Percy John Owlett was born on 10 June 1885 in Battersea, Surrey (now Greater London) the fifth of the six children of Benjamin James Owlett (1852-1918) and Mary Ann Owlett (c.1845-1908). His birth was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1885 in the Wandsworth Registration District, Surrey (now Greater London) He was baptised on 10 July 1885 at All Saints Church, Battersea, where in the baptismal register his date of birth was confirmed, that his family were living at 3 West Street, Battersea and that his father was a hall porter.
In the 1891 census he was shown as aged 5 years and living in four rooms within 27 Afghan Road, Battersea, London, with his parents and his five siblings: Eliza Elizabeth Owlett (b.1876); Benjamin James Owlett (1878-1952); Charles Samuel Owlett (1880-1935); Edward Owlett (1882-1938) and Albert Victor Owlett (1887-1939).
He was admitted to Shillington Street School, Battersea on 24 October 1892, having previously attended Shillington Street Infants School, and left on 16 October 1896 to attend Walnut Tree Walk School, Lambeth from 26 October 1896 with his younger brother, Albert. The family were by now living at 2 Kennington Mansions, Kennington Road, Lambeth, London.
When the 1901 census was undertaken he was shown as John Owlett, aged 15 years and a Post Office messenger, still residing at 2 Kennington Mansions, Kennington Road, Lambeth, with his parents and three brothers: Charles Owlett - a printer's labourer; Edward Owlett - a printer's machine minder and Albert Owlett - a Post Office messenger. His father was described as a printer's time keeper.
Post Office records show that he was an Assistant Postman in West Central London in April 1903 and this is confirmed in the Edinburgh Gazette of 8 May 1903. He was appointed as a Postman in Western London in July 1903.
He married Edith Miller (1884-1971) in the 4th quarter of 1908 in the Lambeth Registration District and electoral registers lists him in 1910 as renting two rooms on the 1st floor of 20 Henry Street, Kennington, London.
When he completed his 1911 census return form he described himself as aged 26 years and a postman living in two rooms at 154 Upper Kennington Lane, Lambeth, with his wife and their two-year-old son, also called Percy John Owlett (1909-1976).
The electoral register for 1914 shows him at 251 Campbell Buildings, Lanfranc Street, Lambeth.
He joined the Gloucestershire Regiment, service number 11611 and entered France on 2 February 1915. He was serving in his regiment's 1st Battalion when he died of his wounds on 6 June 1916, aged 30 years, and is buried in Plot C, Row 1a, Grave 10 of the Calais Southern Cemetery, Av. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, 62100 Calais, France.
On 15 July 1916 his widow was sent his army effects that totalled £1-4s-3d. Probate records show his address to have been 3 Mead Row, Kennington and when letters of administration were granted to his widow on 19 July 1916 his effects amounted to £218-0s-0d. On 25 July 1916 the Royal Mail awarded his widow the sum of £105-5s-6d as a gratuity for his 12 years and 11 months service as a postman in the Post Office. On 6 September 1919 his widow was sent his war gratuity of £7-10s-0d. He was posthumously awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
He is shown as 'OWLETT, P. J.' on the Western Postal District war memorial in Mount Pleasant, London, WC1. He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website (which incorrectly gives his age as 32 years), on the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First Word War website, on the A Street Near You website, on the London WW1 Memorial website, on the Royal British Legion's Every One Remembered website and on page 284 of the Post Office Fellowship of Remembrance's Book of Remembrance 1914-1920.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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