The Somme Remembered – 6th July 1916
Louis D’Argenson Beauvoisin was the eldest son of four to William Edward and Mary Edith. He was born in Sheffield but by the 1901 census was taken the family were living at 35 Arthur Road, Erdington. William worked as a commercial traveller.
Ten years later the 1911 census tells that Mary had given birth to nine children of which one had died. Mary, now was not the only female in the family now as she has a daughter. The entry for the family is quite unusual, as well as having handwritten entries for the family surname – William and Mary, the children’s surname seems to have been rubber-stamped! One general servant is also included on the schedule. William signs his families information in a very good hand that seems well versed in signing a signature. Home is King’s Road, New Ascott, Birmingham, a house containing 11 rooms.
Going back to find a little about William, Louis father the 1891 census has him working as a merchants clerk and living in his elder brothers household, including his widowed mother. The family have been transcribed and indexed as Beanboison! The 1881 census has Williams parents Henry and Mary – Henry is a commercial clerk in the steel trade. It seems that the family were well educated. The family it appears were the descendants of a young man who came from the Normandy region of France and was employed as a teacher of French.
Royal Warwickshire Regiment
It appeared that Louis had been in Canada as he can be found arriving in Liverpool from New York on the 2nd of July 1915 – was he coming home to enlist? Could Louis speak French with his not too distant ancestry being from France?
Louis enlisted into the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, as Private 4858. He died of wounds on 6th July 1916 and rests in Merville Communal Cemetery near Bethune along with over 1200 other casualties.
The Register of Soldier’s
Louis Beauvoisin headstone with thanks to Dom Beauvoisin
Effects have an entry for Louis, who has now had his surname transcribed and indexed as Beauvrison, with monies owed being paid in two instalments.
Louis brother Joseph Bernard Beauvoisin also served in the war, serving in the Worcestershire Regiment as Private 35733. He died on 29 July 1917 and is remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing.
Additional information – April 2021. I have been contacted by a relative of the Beauvoisin family who has very kindly sent a picture of Louis. Do you know want to know what Louis looked like?
Louis Beauvoison with kind permission of Dom Beauvoisin.