Cecil Howard Sivers

Private Cecil Howard Sivers (36183) of the 12th (Service) (Bristol) Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment was born in Hampton Wick in June 1899. His parents, Robert John Sivers (also born in Hampton Wick) and Ethel Amelia Sivers (who had been born in neighbouring Kingston) had married in 1898. Cecil had a younger brother, Leonard Maurice Sivers, who was born in 1905.

Cecil Siver’s grandfather, Robert Sivers born in Isleworth in 1818, had moved to Hampton Wick from Kingston in the early 1870s with his Hampton Wick born wife. Originally a lighterman (bargeowner), he became a property developer particularly of land around Park Road. The family were reasonably wealthy. Cecil’s father, Robert John Sivers, was brought up in Park End Lodge (90 Park Road), just across the road from the Hampton Wick Royal Cricket Club (founded 1863) where he played cricket for Hampton Wick from 1886. Cecil’s father was described as a “Gentleman” throughout his life.

In the 1901 Census, Cecil’s father is recorded as “living on own means”. The family lived in Newlyn (70 Cedars Road), Hampton Wick. By the time of the 1911 Census, Cecil’s father is again recorded as being of private means but the family now lived in Park Cottage (27 Lower Teddington Road), Hampton Wick, which, despite its modest sounding name, had nine rooms. They employed one servant, the splendidly named Fanny Thickbroom. Cecil attended Kingston Grammar School from 1907 until 1912 and is also commemorated on its Roll of Honour.

According to his obituary in The Surrey Comet dated 2 October 1918, Cecil finished his education at King’s College School (“KCS”), Wimbledon which he attended for just one year before starting work as a clerk in the Regent Street branch of Parr’s Bank. He enlisted at Staines in May 1917. After initial training he was sent to France at Easter of the following year to reinforce his regiment.

He died on 23 August 1918, aged just 19. The following comment about Private Sivers from one of his officers was quoted in the KCS school magazine:

“His cheerfulness and fearless way in which he carried out his duty were a great help to me and a fine example to his comrades. He was a brave boy and you may be glad to know that, as far as I could gather from his speech or his actions, he was not troubled by fear.”

We would like to thank King’s College School, Wimbledon for supplying this information.

Private Cecil Sivers is buried at the Queen’s Cemetery at Bucquoy. According to the Grant of Probate made on 14 March 191⁹, he left an estate worth £126 8s 11d to his father, Robert John Sivers, who was still described as being “of independent means”.