Private JESSE FERGUSON

Jesse Ferguson was born in Odiham on 4 June 1881[1].  He was the second son of Edmund, a carman, and Lucy, a charwoman.  On 26 March 1888. Jesse was admitted to London Road Board School and from the School Admissions Register we learn that his mother, Lucy, was now a widow and the family (mother, sister Elizabeth, a domestic servant, and Jesse[2]) was living in Colt Hill, Odiham[3].   He attended the school until 12^th April 1894, when he left to start work.  On 24 September 1904 Jesse married Edith May in Ruscombe, Berkshire.  Witnesses at the wedding were Henry Porter and Jessie May[4].  By 1911 Jesse, a domestic gardener, and Edith were living in South Godstone, Surrey[5].  Around the turn of the century Jesse had spent four years in the First Volunteer Battalion, Hampshire Regiment[6].    Before the war “he had been for seven years motor driving in the Guildford district”[7].

On 27 October 1914 at the age of 33 Jesse enlisted in London and became an ambulance driver in the 3^rd Battalion, the Army Service Corps, operating within the Western European Theatre of War.  Sadly, on 29 May 1917 Jesse was accidentally killed by a shell[8].

Jesse was awarded the 1914 Star, the Victory Medal and the British War Medal[9].  He is buried in Bucquoy Road Cemetery, Ficheux, Nord-Pas-de Calais. A War Gratuity of £9.00 was awarded to his mother, Lucy Porter, and of £3.00 to his sister, Elizabeth Hoare, on 27 August 1919[10].