Ashtead War Memorials - WWI - Capt Herbert Osborn Cresswell, Special List

Herbert Cresswell, who died on 7 June 1918, is buried at St Giles' Ashtead but is not listed among the WWI names on the memorial outside St George's.

In 1881, the Cresswell family may be found at Osborn, Lodge, Heston, Middlesex, where, probably, Herbert Osborn(e) was born in 1860 [registered Brentford June Quarter] to Charles Neve Cresswell [born ca 1828 at Brierley, Stafford], Barrister in Practice, later K.C., and his wife Hayberdina ? [born ca 1832, Amsterdam].

Herbert was sent to Ewell School for his education before entering the office of Aston Webb, Architect, in 1879, for training. He qualified as ARIBA in 1886 and immediately set up in independent practice at 31 Spring Gardens, Westminster. Having been made a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1895, he moved during 1914, first to Adelphi and finally 12 Charles Street, Knightsbridge,

Open House London's page on Harrow Art Centre, Elliott Hall states that H O Cresswell (1860-1918) was a London-based architect, office 17 Buckingham Street Adelphi etc, who travelled extensively on the Continent, worked in the office of Aston Webb (among others) and who designed houses and schools mainly in the South East. Some further particulars are available from the Directory of British Architects, 1834-1914, published in 2001 by the Architectural Association and RIBA. Of local interest is information derived from a different source that he was involved in designing an extension to 'Ashtead National Schools' (St Giles) at the end of 1899.

His marriage to Mollie Adams was recorded at Kensington for the September Quarter 1911 but, as far as is known, he died sine prole.

At some stage he volunteered for War Service and was placed on the Special List as a Captain – according to the 1917 Army List as “Capt. Temp. (Hon.) (Unpaid) from 27 July 1916, whilst empld. as land agent”.

Great War Forum correspondence found via Google suggest that the Special List during the Great War would have had particular reference to those officers who had an unique skill or experience, such as linguists, ordnance and intelligence officers etc. Special List Officers could not be usually be employed in duties outside of their specific area of expertise or experience because they had been recruited for their unique skill and received only abbreviated training so they could be quickly employed in their field - 'You certainly would not detail one to command a unit of infantry in the same way general list officers could’. The possibility is that Herbert Cresswell could have been called upon to advise upon defensive works or other civil-engineering structures.

A notice in The Times stated that he died of wounds, at 12 Charles Street, Knightsbridge, as 'Captain Herbert Osborne Cresswell, son of the late Charles Cresswell K.C. of Ashtead, aged 57, Funeral today Tuesday (11 June 1918), Ashtead, 3 p.m.' This does not say where he was when injured - given his speciality and age it could, for example, just as well have been at a military location in the UK as near the Front. Others may wish to pursue his obituaries in Builder v.114, 21 June 1918, p. 375, & RIBA Journal v.25, July 1918, p. 212.

His father, Charles Neve Cresswell, pre-deceased him [aged 80, registered Epsom 8/1908]. Herbert's interment may have been in a family plot in St Giles Churchyard and this is treated as a war grave in the CWGC database.

The Creswell family home in Ashtead had been at Ermyngarth, Woodfield Lane.

Herbert's widow, Mrs Mollie Cresswell, remained at12 Charles Street until WWII, afterwards residing in 86 Emperor's Gate until at least 1950. No trace of a death registration.

text: Brian Bouchard, with thanks to Ian Whitlock: if you can add to this page please contact the editor
page added 9 Mar 2009