Died aged 30. 18 Feb 1890 – 25 June 1920
#64868. Sapper Royal Engineers. Also worked in 23rd Division Signals, Royal Engineers.
Ronald James Ewart Blackwell was born on the 18th February 1890 at 12 Deverell Street, Newington, the son of Frederick John Blackwell and (b.1857) and his wife Elizabeth nee Hidon. Ronald’s mother was born (1853) in Dulverton and his father from Devon. Frederick was a journeyman tailor. The family lived at 22 Deverell Street, Newington.
Ronald’s parents married in Dulverton on 18 Jun 1877. They spent the early years of their marriage in London and had several children there: Sidney Robert (1877), Harold Fred (1879) and Gwendoline (11 Jan 1881). The 1881 census finds Elizabeth (27, a dressmaker) and her children Sidney (3), Harold (2) and Gwendoline (2 months) living with Elizabeth’s parents James & Sarah Hidon, and Elizabeth’s sister Emily in Bridge Street, Dulverton. Sometime between 1881 and 1885, the family moved to London.
When the 1891 census was taken, Frederick (34, a tailor) & Elizabeth (38) were living at 22 Deverell Street, Newington, St Saviour Southwark, London. Living with them were their children Sidney (13), Harold F (12), Mary (3) and Ronald (1). Gwendoline (10) and Aubrey (6) were elsewhere. A daughter Sybil was born c1894 in Deverell Street, New Kent Road, London.
At the time of the 1901 census, 11-year-old Frank was living with his family at Deverell Street, Newington, St Saviour Southwark, London. His family consisted of his father Frederick J Blackwell (44, a tailor, born Dartford, Kent), his mother Elizabeth (48), and siblings Gwendoline (20, a tailoress), Aubrey (16, an apprentice tailor), Mary E (13), and Sybil P (6).
Ten years later, in 1911, Ronald, aged 21, was working as a porter and living with the Prior family at 22 Brunswick Square, Bermondsey. Ronald’s parents Frederick (54, a journeyman tailor) and Elizabeth (58), and his siblings Sidney Robert (33, an Army Pensioner Invalid) and Sybil (16, a Tailoress – shirt maker) were living at 3 Gladstone Terrace, Alcombe.
Ronald enlisted on the 18th of January 1915 in Taunton. He was working as a tailor, and gave his address as 3 Gladstone Terrace, Alcombe, Taunton. He became a Sapper with the Royal Engineers and also worked in 23rd Division Signals, Royal Engineers, serving in France. The Royal Engineers maintained the railways, roads, water supply, bridges, transport, telephones, wireless and other signalling equipment, and guns and other weapons. They operated the railways and inland waterways. The Royal Engineers designed and built the front-line fortifications and developed responses to chemical and underground warfare. The Royal Engineers provided a Signal Company for each of the 14 original Divisions of the Territorial Force (The Long, Long Trail website). Sappers would perform a variety of military engineering duties such as breaching fortifications, demolitions, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, preparing field defences, as well as working on road and airfield construction and repair (Wikipedia).He was granted a Conditional Discharge from 24 February 1919 due to “tuber’ of lungs”.
Ronald’s mother Elizabeth Ann Blackwell aged 66 of 3 Gladstone Terrace, Alcombe, was buried in Dunster on 28 Nov 1919.
Ronald died aged 30 on the 25th June 1920 of Phthisis Pulmonalis (18 months). He died at home – 3 Gladstone Terrace, Alcombe – with his father Frederick John Blackwell at his side. His occupation was given as Rural Postman, Army Pensioner.
Ronald was buried on 30 June 1920 in Dunster Old Cemetery, Row C Grave 116.
