Albert Anthony Pozzi was born on 7 May 1881 in Barnsbury, Middlesex (now Greater London), the eldest of the four children of Albert Pozzi (1858-1894) and Emma Pozzi née Webster (1859-1929). On 7 May 1882 he was baptised in St Mary's Church, Islington, where in the baptismal registers his family is shown as living in Alfred Street, Islington and his father 's occupation was recorded as a packer.
Electoral registers in 1885 show that his father was registered at 41 Alfred Street, Lower Holloway, Islington, where he was renting two unfurnished rooms on the second floor at 6 shillings per week from a Mr Tanner of the same address.
His name does not appear on the 1891 census that shows his parents living in three rooms at 18 Kingsgate Street, Holborn, London and his three siblings: Robert Pozzi (b.1882); Alice Emma Pozzi (1882-1976) and Frederick William Pozzi (1889-1916), together with his maternal aunt, Alice Pozzi, aged 19 years, who was listed as a general servant. His father was shown as a grocer.
When the 1901 census was undertaken he was described as a porter in the upholstery trade living in two rooms at 7 Herbrand Street, Bloomsbury, London, with his widowed mother who was listed as a charwoman, his sister Alice Emma Pozzi who was a dressmaker's assistant, his brother Frederick William Pozzi and his cousin Polly Jackman, aged 19 years, who was a furniture duster.
On 5 September 1906 he married Ada Beatrice Cadman (1867-1953) in the St Pancras registration district and they had one son, Frederick William Pozzi (1906-1906 whose birth and death were registered in the 4th quarter of 1906 in the St Pancras registration district, London. His body was buried on 16 November 1906 in the Camden area.
When he completed his 1911 census return form he described himself as a packer at a linen warehouse, living in two rooms at 2 Ferris House, Manchester Street, London WC, with his wife.
He and his brother, Frederick William Pozzi, were serving as Riflemen in the 16th (Service) Battalion, The Rifle Brigade, when they were both killed in action on 3 September 1916. He was aged 36 years and his service number was P/1257. As he has no known grave he is commemorated on Pier and Face 16 B and 16 C of the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, Rue de l'Ancre, 80300 Thiepval, France.
On 17 July 1917 his army effects totalling £4-16s-2d were sent to his widow who also received his £4-10s-0d war gratuity on 19 December 1919. She had been born in Manchester, Lancashire and had moved back to 33 Hamer Terrace, Longsight, Manchester. He was posthumously awarded the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
He is shown as Albert Pozzi on the Holy Cross Church of St Pancras WW1 memorial, Cromer Street, London WC1. He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website and on the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
