James William Piercy Tilbury

JWP Tilbury in his uniform at Wellington Barracks


Totteridge Road School (picture from SWOP website)	James W P Tilbury's memorial, High Wycombe Cemetery

James William Piercy Tilbury 1889 - 1917

I am James William Piercy Tilbury and I was born in 1889 and was one of the sons of William and Mary Tilbury nee Ball. My parents married in 1875 and went on to have 15 children but only 8 were still living by 1911 and you'll see from my parents' headstone in High Wycombe cemetery (and on which I am also remembered) that they were to lose two more. This headstone, now sadly toppled face down, says 'In loving memory of William Tilbury who died July 15th 1925 aged 75 years and also Mary Tilbury beloved wife of the above who died July 28th 1920 aged 68 years also three sons of the above Archibald Edward Tilbury who died January 6th 1904 aged 19 Walter Tilbury who died August 10th 1919 aged 31 years and James William Piercy Tilbury (Ist Lifeguards) who gave his life in the great war October 12th 1917 aged 27 years - re-united'

So my parents suffered the loss of more than half of their large family before they themselves died. I started life in Slater Street but the childhood home I remember more was along Totteridge Road. Although my father and brothers were chair makers I became a grocer's assistant. I worked for A Howard, grocer, at 8 Church St. Of course the war interrupted any career I might have envisaged. I initally was number 4007 of the 1st Life Guards but joined the Household Battalion of the Household Cavalry and Cavalry of the Line. My regimental number was then 1243 and I was made a Corporal. I looked very dashing in my uniform! We went to the battlefields of France and Flanders where I was killed in Action on the 12th October 1917.

I am also remembered at the Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium, on the High Wycombe Memorial Hospital Plaque and the High Wycombe Union Baptist Church War Memorial. My cousin James Tilbury is remembered on a headstone not far from this one, here in Wycombe Cemetery. He was also a casualty of the Great War.

Researched by Margaret Anderton, Flackwell Local Area History Group and Sally Scagell, Lost the Plot
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