Walter Dorman

Phillips Yard, Water Street

Walter was born 1900 in Stamford to mother, Elizabeth and father Walter, a labourer in Phillips’ brewery. In 1901 he was the youngest of seven children living with his family at 5/6 Phillip’s Yard, accommodation leased by Joseph Phillips for workers in his brewery next-door in Water Street.

I n 1908 his father Walter tragically died at the early age of 38 leaving Elizabeth with all seven children to keep and no home, the tenancy of Phillips Yard ending with her husband’s death. She re-married very shortly afterwards to John William Stratton, a chemist’s porter. He was just 25 years old and she was 43, although she gave her age as 40 in the 1911 census.

Walter, his mother and his youngest sister, Rhoda, were then living at Stratton’s home in 17a High Street, St Martin’s, in rooms over one of the shops. Life was not easy for widows then and Elizabeth must have been pleased to find another husband so soon, particularly one young and strong enough to work. The five older children were no longer living with their mother but perhaps a young stepfather could not be expected to keep all the family, as by this time he and Elizabeth had six-month-old twins of their own, Doris and Reginald.

There is no record of Walter’s war service but at least two of his older brothers survived the war. Alfred, born in Stamford in 1891 was Gunner 54226 in 104 Battery, Royal Field Artillery and Edward born in 1892 was Private 29059 in the Army Service Corps.

Walter eventually went to live in Huntingdonshire where he married Emmeline Eggboro in the summer of 1938. He died there in December 1975.