A Pigman, Policeman and Publican
Corporal Gilbert Hopkins Forest Army Service Corps and Leamington Spa Borough Police
The Man Gilbert Hopkins ForestGilbert Hopkins Forest was born on Friday 19th December 1890 at 158 High Street, Witney, Oxfordshire, son of Henry, a Baker and Alice nee Hopkins. He was one of four children, Wilfred Henry born in 1887, Catherine May 1890 and Gertrude Louisa 1894.
According to the census of 1891 the family had a servant and Assistant Baker living with them, Franklin R Clifford, and a lodger Emily A Gilbert.
Gilbert was Baptised on 22nd February 1891 at the Burford Parish Church, St James the Great by William Courtenay the Vicar. His sister Catherine had also been Baptised only seven months earlier at the same church.
In 1896, Henry got into debt and unable to maintain the business called in the creditors, neglected the business and called in auctioneers to sell up. He then deserted his family, leaving Alice to bring up her four children alone. By 1901,Alice and children, minus Catherine, were living at a cottage in Fulbrook, Burford this having been provided by her mother and brother. Henry is shown living as a boarder in a different location.
Following his schooling in about 1905, Gilbert became a Cattle and Pigman working on a local farm and living at the cottage with his mother. Following the outbreak of World War I on 4th August 1914, Gilbert enlisted into the Army Service Corps as a Private with service number M2/104830, his number suggesting he joined the Mechanical Transport section of the ASC. The precise definition of M1 and M2 is not clear but appears to be that the man had enlisted into the New Armies, otherwise known as Kitchener’s Army. He was subsequently promoted to Corporal.
Between July and August 1915 aged 24, Gilbert married Ethel Baisley in Daventry and they had two children, Cyril Hopkins born in October 1920 and Gwendoline May, January 1923.
According to the census of 1891 the family had a servant and Assistant Baker living with them, Franklin R Clifford, and a lodger Emily A Gilbert.
Gilbert was Baptised on 22nd February 1891 at the Burford Parish Church, St James the Great by William Courtenay the Vicar. His sister Catherine had also been Baptised only seven months earlier at the same church.
In 1896, Henry got into debt and unable to maintain the business called in the creditors, neglected the business and called in auctioneers to sell up. He then deserted his family, leaving Alice to bring up her four children alone. By 1901,Alice and children, minus Catherine, were living at a cottage in Fulbrook, Burford this having been provided by her mother and brother. Henry is shown living as a boarder in a different location.
Following his schooling in about 1905, Gilbert became a Cattle and Pigman working on a local farm and living at the cottage with his mother. Following the outbreak of World War I on 4th August 1914, Gilbert enlisted into the Army Service Corps as a Private with service number M2/104830, his number suggesting he joined the Mechanical Transport section of the ASC. The precise definition of M1 and M2 is not clear but appears to be that the man had enlisted into the New Armies, otherwise known as Kitchener’s Army. He was subsequently promoted to Corporal.
Between July and August 1915 aged 24, Gilbert married Ethel Baisley in Daventry and they had two children, Cyril Hopkins born in October 1920 and Gwendoline May, January 1923.
Gilbert served overseas, most likely on the Western Front, surviving the war and awarded the 1914-18 British War and Victory Medals. He then moved to Leamington Spa with Ethel, joining the Leamington Borough Police as a Constable, his brother Wilfred already having joined the Metropolitan Police. In 1920 Gilbert was living at 30 Plymouth Place in the town and in the 1922, 25 and 26 town directories shown as ‘living’ at The Police Station known as the Old Town Hall, High Street.
Leamington Borough Police continued as a separate body until 31st March 1947, when it was amalgamated into Warwickshire Constabulary. The police station was based at the old Town Hall which became a station in about 1882. The building is still in use today (2023) as the Polish Centre.
In March 1926 Alice, Gilbert and Wilfred were summonsed to attend The Petty Sessions Court in The Cotswolds, as the Witney Board of Guardians were now looking after their 65-year-old father Henry, who was unable to work and seeking payments towards his upkeep. Despite their spirited defence and explanation of their father’s desertion some 30 years earlier, they were ordered to pay 3s. and 2s. a week respectively towards his upkeep.
Gilbert retired from the police in 1936 on health grounds and the 1939 census shows him as a Publican (ex PC) at the Plough Inn, Warmington, Southam, close to Leamington, together with Ethel, Cyril and Gwendoline. He is also shown as being a Police Reservist; a War Reserve Constable was a voluntary role within the ranks of the local forces and created in 1939. Officers were sworn in under the Special Constables Act 1923 and had the full powers of a police officer. He worked as a Police Ambulance Attendant.
Gilbert’s son Cyril also became a Police Constable in Leamington and served as a Sergeant in the Royal Air Force during WWII
Gilbert who still owned property in Leamington Spa and subsequently lived at 32 George Street, a stone’s throw from the Police Station, then 16 Leam Terrace, followed by 18 Leam Street, served in the Police Reserve during World War II, but sadly died on 19th June 1945, a month after VE Day, he suffered a heart attack and was taken to Warneford Hospital in the town, where aged just 54 he died of Myocardial Failure and Acute Cholecystisis, a serious infection of his gallbladder. He left £8417s 4d (£36,500,00 approximately in 2020) His brother Wilfred acted as executor.
His funeral service was held at Leamington Cemetery on Friday 29th June 1945 and his coffin borne by four comrades of the Leamington Borough Police Force - PS French, PS Toone, PWR Robinson and Section Leader Godfrey of the National Fire Service. Reverend F A Bunn
Ethel lived another 33 years and passed away in 1978 in Northampton aged 84.
Leamington Borough Police continued as a separate body until 31st March 1947, when it was amalgamated into Warwickshire Constabulary. The police station was based at the old Town Hall which became a station in about 1882. The building is still in use today (2023) as the Polish Centre.
In March 1926 Alice, Gilbert and Wilfred were summonsed to attend The Petty Sessions Court in The Cotswolds, as the Witney Board of Guardians were now looking after their 65-year-old father Henry, who was unable to work and seeking payments towards his upkeep. Despite their spirited defence and explanation of their father’s desertion some 30 years earlier, they were ordered to pay 3s. and 2s. a week respectively towards his upkeep.
Gilbert retired from the police in 1936 on health grounds and the 1939 census shows him as a Publican (ex PC) at the Plough Inn, Warmington, Southam, close to Leamington, together with Ethel, Cyril and Gwendoline. He is also shown as being a Police Reservist; a War Reserve Constable was a voluntary role within the ranks of the local forces and created in 1939. Officers were sworn in under the Special Constables Act 1923 and had the full powers of a police officer. He worked as a Police Ambulance Attendant.
Gilbert’s son Cyril also became a Police Constable in Leamington and served as a Sergeant in the Royal Air Force during WWII
Gilbert who still owned property in Leamington Spa and subsequently lived at 32 George Street, a stone’s throw from the Police Station, then 16 Leam Terrace, followed by 18 Leam Street, served in the Police Reserve during World War II, but sadly died on 19th June 1945, a month after VE Day, he suffered a heart attack and was taken to Warneford Hospital in the town, where aged just 54 he died of Myocardial Failure and Acute Cholecystisis, a serious infection of his gallbladder. He left £8417s 4d (£36,500,00 approximately in 2020) His brother Wilfred acted as executor.
His funeral service was held at Leamington Cemetery on Friday 29th June 1945 and his coffin borne by four comrades of the Leamington Borough Police Force - PS French, PS Toone, PWR Robinson and Section Leader Godfrey of the National Fire Service. Reverend F A Bunn
Ethel lived another 33 years and passed away in 1978 in Northampton aged 84.
The Story Gilbert Hopkins Forest’s medals were acquired from an antique dealer, Peter Viola, in Jury Street, Warwick on 2nd September 1993, together with a named metal bracelet dog tag.
Gilbert’s medals sat in this collection un-researched for 18 years until 2011, when ancestry.UK enabled a very brief biography to be completed.
At that time, it was established Gilbert had died in ‘Warwick’ in 1945, where his medals finally ended. Further research was therefore necessary to see if a residence and burial site could be located.
However, it was not for a further nine years in April 2020, 27 years after their acquisition that Gilbert was checked again on Ancestry.UK, much further detail now having been added. This together with the drawing of his will and death certificate enabled a more in-depth biography to be completed.
Particularly interesting were the facts that Gilbert had been a Police Officer serving in Royal Leamington Spa after World War I and following retirement, became a Publican in Warmington. During World War II he had re-enlisted into the Police Reserve, returned to Leamington and died in 1945, his death certificate showing him as a Police Ambulance Attendant.
In 2023, following discussion with Terry Gardner a member of the Leamington History Group and Leamington Borough Police historical expert, was able to add a little more detail of Gilbert’s police career, which in turn lead to a suggestion of checking the British Newspaper Archives. The search revealed a direct hit, uncovering even more interesting detail of his life and helping piece together aspects of his earlier life, including confirmation that he was entitled to the award of The Defence Medal having served three years in the Police Reserve during WWII. He had however died before a formal application could be made.
Terry, however, was not finished and in October 2023 produced yet another document of Gilbert’s, a newspaper article and original photograph of Leamington Borough Police in 1941 showing Gilbert quite clearly.
Remarkable that after 30 years a face has finally been put to Gilbert and he may now be remembered properly. Another classic example of ‘research never ending’, and of one so ‘close to home’.
One possible mystery is that Gilbert appears to be wearing more than two medal ribbons in 1941. This could be a trick of the light, or he was entitled to other unknown awards!
Another interesting point is that on the same picture is Detective Inspector Edwin Thomas Woodward, sitting next to Detective Sergeant James A Green, both of whose medals are in this collection.
Gilbert’s medals sat in this collection un-researched for 18 years until 2011, when ancestry.UK enabled a very brief biography to be completed.
At that time, it was established Gilbert had died in ‘Warwick’ in 1945, where his medals finally ended. Further research was therefore necessary to see if a residence and burial site could be located.
However, it was not for a further nine years in April 2020, 27 years after their acquisition that Gilbert was checked again on Ancestry.UK, much further detail now having been added. This together with the drawing of his will and death certificate enabled a more in-depth biography to be completed.
Particularly interesting were the facts that Gilbert had been a Police Officer serving in Royal Leamington Spa after World War I and following retirement, became a Publican in Warmington. During World War II he had re-enlisted into the Police Reserve, returned to Leamington and died in 1945, his death certificate showing him as a Police Ambulance Attendant.
In 2023, following discussion with Terry Gardner a member of the Leamington History Group and Leamington Borough Police historical expert, was able to add a little more detail of Gilbert’s police career, which in turn lead to a suggestion of checking the British Newspaper Archives. The search revealed a direct hit, uncovering even more interesting detail of his life and helping piece together aspects of his earlier life, including confirmation that he was entitled to the award of The Defence Medal having served three years in the Police Reserve during WWII. He had however died before a formal application could be made.
Terry, however, was not finished and in October 2023 produced yet another document of Gilbert’s, a newspaper article and original photograph of Leamington Borough Police in 1941 showing Gilbert quite clearly.
Remarkable that after 30 years a face has finally been put to Gilbert and he may now be remembered properly. Another classic example of ‘research never ending’, and of one so ‘close to home’.
One possible mystery is that Gilbert appears to be wearing more than two medal ribbons in 1941. This could be a trick of the light, or he was entitled to other unknown awards!
Another interesting point is that on the same picture is Detective Inspector Edwin Thomas Woodward, sitting next to Detective Sergeant James A Green, both of whose medals are in this collection.
Also in the picture are Edwin Thomas Woodward (front row fifth from right) and Gilbert Hopkins Forest (third row third from left) both of whose medals are in in this collection
Click here to read about the Royal Leamington Spa Borough Police
Medal Details:
- 1914-18 British War Medal: M2-104839 CPL. G.H.FOREST. A.S.C.
- Victory Medal: M2-104839 CPL. G.H.FOREST. A.S.C.
- Defence Medal: Unnamed as awarded.
Return to: The Collection
Go to Previous Page: Frederick William FLEGG
Go to next Page: Charles Nevil Worton FOX
Go to Previous Page: Frederick William FLEGG
Go to next Page: Charles Nevil Worton FOX
This page last updated 24 Nov 23
14