The F Campbell mentioned in Chailey’s parish magazine is Frederick Charles Campbell who was born in Cooksbridge, Hamsey, Sussex in 1897.  He appears on the 1901 census of England and Wales as a four year old living at Cooksbridge with his family.  The family comprised Frederick Campbell (head, aged 36, working as a farmer), his wife Annie and their four children: Florence Campbell (aged seven), Frederick, Harold Campbell (aged two) and Albert Campbell (aged two months).  All of the children were born in Hamsey.

 

Two other sons, Donald John Campbell and Stanley Campbell would follow in 1902 and 1905 respectively.

 

There is little information in Chailey Parish Magazine about Frederick Campbell.  In September 1917 it is noted: Campbell, F, 3rd AM, RFC and this information is updated (belatedly) in January 1919, replacing RFC with RAF.  This entry is then repeated monthly up to and including the final published roll call in July 1919.

 

Frederick’s brother Harold also served in the First World War and lost an arm towards the end of the war.  Sixty five years later, Chailey resident Reg Philpott was still amazed that after he had recovered, he was still able to milk a cow with one arm.

 

The brothers’ connection to Chailey is unknown but I am guessing that they were working as farm labourers.

 

 

Sources and Acknowledgements

 

• Chailey Parish Magazine
• 1901 Census of England and Wales
• www.ancestry.co.uk for information on the Campbell family tree
• Reg Philpott of Chailey, interviewed in 2003