Robert Henry Measures was born in 1881 in Aylestone, Leicestershire, the fourth of the six children of Robert Measures (1851-1890) and Mary Jane Measures née Moss (1853-1913). His birth was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1881 in the Blaby Registration District, Leicestershire.
In the 1891 census he is shown as aged 9 years and a scholar, living in four rooms at 12 West Goscote Street, Leicester, Leicestershire, with his widowed mother who was described as a charwoman and his five siblings: Alexander Measures (1874-1925) - a printer's apprentice; Eliza Measures (b.1875) - a hosiery seamer; Beatrice Measures (1878-1900) - a scholar and twins Mabel Measures (b.1886) - a scholar and Annie Measures (b.1886) - also a scholar.
When the 1901 census was undertaken he was shown as aged 19 years and a railway carriage repairer residing at 3 Donnington Street, Spinney Hill, Leicester, with widowed mother and three of his sisters: Eliza Measures - a hosiery linker; Mabel Measures - a hosiery seamer and Annie Measures - a boot and shoe stockroom worker.
On 1 June 1909 he married Ethel May Golding (1884-1955) at St Bartholomew's Church, East Ham, Essex (now Greater London) and they had three children: Annie May Measures (1910-1951); Hilda Beatrice Measures (1911-1976) and Robert Henry Measures (1914-1970).
When he completed his 1911 census return form he described himself as aged 29 years and tobacconist shopkeeper living in a five roomed property at 373 Barking Road, East Ham, with his wife whom he showed as assisting in the business, their daughter Annie May Measures, his widowed mother and his sister Mable Measures whom he listed as a tobacconist's shop assistant.
On 1 July 1916 he was enlisted into the King's Royal Rifle Corps, service number R/135218, giving his age as 35 years, that his address as 13 The Triangle, Barking, Essex (now Greater London) and that he was still a tobacconist. He was initially posted to the regiment's 23rd Battalion and placed in their Training Reserve. On 16 December 1916 he was transferred to the regiment's 7th Battalion and the following day the battalion joined the British Expeditionary Force in France. On 4 January 1917 he was again transferred this time to the regiment's 12th Battalion. He was killed in action, aged 35 years, on 21 February 1917 and as he has no known grave he is commemorated on Pier and Face 13 A and 13 B of the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, Rue de l'Ancre, 80300 Thiepval, France.
On 4 June 1917 his army effects totalling £2-3s-11d were sent to his widow, who was also sent on 20 October 1919 his £3-0s-0d war gratuity. He was posthumously awarded the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
He is shown as 'MEASURES R.H.' on one of the main panels of the East Ham WW1 memorial. He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website, on the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War website, on the A Street Near You website on the London WW1 Memorial website and on the British Legion's Every One Remembered website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them