THE short life of Samson Ward, read out by John Smoleskis.

This project has been brought to you by Harlow Council’s Civic Fund and HTS Ltd.

Samson’s parents were Samson Ward, born in High Wych in 18571 and Emily Butcher, born in Coggeshall in 18632. They married in High Wych in 18813 and Samson Samuel Ward was born in Harlow in the autumn of 18864.
The 1891 census shows Samson aged four living in Old Road, Harlow with his parents and siblings Emily and Frederick. Samson Snr. was working as an agricultural labourer. The 1901 census shows Samson still residing in Old Road, Harlow with his parents and siblings whom by now included Thomas and Dorothy. Samson Snr. was working as an under stockman on a dairy farm. By the time of the 1911 census Samson Jnr. was still residing with his parents in Old Road, where he was working as a baker. His father was working as a stockman on a farm. Samson Snr. and Emily had also had a further child Violet in about 1905.
Private Samson Samuel Ward, S4/146984, enlisted as a baker on 3 November 1915 in The Royal Army Service Corps. After initial training he became a 3rd hand baker and arrived in Alexandria on 21 January 1916. He was hospitalised on three occasions due to ill health and following the fourth occasion, this time in Beirut, he died, following a severe attack of Malaria, on 7 November 1918, aged 35. The chaplain who conducted the funeral wrote at the time that Samson had ‘been a brave patient all through’. He is buried in The British War Cemetery, Lebanon. Grave 90. Register Index Number Syria 1.