Archibald Edward Sheldon was born in Herne Hill, London, the elder child of John Sheldon (1856-1931) and Constance Theodosia Sheldon née Lewis (1862-1951). His birth was registered in the 1st quarter of 1890 in the Lambeth registration district which means he was born in either late 1889 or early 1890. He was baptised on 29 January 1890 in St Jude's Church, East Brixton, London, where in the baptismal register his family are shown as residing at 33 Shakespeare Road, Herne Hill, and that his father was a clerk.
In the 1891 census he was shown as aged 1 year, living at 45 Croxted Road, Dulwich, London, with his parents, together with a female general servant. His father's occupation was recorded as a stock broker's clerk.
He does not appear on the 1901 census that shows his parents and younger brother, Francis Joseph Sheldon (1893-1981), aged 7 years, together with a female domestic servant, living at 'Roslyn', Gleneldon Road, Streatham, London.
On 28 March 1904 he was confirmed by the Lord Bishop of Southwark in the Church of Immanuel, Streatham, where the confirmation records show that he was living at 8 Gleneldon Road, Streatham.
The 1911 census return form was completed by his father and showed that the family were residing in a nine roomed property at 1 Pendennis Villas, Pendennis Road, Streatham. He was recorded as being aged 21 years, single and a stock broker's clerk, living with his parents and his younger brother Francis Joseph Sheldon, together with a female domestic servant. His father described himself as a retired clerk - stock exchange and Francis as a student in chemistry.
He enlisted as a Private in the 13th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Kensington), service number 2859, in October 1914. The London Gazette confirms that as a Private he was, on 29 March 1915, commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the 5th (Territorial Force) Battalion, Essex Regiment. Serving in the battalion's 'C' Company, he entered Gallipoli on 9 August 1915 and died of wounds, aged 25 years, on 23 August 1915 in Suvla Bay. His body was buried in Plot 2, Row C, Grave 6, in the Hill 10 Cemetery, 17900 Küçükanafarta/Eceabat/Çanakkale, Türkiye.
On 8 February 1916 his army effects totalling £45-19s-6d were sent to his father who was also sent his £5-0s-0d war gratuity on 31 December 1919. Probate records confirm that his address had been 'Mountfield' Knollys Road, Streatham and that when administration with a will was granted to his father on 15 December 1915 his effects totalled £165-19s-7d. He was posthumously awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal that were to be sent to his father at 17 Conyers Road, Streatham, SW16, but on 22 March 1922 were actually despatched to him at 38 Kingscourt Road, Streatham SW16.
He is shown as 'SHELDON. A.E. 2ND.LIEUT. 5TH.ESSEX.REG.' on the Quebec Chapel war memorial at the Church of The Annunciation, Bryanston Street, London, W1H 7AH and as 'SHELDON•ARCHIBALD•E' on the Stock Exchange WW1 memorial on the Stock Exchange Building, Paternoster Square, Rose Street, London, EC4. 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.
