Private Frederick Elwyn Calderon was born in July 1873 in Marylebone, the sixth son and the youngest of the eight children of Philip Hermogenes Calderon (1833-1898) and Clara Marianne Calderon née Storey (1836-1921). On 30 July 1873 he was baptised at St Mark's Church, Marylebone and the baptismal register shows the family residing at 9 Marlborough Place, Marylebone with his father being shown as an artist.
In August 1873 his father, who had been born in Poitiers, France and was a Spanish subject, applied for and was granted British Naturalization. In the 1881 census he is shown as a scholar living at 16 Grove End Road, Marylebone, with his parents, six siblings: Alfred Merigon Calderon (1862-1936), Henry Philip Calderon (1863-1915), Clara Margarette Calderon (1864-1949), William Francis Calderon (1865-1943), George Leslie Calderon (1868-1915) and Evelyn Maud Calderon (1871-1952), together with four female domestic servants.
From 1887 to 1890 he was educated at Rugby School, Rugby, Warwickshire. The 1891 census shows him as a art student residing at the Royal Academy of Arts, Piccadilly, Westminster, with his parents, three siblings: Clara, George and Evelyn, together with three female general domestic servants. His father, who since 1887 had been the Keeper of Royal Academy, was shown as a historical painter and Royal Academician.
He was admitted as a student at the Royal Academy of Arts from 25 July 1893 to July 1898 where he exhibited several portraits before leaving England for Ottawa, Canada. In 1905 he was one of an Expedition sent by the Canadian Government to the north of Hudson Bay for surveying purposes, and the winter of 1905-6 was spent under rigorous conditions at Cape Fullerton. On his return to Ottawa he obtained a post in the Marine and Fisheries Department, which he was still holding at the outbreak of World War One in August 1914.
On 22 September 1914 he enlisted in the 2nd Canadian Infantry Battalion, (Eastern Ontario Regiment), service number 8190, and arrived in Plymouth Devon, on 25 October 1914. After four months training at Bustard Camp on Salisbury Plain he entered France in February 1915. He was killed in action, aged 42 years, on 3 April 1916 at St. Eloi (now called Sint-Elooi), Belgium. He was in Plot 2, Row G, Grave 11 in the Woods Cemetery, Ypres (now called Ieper), Belgium. Probate records show that administration (with a will) was granted on 27 July 1916 to his sister Clara M. Calderon, who was living at Teagues Farm, Lewes Road, Scaynes Hill, Haywards Heath, Sussex. His effects were valued at £490-13s-9d.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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