Percival John Redgell was born in 1892 the youngest of the three children of Alfred Harper Redgell (1860-1910) and Harriet Annie Redgell née Jones (1866-1892). His birth was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1892 in the Marylebone registration district, London. On 22 October 1892 he was baptised at St Thomas of Canterbury Church, Brentwood, Essex.
His two siblings were: Alfred Sidney Redgell (1888-1917) and Jessie Bantin Redgell (1890-1983). His mother died in 1892 shortly after he was born and on 8 December 1895 his father married Helen Marie Stanley, a spinster, aged 20 years, at St Marylebone Parish Church. The marriage register shows his father was a french polisher and that they both resided at 17 Upper Dorset Street, Marylebone, London.
In the 1901 census he is shown as Percival Redgell, aged 8 years, living in 4 rooms at 17 Upper Dorset Street, Marylebone, London, with his father and step-mother, together with his two siblings: Alfred S. Redgell and Jessie B. Redgell. His father continued to be described as a french polisher.
In 1909 his brother enlisted in the 9th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Queen Victoria's Rifles) under the name of Arthur Sidney Redgell. This was a Territorial Force battalion raised for home defence duties only and he rose to the rank of corporal.
When his brother completed his 1911 census return form he showed them both as french polishers working from home, consisting of two rooms at 69 York Street, Marylebone.
In 1913 he too enlisted in the 9th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Queen Victoria's Rifles), service number 1541 and rose to the rank of corporal.
On the outbreak of World War One both he and his brother volunteered to serve overseas in their regiment and both entered France on 4 November 1914. He was promoted to the rank of Serjeant-Cook and was killed in action, aged 23 years, on 26 May 1916. His body was buried in Plot 4, Row G, Grave 3, in the Hebuterne Military Cemetery, Rue de la Haie, 62111 Hébuterne, France.
On 28 November 1916 his army effects totalling £21-6s-2d were sent to his sister Jessie Bantin Goodall who had emigrated to Australia where she had married Thomas Henderson Goodall (1887-1963) in Queensland, Australia. She was also sent his £11-0s-0d war gratuity on 10 May 1920. He was posthumously awarded the 1914 Star, the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
He is shown as REDGELL. P. RFL. 9TH. COTY.LONDON. on the Quebec Chapel war memorial at the Church of The Annunciation, Bryanston Street, London, W1H 7AH and as P. REDGELL on the war memorial at St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Enford Street, London, W1H 1DL. He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website, on the Imperial War Museum's Live website and on the London WW1 Memorial website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
