The Haileybury Society was recently contacted by Mr R Emerson, the Churchwarden of St Laurence Church, Upton cum Chalvey, near Slough in the county of Berkshire. He was seeking information concerning 2nd.Lt. P C Weaver-Adams (M 1913) who is commemorated at the church with a stained glass window dedicated to his memory.
Flying accident
Philip Weaver-Adams served in the newly-formed RAF and, according to Mr Emerson, died in a training accident in Lincolnshire towards the end of WW1, aged 19. Philip’s gravestone lies in the churchyard and the window in his memory is a fine addition to the church.
Photograph of a young Philip Weaver-Adams
While we were unable to furnish Mr Emerson with much information on Philip, we were delighted to be able to share a photograph featuring him, and a number of other OH boys in the Melvill House rugby XV of 1914.
The photograph, an innocent portrayal of young boys proud of their house team, is tinged with a deeper sadness. Eleven of the boys in the photograph were to die on active service; seven within four years of the photograph being taken – including Philip (circled in close-up below). The photograph shows (l-r):
Top Row:
G H C Pennycook (d. 1967); G L Maslen (d. 1972); L C M Bellamy (d. 1944)
Second Row:
F C Coleman (d. 1917); E H Dibdin (d. 1946); A C Whitcombe (d. 1979); W J Malden (d. 1963); L E B Wimbush (d. 1918); J B P Seccombe (d. 1936)
Seated:
R H W Upton (d. 1917); C H Critchley, MC (d. 1982); P G C Saillard (d. 1917); G C Thorne, DSO (d. 1942); K P Smith, MC (d. 1951)
Front row:
R A Baring (d. 1918); P C Weaver-Adams (d. 1918)
More information about Philip Weaver-Adams
Since this article was published, we have heard further from Mr Emerson who has sent us a copy of The Friends of St Lawrence Newsletter with an article exploring Philip’s life in greater detail. You can download the article below.
About the Roll of Honour
The information in this article forms part of a wider project for Old Haileyburians to submit information of family members who died on military service and who are commemorated in our Roll of Honour. Our Roll of Honour page enables you also to supply information about your own family members who died on active service.