Co-partner or employee of the South Suburban Gas Company. Served but did not die in WW1.
Robert John Baggott was born on 10 April 1873, the second of the four children of Robert Henry Lancaster Baggott (b.1847) and his second wife, Anne Phoebe Baggott née Gill (1846-1922). His birth was registered in the 2nd quarter of 1873 in the Marylebone registration district. His father had been a builder.
In the 1881 census he is shown as living at 22 Stafford Street, Marylebone, with his widowed mother and two sisters: Alice Ann Baggott (b.1872) and Rose Florence Baggott (1875-1956). His mother's occupation was recorded as a charwoman.
He was described as a silversmith in the 1891 census residing in two rooms at 31 Hereford Street, Marylebone, with his mother who was still listed as a charwoman and two sisters: Alice Ann Baggott, who shown as a dressmaker and Rhoda Mary Ann Baggott (1883-1978) who was a scholar.
On 23 January 1898 he married Elizabeth Woolcott (1873-1956) at the Church of St James, Clerkenwell, where the marriage register shows him as a bachelor and a packer living in Frederick Street, Clerkenwell, whilst his wife is recorded as a spinster of 17 Chapel Row, Clerkenwell.
Their eldest son, Robert William Baggott (1898-1958), was born on 14 August 1898 and when he was baptised on 23 October 1898 at the Church of St James, Clerkenwell, the baptismal register shows the family were residing at 18 Swinton Street, Clerkenwell and that his occupation was still a packer.
The 1901 census shows him a packer in the London & Birmingham Railway store, living in three rooms at 63 Station Road, Willesden, with his wife and two children, Robert William Baggott and Elizabeth Annie Baggott (1899-1987).
When two of their children: Elizabeth Annie Baggott and George Arthur Baggott (b.1906) were baptised on 1 March 1906 at St Martin's Church, Kensal Rise, the baptismal register showed that the family were living at 22 Purves Road, Willesden, and that their father was a warehouseman. Their daughter, Dorothy Nellie Baggott (1909-1972) was also baptised at St Martin's Church, on 4 February 1909 and the register confirms that the family were still residing at 22 Purves Road and that her father was a warehouse assistant.
When he completed his 1911 census return form he stated that he was a clerk in the South Suburban Gas Company living in a six roomed property at 214 Adamsrill Road, Lower Sydenham, together with his wife, their four children: Robert, Elizabeth, George & Dorothy and his blind, widowed mother.
He was to have two more daughters: Bessie Ivy Baggott (1913-1988) whose birth on 13 December 1913 was registered in the 1st quarter of 1914 in the Lewisham registration district and Eva Jessie Baggott (1918-1986) whose birth on 24 December 1918 was registered in the 1st quarter of 1919 also in the Lewisham registration district.
During WW1 he served as a Private in the Royal Army Medical Corps, service number 59581. He entered France on 27 August 1915 and was discharged on 9 April 1919. He was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
In the 1939 England and Wales Register he was listed as a retired gas company clerk, still residing at 214 Adamsrill Road, London, SE26, with his wife, two daughters: Bessie & Eva, who were both employed as clerks at Waverley Books, together with a widow called Elizabeth A. Skinner (b.1899) who was an unemployed domestic servant.
He died, aged 90 years, on 23 September 1963 and was cremated on 27 September 1963 in Lewisham. His death was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1963 in the Lewisham registration district.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
