Claude Victor Emmerson was born in 1887, the son of Harry French Emmerson (b.1852) and Ada Ellen Emmerson née Cox (1863-1944). His birth was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1887 in the Cambridge Registration District, Cambridgeshire. On 10 July 1887 he was baptised at St Andrew the Great Church, Cambridge, where in the baptismal register his father was shown as a clerk.
When the census was undertaken on 5 April 1891 he was described as Claude V. Emmerson, aged 3 years and living at 27 Trinity Street, Cambridge, with his parents and a female general servant. His father was listed as a traveller.
The census that was compiled on 31 March 1901 shows him as Claude Emmerson, aged 13 years and a page boy, residing at 10 Histon Road, Chesterton, Cambridgeshire, with his mother and two sisters: Olive Gertrude Emmerson (1891-1959) and Grace Mary Emmerson (1897-1964).
He married Agnes Dewsbury (1883-1964) in the 2nd quarter of 1910 in the Docking Registration District, Norfolk.
The census return form that was completed by his widowed mother-in-law, Elizabeth Jane Dewsbury née Herring (1854-1922) on 2 April 1911, shows him as Claude V. Emmerson, aged 23 years and a carriage attendant employed by the Great Eastern Railway, living in a nine roomed property at Cranmer House, Westgate, Hunstanton, Norfolk, with his wife and their daughter Agnes Elizabeth Mary Emmerson (1911-1989) together with his mother-in-law - a boarding house keeper, a sister-in-law Elizabeth Eliza Dewsbury (1881-1951) - a dairy shop assistant, his brother-in-law Alfred Lewis Dewsbury (1889-1971) - hairdresser's assistant, a daughter-in-law May Florence Dewsbury (1891-1970) and another daughter-in-law Louisa Maud Dewsbury (1892-1973).
He and his wife had two further children: Alfred Henry Emmerson (1912-1993) and Ada Louisa Emmerson (1914-1997).
Enlisting in East Ham, Essex (now Greater London) he served in the City of London Yeomanry, service number 41058, but was later a Private in the 10th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers, service number 40674, when he was killed in action, aged 30 years, on 16 October 1917. His body was buried along with nine other soldiers in , in the Cement House Cemetery, Boezingestraat 156, 8920 Langemark-Poelkapelle, Belgium.
Probate records show that his home address had been 2 Charlbury Buildings, Hunstanton and that when administration of his estate with a will was granted to his widow on 8 February 1918 his effects totalled £116-11s-0d. His army effects totalling £1-15s-10d were sent to his widow on 27 May 1918 and his £3-0s-0d war gratuity was sent to her on 21 November 1919. He was posthumously awarded the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
He is shown on as 'EMMERSON C.V.' on both the Liverpool Street Station war memorial at Liverpool Street Station, Liverpool Street, London, EC2M 7PY and on the East Ham war memorial at East Ham Central Park, High Street South, London, E6.
He is also commemorated on the , on the , on the , on the , on the , on the at Esplanade Gardens, Hunstanton and on the at Church Street, Hunstanton, PE36 5HB.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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