| Last updated: Tue, 14 Apr 2026 |
| BETTS, Arthur Thomas |
Family Historian Individual Narrative
Arthur Thomas BETTS, son of Thomas BETTS (c. 1859-c. 1904) and Hannah Wright DOWNING (1858-c. 1932), was born on 14 November 1889 in South Lopham, Norfolk. He was baptised on 3 January 1890 in South Lopham, the ceremony was
conducted by Rev. J F BATEMAN, Rector.
In the 1891 Census (5 Apr 1891) he appeared at Redgrave Road in South Lopham -living with parents Thomas (32, farmer and coal dealer) and Hannah (32), and siblings Margaret M (4, scholar), Elsie Jane (3).
Arthur appeared in the..... View full FH text (See notes below) View Family Tree (See notes below) |
| Birth: | 14.11.1889 : South Lopham, Norfolk : 1889 Q4 Guiltcross Norfolk Vol 4B Page 247 |
| Baptism: | 03.01.1890 : South Lopham, Norfolk |
| 1891 Census: | South Lopham, Norfolk : 1, living with parents Thomas (32, farmer and coal dealer) and Hannah (32), and siblings Margaret M (4, scholar), Elsie Jane (3) (RG12 Piece 1548 Piece 126 Page 6 Schedule 42) |
| 1901 Census: | South Lopham, Norfolk : 11, scholar, living with parents Thomas (42, threshing engine driver) and Hannah (42), and siblings Margaret M (14), Elsie Jane (13), Bessie Hannah (9, scholar), Samuel Richard (8, scholar), Thomas William (6, scholar), Henry Albert (3) and Kate Thirza (1) (RG13 Piece 1866 Folio 21 Page 5 Schedule 35) |
| 1911 Census: | Marlborough Lines, Aldershot, Hampshire : 21, private in the 1st Norfolk Regiment [Bandsman, 1st Battalion, Norfolk Regiment, Reg. No. 7016]. (RG14 PN6263 RD109 SD2 ED13 SN9999) |
| Death: | 09.03.1915 : France : Died of wounds. |
| Memorial: | Belgium : Ramparts Cemetery, Lille Gate, West-Vlaanderen |
| Military: | By 1911 was a regular soldier and took part in WW1. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission grave registration entry for Arthur was “BETTS, Bandsmn. Arthur Thomas, 7016. 1st Bn. Norfolk Regt. 9th March 1915. Age 25. Son of Thomas and Hannah Betts, of Corner Farm, South Lopham, Diss, Norfolk. E. 15.” (No full army service record has been found for Arthur.) |
| Newspaper: | Diss Express and Norfolk and Suffolk Journal, 2nd April 1915
SOUTH LOPHAM.
MEMORIAL SERVICE. - On Sunday afternoon last a memorial service was held at South Lopham Church for Arthur Thomas Betts, whose death occurred in France on 9th March. The Rev. C. J. Eastwood, Rector, based a very impressive discourse on the 15th chapter St. John, 13th verse, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." The deceased was the eldest son of the late Thomas Betts; he joined the army as a lad and had served as a bandsman in the 1st Norfolk Regiment for ten years. The Battalion left Ireland last August for the front and has been there ever since. He has been constant in writing home and always seemed in good spirits, and passed through all unhurt until March 8th, when he was wounded in the right shoulder by the bursting of a shell which caused injury to the lung. The news was first sent home in a letter from his brother who is still at the front. |
| Newspaper: | Diss Express and Norfolk and Suffolk Journal, 8th March, 1918
IN MEMORIAM.
BETTS. - Died from wounds received in action on March 9th, 1915, Arthur Thomas, eldest son of the late Thomas and Mrs. Betts of South Lopham, aged 25 years. |
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