Scipio James POOLE
Scipio James Poole
Scipio is a masculine name of Latin and Roman origin meaning “staff,” “stick,” or “sceptre.” Pronounced SKIP-ee-o and SIP-ee-o in English.
Scipio was born in 1882 in Christchurch, Southwark. He was the fourth child of nine known children born to William and Jane, nee Watling, Poole; both his parents were born in 1852 and died in 1937.
Scipio’s parents had married on 31st October 1875 in St Barnabas Church in Islington, and seemed to have a penchant for giving unusual names to their older sons:
- William Alfred (1876 – 1943)
- Christopher Paulett (1878 – 1939)
- Alfred Emington (1880 – 1953)
- Scipio James (1882 – 1917)
- Louisa Jane Dora (1885 – 1968)
- Benjamin Bowman (1886 – 1916)
- Olive Lillian (1888 – 1963)
- Arthur Robert (1890 – 1916)
- Mabel Florence (1893 – 1969)
Before he was born, Scipio’s parents and older siblings were living at 100 Broadwall, Christchurch, Southwark, when the 1881 census was taken on the evening of 3rd April.
His 29-year-old father William was working as a bootmaker to support his wife Jane and their sons William aged 4, Christopher aged 3, and Alfred aged 1.
This address remained the family’s home for the next ten years, but when the 1891 census was taken Scipio’s father William had changed professions and was a fishing tackle dealer while working from home.
When the 1901 census was taken on the evening of 31st March, Scipio was aged 18 and working as a clerk while lodging at 73 Roupell Street, Lambeth, with his 21-year-old brother Alfred E Poole, who was working as a machine ruler paper (print).
Scipio was aged 25 when his mental health deteriorated so much that he needed to be admitted on 10th June 1908 into the Long Grove Asylum in Epsom.
When the 1911 census was taken there on 2nd April, the enumerators’ did not record the patient’s full names and only recorded them by their initials. The census also stated that Scipio had been a clerk to a publisher before his illness.
When the First World War started in 1914, Scipio’s brothers Benjamin and Arthur both served and died while being in the 12th Battalion Rifle Brigade.
Within weeks of each other, Benjamin was killed in action on 6th June 1916 during the battle of Ypres and his brother Arthur died on 14th September 1916 in the No 21 Casualty Clearing Station, France.
One can only imagine the family’s heartbreak at this tragic time.
Just six months after losing their sons Benjamin and Arthur, William and Jane received the news that their 35-year-old son Scipio had died in Long Grove on 13th March 1917.
His death certificate states that he had been a Clerk of 104a Broadwall, Lambeth, and that the cause of his death was Pulmonary Tuberculosis (about 2 years).
Scipio’s death certificate
His body was buried in grave 1186a in the Horton Estate Cemetery on 19th March 1917.