Henry George Waters (born Stanford)

Driver - Service No. 162832 - Royal Engineers

Henry George Waters was actually born Henry George Stanford, the illegitimate son of Sarah Stanford, on 8th November 1888 in Fincham, Norfolk. He was Sarah's second child, following George William Stanford born two years earlier in Grimstone, Norfolk. In 1890 Sarah married Daniel Waters from Fincham and they had a son, Frederick Waters, later that same year. From the time of her marriage to Daniel, Sarah's two illegitimate sons, George and Henry, adopted the surname of Waters. George William Waters, the eldest of Sarah's sons, died in early 1906 having just achieved the age of 20 and having spent some time in a fever hospital in Hampstead, London (ref - 1901 census). Daniel and Sarah's son, Frederick, died in 1930 just short of his 40th birthday having never married.

On 17th June 1912 Henry married Gladys Rose Briggs of Swardeston although the wedding took place at Necton, Norfolk, which was where Gladys was working at the time as a domestic servant for a farmer, George Pointer. Gladys was born on 24th July 1890 in Pulham St Mary, Norfolk, the daughter of George (Trilby) Briggs and his wife Rose (Sayer) who, at the time of Gladys' wedding, were living in Tar Row by the Swardeston turnpike from where George worked as a road mender.

Henry and Gladys would appear to have settled in, or around, Swardeston when they married as their first four children, Phoebe, Alfred, Ivy and Frederick were all born here. As these births all took place between 1913 and 1917 it seems reasonable to assume that Gladys stayed with, or close by, her parents while war threatened and Henry was away on service with the army. By 1919, with the war over, Henry, Gladys and their four children settled in Necton where they had six more children, Daniel, Victor, Doris, Leslie, Grace and Gordon between 1919 and 1934. Of their ten children several married and had families of their own but to date we have not traced any of Henry and Gladys' grandchildren or great-grandchildren. Henry Waters died, near King's Lynn, Norfolk, on 17th July 1967 and Gladys survived him by four years, dying in 1971 near Acle, Norfolk.

Henry joined the Royal Engineers as a driver about 1916. His army records do not survive but we know he was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.

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