Edward George Fox was born in 1887, the eldest of the five children of Edward William Fox (1863-1911) and Amelia Fox née Jarvis (1864-1911). His birth was registered in the 1st quarter of 1887 in the Holborn registration district.
On 6 March 1887 he was baptised at St Mark's Church, Old Street, Shoreditch and the baptismal register show the family residing at 50 Bath Street, Shoreditch, and that his father was a porter.
The 1891 census shows him living at 77 Westmoreland Place, Hoxton, with his parents and two sisters whereas the 1901 census lists him as a stationer's errand boy at 32 Bath Street, with his parents and two sisters.
On 18 May 1908 he married Alice Louisa Clarke at St Luke's Church, Old Street, islington, and they had three children; Amelia Louisa Fox (b.13 June 1908), Edward George Fox (b.11 January 1911) and Henry Alfred Fox (b.24 January 1913).
The 1911 census states that he was a firewood seller living at 42 Waterloo Street, Finsbury, with his wife and two children.
On 9 May 1916 he enlisted as a Rifleman in Rifle Brigade; service number S/28127, giving his address as 16 New Street, Finsbury and his occupation as a general labourer. He was mobilized on 27 July 1916, initially being posted to their 16th Battalion and entered France on 26 November 1916. He was transferred to their 10th Battalion on 8 December 1916. On 26 January 1917 he was wounded in action but returned to duty the following day.
He suffered a gun-shot wound to the head on 19 February 1917 and was taken to Boulogne, France, where he was evacuated to England on 22 February 1917 in the hospital ship Aberdonian. On 24 February 1917 he was admitted into the Western Hospital, Cardiff until he was discharged on 26 May 1917.
On 28 October 1917, whilst attached to the 2nd Battalion, he was killed in action, aged 30 years, and was buried in Plot 3, Row D, Grave 6 in the Prowse Point Military Cemetery, Chemin du Mont de la Hutte, 7784 Comines-Warneton, Belgium.
He was posthumously awarded the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
His widow was awarded a pension of £1-9s-7d per week for herself and their three children on 20 May 1918.
He is also commemorated in the London Borough of Islington's Book of Remembrance.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
