith. She had come to Avon Dassett as head parlour maid. Mildred immediately became pregnant and moved to Ireland, to live at her parents’ home, 14 James Terrace, Newbridge, Co. Kildare, near the Curragh Camp. 28 May 1915: 20 days after getting married, 23-year-old Harry SEALEY entered WW1 as an ambulance driver with the British Red Cross Society on the Western Front. 27 November 1915: From the British Red Cross Society, Harry SEALEY enlisted in the Army Service Corps, as an ambulance driver (rank Private), making his attestation ‘in the field’. Served with the Expeditionary Force on the Western Front. 4 February 1916: Son Charles Harry SEALEY born at Newbridge, Co. Kildare, Ireland. 3–11 June 1916: On leave, presumably visited wife, son and other family in Ireland. 30 October 1916: Admitted to hospital. 9 November 1916: Discharged from hospital and rejoined his unit. 9 April 1917: Confined to barracks for three days for disobeying orders dated 1 April 1917. 4 August 1917: Personal details recorded – height 5 foot 8 inches, weight 147 lb, chest girth fully expanded 38 inches, range of expansion 3 inches, physical development ‘good’. Slight scar on left eyelid, concealed by hair. 9 April 1918: Harry’s brother-in-law, 26-year-old Company Sergeant Major Robert FISHER of the 21st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, killed leading an advance at Ploegsteert, Belgium. (Awarded posthumous Distinguished Conduct Medal.) According to family tradition, Harry SEALEY was passing nearby, on his way to take leave, and dropped in to see ‘Bobby’, only to discover he had been blown to smithereens. Harry was said to have been able to notify the family of this sad event before they received official notification from the War Office. 17 May 1919: Posted to 22 MT (ambulance convoy). 1919: With occupying army in north-west Germany (including Osnabruck). 18 August 1919: Examined for demobilisation at Calais. Deemed medical category A, general ability ‘very good’. 22 August 1919: Issued with ‘Protection Certificate and Certificate of Identity’ for reservists by No.1 Dispersal Unit, Fovant (Salisbury Plain). Address given as Avon Dassett. On the Class Z army reserve for possible call-up if the situation in occupied Germany deteriorated. (Class Z existed from 3 December 1918 until 31 March 1920.) 21 August – 18 September 1919: Listed as ‘home’, presumably using up leave due to him before demobilisation. (Harry SEALEY was awarded the Victory and British medals for his service with the Army Service Corps. He was also granted the British Red Cross medal for his service with the society before enlisting in the army.) September 1919: Resumed work as chauffeur at Bitham Hall, Avon Dassett. 13 October 1922: Daughter Winefride Mary born (TH’s mother) at Avon Dassett. 9 August 1928: Daughter Mildred Mary born at Avon Dassett. (1 September 1939: Britain declares war on Germany.) c.1942: Harry was too old for military service but was directed into employment at the Northern Aluminium Company sheet rolling factory, to the north of Banbury. During the war, this plant supplied about 60% of the aircraft industry’s needs and, at its peak, 3 employed some 4,000. It worked with an aluminium recycling plant near Adderbury, which processed metal from crashed English and German planes. The factory was on the Southam Road by the Banbury Canal and existed until 2009. Shepperton film studios built a decoy factory two miles to the north. This is bombed on 3 October 1940 but the well-camouflaged real factory never is. Harry has a difficult journey to work, especially as he was on shifts. He had to cycle to Farnborough then catch a bus. The family continued to live in their tied cottage, Bitham Lodge, and Harry still did jobs on the estate, such as keeping the gashouse running and looking after the geese. December 1944: Harry, his wife Mildred and younger daughter Mildred moved to High Street, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. They were evicted by Mrs Worrall, the chatelaine at Bitham House, as there was no longer a need for a chauffeur. Harry became under porter at St Paul’s, an Anglican Teacher Training College. This was in the expectation of rapid promotion to head porter, with family accommodation provided. The promotion came quickly but the accommodation was not forthcoming, as Harry’s predecessor did not move out. (2 September 1945: World War 2 ends.) December 1948: After four years in the High Street, Harry and family moved into a new council house in Priors Road, Cheltenham. Harry continued to work at St Paul’s Training College for the rest of his life. 27 March 1958: Harry SEALEY died at Cheltenham, aged 66.
Metal flower vase presented to Harry Sealey in 1915 at Dunkirk.