TOPIC:

H H Prince Christian Victor/Border Regiment Memorial Cottage Homes. 71 & 73 Etterby Street, Stanwix, Carlisle CA3 9JD.

Mentioned in Gildea.

A semi-detached pair of cottages built in 1905, on land gifted by the Duke of Devonshire.

A pleasing example of red brick and slate roof Edwardian cottages, with a fine stone plaque bearing the inscription "The Border Regiment Cottage Homes 1905" with the regimental crest.

An oak backed copper shield inscribed "Border Regiment Cottage Memorial H H Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein 1902, was advertised for sale on an auction house in September 2024. Unclear why that was dated 1902, when the stone tablet on the front is dated 1905.

1911 Census: Herbert Higgins (b. 1858, Shrewsbury), army pensioner, Border Cottage, Etterby Street, Carlisle. Living with his wife (Mary b.1865, Waterford), three sons and three daughters.
William F Cavill (b. 1874, Dublin), army pensioner and Asst. Insp. Of Boy Messengers, Post Office, Border Regt Homes, Stanwix, Carlisle. Living with his wife Emma (b.1875, Penrith), four sons and one daughter.

1921 Census – William Cavill, living at 69 Etterby Street. Occupation – night telephonist Post Office.

1939 Census – William Cavill, living at 69 Etterby Street. [Sergeant W F Cavill (2470), First Battalion, The Border Regiment, South Africa – Cape Colony + Relief of Ladysmith clasps “To England Invalided”.]

Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Regiments/HRH Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein Memorial Cottage Homes - 40, North Avenue, Mickleover, Derby DE3 9HX.

A pleasing pair of bay windowed, red brick and tile roofed cottages that were built in 1904 at a cost of £800. The cottages were built in memory of HRH Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein and soldiers of the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire (Sherwood Foresters) Regiments who died in the war in South Africa. On the front (roadside wall) of the cottages is a crest of the regiments in stone. (A brass plate bearing the inscription: "These cottages were erected in memory of HRH Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein, who died for his Queen and country, South Africa, 1900" was displayed inside the cottages. I suspect this may have been removed when the Regiment sold off the cottages many years later.)

These memorial/cottage homes were formally opened in August 1904 by Major-General Sir H M Leslie Rundle KCB, KCMG, DSO with the ceremony of opening commencing with a prayer by the Vicar of Mickleover. Money to build these cottages was raised by the Regiments, public subscription and Mrs Walter Salmond to endow rent free cottages for disabled men of the Sherwood Foresters and their families.

The first occupants were Sergeant Sargent and Private Fletcher, who were badly injured in South Africa. The site for the construction of these cottages was donated by Mr Newton. The location outside the Borough of Derby was chosen as taxes were lower in Mickleover at that time. The opening ceremony concluded with the Union Jack being hoisted on a flagstaff in front of the cottages and the band playing "God Save the Queen".

F Sargent service No. 4770, 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters Notts & Derbyshire. QSA medal, 1901 South Africa clasp, “Invalided”? H Fletcher service No. 2999, 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters Notts & Derbyshire, QSA medal + South Africa clasp “Invalided”.

1911 Census – Henry Fletcher, army pensioner, b.1873, Derby, living with wife, 2 daughters and son at North Avenue. (1939 Census – Henry Fletcher, b.1873, general labourer retired, & wife + 1 daughter living at 13 Beaufort Street, Mickleover.)

Good morning, Redvers

Below Henry Goodwin the occupier of No.28 High Street, Oakley, Bedfordshire in 1921 & 1939. Where he was living in 1911 & 1947 is also relevant to your project. It would also be interesting to see his QSA, if it is extant, as it appears he was erroneously awarded the SA1901 clasp.

I think you are about to post on 3 more sets of cottage homes – do they include the still standing Wiltshire Regiment pair in Devizes? If not I will post what I have found.

Regards, David.


Henry Goodwin was born in Ipswich. His military career began when he joined (date unknown) the local Militia in the form of the 3rd Battalion Suffolk Regiment. Aged 18 years, on 16 December 1885 he attested in Woodbridge, Suffolk for the usual 7 & 5 years and was assigned to the Bedfordshire Regiment, regimental number 1795.

In round figures before SA he served 4 years at home, 10 months in Malta, 3 years in India and then was discharged to the Army Reserve in February 1894. He extended his service in the Reserve, becoming class D, and thus received a late recall to the Colours in January 1900. He sailed for SA on 5 February 1900 as a member of the 2nd Battalion. He was invalided home on 10 November 1900 and discharged 2 months later “medically unfit”. His service records make no mention of him being wounded and I cannot find him on a casualty list, so probably invalided home sick.

The battalion medal rolls indicate he was issued with a QSA with Cape Colony and (!) South Africa 1901 (!) clasps. The medal roll which attributes the SA1901 clasp was drawn up in Colchester in June 1903. His service records also state he was issued with both clasps.

He married Sarah Jane Watling in Ipswich in 1894 during his first year in the Army Reserve. The 1901 Census, completed 5 months after Henry had returned from SA and 3 months after he had been discharged “medically unit”, found Henry & Sarah Jane, apparently childless, living at 1 Rapier Street, Ipswich and Henry employed as a “general railway labourer”. However, the 1911 Census shows Sarah Jane had had 7 children of whom only 5 were still alive. So possibly their first 7 years of marriage had brought 2 short lived children.

In 1911 Henry & Sarah Jane and family were living at “Bedfordshire Regt Cottage, Appleby St, Cheshunt, Herts”. Looking back you suspect/know there was a Bedfordshire Regiment Cottage in Appleby Street but could not find any details. Of the 5 children listed the eldest aged 9 was born in Ipswich but the second eldest aged 7 and other three were all born in Cheshunt so that shows they had moved to Cheshunt the Appleby St Cottage by 1904 which probably makes them the first occupants.

You have already found the 1921 Census return for them living in one of the Oakley Cottages – which does not list the two eldest children and adds two more to the fold. Thus, altogether they had at least 8 children of whom two did not live long enough to appear on a census return. The youngest in 1921 was 7 and born in Cheshunt and makes the move to Oakley post 1914. Please also note 14 year old William was listed on the 1911 Census as 4 year old Charles William.

Sarah Jane died in 1934 and three years later Henry remarried to Gladys Maud Eliza Short a widow of one year’s standing and as a married couple they appear on the 1939 Register still living at no.38.

During WW2, Henry & Sarah’s son, Charles William born 1907, served in the 5th Battalion, Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Regiment and was taken prisoner by the Japanese. In their “care” he died of amoebic dysentery on 14 August 1943. Besides a grieving father and step-mother he also left behind a grieving widow.

At the time of his son’s death Henry was still living at 28 High Street, Oakley, Bedfordshire and that is where he died on 26 January 1947 aged 79 years. Gladys passed away in January 1978 in Woburn. Bedfordshire.

Good morning David,

Many thanks (again) for the information.

I have details on three (possibly 4) more sites that I have yet to post. These are at Devizes, Brecon, Reading and (I think) Tidenham. However, please feel free to post what you have on Devizes. (I have the first occupants as Privates Chapman and Webb.)

All that I have on the Bedfordshire Regiment memorial cottage home at Appleby Street, Cheshunt appears on page 3 above.

Regarding the Wiltshire Regiment Cottage Homes:

London Daily News 23 October 1903:



Bristol Times 25 November 1904:



Found on the IWM website:



According to the IWM website it says "Cottage Homes 1904" on the plaque bearing the Wiltshire Regiment arms.

Their current address appears to be 1 & 2 London Road, Devizes. I found a reference to a planning application regarding them but could not find any further details. They don't seem to be viewable on Google Street because of a large hedge.

The 1911 Census returns for them show Privates Arthur Chapman & Private George Webb living there but by 1921 they and their families had moved elsewhere. I have been unable to find who was occupying them in 1921 & 1939.

Herewith the life and times of Arthur Chapman (1873-1942):

Arthur Chapman was born 28 February 1873 in the hamlet of Tilshead, a few miles NW of Stonehenge. He added a year to his age when he attested for the Militia (3rd Btn Wiltshire Regt) in July 1890. In September 1890 Arthur went the whole hog and signed up for the usual 7 & 5. Regimental number with the militia 3194, with the regular army 2817. Served in India for 5 years with the 1st Battalion Wiltshire Regiment before being discharged to the Army Reserve in February 1898. Recalled in December 1899 and sailed for SA on 16 December 1899 as a member of the 2nd Battalion and having married Gertrude Kirby in August 1899. According to the Battalion Medal Roll he was “To England 25.4.00” and his service records show he set foot again on the soil of England on 16 May 1900, discharged “medically unfit” 24 July 1900. He was awarded the QSA with Cape Colony & Orange Free State clasps.

The 2nd April 1901 Census found Arthur & Gertude and 10 month old daughter, named after her mother, living in Kings Worthy near Andover. Arthur employed as an “Agricultural Labourer”

1911 Census found them living in “The Regimental Cottage Home, Devizes”. Arthur gave his occupation as “Pensioner” and somebody else has written “Farm labourer” alongside it. Arthur thought aloud on the form and revealed Getrude junior and another unnamed child had already died and the four surviving children were aged between 1 and 9. The 7 & 9 year olds were born in Winchester and the 1 & 5 year olds in Devizes, which agrees with them being the first occupants of the Regimental Cottage.

By the time of the 1921 Census the family had moved to Imber on Salisbury Plain. Arthur gave his occupation as “Stockman”. Reginald, now 11, the youngest on the 1911 Census was now the second oldest of the 5 children listed and his birthplace was now given as “Roundway, Wilts”. Roundway is the area of Devizes where the Regimental Cottages were and still are to be found. 10 year old Stella was also born in “Roundway” but 6 year old Stephen and 1 year old Douglas were born in “Potterne, Wilts”. Roundway is north Devizes whereas Potterne is a village a couple of miles south of Devizes. So I think one can deduce they left the Regimental Cottage in 1913 give or take a couple of years.

In 1939 Arthur & Gertrude were still living in Imber. Reginald and Douglas were also listed – Reginald was a Trooper in the 14/20 Hussars but “On sick list”, Douglas was a “Farm Carter” and Arthur himself a “Stockman (retired)”. Two children born after the 1921 Census were also listed – Fitzroy born in 1922 and a “Shepherd” and Monica born in 1925 when her mother would have been 48, Monica was listed as “Incapacitated”.

In 1943 Imber was evacuated to make room for the USA Army to train. The houses still stand within the land still used by the MoD and can be visited on special days. A well- researched public family tree on Ancestry tells me Arthur died on 20 June 1942 but Gertrude lived until 1948 and passed away in Devizes as did incapacitated Monica but three years earlier. The PFT tells me they had a total of 11 children and one I have not detected was named Arthur Vetran and Douglas’s second name was Foch.

George Webb to follow - he spent an equally short time in SA and had even more children than Arthur.

By way of addition to the above regarding the Wiltshire Regiment/HRH Prince Christian Victor memorial cottage homes at Devizes:

1 & 2 Regiment Cottages, London Road, Devizes, Wiltshire, SN10 2HD.

Pair of semi-detached houses. Built in 1904, on land that was purchased from the Crown near the Wilts Regimental Depot at Devizes. The architect was Major A J Randell (2nd Volunteer Battalion) of Devizes who gave his services free of charge. The contractor was Mr William Webb of Bromham.

Constructed with Bridgwater tiled roofs and brick and stucco walls, with an Early English half-timbered style gabled front. In this gable, carved on a stone shield, is the regimental crest with the words “Cottage Homes 1904”. The regimental crest also appeared on the gateposts and the flower beds in the front gardens were laid out in the shape of Maltese crosses, with box edging.

The cottages were each designed to accommodate a family or two single men. The ground floors comprise sitting-rooms (12ft x 11.5ft) and kitchens (11.75ft x 12.5 ft), with scullery and offices. The upper floors comprise three bedrooms (12ft 4.4 inches x 11.5ft, 11.75 ft x 10.5ft, 8ft x 7.5ft). Inside each cottage was the inscription: “This cottage for disabled men of the Wiltshire Regiment was founded in 1904 in memory of Prince Christian Victor and officers and men of the Wiltshire Regiment who were killed in action or died during the war in South Africa, 1899 to 1902.”

Scheme for cottage homes in the district commenced by Colonel Williams in 1901. Money raised by officers of the Regiment, as well as by subscriptions by residents of Wiltshire and a grant of £100 from the Regimental Homes Committee. Memorial to the 7 officers and 127 men of the Regiment who were killed or died during the war. Construction started in 1903. Cottages were opened by Lady Pembroke (Countess of Pembroke) on 24th November 1904. Attended by the Mayor of Devizes, with a guard of honour and members of the regiment and public.