Private Alfred Jakeman
| Date of Birth | c. 1882 |
|---|---|
| Age at Death | 33 |
| Date of Death | 9 August 1915 |
| Service Number | 3/11561 |
| Military Service | 2nd Battalion Durham Light Infantry |
| Merton Address | 3 Firework Road, Mitcham |
| Local Memorial | Mitcham War Memorial |
Additional Information
Alfred was born in Streatham in early 1882 to George and Sarah Jakeman. He was baptised on the 23rd of April, 1884, along with two of his siblings, at Immanuel, Streatham Common. His father worked as a general labourer, but died at some point between 1891 and 1901. After his death, the family moved into a house on Besley Street with another family, and his mother found work in a laundry. Alfred was a middle child with seven siblings, including a twin sister, Minnie. By 1901, he was working as a flower/nursery hand, and all his siblings still living at home, except the youngest, were firework makers.
He married Alice Wyatt on the 3rd of August, 1902, in Mitcham, and his oldest son was baptised at Mitcham Parish Church about seven months later, indicating a possible reason for he and Alice to have rushed to the altar. In 1911, he was living in a two room house at 3 Firework Road, Mitcham, with Alice and their four children: Alfred, Arthur, Walter, and Henry (Henry appears to have died in infancy). He was working as a market gardener and a car man.
Alfred enlisted on the 15th of January 1915 in Kingston (although he had already apparently served for a year in the Durham Light Infantry at some point, according to his paperwork), where his address is given as 3 Ebenezer Cottages, Lonesome, Streatham. Alfred was only 5’3”, and weighed 119 pounds. He was posted to the 2nd Battalion on the 30th of June, 1915, and joined the Battalion in France on the 24th of July. He was reported missing only a couple of weeks later, on the 9th of August, and was declared dead.