Arthur John Barringer was the youngest of the five children of King William Barringer (1847-1915) and Harriet Barringer née Marchant (1849-1922). His birth was registered in the 1st quarter of 1887 in the Dublin South registration district in Ireland.
In the 1891 census he is shown as living at 4 Portland Place, Edward Street, Aldershot, Hampshire, with his parents and his four siblings: William King Barringer (1880-1961), Winifred Clara Barringer (1881-1916), Thomas George Barringer (b.1883) and Alfred Charles Barringer (1885-1919). His father was described a Corporal in the Royal Horse Artillery.
On 15 November 1900 he was confirmed by the Bishop of Salisbury at West Fordingham Parish Church, Dorset, where the parish records show that his address was 24 Mountain Ash Terrace, Mountain Ash Road, Dorchester, Dorset and that he took his First Communion on Christmas Day 1900. He was shown in 1901 census as a pupil still living at 24 Mountain Ash Terrace, with his parents and two of his siblings; Winifred & Alfred. His father was now listed as a tailor and his sister as a school teacher.
He married Flora Charlotte Emma Marshall (1887-1975) in the 4th quarter of 1909 in the Lewisham registration district and they had four children: Flora Barringer (1910-2008), Arthur William Barringer (1911-1995), Kenneth George Barringer (b.1913) and Evelyn Barringer (1918-2012).
When their daughter, Flora, was baptised on 26 March 1911 at the Church of St Philip the Apostle, Camberwell, the baptismal register shows the family living at 95 Avondale Road, Camberwell and his occupation was recorded as a school teacher. Electoral registers in 1913 show him listed at 96 Springbank Road, Lewisham and in 1918 as an absent voter at 96a Springbank Road.
He served as a Serjeant in the 2nd/1st Surrey Yeomanry (Queen Mary's Regiment), service number 46573, which according to their Wikipedia page was stationed in 1918 in Galway and Athlone, Ireland. In the 'Record of Service in the Great War 1914-18 by Members of the Council's Staff' published by the London County Council in 1922, he is listed in their teaching staff section. His entry reads 'Barringer, Arthur John (1914-1918): Serjeant, London Rgt.: Accidentally killed, 25 December 1918.
The Army Register of Soldiers' Effects confirms that he died in Gort, County Galway, Ireland, aged 31 years, on 25 December 1918 and that his effects of 6 shillings and 6 pence, together with his £18 war gratuity, totalling £18-6s-6d, was sent to his widow on 14 May 1919.
He was buried on 2 January 1919 in Plot D, Grave 3204, in the Ladywell Cemetery, 113 Brockley Grove, London SE4 1DZ, but as he has no headstone he was commemorated there on the Screen Wall. He is also commemorated in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
