Henry Richard Allchin was born in Peckham on 23rd November 1889 to parents Henry, a carpenter, and Helena. He had two younger brothers, Albert George Allchin, who also died in the war, and Frederick. On 6th August 1895, whilst living at 5 Albert Grove, Welling, Henry started at Foster’s School in Welling but left less than a month later as he “returned home”. At some point between starting school and 1901 (at the time of the census), his father died leaving his mother to bring up her young family on her own.
Henry’s mother worked to support her family as a manageress in a laundry. By 1911 she had remarried Henry Talbert, almost 20 years her senior, who also worked in the laundry and was possibly the owner. He lived with mother, brother Frederick, step-father and step-siblings at 11 Hawthorn Grove, in Anerley, South East London. At that time Henry was working in WH Smith & Son as a bookstall clerk, Frederick was working as an errand boy and Albert had already enlisted in the Royal Navy.
Henry enlisted in 1916 or later and served as a private with the 8th Battalion Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). The Royal Fusiliers raised no fewer than 47 Battalions for service, making it one of the largest British regiments of the Great War. The 8th (service) Battalion was formed at Hounslow in August 1914 and came under the command of the 36th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division. They landed in France in May 1915.
Private Henry Allchin was killed in action on 9th April 1917, aged 27. He is buried at the Gourock Trench Cemetery, Tiloy-les-Mofflaines, France (Grave C.6). This cemetery is a small one by Great War standards (with just 44 burials), built by British troops in April 1917.
After the war, Henry’s family lived at 201 Snowdrop Road, Lodge Lane, Welling, part of the Hutments estate.
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