Algernon Aubrey Aris was born on 2 September 1909 in Hoxton, London, the eighth of the nine children of Francis John Aris (1875-1914) and Eliza Aris née Fitzgibbon (1876-1933). His birth was registered as Algernon Aubrey Aris in the 3rd quarter of 1909 in the Holborn registration district, London, but he was shown in the baptismal register at Holy Trinity Church, Hoxton, as Aubrey Algernon Aris when he was baptised on 13 October 1909. The register shows the family living at 43 Bartholomew Buildings, Seward Street, Hoxton and that his father was a porter.
He was again shown as Aubrey Algernon Aris, aged one year, in the 1911 census, still residing in two rooms at 43 Bartholomew Buildings, with his parents and six of his surviving siblings: Albert Alfred Aris (1896-1963) - a student a Shoreditch Technical College; Arthur Alexander Aris (1898-1976) - at school; Amelia Adelaide Aris (b.1900) - at school; Agnes Alexandra Aris (1902-1934) - at school; Augustus Archibald Aris (1904-1948) - at school and Arnold Adolphus Aris (1908-1946). His father described himself as a porter at a cocoa manufacturer. (What was it with the letter 'A'?)
An earlier sibling, Annie Eliza Aris had been born in 1894 but died in infancy the following year, whilst a younger sibling John Francis Aris (1912-1987) was born on 7 June 1912.
On 25 March 1934 he married Violet Florence Higginbottom (1906-1940) at St Bartholomew's Church, Islington, London, where in the marriage register he is shown as Algernon Aubrey Aris, aged 24 years, a bachelor and a packer residing at 26M Pickering Street, Islington, whilst his wife was shown as aged 27 years, a spinster living at 30D Pickering Street, Islington, the daughter of Walter Edward Higginbottom, a carman.
All subsequent records show him as Algernon Aubrey Aris. Electoral registers in 1935 show him and his wife listed at 50b Block B, Peabody Square, London N1, but the registers in 1937 show them both at 14g Block G, Peabody Square, London.
Their daughter, Sheila M. Aris (1937-1940) was born on 2 August 1937 and her birth was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1937 in the Islington registration district. Both he and his wife were listed in the 1938 and 1939 electoral registers at 3 Peabody Buildings, John Fisher Street, Stepney. The 1939 England and Wales Register confirms that he, his wife and their daughter were shown as residing at No.3, Block L, Peabody Buildings and he was described as a 'porter, buildings estate'.
He died, aged 31 years, along with his wife and child as a result of enemy action on 8 September 1940. His body was buried on 28 September 1940 in Square 407, Trench C, Grave 2024, in the City of London Cemetery and Crematorium, Aldersbrook Road, London, E12 5DQ. His death was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1940 in the Stepney registration district, London.
He is shown as 'ALGERNON ARIS 30' on the Peabody war memorial that is located at Block L, Peabody Buildings, John Fisher Street, London, E1 and as Aris, Algenon of 11K Peabody Buildings, John Fisher Street, Stepney on the Civilian War Dead Roll of Honour 1939-1945 that is kept just outside the entrance to St George's Chapel at the west end of Westminster Abbey. He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
