[1GGP] Mayhew, Ernest Benjamin

Ernest Benjamin Mayhew was born 19th July 1885 in Joyce’s Yard, High Street, Kempston, Bedfordshire, England. He was the third of eleven children and his father, Walter Charles Mayhew, worked as a general labourer. Ernest worked as a groom chauffeur and served as a Private in the Royal Army Service Corps during WWI and was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal. In 1915, when his second child was born, his occupation was listed as “Private Mechanical Transport A.S.C. no 097890 (Chauffeur Domestic)”.

Ernest married my Great Grandmother Amelia Elizabeth Cowely (aka Millie) in 1907 and they had four children; my Grandfather Cecil being the first in 1908, followed by Ernest 7 years later in 1915, Samuel just over 5 years after that in 1921, and lastly Marjorie another 6 years later in 1927 (my granddad was nearly 20 years older than his sister).

Millie died in 1937 aged 50 and Ernest swiftly remarried to Ida Mary Whittemore (who was 15 years his junior) the following year , causing much speculation as to their relationship prior to Millie’s death. Marjorie was only 9 when her mother died which no doubt played a part in Ernest wanting to get married again.

Ernest died in the Three Counties Hospital, Stotfold, Bedfordshire, England on 30th Jan 1965 at age 75. Ida lived until 1993 when she died at age 92.

Of the four children my Great Grandparents had, only my grandfather went on to have children of his own.

Ernest Benjamin MayhewI11
Born: SEP 1885
Died: 30 JAN 1961