Stokes Mortar Prototype

[Ice Tiger]

My grandfather wrote down the family history before he died and amongst his many pages is the following gem which refers to his time at West Byfleet railway station in Surrey:

"One of the passengers who travelled to London whilst I was employed at the booking office at West Byfleet was a man named Stokes, who lived in Dartnell Park, and on a couple of occasions he left a strange looking paper contraption with me saying that he could not entrust it to the left luggage people and didn't want to carry it home. Little did I realise the importance of this home made paper and cardboard model. It was only later when I was in the army that I came to realise that his model was a prototype of the Stokes Mortar, the development of which he had at the time been discussing with the war office".

I wonder how many developers of military equipment these days would be happy to leave their prototype models in the safe keeping of the local station staff? If only my grandfather had asked Mr Stokes for a copy of his model.

Andy

[Old Tom]

Sounds a good story, but I have always understood that the Stokes of mortar fame was the owner and probably manager of an engineering firm at Ipswich. Of course he could have had dealings with your man, but it's a long way from Ipswich.

Old Tom

[Ice Tiger]

Thanks for that Tom

Anyone know of any connection between Stokes & Surrey?

Andy

[NigelS]

His ODNB entry gives that he was Managing Director of Ransome & Rapier London Office from 1896 when the company converted to a Ltd company, so he might have lived in Surrey and commuted to London at that time; On Rapier's death in 1897 he took over as MD of the whole company unfortunately it doesn't say where he ran the company from. One definite connection with Surrey is, according to the ODNB, that he's buried at Mortlake. As he died at Ruthin Castle, Denbighshire it's possible that there might have been some connection with Surrey during his life for him to have been buried in the county, but by no means certain.

Edit: Two of his brothers, one who died earlier and one later (Charles Adrian Scott Stokes (1854–1935) & Leonard Aloysius Scott Stokes (1858–1925)), are also buried at Mortlake (St Mary Magdalen's Roman Catholic Church)

NigelS

[Ice Tiger]

Thanks Nigel.

Far from the evidence required to prove my grandfathers story but most certainly shows I am unable to dismiss his story.

Andy

Edit: Following your lead I have managed to find a Robert Stokes (may be no relation) living at Castlenau Mansions, Barnes (which is near Mortlake), in 1913 but as yet none in West Byfleet.

[NigelS]

Andy, he had definitely lived in nearby Ripley: found this in The Times of February 10th, 1927:

The story might still be credible

NigelS

[Ice Tiger]

Thanks Nigel.

Dartnell Park is close to Ripley and would have been a relativly affluent address so that would also point in the right direction. All I need do now is prove the link to Dartnell Park. Whilst that will not give 100% proof of the story it would certainly add further creedance.

Thanks again

Andy

[Mike_H]

While he was developing the mortar Stokes lived at "Millwater" Mill Lane, Ockham, which is close to Ripley. The house was formerly a farmhouse built in about 1600. Stokes' brother, who was an architect, had some alterations made to the house for Wilfred. It is now a grade II listed building.

Post code is GU23 6XT.

Mike

[Old Tom]

Re Stokes. mortars and Ipswich. My post above was based on recollections of a post graduate apprenticeship with Ransome and Rapier, Waterside works, Ipswich in the 1950's. There was a brass plate on a workshop wall which, if my memory is working, recorded where the first trial shot arrived.

Old Tom