Ernest George Westacott was born on 1 December 1876, the sixth of the nine children of Thomas Bentley Westacott (1839-1924) and Sarah Rebecca Westacott née Cosby. His birth was registered in 1st quarter of 1877 in the Pancras Registration District, Middlesex (now Greater London). His eight siblings were: Minnie Westacott (1867-1875); Thomas Charles Westacott (1868-1951); Annie Elizabeth Westacott (1870-1947); Florence Lily Westacott (1873-1964); James Bentley Westacott (1875-1967); John Henry Westacott (1878-1945); Effie Mary Westacott (1880-1960) and Mabel Gertrude Westacott (1882-1960).
In the 1881 census he was shown as aged 4 years and a scholar, living at 82 Camden Road, Camden Town, with his parents and his six surviving siblings: Thomas Charles Westacott; Annie Elizabeth Westacott; Florence Lily Westacott; James Bentley Westacott; John Henry Westacott and Effie Mary Westacott, together with a female domestic servant. His father was described as an auctioneer.
He was shown as aged 14 years and a scholar in the 1891 census living at 31 Bartholomew Road, St Pancras, London, with his parents, his seven surviving siblings: Thomas Charles Westacott, an auctioneer's clerk; Annie Elizabeth Westacott; Florence Lily Westacott; James Bentley Westacott, an electrical engineer's apprentice; John Henry Westacott; Effie Mary Westacott and Mabel Gertrude Westacott, together with a female general servant. His father was still recorded as an auctioneer.
He was baptised, aged 20 years, on 14 June 1897 at St Luke's Church, Osney Crescent, New Kentish Town, Middlesex (now Greater London) together with three of his siblings: John Henry Westacott; Effie Mary Westacott and Mabel Gertrude Westacott. The baptismal register confirms his date of birth and that the family were all living at 31 Bartholomew Road.
He is shown a resident of Willesden who volunteered in the Anglo Boer War, 1899-1900, on the Willesden Boer War memorial in Billy Frogg's bar. The angloboerwar.com website confirms that he served as a Private in the City of London Imperial Volunteers, service number 407 and was awarded the Willesden Tribute Medal in 1901 that is currently held in the Collection of the National Army Museum, Royal Hospital Road, London, SW3 4HT. He would also have been awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal.
In the 1901 census he was shown as aged 24 years and an auctioneer's clerk, living at 'Glenthorne', Mapesbury Road, Willesden, Middlesex (now Greater London), with his parents, four of his siblings: James Bentley Westacott, an electrical engineer; John Henry Westacott, a municipal clerk in Town Clerk's Office; Effie Mary Westacott and Mabel Gertrude Westacott, together with a female domestic servant. His father was still listed as an auctioneer.
He was described as aged 34 years and an estate agent when his father completed the 1911 census return form. He was living in a ten roomed property at 21 Mapesbury Road, Brondesbury, Kilburn, Middlesex (now Greater London), with his parents, two of his siblings: Florence Lily Westacott and James Bentley Westacott, an electrical engineer, together with a female general servant. His father described himself as an auctioneer and surveyor.
He married Lilian Madeline Napier Wallace (1890-1967) in the 3rd quarter of 1913 in the St Pancras Registration District, London and they lived at 38 Hamilton Gardens, St John's Wood, London, NW8.
On the outbreak of World War One he enlisted in the 18th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (London Irish Rifles), service number 20662, that was later changed to 34950, gaining the rank of Sergeant. In June 1915 he obtained a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the 16th Battalion, The Rifle Brigade and entered France on 8 March 1916.
He died of wounds, aged 39 years, on 19 May 1916 and his body was buried in Plot 3, Row R, Grave 17 in the Guards Cemetery Windy Corner, 10 rue Marcellin Berthelot, 62149 Cuinchy, France. His army effects totalling £46-12s-5d were sent to his widow on 26 October 1916 and she was sent his £8-0s-0d war gratuity on 30 December 1919. He was posthumously awarded the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal and these were sent to his widow on 6 March 1922.
He is also commemorated on the family gravestone in Highgate Cemetery East, Swain's Lane, London, N6 6PJ, on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website, on the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War website and on the A Street Near You website.
Since the memorial on which we found his name records him as having served during the Boer War that is how we have categorised Westacott. If, when, we find his name on a WW1 memorial as having died in that later conflict we'll then change his categorisation.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
