Member of the Ealing District Council in 1899.
From the 2018 'Structures, Experiences and Discourses’: The Middlesex Military Service Tribunals and their Appellants, 1916-1918. Peter John Harris: "The experience of the Ealing Local Tribunal, however, was that an unacceptable number of unfit men were still being conscripted. D. A. Griffin, the Chairman of the Ealing Local Tribunal, made a strong protest to Nield on 24 September 1917. Alderman Griffin criticised the general recruitment policy for failing to impress fit men and therefore making the calling of unfit men seem a necessity and wished to suggest reform." Griffin is quoted at some length.
Our colleague, Andrew Behan, states that David Alfred Griffin was born on 24 January 1857, the youngest of the four children of James Griffin (1814-1888) and Alice Griffin née Smith (1816-1883). His birth was registered in the 2nd quarter of 1857 in the Brentford Registration District, Middlesex (now Greater London). On 25 February 1857 he was baptised in St Mary's Church, Hanwell, Middlesex (now Greater London), where the baptismal register confirms his date of birth, that his family resided in Hanwell and that his father was a gentleman.
In the 1861 census he is shown as aged 4 years, living at Kerrison House, The Park, Ealing, Middlesex (now Greater London), with his parents, his three siblings: Frances Alice Griffin (1846-1887); James Edward Griffin (1851-1940) and George Arthur Griffin (1854-1904), together with two female boarders and a female general servant. His father was described as an engineer and his three siblings were scholars.
He was shown as aged 14 years and a scholar in the 1871 census living at 2 The Park, Ealing, with his parents and his three siblings. His father was listed as a house agent, whilst his brothers, James Edward Griffin was an organist tutor and George Arthur Griffin was a builder.
In the 3rd quarter of 1880 he married Emily Ann Blackwood Corey (1859-1931) of Port Ryerse, Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada, in the Croydon Registration District, Surrey (now Greater London).
When the 1881 census was undertaken, he was described as aged 24 years and an auctioneer residing at 45 Windsor Road, Ealing, with his wife and a female domestic servant.
He continued to be shown as an auctioneer in the 1891 census, aged 34 years, living at Bentley Villa, Richmond Road, Ealing, with his wife, their four children: Alice Maud Mary Griffin (1881-1953); Agnes Beatrice Griffin (1882-1959); Francis Vivian Griffin (1886-1944) and Leonard Cyril Griffin (1887-1971), his mother-in-law Mary Corey née Leach (1832-1906), together with a female domestic servant.
He was still listed as an auctioneer in the 1901 census, aged 44 years, at West Lodge, Ealing Green, Ealing, with his wife, six of their children: Alice Maud Mary Griffin; Agnes Beatrice Griffin; Leonard Cyril Griffin; Arthur Clement Griffin (1891-1926); James Bernard Griffin (1892-1957) and Edward Stanley Griffin (1895-1992), his mother-in-law, Mary Corey, together with a cook, a housemaid and a female general domestic servant.
He served as the 4th Mayor of the Municipal Borough of Ealing in 1903-1904.
When he completed his 1911 census return form he described himself as an auctioneer, aged 54 years, living in a 12 roomed property at 51 Madeley Road, Ealing, with his wife, four of their children: Leonard Cyril Griffin, a house agent; Arthur Clement Griffin, an insurance clerk; James Bernard Griffin, a railway clerk and Edward Stanley Griffin, a student, his grandson Norman Frank Sly (1907-1944) who was the son of Alice Maud Mary Griffin who had married Frank Hawkins Sly (1873-1963) an engraver/diesetter, together with a cook and a housemaid.
His wife died, aged 71 years, on 16 November 1931 at Montpelier Nursing Home, Montpelier Avenue, Ealing and when probate was granted on 17 December 1931 jointly to his sons: Leonard Cyril Griffin, an estate agent and the Reverend James Bernard Griffin, her estate totalled £9,405-17s-3d.
His death, aged 78 years, was registered in the 2nd quarter of 1935 in the Brentford Registration District. Probate records confirm that his address had been 17 North Common Road, Ealing and that died on 4 June 1935. Probate was granted on 6 August 1935, jointly to his three sons: Leonard Cyril Griffin, an auctioneer; the Reverend James Bernard Griffin and Edward Stanley Griffin, an estate agent. His estate totalled £60,897-0s-2d.
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