Arthur Henry Kingston was born on 20 January 1877 in Maida Vale, London, the younger child of Henry Kingston (b.circa 1840) and Sophia Kingston née Francis (b.circa 1841). His birth was registered in the 1st quarter of 1877 in the Kensington Registration District, Middlesex (now Greater London). He was baptised on 3 March 1878 at St. Mark’s Church, Hamilton Terrace, St. John’s Wood, London, where in the baptismal register his family were shown as living at 17 Lismore Road, Haverstock Hill, and that his father was a milkman.
In the 1881 census he was shown as aged 4 years and living at 4 Augusta Terrace, York Road, Islington, with his parents and his sister, Elizabeth Ann Kingston (b.1874). His father was described as foreman.
He was shown as aged 14 years and a scholar in the 1891 census, residing in two rooms at 23 Shaftesbury Terrace, Kensington, London, with his sister, who was described as a milliner, whilst his father's occupation was listed as a verger. In March 1891 he was appointed as a Telegraph Messenger in West London.
On 14 February 1895 he was appointed as a Temporary Postman and was paid 18 shillings per week. He promoted to Postman in West London on 18 October 1895.
The 1901 census shows him aged 24 years and a postman living with his mother and sister in two rooms at 10 Kempsford Gardens, Earls Court, London. His mother was described as living on her own means and his sister was employed in dressmaking.
When his widowed mother completed her 1911 census return form she described her son as aged 34 years and postman living with her and her daughter together with three other families in a nine roomed property at 4 Kempsford Gardens, Earls Court. She described her daughter as a dressmaker working from home.
His marriage to Amelia Rye (1881-1963) was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1915 in the Sevenoaks Registration District, Kent.
In mid-1917 he enlisted into the 8th (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Post Office Rifles), service number 375733 and entered the European theatre of war on 13 October 1917. He was serving in his regiment's 2nd/8th Battalion when he was killed in action seventeen days later on 30 October 1917, aged 40 years. He is commemorated on , Vijfwegestraat, 8980 Zonnebeke, Belgium.
Royal Mail paid his £107-17s-8d gratuity for his 22 years and 8 months service in the Post Office to his widow on 12 December 1917
Probate records confirm his address to have been 4 Kempsford Gardens, Earls Court and when administration of his estate was granted to his widow on 24 May 1918 his effects totalled £819-0s-0d. His widow received his army effects of £3-15s-6d on 2 March 1918 and a £3-0s-0d war gratuity on 26 June 1919. He was posthumously awarded the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
He is shown as 'KINGSTON, A.H.' on the Western Postal District war memorial in Mount Pleasant, London, WC1. He is also commemorated on the , on the , on the , on the , on the and on .
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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