Ernest Parfitt was born on 4 June 1887 at 16 Triangle, Old Kent Road, Peckham, Surrey (now Greater London), one of the six children of Walter Parfitt (1860-1939) and Emily Parfitt née Moore (1862-1923). His birth was registered on 18 July 1887 in the Camberwell registration district, Surrey (now Greater London) and his father's occupation was recorded as a general labourer.
On 26 February 1891 he was baptised in Christ Church, Camberwell, where in the baptismal register his family is shown as living at 4 Triangle, Baker's Terrace, Camberwell and that his father was a labourer.
The 1891 census that shows him as aged 3 years, confirms he was living at the same address, together with his parents and two siblings: Frederick Walter William Parfitt (1881-1933) and Amelia Henrietta Alice Parfitt (1883-1962).
Having attended the Ruby Street Infants School, Southwark, on 1 May 1895 he was transferred into the Ruby Street School where the admissions register show that his family were living at 2 Caroline Street, Southwark. He remained at this school until he was removed by his parents on 22 May 1897.
When his mother completed her 1911 census return form she described him as a salesman at a leather warehouse, living with her and his sister, Emily Parfitt (1896-1997), who was shown as a machine ironer at a collar manufacturer. They were living in two rooms at 57 Marlborough Road, Camberwell.
On 7 February 1916 he married Alice Emily Simpson at St Luke's West Holloway Church, Hillmarton Rd, London, N7, where in the marriage register he is described as a bachelor and a soldier living at 34 Penn Street, Islington, whilst his wife was shown as a spinster residing at the same address and the daughter of the late Charles James Simpson, a traveller. Their daughter, Joyce Evelyn Parfitt (1917-1995), was born on 28 June 1917.
He enlisted as a Private in the Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment), service number G/357 and entered France on 1 June 1915. He was promoted to Lance Corporal and then to Sergeant where he served in the regiment's 6th Battalion. On 30 June 1916 he was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant and was serving as a Temporary Captain in the 17th (Service) Battalion, The Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment) when he died as a prisoner of war, aged 29 years, on 28 May 1917 in a German reserve hospital at Kempten, Bavaria, Allgaeu, Germany, from grenade splinter wounds sustained in battle and being captured in woods at Oppy, Pas-de-Calais, France. His body was initially buried in the Protestant cemetery -under the Burghalde-, Kempten, but on 28 May 1924 his remains were exhumed and reburied in Plot 2, Row A, Grave 13, in the Niederzwehren Cemetery, Am Keilsberg, 34134 Kassel, Germany.
Probate records confirm that his address had been 38 Grasmere Road, Muswell Hill, Middlesex (now Greater London) and that when administration of his estate was granted to his widow on 31 July 1920 his effects totalled £179-16s-9d. On 3 September 1920 his army effects, totalling 5 shillings and 5 pence, were sent to his widow. On 7 June 1922 his posthumously awarded 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal were despatched to his widow.
He is shown as PARFITT. E. CAPT. 17TH.MIDLX.REG. on the Quebec Chapel war memorial at the Church of The Annunciation, Bryanston Street, London, W1H 7AH. He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website and on the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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