My great-grandfather's brother : Victor Alphonso Delonnette (b1892)

VICTOR ALPHONSO DELONNETTE (or ALPHONSO) was born circa 1892 in Brighton (source : 1901 and 1911 censuses). On the 1901 census, aged 9, he is living with his parents at 13 Queens Road, Hastings, Sussex. His father died in 1908 when he was 16, so he'd have become the man of the house as the eldest son.

 On the 1911 census, aged 19, he is an unmarried Vanman for a Corn Merchant (quite possibly Strickland's, see below), listed with his widowed mother Emily and four siblings at 45 Victoria Avenue, Ore, Hastings.

He was in trouble with the long arm of the law in 1915 but it was really his boss's fault ! Hastings and St Leonards Observer East Sussex, 18 Dec 1915. Alphonso Delonette was summoned for not having required lights on a cart at Dorset Place and for obstruction. Albert Herrmann, as Manager for the Kent and Sussex Casing Company, was summoned for not providing the lights. "It was a windy night", Mr Polley, Special Constable said, "the only lamp was very inadequate." Herrmann was fined 10s6d, and Delonnette 7s6d.

Hastings and St Leonards Observer, 4 Mar 1916, showed that he requested exemption from going off to war : "UNIQUE EMPLOYMENT. Mr Alphonse Delannette, 24 years of age, claimed through his employers Webb and Co. Applicant described himself as a skin and gut scraper and offal collector. His father was a Frenchman. It took a long time to learn the business. He suggested that it was in the interests of the town that offal should be properly collected, and in this matter he believed he had he support of the Medical Officer of Health. The Tribunal allowed a month's exemption to enable the firm to make arrangements."

He served in the First World War as Gunner Delonnette, and appears in the Roll of Honour in the Hastings and St Leonards Pictorial Advertiser and Visitors List of May 25th 1916.

Hastings and St Leonards Observer East Sussex, England

9 Jun 1917

His photo was sent in by Miss Eleanor Rackliff, 91a Hughenden Road, Hastings and the caption reads : " Gunner Delonnette, now at the Base, having been slightly gassed and shellshocked" (source : Roll of Honour). He received a medal for his service in world war one, his name being recorded as Alfonso Delonnett (source : War Office: Service Medal and Award Rolls Index, First World War, on the National Archives database). He served in the Royal Field Artillery as a Gunner and his regiment number was 135581 (source : medal roll).

 He married BESSIE ANNIE WOOD on 28th November 1920 at Christchurch, Ore, Hastings, Sussex (source : parish register 434/1/3/3 page 95 entry 190). He was aged 27, his occupation was skin dresser and at the time of the marriage, his residence was recorded as 45 Victoria Avenue, Hastings, his parents’ home (source : marriage register). On her marriage record, BESSIE ANNIE WOOD’s age was recorded as 18, crossed through and 17 written underneath and initialled by the vicar. No occupation was listed and her residence was also recorded as 45 Victoria Avenue, her in-law’s home. Her father, ALBERT FREDERICK WOOD, was a railwayman (source : marriage register).

 In 1927, he shows up (as Alphonso Delonnette) on a record for voters at 1st Flat, 63 Hughenden Road, Hastings. On the 1939 register, Victor and Bessie are in Hastings with Maisie.

Hastings and St Leonards Observer East Sussex, England

24 Oct 1953

According to Bessie's dad's obituary, the couple were known as Bess and Phonso.


 In the Hastings Directory for 1948, he is listed (as Victor A. Delonnette) at 40 Elphinstone Road. He lived here until his death in 1969 (source : obituary).

 His obituary states that : "Throughout most of his working life, until a very few years ago, he was on the staff of Messrs. F. Strickland and Sons Ltd. Since his retirement, Mr Delonnette had been very active in membership of the West Hill and District Old Age Pensioners Association until quite recently". Stricklands was the local coal merchants, where Victor lost his arm in an accident on the crusher (source : family knowledge).

 Bessie died in 1967 (source : Victor's obituary). Victor Alphonso Delonnette died, aged 77, on Friday 24th October 1969 in St Helen's Hospital, Hastings, Sussex (source : obituary in Hastings Observer, Sat 1st Nov 1969, page 2). His obituary states : "The funeral took place at the Borough Crematorium on Wednesday (29th October 1969), when the Rev. J. Frame officiated in the presence of immediate members of the family and representatives of Messrs. F. Stricklands and Sons Ltd., of the West Hill and District Old Age Pensioners Association, and of the Pentecostal Church". The obituary also states that his daughter "desires to express sincere thanks to the doctors and nursing staff of St Helen's Hospital; to the many friends for their kindnesses and numerous tokens of sympathy received in her bereavement, including those who have so kindly made donations to the Bible and Medical Missionary Fellowship of London, S.E.11, in lieu of flowers", so he appears to have been linked to this religion. The funeral arrangements were made by Hinkley Funeral Service, 52 Mount Pleasant Road, Hastings (source : obituary).

 The child of VICTOR ALPHONSO DELONNETTE and BESSIE ANNIE WOOD: 

MAISIE EDITH DELONNETTE was born in September quarter 1921 in Hastings, Sussex (source : Free BMD, district Hastings volume 2b page 14 ). She married EDWARD GEORGE BERNARD OLSEN on Saturday 16th May 1942 at Robertson Street Congregational Church, Hastings, Sussex.

Hastings and St Leonards Observer East Sussex, England

5 Dec 1936

Hastings and St Leonards Observer East Sussex, England

23 May 1942

She is frequently mentioned in the newspapers in relation to Oxford University in the 1930s.

Census returns for VICTOR ALPHONSO DELONNETTE

 1901 census: address : 13 Queens Road, Hastings (later known as Victoria Avenue), Sussex

 Alphonso DELONNETTE age 65 born France Emily DELONNETTE wife age 33 born Chichester Alphonso DELONNETTE son age 9 born Brighton Josephine DELONNETTE dau age 7 born Brighton Geogina DELONNETTE dau age 4 born Brighton Augustus DELONNETTE son age 2 born Hastings Wichelmina DELONNETTE dau age 2 months born Hastings