Photo: Coldstream Local History Society
Ian Scott has provided the following:
Also remembered on the Wooler War Memorial is Herbert Philip Deedes, who was a temporary Captain in the 16th KRRC (Church Lad’s Brigade). He is also remembered on the Doddington War Memorial, which records that he was killed at High Wood on 15 July 1916. He was 34 years old.
What intrigues me is how a man with no obvious northern connections came to be farming in north Northumberland. According to the Kelly’s Directory of Northumberland 1914, Herbert Philip Deedes was farming Fenton Demesne, Doddington (page 118) and Milfield Ninths, Wooler (page 179).
Herbert was born in St Albans, Herts. His father the Rev Philip Deedes was a curate of St Alban’s Abbey, having previously been vicar of Redbourne Herts (Clergy List 1897). Philip was also secretary of Haileybury College. As a boy Herbert attended Haileybury and is recorded on the School Roll of Honour.
Herbert’s mother was Josephine Parker of Lymington, Hampshire. Philip and Josephine were married in Westminster in 1878.
Philip Deedes had been born in 1847 at West Camel, Somerset, where his father the Rev Charles Deedes was the incumbent. Charles himself had been born at Saltwood Castle, Kent the family seat. The Deedes are a distinguished family in Kent. Herbert is distantly related to the late Bill Deedes, Lord Deedes, the veteran journalist, former editor of the Telegraph and Tory politician. Saltwood was subsequently the home of Alan Clarke, Tory minister, notorious diarist and military historian.
Herbert Philip Deedes is remembered in Doddington on D13.01 and D13.02 and in Wooler on W68.01
