Lieutenant Wilfred James Drake
Dorsetshire Regiment and Somerset Light Infantry
Date of Birth: 25th of June 1879
Place of Birth: Teignmouth, Devon
Date of Death: 22nd of September 1948
Awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal
Wilfred James Drake was born in the 3rd quarter of 1879 to father, Frederick Drake, and mother Sophia Eliza Drake nee Snelling.
The Drake family were living at 1, Triangle Place, Teignmouth, Devon, in 1881. Frederick Drake, born 1838 at Teignmouth, Devon, was a Glass Painter employing 5 men and 1 boy. Sophia Eliza Drake, born 1840 at Teignmouth, Devon, a Berlin Shop Keeper, Frederick Morris Drake, son, born 1876 at Teignmouth, Henry Edward Drake, son, born 1877 at Teignmouth, Devon, Scholar, Mary Annie Marston, born 1851 at Middlesex, a Berlin Shop Assistant, Margaret Furse, born 1857 at Mevagissey, Cornwall, a Nurse Domestic, Mary Jane Hurrell, born 1855, Cornwood, Devon, General Work.
Wilfred's mother, Sophia Eliza, died in 1890 and is buried in plot G135, Teignmouth Old Cemetery.
In 1891, The Drake family had moved to Den House, Esplanade, Teignmouth, Devon. Frederick Drake, a widower, is an Artist In Stained Glass. Miriam F Drake, daughter. born 1868 at Teignmouth, Devon, and Sophia Eliza Drake, daughter, born 1870 at Teignmouth, Devon. Frederick Morris Drake is now an Apprentice to Artist in stained glass.
In the 1901 census, the Drake family had moved to 7, Haldon Road, Exeter, Devon. Frederick (Frank) Drake, Frederick Morris (Maurice), and Wilfred are all Glass Painters. Alice Drake, daughter, married, born 1875 at Kenton, Devon, Lucy Snelling, Sister-In-Law, Widow, born 1840 at Wotton, Norfolk, Sophy Drake, Grand Daughter. born 1901 at Exeter, Devon, and Emily Manley, born 1878 at Cullompton, Devon, a Domestic Servant.
Wilfred married Bessie Winifred May in the 2nd quarter of 1905 which was registered at Newton Abbot.
Wilfred, Bessie and son, Frederick George Frank Drake, born 1909 at Heavitree, Exeter, are living at 3, Salutary Mount, Heavitree, Exeter, Devon in 1911.
Dorsetshire Regiment WW1
Cap Badge of the Dorsetshire Regiment. © IWM (INS 7213)
The regiment raised a total of 12 Battalions and received 57 Battle Honours losing 4,060 men during the course of the war.
Date of commission 5th of August 1916, temporary.
Landed in France on the 9th of September 1916.
Joined unit on the 15th of September 1916.
Wilfred would have been involved with the following battles in France;
1916 The Battle of Delville Wood, The Battle of Flers-Courcelette.
1917 The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line, The First Battle of the Scarpe, The Third Battle of the Scarpe, The Battle of Langemark, The First Battle of Passchendaele, The Second Battle of Passchendaele.
1918 The Battle of St Quentin, The Battle of the Avre, The Battle of Ypres 1918 and the final advance in Flanders.
11.11.1918 Ended the war in Flaumont east of Avesnes, France.
Glass Painting
Wilfred's father, Frederick, died in December 1920 and is buried in plot G135, Teignmouth Old Cemetery.
Frederick Drake
Frederick Drake (1838-1920) was born in Devon and worked as a glass-maker in Exeter. He studied at the local School of Art and was apprenticed to the firm founded in the city by his uncle Robert Beer (formerly Conibeer) (c1799-1850), but then operated by his cousin Alfred Beer (1830-66). In 1897 Frederick Drake bought this company, known by then as Beer and Driffield. Most of the work of this firm and most of Drake’s own is to be found locally, particularly in Devon and Somerset. He had two sons who followed his trade and were apprenticed to him, Wilfred (see immediately below) and (Frederick) Morris (found also as Maurice (1875-1923)). Both sons joined their father and Morris ran the firm initially after his father’s death; it continued for some years after he died.
Glass: (Probably) Bexhill, – St Mark Little Common.
Unknown woman, formerly known as Katherine of Aragon by Wilfred Drake watercolour, 1921 11 1/4 in. x 5 3/4 in. (286 mm x 146 mm) Given by Wilfred Drake, 1921 National Portrait Gallery NPG 2421 CC BY-NC-ND 3.0
Wilfred Drake
Wilfred James Drake (1879-1948) was apprenticed to his father, Frederick (see immediately above) in Exeter. In addition, he studied locally and worked with his father and subsequently his elder brother Morris (1875-1923, also found as Maurice, but spelt this way in family records). Wilfred designed glass but became increasingly interested in restoring old glass and writing about it, so probably after his father’s death, he moved to London. Dates are sparse, but in 1929 he was living in Holland Park and only left in 1941 (KD/L). He retained a particular interest in glass at Exeter.
Glass: Angmering; Pagham
In the 1939 register, Wilfred and Bessie were living at 24, St Peter's Road, Richmond Upon Thames, Middlesex, Heston and Isleworth. Wilfred was an Artist is Stained Glass and a Fine Arts Dealer.
Wilfred James Drake died on the 22nd of September 1948 at Nightingale Nursing Home, Twickenham, Middlesex. His probate went to Bessie.
