People from Denton's Past
Our Genealogy Page.
The purpose of this page is to provide some information about people who have lived in Denton in the past. Links to other websites are provided where appropriate.
Details of more recent residents, who are no longer with us, are recorded in the Obituaries Section.
The Two World Wars
Like most communities in the UK, and beyond, many of the men who left Denton to fight in the two world wars did not return. Their names are recorded and their memories honoured on a plaque in St Mary's Church.
They were:
First World War 1914-1918
- Willam Edward Aldrich
Private, 33232, 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. Died 8th October 1918, aged 32. Born in and resident of Denton. Enlisted at Norwich. Son of Edward (Coachman) and Harriet Aldrich of Harleston Road, Denton.
Buried in Noyelles-sur-l'escaut Communal Cemetery Extension, France. - Samuel Barnes
Private, 25034, 9th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment. Died in Mesopotamia (Iraq) 19th June 1916, aged 30. Born in and resident of Denton. Enlisted at Stourbridge, Worcestershire. Son of Alfred (Farm Worker) and Harriet Barnes, of Trunch Cottage, Trunch Hill, Denton.
Buried at Basra War Cemetery, Iraq. - Henry William Beckett
Private, G/43999, 17th Battalion, Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment). Died 17th April 1917, aged 26. Born Denton, resident of Harleston. Enlisted at Norwich. Son of William and Henrietta Beckett, of Norwich Road, Denton. Native of Woodton.
Buried in Cologne Southern Cemetery, Germany. - John Wulstan Charles Bolland
Second Lieutenant, 10th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action, 9th April 1917.
Buried in Faubourg d'Amiens Cemetery, Arras, France. - John Davison
Leading Stoker, K/3985, H.M.S. Princess Irene, Royal Navy. Lost when his ship, HMS Princess Irene a minelayer, blew up while at anchor at Sheerness, Kent on 27th May 1915, aged 26. Son of William and Eliza Davison, of Denton.
No known grave but commemorated on Chatham Naval Memorial, Kent. Further information can be found at on Wikipedia. - Benjamin Charles Grimmer
Private 33752, 5th Battalion, Princess Charlotte of Wales's (Royal Berkshire Regiment). Killed in action 26th June 1917, aged 31. Born in Alburgh. Enlisted at Norwich. Resident of Denton. Son of Mary Anne Grimmer and the late Frank Grimmer (Farm worker) of Denton.
Buried in Happy Valley British Cemetery, Fampoux, France. - John Nobbs
Private, G/15170, 11th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. Died of wounds 17th August 1917. Born at Woodston, Suffolk. Enlisted at Norwich.
Buried in Oak Dump Cemetery, Ieper, Belgium. - Charles Edward Woodyard Oakley
Private, 17688, 1st Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action 4th June 1916, aged 30. Born at Denton. Enlisted at Norwich. Son of James (Farm Worker) and Mary Oakley of Denton.
No known grave. Commemorated on Arras Memorial, France.
- John James Revell
Probably - Lance Corporal, 19672, 1st Battalion Dorsetshire Regiment. Died 19th June 1918, aged 39. Son of Charles (Shoemaker and Parish Clerk) & Mary Revell of Denton.
Buried in Berles New Military Cemetery, France.
- Ernest Robert Wooltorton
Corporal, 6792, 2nd Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action in Mesopotamia (Iraq) 14th April 1915, aged 27. Born at Denton. Enlisted at Norwich. Son of George (Farm Worker) and Mary Wooltorton of Denton.
Buried in Basra War Cemetery, Iraq.
Second World War 1939-1945
- Jack Edward Sheldrake
Sapper, 2003782, Royal Engineers. Died 11th March 1941.
No known grave. Commemorated on the Brookwood Memorial, Surrey.
The Chapel Memorial
Two of the names on the memorial in the church also appear on the chapel memorial. The latter carries three further names - of Alburgh residents. Their details are recorded here for completeness.
First World War 1914-1918
- Edwin Barrett
Able Seaman, 239776, Royal Navy. Died 16th August 1917, H.M. Smack "Ethel and Millie". Son of George and Rachel Barrett of Alburgh.
No known grave. Commemorated on the Chatham Memorial.The "Ethel and Millie" was a "Q" Ship, an armed fishing boat intended to take on German U-boats. A full account of her sinking can be found on the Roll of Honour website.
- Robert Sadler
Private, 300093, 1st/7th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Died in the Third Battle of Ypres 27th August 1917. Son of Daniel and Alice Sadler of "Tunbeck", Alburgh.
No known grave. Commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
Second World War 1939-1945
- Herbert Jack Barber
Lance Corporal, 5780733, 1st/4th Battalion Essex Regiment. Died in the invasion of Italy 18th March 1944. Son of Frederick and Emma Barber of Alburgh.
No known grave. Commemorated on the Cassino Memorial.
Others
There are other casualties with links to Denton who are not recorded on the village memorials
Private Cyril Edmund August Cheney, Royal Horse Artillery (Picture)
Cheney was born at Walnut Tree Farm, Denton, 4th August 1898 and lived later at Stratton St. Michael. He was educated at Norwich High School, St. Giles', Norwich. He was wounded in France 3rd October 1918 and died at the 4th General Hospital, London, 26th October 1918. He was buried at St. Michael, Long Stratton, 1st November 1918.
Further information can be found atThe Commonwealth War Graves Commission site.
County Directories
In the nineteenth century a number of county directories were published which contained a lot of information about the inhabitants of individual villages, including Denton, at specific dates. These are available for inspection:
- William White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk, 1845
- Hunt's Directory of East Norfolk with Part of Suffolk, 1850
- Francis White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk, 1854
Not currently available.
- William White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk, 1864
- Kelly's Directory of Norfolk, 1883
Not currently available.
These directories continued into the twentieth century.
Denton's entry in the 1937 edition of Kelly's Directory has been copied into a page on this website.
Useful Links
The Norfolk Record Office site.
More Information
It is hoped to expand the information on this page. Ideas for new topics and additional information for the current ones are most welcome.