Jump to content
Free downloads from TNA ×
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Capt Christopher William Lacey, IARO


Kimberley John Lindsay

Recommended Posts

Dear All,

The capable GWF member who can provide me with an Image (aka portrait photo) of Capt Christopher Lacey, IARO - and erstwhile Indian Service of Engineers (born 1889), will receive a Goodie in the form of the scarce "Assam Planter" by A. R. Ramsden (1945), without fail!

Born at Simla in northern India, on 28 Dec 1889, Christopher William Lacey joined the Service of Engineers in 1913.

Gazetted as a 2Lt in the Indian Army Reserve of Officers (28 Jan 1918), he was immediately promoted T/Captain (and probably Cmdt., 101st Labour Company).

On 23 Mar 1919, C. W. Lacey was released from the IARO and resumed his career in India - subsequently being awarded the 35 Jubilee and 37 Coronation for his services as an Executive Engineer...

Post Raj, he l2038852407_1938IndiaOfficeentryforC.W.LaceyPWDIrrigation.jpg.af8da7e02a4fd7647f007f66ffcf7b8a.jpg406236887_GSMS.PERSIAforIARO101stLCT-CaptLaceyDelhi1938.jpg.8ef4f49e77afeeb0a8c04844385a828b.jpg350690813_GSMS.PERSIARoll1924.jpg.b22555057776469377b4e70789909780.jpg1100124062_LaceyMICandGSMcard-camewithmedals.jpg.cdf2ec759006f8b4edae016872fa4017.jpg1570892082_101stLabourCorpsatBandarAbbas30Apr1918.jpg.765821457dd4c208b987973f06b9c330.jpg44302881_CAPT_CAPT.LIEUT.C.W.LACEYIARO.jpg.97c042d524d3dc68e3afcd8b90743dec.jpgived in Ely, Cambs.

Kindest regards,

Kim.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Kim and all,

Christopher William Lacey died Dec 1966, Dover, Kent, (5f,397) married Marjorie Bradford Silverthorne/Newman? (1890-1976) 30th June 1923 Mussoorie, Bengal. had a daughter Charmian N Lacey, b.1927, St.Georges, Hanover Sq. London....looking..

Regards Barry

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dear All & David and Barry,

Christopher William Lacey (1889-1966), m. Marjorie (amidst drama), daughter Charmian (!).

Super! I am absolutely delighted - and many thanks. The Image of his grandfather is striking. 

Moreover, the co-respondent connection in India is tantilizing, and the fact that he was a President of the Ely (pron. Ee-lee) Rotary Club in the middle of the Second War is great news!

It is almost certain that his career in India matched that of his (probably) brother, Gerald Lacey, B.Sc., AMICE (born 26 July 1887), who was also PWD (Irrigation) and IARO (1917). Gerald's school may well reveal Christopher William's school. I have beamed an eMail to the Inst of Civil Engrs...

Both were awarded the 1935 Jubilee medal (!)...

I have unleashed my TNA and BL researchers for the Naturalisation Certificate and PWD career details. The grandfather portrait, however, puts "flesh" on to the researcher. Yet another GWF triumph, no less!1465610919_1935JubileeC.W.LaceyPWDIrrigation.jpg.37243e674df3e136c60beb25c7775a19.jpg

Kindest regards,

Kim.

Edited by Kimberley John Lindsay
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Admin
17 minutes ago, Susan Tall said:

Photo of his daughter Charmian here in this church notice.  http://rosslynhillchapel.org.uk/weekly-notices-7-jan-2018/

She died 31st December 2017.

Kim you could try contacting the church for relative's details, alternately Charmain's will is here

https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Wills?Surname=Shenton&SurnameGrants=Shenton&YearOfDeath=2017&YearOfDeathGrants=2017&IsGrantSearch=True&IsCalendarSearch=False&page=3#wills

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dear All, but especially David, Barry and Susan,

This is all fabulous researcher news! 

David, I think it is safe to say that the Laceys are lined up on the left, and the lesser good-looking Fearns to the right (if they were in fact Gerald and Christopher!).

Equally, it looks like two brothers, father and mother. In short, the young-looking 36 year old Best Man is almost certainly Christopher William Lacey. 

This Image would help to identify Capt/Lieut C. W. Lacey in a possible a 101st Labour Company group photo...

As it is, I am thrilled to bits to have this family/wedding group to work on. Super, and many thanks indeed!

Kindest regards,

Kim.

Edited by Kimberley John Lindsay
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Admin

Kim, be cautious!! 

This could be any Gerald Lacey, unless you know he married a Katherine Fearns?

Might be worth authenticating with the web page author?

Regards

David

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dear David,

Yes, I will have to change tack from Christopher, to research the marriage of Gerald. If he in fact married Miss Fearns, bingo!

This should prove straight-forward, seeing as Gerald was quite a "high flyer" as 'the last British Principal (1945-46) of the University of Roorkee nr. Delhi'. 

Kennedy gold medal (1930) and Telford gold medal (1958). He was a world authority on irrigation development (!) and the ICE holds an annual Summer lecture on the subject to commemorate Gerald Laceys contribution, and to provide a platform to address irrigation and drainage development (!)...

I have already sent an eMail to the ICE archivist, whom I have met personally, during a trip to London a few years ago when I was researching W. J. Davis (also IARO)!

Kindest regards,

Kim.

Edited by Kimberley John Lindsay
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dear All and David,

I have discovered that Gerald Lacey had a quite distinguished ISE career and was decorated with the CIE. The 'Irrigation and Water Forum' also has a portrait of him. which is obviously IMG_20181208_0001.jpg.635b828de501da8d4c810d6d8b5ef104.jpghelpful in the extreme. He was the last British Principal (1945-46) of the University of Roorkee, etc., etc.

Kindest regards,

Kim.

Edited by Kimberley John Lindsay
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dear David,

The juxtaposition of the two brothers I find somehow very convincing, rather than the faces; two years apart, they were in the PWD Irrigation together; both joined the IARO, etc.

Certainly the 'real' suave-looking Gerald Lacey (born 1887) is hard to equate with the young bridegroom - yet both Images show open-faced and dark-haired types, with regular features, and small ears, for example.

My BL researcher will perhaps be able to produce a marriage certificate (if it took place in india), to ascertain whether Gerald married Miss Fearn. However, the rather depressing-looking background to the wedding scene, looks more like Britain...

I would have no clue how to contact the web page author, unfortunately. He may or may not be able to 'solve all our problems'...!

Having said that, the Forum has once again shown itself at its best.

Kindest regards,

Kim.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think the wedding photo is Gerald Lacey.  On Ancestry there are two outward bound passenger lists from England to India for 1927 and 1932 and his wife is down as Elsie Ann.  In 1932 Gerald was 45 and Elsie was 36. Both voyages gives London addresses. There is also a link to a marriage in India but I don't have the worldwide Ancestry membership so can't look at it.  Can anyone else help with this?

 

I did find the marriage of a Gerald H Lacey and Katherine Fearn in December 1925, the registration district was Burton-on-Trent.

Don't think your Gerald Lacey was Gerald H. Lacey.  His birth registration in September quarter 1887 just has the name Gerald, and the birth was registered at Woolwich.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 minutes ago, Susan Tall said:

I don't think the wedding photo is Gerald Lacey.  On Ancestry there are two outward bound passenger lists from England to India for 1927 and 1932 and his wife is down as Elsie Ann.  In 1932 Gerald was 45 and Elsie was 36. Both voyages gives London addresses. There is also a link to a marriage in India but I don't have the worldwide Ancestry membership so can't look at it.  Can anyone else help with this?

 

Name: Gerald Lacey
Gender: Male
Age: 30
Birth Date: 1888
Marriage Date: 30 Jan 1918
Marriage Place: Roorkee, Bengal, India
Father: Thomas S. Lacey
Spouse: Elsie Annie Willford
FHL Film Number:

527550

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Going to put a fly in the ointment here!  So that is the marriage in India of Gerald Lacey, but I don't think he is the brother of Christopher William Lacey.  There are family trees on Ancestry. The one for Gerald Lacey (including a photograph) gives his parents as Thomas & Lydia Lacey.  The tree for Christopher William Lacey gives his parents as Joseph Edward & Emily Lacey.  

Perhaps they are cousins?   I've looked at censuses for Gerald Lacey, born 1887, and he doesn't appear to have a brother named Christopher William.  

I'll leave you to ponder on this - have to serve dinner and watch Strictly!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I do not think he had a brother Gerald. Think that is a herring rouge. 

His parents appear to be Joseph Edward or EJ and Emily nee Draycott. 

No sign of a Gerald in the family

There is a definite brother Richard Harry Draycott Lacey born in 1887 the year your Gerald was born. There are several other definite siblings of CWL.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree. You man is clearly not a brother of the other Lacey

 

Name
Christopher William Lacey
Gender
Male
Marital Status
Single
Marriage Date
30 Jun 1923
Marriage Place
Mussoorie, Bengal, India
Father
Edward Joseph Lacey
Spouse
Marjorie Bradford Newman
FHL Film Number
527567
Household Members
NameAge
Name Edward Joseph Lacey
Name Christopher William Lacey
Name Marjorie Bradford Newman
Name Silverthorne James William Bradford
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dear All, Susan, David, PJS, Corisande & Mark1959,

Thanks for bringing me back to Earth! David was right to urge caution. One must regrettably rule out the wedding group (grateful for this knowledge)...

My great ally Dick has ascertained that "my" Christopher William Lacey, was educated at Bedford School and City & Guilds College (Register). He also had an entry in The Engineers' Who's Who, 1939.

His father was Edward Joseph Lacey (thanks Corisande!); siblings were Charlotte Emily Lacey (one year older than C. W. Lacey), Frank Herbert Lacey (two years younger; subsequently an Army officer), with nephews Henry Dracott (nine years younger) and Horace Dracott (eleven years younger). 

As Susan so kindly noted: perhaps Christopher William Lacey and the "high flyer" Gerald Lacey, CIE, etc., were cousins. Be that as it may, the perhaps more promising lead to the elusive photo (aka Image) of C. W. Lacey (President, Rotary Club of Ely, Cambs., 1943-44), would seem to be Ely...

Kindest regards,

Kim.1169003533_EngineersWhosWho1939.jpg.85068958d9d4b19feafeecd10b682968.jpg209311212_RegisterCityGuildsCollege1884-1934.jpg.8b84b603be2682351d5c74fa53d89b5d.jpg

Edited by Kimberley John Lindsay
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I got lost a bit on "your" Christopher William Lacey, but I think this must be him in 1939 Register living at 5 Upherds Lane , Ely U.D., Cambridgeshire. Right area, right wife, and right job

 

lacey-1939.JPG.e06db16b3d87b3d97b7c0a40cb748b0e.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The 1911 census has him living with his family in Bedford. They are all born in Simla. India. I cannot get a record of his birth on Fibis or LDS

 

Note a brother Frank Herbert in the Army

 

1911-lacey.JPG.e044d654fe2d3878a5277530932b4396.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...