Frederick James Parfitt

Private - Service No. 18110 - 2nd Battalion Norfolk Regiment

Frederick James Parfitt, the son of Samuel Parfitt and his wife Hannah (Parfitt), was born about May 1890 in Mulbarton, Norfolk. He was the youngest of two sons, the other being Herbert Samuel Parfitt, born 1887. Samuel and Hannah had married at Intwood, Norfolk, on 5th October 1880 when Samuel was nearly 41 years old, having been born at East Carleton on 26th December 1839 and completed several years of army service before retiring as a Chelsea Army Pensioner. Hannah, by contrast, was a sprightly 32 having been born at Keswick, Norfolk, on 25th August 1848. Hannah unfortunately died, in Mulbarton, just short of her 41st birthday, on 15th August 1899. Samuel soldiered on for another couple of years until he also died, in Mulbarton, on 29th September 1901 at the age of 61. Up until his death Samuel had been living on his army pension and bring up his two sons but what exactly happened to the boys when their father died, they were still just 13 and 11, is unclear. It appears they lodged with family or friends and worked on the land when they left school. For a time the two brothers stayed with George Gowing and his family, a grocer in Mulbarton.

On 28th December 1921 Frederick married Violet Emily Buck at Swardeston. Violet was born in December 1890 at East Tuddenhan, Norfolk, the daughter of John Buck and his wife Eliza (Littleboy). Violet had moved from East Tuddenham to live with, and work for, her sister, Susannah, who was married to Elijah Oakley, a market gardener living in Swardeston opposite the Dog Inn and working for Albert Church at Roadside Nurseries. Unfortunately, in 1918, Susannah died and Elijah was about to remarry.

Frederick and Violet had two sons, Reginald (1922) and Ronald (1924). Ronald's grandson and family have been helpful in compiling this information. Violet died in 1960 and Frederick in 1962, they are buried together in Swardeston churchyard.

Frederick joined the 2nd Battalion of the Norfolk Regiment some time after 1915 (no 1914-1915 Star Medal awarded) but his army records have not survived so little is known about his war service. We do know he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal, both of which are in the possession of his grandson.

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