FREDERICK HENRY DANN DENYER
The archive records show an inconsistency in the birthdate for Frederick Henry. The census returns suggest that he was born at Portsea in 1892 or 1893 but there is no confirmatory record in the birth register. There was a Frederick Denyer born at Portsea in 1890, another born at Havant in 1892 and a Frederick Dayner born at Portsea in 1893.
Whichever one is correct we know that Frederick Henry was the son of Llewellyn Denyer who had been born at Bramshott, Farnborough, the son of James and Mary Denyer in 1838. Llewellyn does not appear in the 1861 census but that year he married Frances Stevens in Portsea. Frances was born in Sussex in 1831. The couple appear in the 1871 census when they were living at 58 Maitland Road, Portsmouth with their four children, Ellen, William, Mary and Alice.
Neither Llewellyn nor Frances appear in the 1881 census but records do show that Frances died in 1885. The marriage records for the same year offer Llewellyn Denyer marrying Emily Close or Annie Hart but neither name appears as Llewellyn's wife in the census for 1891. Instead the census gives the name of Ada Mary, who together with Llewellyn and their son Edwin (b. 1891) was living at 66 Maitland Road.
Ten years later the family were still at the same address but two more boys had been born, Frederick Henry in 1892(?) and Llewellyn jnr. in 1900. On the night of the census however Frederick Henry was actually staying with his half-sister Alice next door at 68 Maitland Road. Sometime in the late 1900s Frederick Henry left the household to join the Hampshire Regiment and in 1911 was serving with them at Wynberg on the Cape of Good Hope.
At the outbreak of the Great War the 2nd Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment was serving in India but they were recalled in December 1914. In March 1915 they sailed for Gallipoli, landing at Cape Helles on 25th April. Frederick Henry was killed three days later.
FURTHER INFORMATION
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission lists Frederick Harry Dann Denyer, Private (8553), 2nd Battalion, Hampshire Regiment, died, 28/04/1915, aged 22 years. Buried at the Redoubt Cemetery, Helles, (Grave Ref: I.C.17.). Son of Ada Mary Denyer, of 66, Maitland St., Landport, Portsmouth, and the late Llewellyn Denyer.
Frederick Denyer is commemorated on the All Saints Church WW1 Memorial and the Cenotaph, Guildhall Square, Portsmouth. He is not listed in "The National Roll of the Great War", Section X.
Tim Backhouse
January 2015