| Biography | Arthur Lawrence Folker was born at 106 St.Georges Avenue, Upper Holloway, Middlesex on 14 October 1886, the fourth of the five children of Alfred and Hannah Folker. The census of 1891 shows the family living in Wolstanton in Newcastle under Lyme but by 1901 they had moved to 12 Park Road in Harlesden, Middlesex.
Arthur was a cadet in the Officer Training Corps from where, on 15 August 1914, he joined the 3rd Batallion of the York & Lancaster Regiment in the probationary rank of 2nd Lieutenant. Arthur served in France from 27 January 1915, his batallion being attached to the 2nd batallion. Whilst in Armentiers on 13 March 1915, he received a shot through the head leaving him partially blind in both eyes. Various documents record his progress and subsequent return to duty.
Following his injury, Arthur was repatriated aboard the ship St.Patrick from Boulogne, arriving in Southampton on 30 March 1915. He was examined by a Medical Board then discharged from Lady Evelyn Mason's Hospital for officers on 17 April having been granted three months leave which he spent at his parents home in Harlesden.
During that period of leave, and in the rank of Lieutenant, on 15 June 1915 Arthur married Constance Muriel Fifoot at All Saints church in St.Marylebone. The couple then lived with Arthur's parents in Park Road, Harlesden. Their son, Edgar Lawrence Anthony Folker was born on 23 March 1916.
Arthur received a gratuity of £187 10s. He was promoted to the rank of Captain on 15 March 1916 then he was appointed Adjutant on 15 June 1916. He applied to join the Machine Gun Corps of the 3rd batallion of the York and Lancaster Regiment and was seconded to No.4 Group of the Machine Gun Training Centre in Grantham.
He was discharged from the army from the Crystal Palace Dispersal Unit on 16 September 1918 and rejoined his wife and son at Glanaller 50 Nicoll Road in Willesden. The army accidentally continued to pay him after he had left so reclaimed £21.19s.10d. By 1920, Arthur and Muriel were living at Kingsthorpe, 40 Ennerdale Road in Richmond. The Medical Board report on 12 February 1920 recorded that Arthur's condition had not improved and that he was still partially blind in both eyes. He could not see in the lower sector of his vision and could not see moving objects. He could not stand for long and became giddy, also could not tolerate strong light. He was classified as 50% disabled. After the war Arthur received the usual set of three service medals.
Arthur became a professional singer and a number of his 78rpm recordings survive within the keeping of his descendants. Whilst living in Richmond, the family were visited by Muriel's relative Rolf Harris who was to become a renowned artist and entertainer. By the latter part of the 1930's, they were living at Lested Lodge, Lion Gate Gardens adjacent to Kew Gardens. They would take visiting members of the family to tea at the pagoda in the gardens.
On 26 June 1939 Arthur is shown as having sailed aboard the Furness Line steamship Newfoundland from Southampton to Corner Brook in Canada. His occupation was given as a publisher and his destination was Boston in USA.
Around 1940, Arthur and Muriel moved to a house in Marine Parade in Budleigh Salterton. They then took half the house Westfield in Westfield Road, Budleigh Salterton. Arthur passed away at home on 17 January 1960. |