Abraham Baker was born in 1876 in Chatham, Kent, a son of Samuel Henry Baker (1842-1927) and Susan Baker née Harris (1850-1924). His birth was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1876 in the Medway registration district. In the 1881 census he is shown as a scholar living at 47 John Street, Ordnance Place, Chatham, with his parents, his sister Elizabeth Maud Baker (1877-1955) and his maternal grandmother Ann Harris. His father was described as a dockyard blacksmith.
He was shown as a tailor's apprentice in the 1891 census living at 2 Henry Street, Luton, Chatham, with his parents, his two sisters, Elizabeth & Frances Annie Puttnam Baker (1881-1911) and a brother, Richard William Harris Baker (1884-1915).
According to the Lewisham War Memorials website he married Sarah Jane Lazenby (1869-1908) on 15 December 1900 at St Bartholomew's Church, Sydenham. In the 1901 census he is shown as a tailor, living with his wife, who was described as a dressmaker, at 21 Wells Road, Sydenham. They had one child, Alice Matilda Lazenby Baker who was born on 13 August 1902 and who died on 20 October 1917 from pulmonary tuberculosis at the Camberwell Infirmary. His wife's death was recorded in the 1st quarter of 1908 in the Lewisham registration district and in the 1911 census he is described as both a widower and a tailor boarding at 49 Coombe Road, Wells Road, Sydenham, London, the home of Arthur and Ann Reading.
On 20 March 1913 he married Charlotte Bennett (1882-1978) in Sydenham and they had four children: Marjorie Frances Baker (b.5 July 1913 - who died on 6 May 1918 from scarlet fever & diphtheria at the Park Hospital, Lewisham), Henry George Baker (b.18 September 1914 - d.1990), Gwendoline Maud Baker (b.15 May 1916) and Herbert Edward Baker (b.23 May 1918 - d.2001).
He enlisted as a Private on 6 December 1915 in the Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment), service number 45893, He gave his address as 45 Coombe Road, Sydenham and was placed in the Army Reserve the following day. He was mobilized on 16 September 1916 and was promoted to the rank of Serjeant (Tailor) on 31 March 1917. He entered France on 3 May 1917 returning to England on 8 June 1917 where he was transferred to 366 Reserve Employment Company in the Labour Corps, service number 162208.
He died, aged 42 years, at 7.50pm on 27 February 1919 in The 4th London General Hospital, Denmark Hill, London suffering from osteomyelitis of his right clavicle and bronchial pneumonia. He was buried on 5 March 1919 in Plot D, Grave 3363 in the Ladywell Cemetery, Lewisham and as he has no headstone he is commemorated on their Screen Wall.
By 12 November 1919 his widow had received his army effects totalling £49-15s-0d and on 26 June 1920 she was sent his Memorial Plaque & Scroll of Honour. He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
