Clarence Bertram Poyser
1913 - errand boy (occupation as entered on passenger list)
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
Clarence Bertram was the son of Ernest Arthur Tempest and Norah Mary Poyser (née Meyer).
His father was born in Derby in 1868, the son of James Poyser and his wife Harriett (née Tempest), and his mother in 1872, also in Derby, the daughter of William Meyer, a farmer (Chaddesden Hill Farm).
Ernest and Norah were married on 25 December 1895 at St James Church, Derby, and Clarence Bertram, their only child, was born on 1 June 1897. Clarence was baptised at Derby St Luke on 8 July the same year; the baptismal register gave his father's occupation as 'agent' and his parents' address as 33 Monk Street, Derby.
Clarence (3) was recorded on the 1901 Census as a boarder in the home of Elizabeth Hough, a widow, and her three young daughters, at Castle Terrace, Duffield. His mother has not yet been traced on the Census but his father, a compositor, was a boarder in the household of John and Fanny Williams at Corporation Road, Canton, Cardiff.
At the time of the 1911 Census Norah, head of household, and her son, who was school age, were living at at 143 Robin Hood Chase, St Ann's, Nottingham. Also in the home was a male boarder. Ernest, a compositor/printer, was living with his parents, James and Harriet Poyser, at 143 Gerard Street, Derby.
Clarence emigrated to Australia in 1913. He was entered on the passenger list of SS Port Lincoln as 'Mr. C. Poyser, age 16, errand boy', departing London on 29 July.
He returned to England after being medically discharged from the Australian Imperial Force and died at his mother's home, Woodborough Road, Nottingham, on 3 December 1916. His paternal grandfather, James Poyser, died at his home at 143 Gerard Street, Derby, on 26 December the same year.
The later CWGC record has Clarence's parents' address as 138 Robinson Road, Mapperley, Nottingham. However, given that his parents appear to have separated by 1901, this was probably his mother's address. In 1921 his father, a compositor for the Derby Daily Telegraph, was living with his widowed mother, Harriet, and unmarried sister, Constance, at 143 Gerard Street, Derby.
Norah Mary has not yet been traced on the 1921 Census but she was living at 26 Colville Street, Nottingham, at the time of her death nine years later on 19 July 1930. She was buried on 23 July in the same grave as her son, Clarence, in Nottingham General Cemetery.
Ernest Arthur Poyser died on 3 April 1941 aged 73; he was then living at 32 Crosby Street, Derby.
Clarence Bertram Poyser enlisted on 1 November 1914 under an alias and giving false information about his age. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force as Clarence Wilson, aged 20, occupation groom, resident of Sydney, New South Wales.
He embarked at Sydney on 8 February 1915 (HMAT Anglo Egyptian, Pennant Number, A25) with the 1st Light Horse Brigade, 1st Light Horse Regiment, 2nd Reinforcements.
He was awarded 28 days detention following a Court Martial held on the 31 May 1915.
Clarence was admitted to No. 1 Australian General Hospital, Heliopolis, on 11 August 1915 with rheumatism then transferred to the Convalescent Camp on 18 August 1915.
He embarked for the Gallipoli Peninsula (HT Huntsend) and taken on the strength of 1st Light Horse Regiment on 28 August 1915. Clarence was admitted to hospital at Gallipoli then transferred and admitted to No. 2 Australian General Hospital, Heliopolis, on 20 December 1915. He transferred subsequently to the Enteric Convalescent Hospital, Port Said. It was accepted that he had contracted enteric fever on 14 September 1915 at Anzac Cove, a consequence of military service.
Clarence was bedbound for 11 weeks then, having developed dysentry while in hospital, it was recommended that he return to Australia for three months. He left Suez for Australia onboard HT Commonwealth on 21 January 1916, still suffering from enteric fever, and admitted to the No. 4 Australian General Hospital, Sydney, on 8 May.
A later medical report described his condition as 'convalescent enteric-non carrier'. Clarence refused an operation (unspecified) and as he was deemed permanently unfit a discharge from the AIF was recommended. As a consquence, he was discharged from the AIF, 'medically unfit', at the 2nd Military District on 11 July 1916.
Clarence died from pneumonia at his mother's home on Woodborough Road, Nottingham, on 3 December 1916, and was buried in Nottingham General Cemetery (grave ref. 04391).
He is commemorated on the Australian War Memorial: 750, Private, Clarence Bertram Poyser.
CWGC additional information: (Served as WILSON). Son of Ernest Arthur and Norah Mary Poyser, of 138, Robinson Rd., Mapperley, Nottingham. Born at Derby.
Nottingham Evening Post, 'Roll of Honour', 6&7 December 1916. 'Poyser. On December 3rd, of pneumonia, Clarence Bertram Poyser, late Australian Light Horse Artillery, of Woodborough-Road, Nottingham, passed peacefully away after brief illness, in his 20th year, having served in the Dardanelles.'
Inscription headstone, Nottingham General Cemetery: ‘In loving memory of Clarence Bertram (late of A.L.H.) only son of Ernest & Norah Poyser who fell asleep on Decr. 3rd 1916, after serving in the Dardanelles aged 19 years. Dearly Loved. Also of the above Norah Poyser at rest July 13th 1930, aged 58 years.’
Probate: Poyser. Norah Mary of 26 Colville-street Nottingham (wife of Ernest Arthur Poyser) died 19 July 1930 Probate Nottingham 29 August to Ada Ellen Poyser (wife of Frederick Walter Poyser) and John Marshall Barnett solicitor. Effects£655 9s. 5d.
Note: Ada Ellen Poyser (née Meyer b. 1877) was Norah's sister. Ada had married Frederick Walter Poyser, Ernest Arthur Tempest Poyser's brother, in April 1896 at Derby St Luke.
Derby Daily Telegraph, ‘Deaths’, 4 April 1941: ‘Poyser. On April 3, Ernest A.T. Poyser, at 32, Crosby-street, aged 73. Funeral Monday, St Werburgh’s Church, 2.15pm.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Updated and additional information RF (Oct. 2025)
Photo of Clarence Bertram Poyser
Buried in Nottingham General Cemetery. Photograph Gary Crosby (22 May 2022)
Photo of Clarence Bertram Poyser
Grave, Nottingham General Cemetery. Photograph Rachel Farrand (Oct. 2025)