Walter Frederick Saddington (circa 1866 - ?)

When you commit yourself to a One Name Study, you commit yourself to collecting all instances of that surname. It doesn't matter whether the person concerned was born with the surname that you are collecting, whether they acquired it by marriage or whether they chose to use it instead of the one that they were born with - you must collect the reference to the surname.

Walter Frederick Saddington, the subject of this post, is an example of the third option - someone who chose to use the surname Saddington instead of the one that he was born with.

He was born Walter Frederick Needham in Oakham, Rutland. His birth was registered in the March quarter of 1866, and his mother was Adaeliza Needham, a daughter of John and Sarah Needham of Egleton, Rutland. She was baptised on 12 June 1847, so was about 19 at the time of Walter's birth.

In the December quarter of 1869, Adaeliza married John Saddington in the Oakham Registration District. According to the 1871 census, by which time the little family had moved to Lowdham in Nottinghamshire and Walter is enumerated as a Saddington, John was born circa 1850 in Market Overton, Rutland and was employed as a railway porter. He may be the son of Henry and Sarah Saddington of Market Overton, Rutland, but as yet I cannot prove this.

Unfortunately, the marriage did not last long. Although I have yet to find a probable death reference, it appears that John Saddington died at some point before 13 July 1880, when his widow remarried at St John's Parish Church, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.

No. 78 - July 13 1880
Charles Dunkling, 32, Bachelor, Tallow chandler, Back Lane West, Simeon Dunkling, Labourer
Addaeliza Saddington, 31, Widow, -, Back Lane West, John Leedham, Labourer
After banns by me, Cecil G Paget

Charles Dunkling
Addaeliza Saddington

Witnesses - Sybilla Newson[?], William Henry Draycott x his mark

In the 1881 census, the newly formed family were living at 17 Clumber Street, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. Walter is enumerated as Walter Fk Dunkling, Son in law, Unm, 15, Printer Apprentice, Rutland, Oakham. So he is now on his third surname.

However Walter does not appear to have been too keen on the new situation. On 20 October 1883, aged 18 years and 10 months, and describing himself as a "clerk", Walter enlisted at Derby in the Derby Regiment under the name of Walter Saddington. He appears to have remained a Saddington for the rest of his life. His next of kin is listed as Elizabeth Dunkling, Mother, 17 Clumber Street, Mansfield.

Based on his pension records, Walter appears to have served with the 2nd Battalion of what was then known as The Sherwood Foresters (Derbyshire Regiment). He served in the East Indies (presumably India) twice and in Malta. On 30 September 1894, he married Hellena Fitzgerald at the Wesleyan Chapel in Umballa, Bengal, India. It appears that they had two children who died in India, but I know nothing more about them at the moment.

Walter and Hellena were back in England before October 1904, as their son, Frederick, was born on 24 October in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, and was then baptised in the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel in Southwell on 12 December 1904. Their daughter, Eveline, was also born in Southwell on 4 April 1906, being baptised in the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel on 30 April 1906.

In the 1911 census, the family are living on Westgate, Southwell. Walter's occupation is given as 'Colour Sergeant His Majesty's Army, Instructor to Territorials'. The census also confirms that Walter and Hellena had had four children, two of whom had died.

Walter retired from the Army on 31 December 1912, having served for 29 years and 73 days. However, he re-enlisted the next day (1 January 1913) in the 8th Battalion, The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment) for 'promotion forthwith to the rank of Company Quarter Master Sergeant, Service in the United Kingdon only'. The 8th Battalion was a Territorial Battalion, so I assume that he carried on with the training work that he had been doing previously. He was then living at 26 Crown Street, Newark, Nottinghamshire.

Walter remained in the Territorial Army for another couple of years, before being discharged on 24 March 1915 under King's Regulations 392 (XXV) - whatever that means (if anyone can tell me, I would be grateful). By this time, the First World War was raging and a good soldier was going to do his bit as long as he could. A couple of months later, on 28 May 1915, Walter re-enlisted again, this time in London.

Walter spent the rest of the war in the Army, working as a storeman, before being discharged for the final time on 30 December 1919 due to cardiac debility and vertigo at the age of 53. He then returned to his home in Newark.

Having already lost two children in infancy, Walter and Hellena must have been devastated when their son, Frederick, died on 6 March 1927 at East Stoke, Nottinghamshire, at the age of 22. As yet, I do not know the cause of death. The family was then living at 14 Crown Street, Newark, and letters of administration were granted to Walter at Nottingham on 18 May 1927 in which he is described as an Army Pensioner.

Walter was obviously still closely connected with his old Battalion as the Letter of Administration lists his sureties as being 'Horace Leslie Brockbank Mills of the Drill Hall Newark aforesaid Captain and Adjutant 8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters T.A. and Albert Coltman Grimwood of the Drill Hall aforesaid Lieutenant and Quartermaster 8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters T.A.'.

After Frederick's death, I currently have no further definite information about this Saddington family. I believe that his sister, Eveline, may have married in the Holborn Registration District of London in the December quarter of 1938, possibly to a Mr Ballard.

If you have any further information about Walter Frederick Saddington or his family, I would be delighted to hear from you.