Hurst War Memorial, St.Nicholas Church, Hurst, Berkshire
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Military Voters

It is often overlooked that most of the British soldiers in the Great War did not qualify to vote in parliamentary elections. This situation was rectified by the Representation of the People Act 1918, which extended suffrage to all males over the age of twenty-one and also to members of the armed forces over the age of nineteen who had seen active service. The new right was enthusiastically adopted by the combatants and most soldiers registered with their home constituency by the initial closing date of 18th August 1918.

The men's details were compiled into an Absent Voters List that recorded their name, home address, service number, rank and military unit. They were also added to the main electoral register under the qualification 'Naval or Military Voter' along with their home address and the annotation 'a' to indicate an absent voter. This procedure was then repeated twice yearly in January and July for the compilation of the spring and autumn electoral registers.

Unfortunately the Absent Voters Lists for Berkshire have not survived and so the military details of many of the Hurst men remain unknown. However their names and addresses are recorded in the main electoral registers and a change of status from absent to resident does provide some indication of when they were discharged after the war.

The village war memorial commemorates the fallen of the ecclesiastical parish of Hurst and this comprised the electoral parish of St. Nicholas, Hurst and part of the Winnersh-in-Hurst. The relevant part of Winnersh-in-Hurst lies north of the Reading — Wokingham road and includes Murrell Green (Merryhill Green), Coronation Terrace, Watmore Lane, Arbour Lane, Toutley, Lea Heath, Mungell’s Cottage, High Chimneys, Kilburn Lodge, Robin Hill Cottage, Thickthorns and Pear Tree Cottage.

The list below is a compilation from the Autumn 1918, Spring 1919 and Autumn 1919 electoral registers for the parish of St. Nicholas, Hurst and the relevant part of Winnersh-in-Hurst. At this time they formed part of the Newbury Parliamentary Division. The list provides a fairly comprehensive roll of the men from Hurst who fought in the First World War, with the main omissions being those who did not register to vote, men who had moved away from the village during the war, those under 19 years and the fallen. A few men who died in the last months of the war are included on the list, though poignantly they were never able to exercise this new democratic right that they had fought so valiantly to secure.

Newbury Parliamentary Division
Parish of St. Nicholas, Hurst
Register of Electors, Autumn 1918, Spring 1919, Autumn 1919
Summary of Naval and Military Voters

Blank = Not on Register

Qualifying date: 18 Aug
1918 		15 Jan
1919 		15 Jul
1919
Electoral Parish of St. Nicholas, Hurst: Summary of Naval and Military Voters
  Name Address Autumn
1918 		Spring
1919 		Autumn
1919
1 William Allum Little Hill, Dunt Lane Absent Absent Absent
2 Ernest Frederick Andrews Allendale, Park Road Absent Absent Absent
3 Charles John Antill Broad Common Absent   Resident
4 John Ashby Davis Street Absent Absent Absent
5 Edmund Divall Bailey Davis Street Absent Absent Absent
6 James William Daniel Baker Twyford Road Absent   Resident
7 John Barcus Keyersbridge Crossing Absent Absent Absent
8 William George Barcus Keyersbridge Crossing Absent Absent Absent
9 George Cartnell Barker Stanlake Park Absent Absent Absent
10 Edgar Prescott Barker Stanlake Park Absent Absent Absent
11 Ernest Calton Barnard Hope Cottage, Hurst Absent Absent Resident
12 Edward Beeton Hogmore Lane Absent Absent Resident
13 Frank Percy Beeton Hogmore Lane Absent Absent Absent
14 Herbert Edward Bevis Park Road Absent Killed in Action
15 Walter Bevis Park Road Absent   Absent
16 Sidney James Blake Dunt Lane Absent    
17 Derrick Blyth Hurst Grove   Resident Absent
18 William Gerald Bone Hinton Cottages Absent    
19 George Bonner Park Road Absent Absent Resident
20 William Bonner Park Road Absent Killed in Action
21 Gordon Booth Hogmore Lane Absent Absent Resident
22 Harry Booth Hogmore Lane Absent Absent Resident
23 George Isaac Bowyer The Green Man, Hurst Absent Resident Resident
24 William Brown Ivy Cottage, Haines Hill Absent Absent Resident
25 Frederick Burvill Hinton Road Absent Resident Resident
26 John Wythe Salter Chalker Hurst Road Absent Resident Resident
27 William Chamberlain Lines Road Absent Absent Resident
28 William Chapman Rhodesia Villa, Hurst Absent Absent Absent
29 Arthur Frederick Clare Whistley Absent Absent  
30 Charles Stanley Clare 1, Aylesford Cottages Absent Absent Absent
31 Alfred Walter James Clarke Whistley Absent Absent Resident
32 William Henry Clarke Whistley Absent Absent Resident
33 William Henry Clarke Ward's Cross Absent Absent Absent
34 George Henry Cooper Near Hatch's Gate Farm Absent Absent Absent
35 Albert Edward Cox Meadow Cottage Absent Absent  
36 William Gordon Cox Hurst Street Absent Absent Absent
37 Walter Croswell Whistley Green Absent Absent Absent
38 William Crosswell Pound Lane Absent Absent Resident
39 Albert William Cullimore Stanlake Park Absent Absent Resident
40 Charles Henry Davey Hope Cottage, Hurst Absent Absent  
41 Arthur Ernest Edward Davie   Absent Absent Resident
42 Thomas Sidney Charles Dobson Cherry Tree Cottage, Haines Hill   Absent  
43 George Thomas Dorey Mill Cottage, Whistley Absent    
44 Francis Percy Wyndham Dowding Stanlake Park Absent Absent Resident
45 William Dunn Hinton Farm Absent Resident Resident
46 Amos Harry Eele Broad Common Absent Absent Resident
47 Benjamin John Eele Davis Street Absent Absent Resident
48 Stuart Cyril Eley Whistley Absent Absent Absent
49 Spencer George Ford Lea Heath Absent Resident Resident
50 Frederick William Frazer Barley Corn Inn Absent Absent  
51 Leonard James Frazer Barley Corn Inn Absent Died of pneumonia
52 Ernest Lawrence Garraway Hogmore Lane Absent Absent Resident
53 Leonard George Garraway Hogmore Lane Absent Absent Resident
54 George Gater Chain Cottages Absent Absent Resident
55 William Goodall Cross Road, Hurst Absent Absent  
56 George Goodchild Hinton Cottages Absent Absent  
57 James Caleb Goodchild Hinton Cottages Absent Absent Absent
58 Ernest Clargo Grant Church Farm Absent Absent Died as PoW
59 William Charles Grant Church Farm Absent Resident Resident
60 Alfred Edward Hawkes Dunt Lane Absent Absent Resident
61 Frank John Hawkes Dunt Lane Absent Absent Absent
62 Frederick James Hawkes Dunt Lane Absent Absent Absent
63 Norman George Hawkes Dunt Lane Absent Absent Absent
64 Charles Hayward Davis Street Absent Absent Resident
65 John Hayward Davis Street Absent    
66 William Thomas Heath 2, Aylesford Cottages Absent Absent Resident
67 Thomas Edwin Henderson Wheelwright Arms Absent Absent Absent
68 John Hoard Willow Cottages Absent Absent  
69 Frederick Percy Hobbs Twyford Road Absent Absent  
70 Francis Walter Horne Diamond Villas Absent   Resident
71 Ernest George Holloway Davis Street Absent   Absent
72 Arnold Hunter Lea Cottage Absent Absent Resident
73 Herbert William Hyde Haines Hill   Absent Absent
74 Arthur William Jackman South View Absent Absent Resident
75 Claud Johnson Meadow Cottage Absent Absent Resident
76 Tom Norman Johnson Meadow Cottage Absent Absent  
77 Arthur Jones Churchman Farm Absent Absent Absent
78 Charles Jones Churchman Farm Absent Absent Absent
79 George Jones Churchman Farm Absent Absent Absent
80 Charles Walter Kinch Hatch Gate Lane Absent    
81 Ernest Henry Kinch Hatch Gate Lane Absent    
82 Harry Kinch Hatch Gate Lane Absent    
83 John William Kinch Hatch Gate Lane Absent    
84 Henry Richmond Lawless Keyersbridge Farm Absent   Absent
85 Charles Alfred Lloyd Rhodesia Villa, Park Road Absent Absent  
86 George James Lloyd Rhodesia Villa     Absent
87 William Lloyd Hope Cottage, Hurst Absent Absent  
88 Albert Lovejoy Elder Cottage   Absent Died
89 Harry Martin Tape Lane Absent   Resident
90 Henry Mellor Woodlands   Absent Resident
91 Walter Mileham Ward's Cross Absent Absent Resident
92 Charles Millard Hinton House Absent Absent Resident
93 Percy Henry Millard North Lodge, Hurst House     Absent
94 Maurice Moore Davis Street Absent Absent Absent
95 Thomas Michael Patrick Moore Davis Street Absent Absent Absent
96 Edward Moss Dunt Lane Absent   Resident
97 Arthur Frederick Newell The Jolly Farmer Absent Absent Absent
98 Donald Parkin Ward's Cross Absent Absent Absent
99 William Parkin Ward's Cross Absent Absent Absent
100 Thomas William Frederick Peckham Off Dunt Lane Absent   Absent
101 Alfred Ernest Perrott Park Farm, Haines Hill   Absent  
102 Albert Pinchin Church View Cottages Absent Absent Resident
103 Frederick James Pinchin Church View Cottages Absent Absent Absent
104 Frederick George Priest Whistley Absent Absent Resident
105 Frederick Harry Priest Haines Hill Absent Drowned while bathing
106 Henry Douglas Priest Allendale, Lodge Road Absent Absent Resident
107 John Priest Poplar Cottage Absent Died of Wounds
108 Sidney George Priest Allendale, Park Road Absent Absent Absent
109 William Edward Priest Working Men's Club House Absent Absent Killed in Action
110 Jack Record Park Road Absent    
111 Harry Richardson Broad Common     Absent
112 Jeffery Jesse Roberts Hogmore Lane Absent Absent Resident
113 Thomas Pigott George Roupell Hurst Cottage Absent Absent  
114 Albert William Rumble Davis Street Absent   Resident
115 Isaac Sankey Daniels Farm Absent    
116 Henry Sheppard Rose Cottage, Poplar Lane Absent Absent Resident
117 William Frank Simpson Diamond Villas Absent Absent Resident
118 Charles Crouch Southgate The Cottage, Lodge Road Absent Absent  
119 Samuel George Smith Vine Cottage Absent Absent Resident
120 William McMillan Smith Barn Lane, Hurst   Absent Resident
121 Arthur John Spackman Hinton Cottages Absent Absent  
122 Thomas Spencer Willow Cottages Absent Absent  
123 William Jesse Spicer Kennel Cottage, Haines Hill Absent Absent  
124 Lawrence Tree Stafford Hatch Gate Farm Absent Absent Resident
125 Stanley Byron Stafford Hatch Gate Farm Absent Absent Resident
126 George Charles Stimson The Cottage, Bill Hill Absent    
127 Rowland Joseph Strange Chain Cottages Absent Absent  
128 Herbert Swanborough The Gardens, Haines Hill Absent Absent Absent
129 James Taylor Hurst Absent Absent  
130 Alfred Thomas Tegg Hinton Hill     Absent
131 Sidney Tillbury Davis Street Absent Absent Resident
132 William Tillbury Davis Street Absent Absent Resident
133 Walter Titcombe Dunt Lane Absent   Resident
134 William Clifford Witney Davis Street   Absent Absent
135 Alfred Waghorn Wheelwright Arms   Absent Absent
136 Caleb Henry Wakefield Hinton Road Absent Killed in Action
137 Cecil William Wakefield Hinton Road Absent Absent Resident
138 Raymond John Walter Whistley Green Absent Absent Resident
139 Joseph Ward South Lodge, Haines Hill Absent Absent Absent
140 John William Wells New Cottages, Davis Street Absent   Resident
141 George Edward Wetherall Willow Cottages Absent Absent Absent
142 George Henry Wheeler Hinton Cottages     Absent
143 Arnold William White Whistley Absent Absent Resident
144 Harry White Gloster Cottage, Whistley Absent Absent  
145 Sidney White Gloster Cottage, Whistley Absent Absent  
146 George Henry William Willoughby Broadcommon Road Absent   Resident
147 Leslie Henry Witney Victoria House Absent Absent Resident

 

Newbury Parliamentary Division
Parish of Winnersh-in-Hurst
Register of Electors, Autumn 1919
Summary of Naval and Military Voters

Blank = Not on Register

Qualifying date: 18 Aug
1918 		15 Jan
1919 		15 Jul
1919
Part of Electoral Parish of Winnersh-in-Hurst: Summary of Naval and Military Voters
  Name Address Autumn
1918 		Spring
1919 		Autumn
1919
1 Frank Aldred 5 Coronation Terrace Absent Absent Resident
2 Sidney James Blake Murrell Green Absent Absent Absent
3 Charles Broadway Murrell Green Absent Resident
4 James Frederick Dicker 7 Coronation Terrace Absent Absent Absent
5 Jesse Eamer Toutley Absent Absent Absent
6 William Eamer Toutley Absent Resident
7 William John Forcey Toutley Cottages Absent Absent Absent
8 George Gale Murrell Green Absent Absent Resident
9 Arthur John Gale Murrell Green Absent Absent Resident
10 Charles Hayward Murrell Green Absent Absent Resident
11 Hubert Hayward Murrell Green Absent Absent Resident
12 Cyril Lovejoy Toutley Hall Cottage Absent Absent
13 Sidney Charles Lovejoy Toutley Hall Cottage Absent Absent
14 Sidney Lovejoy Toutley Hall Cottage Absent Absent
15 George May Murrell Green Absent Absent Absent
16 Frederick Millard Murrell Green Absent Resident Resident
17 Joseph Orpin Toutley Absent Absent
18 Percy Steven Potter Toutley Absent
19 Reginald Potter Toutley Absent
20 Harry Simpson Murrell Green
21 Charles Thomas Smith Arbour Cottage Absent
22 Frederick John Smith Arbour Cottage Absent Killed in Action
23 Ernest Sidney Tucker Watmore's Lane Absent Absent Resident
24 Frederick Walter Tucker Watmore's Lane Absent Absent Absent
25 Percy Alfred Tucker Watmore's Lane Absent Absent Resident
26 Reginald Harry Tucker Watmore's Lane Absent Absent Resident
27 William Ward High Chimneys Absent Absent Resident
28 William West Toutley Cottage Absent Resident Resident
 
They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun, and in morning
We will remember them.
Lawrence Binyon