David Bain

David Duguid Bain was born 10 April 1881 to Ewart Alexander Bain and his wife Margaret Duguid, the second of six children born to Ewart and Maggie although sadly three of the younger ones died at birth. The family moved to Marylebone, London sometime between 1883 and 1886. David was enrolled at Marylebone School on 29 May 1886. His mother Margaret died in 1892 aged just 30. Ewart Alexander remarried in 1893 to Frances Clara Lane and they had a further eight children.

David was a professional soldier, a Gunner with Royal Regiment of Artillery who were based in Woolwich when in England, but the Royal Garrison Artillery were developed from fortress-based artillery located on British coasts. Presumably this included the defences around the coast of the Hoo peninsula which is how David would have met his wife Clara Hassell the daughter of Henry and Rosina Hassell from St Mary Hoo, and then Allhallows.

David and Clara were married in Hoo Register Office in March 1906. On 18 July 1906 their unbaptised infant son was buried at Allhallows, the first burial in the new churchyard. There is an entry in the Allhallows baptism register for the private baptism of Hewittt Alexander, son of David Duguid and Clara Bain on 13 July 1906. Private baptism meant that the ceremony had taken place in the home rather than at the font in the church; it does not mean unbaptised. At first I though this looked odd as the burial entry a few days later clearly says “unbaptised”, but I have made contact with Clara’s great niece who tells me that Clara and David Bain went to India shortly after the baby (David Stanley Bain) was buried and sadly his twin brother Ewart Alexander Bain died during the voyage. So the baby Christened on 13th and the baby buried on 18th July were twin brothers, not the same child. (I am fairly sure that the baptism register entry says Hewitt; probably just the vicar’s interpretation of Ewart, a name he wasn’t familiar with.)

The babies’ births were not registered and although the death was, the child was un-named. The writing in the baptism register is difficult. I read it as Hewitt or possibly Stewart. The parents may well have said Ewart which the vicar heard as th more common Stewart.

Clara and David are both listed in the 1911 census in 'Military-Arabia, Cyprus & Gibraltar' along with two children, Margaret, 3 born Rangoon, Burma and Clara 5 months born Bombay, India.

I think that David was serving with either 86th or 1/104th battery. Both units went to Mesopotamia in May 1915 from India and were captured at Kut in April 1916. This concurs with David's medal record which states that he was a prisoner of war from 29th April 1916 and died on 14th August 1916. He is interred in Baghdad war cemetery.

I am told that David and Clara had another two children between 1911 and David’s death. Clara and her children returned to England and she remarried in 1917 to John Callaghan at St John’s RC church, Gravesend and they moved to London.

Documents for David Bain

Childen born to Ewart Alexander Bain and Margaret (Maggie) Duguid who were married 1879, Gorbals, Glasgow
Ewart James	born Scotland
David Duguid	born Scotland
Ewart Robert D	Q1 1886 Marylebone	vol 1a, page 552	died Q2 1886 Marylebone	vol 1a, page 359
Lillie Park	Q1 1888 Marylebone	vol 1a, page 564	died Q1 1888 Marylebone	vol 1a, page 369
Maggie	Q2 1889 Marylebone	vol 1a, page 528	died Q1 1888 Marylebone	vol 1a, page 354
Ewart Alexander	Q3 1890 Marylebone	vol 1a, page 533

Margaret Bain died Q1 1892, Marylebone, vol 1a, page 576 aged 30.
Ewart remairried to Frances Clara Lane in Holborn district Q2 1893 vol 1b, page 1148

Children born to Ewart Alexander Bain and Clara
Jessie	Q1 1894 Marylebone	vol 1a, page 519	died Q1 1894 Marylebone	vol 1a, page 421
Alexander	Q2 1896 Marylebone	vol 1a, page 526
Eva Frances	Q4 1898Marylebone	vol 1a, page 488
Jessie	Q1 1900 Marylebone	vol 1a, page 530
Dora	Q4 1901 Marylebone	vol 1a, page 488
Jeanie	Q1 1903 Edmonton (S Tottenham)	vol 3a, page 472
William Ewart	Q1 1905 Edmonton (S Tottenham)	vol 3a, page 540
Donald	Q4 1907 Edmonton (S Tottenham)	vol 3a, page 501

1891 census RG12, Piece 95, folio 72 page 47
88 Christopher Buildings, Marylebone

Ernest [sic]A Bain	head	Married	34	Tailor	born Scotland
Maggie Bain	wife	Married	33		born Scotland
David Bain	son		9		born Scotland
James Bain	son		8		born Scotland
Ernest [sic] Bain	son		8m		born Marylebone, London

1901 census RG13, piece 722, Folio 34, page 5
Avery Allhallows

Henry Hassell	head	married	43	Agricultural Labourer	born St Mary's
Rosina Hassell	wife	married	42		born St Mary's
Clara	dau	single	13		born St Mary's
George	son	single	12		born St Mary's
Albert	son	single	10		born St Mary's

1911Census RG14, Piece 34996, page 2.
Arabia, Cyprus and Gibraltar

David Bain

Gunner

married

79 Company RGA

soldier

Glasgow, Lannark

1911 Census RG14, piece 34996, page 11
Arabia, Cyprus and Gibraltar

Clara Bain	wife	25	married 5yrs	4 children, 2 live, 2 dead	born Hoo Nr Rochester, Kent
Margaret Bain	daughter	3			born Rangoon, Burmah - British subject by parentage
Clara Bain	daughter	5 wks			born Bombay, India - British subject by parentage

Admission to Marylebone school in 1886 showing David's date of birth to be 10 April 1881.

burial

Burial record of David and Clara's son, un-named in the register but he would have been known as David Stanley, the first burial in the new Churchyard.

David's medal record which shows that he was take POW on 9 April 1916 and died 14 August 1916