Second Lieutenant James Philip Sidney Streatfeild was born on 5 November 1879 at 23 Grafton Square, Clapham Common, the third of the seven children of Arthur Ogle Streatfeild (1848-1927) and Lydia Streatfeild née Morton (1853-1920). His father was a clerk in the Bank of England.
The 1881 census shows him living at 23 Grafton Square, Clapham, with his parents, his two brothers: Arthur Herbert Morton Streatfeild (b.1876) and William Hugh Raymond Streatfeild (1878-1958), a nurse and a female general domestic servant. In the 1891 census he is shown as a scholar living at 'Brancombe', Mount Ephraim Road, Streatham, with his parents, five siblings: Arthur, William, Beatrice Emily Streatfeild (1881-1947), Monica Ruth Streatfeild (1883-1958) and Hilda Mary Streatfeild (1885-1976), a housemaid and a mother's help.
He was educated at Dulwich College, and was a Royal Academy Schools student from 26 January 1897 to January 1902, where he subsequently had paintings exhibited on six occasions between 1901 and 1908. The 1901 census lists him as an artist (painter) residing at 'Glen Ogle', Stanthorpe Road, Streatham, with his parents, four siblings: Beatrice, Monica, Hilda and Arthur Clement Streatfeild (1897-1952) and a female general domestic servant.
Electoral registers from 1905 show him listed at 52 Glebe Place, Chelsea and the 1911 census confirms him as an artist (painter) at this address together with a Francis Goring (1884-1953).
He became a regular in society circles, particularly through Lady Eva Astley Cooper, and the events and parties she hosted at her country house, Hambleton Hall, Hambleton, Oakham, Rutland LE15 8TH.
In the early part of 1914 he encountered a young actor named Noel Coward to whom he became something of a mentor, most notably introducing the young Coward to Lady Astley Cooper at her country house, Hambleton Hall, a relationship which was to remain a significant part of Coward’s life for many years to come.
He was a Private in the Inns Of Court Officer Training Corps and the London Gazette shows that on 10 November 1914 he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the 6th Battalion (Territorial Force), The Sherwood Foresters (Nottingham & Derbyshire Regiment). At the end of that year his unit had been due to be sent to France but at the last minute was instead sent to the Essex coast where they were involved in the digging of trenches to defend against a feared invasion. In March 1915 he became seriously ill with tuberculosis, ultimately passing away, aged 35 years, on 3 June 1915 in a nursing home at 12 Dunheaved Road, North-west Croydon, Surrey. His death certificate gave his cause of death as 'acute pulmonary tuberosis 5 months'.
He was buried with military honours in Plot S, Row H, Grave 121 at Streatham Cemetery, Garratt Lane, London, SW17 0LT and when probate was granted to his brother, William, his effects totalled £828-1s-6d.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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