Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Second Lieutenant Geoffrey Wynne Bavin (369)

17/07/1897 –01/01/1916

2nd Lieut. RAF, died in plane crash at Upavon, Wiltshire in 1916

  View CWGC record

Relatives

John Thomas Bavin — father

Grace Bavin — mother

• Janice Boakes

Geoffrey Wynne Bavin was the third of seven children born to Captain John Thomas Bavin, the 12th Queen’s and Mrs Grace Bavin, of Berkhamsted. He was born on 17th July 1897 and was educated at Westminster Abbey choir school, Berkhamsted School and at Sandhurst. He left the Royal Military College in October 1915, obtained his pilot’s certificate in November and his “wings” in early February 1916.

Second Lieutenant Geoffrey Wynne Bavin died on 1st April 1916 when his plane crashed at Upavon in Wiltshire. No one witnessed the accident, but he was seen beginning a descent from a height of 2,000 feet. The machine was a new one which had arrived from Farnborough the day before. A verdict of “Accidental Death” was recorded. His commandant said of him: “He was an extraordinarily fine pilot, and had he lived would undoubtedly have been in the front rank of airmen. On the day of his death he was about to take up a position in the experimental squadron, where his fine flying would make him very useful. He was a clean, straight boy, and is a great loss not only to his family, but to the Service”. His father and two elder brothers had been serving in the war since 1914 and at the time of his death both elder brothers were in France.

Bavin is buried in Rectory Lane Cemetery, adjacent to the memorial archway. His name has been inscribed on the Town War Memorial outside St Peter’s Church in Berkhamsted, and on the memorial plaque inside the church.

Additionally, because he sang in the choir at Westminster Abbey, Geoffrey Wynne Bavin’s name is written on the staff war memorial in the Chapel of St George inside Westminster Abbey. In 2017, his name was included in the newly created war memorial at the Army Flying Museum in Middle Wallop, Hampshire. In Rectory Lane Cemetery, Bavin’s name was included in the new Garden of Remembrance War Memorial, unveiled in 2020.

John Thomas Bavin

1869 –20/06/1937

Principal of Music, Berkhamsted School, Director of Music of Foundling Hospital; Army officer WWI.

Relatives

Grace Bavin — wife

Second Lieutenant Geoffrey Wynne Bavin (369) — son

Charles William Bavin (272) — brother

• Melanie Hilton

Plot 369 Major John Thomas Bavin (1869-1937)

John Thomas Bavin was born in in 1869 in the hamlet of Stixwould, just north of Woodhall Spa in Lincolnshire, the second son of Charles and Martha Anne Bavin. Charles was a land agent and farmer. John was baptised in the parish church 5th July that year.

Charles passed away in February 1870, at Stixwould, aged only thirty one. By the time of the 1871 census Martha, her two sons – three year old Charles William and one year old John Thomas – were living at 27, Monson Street, Lincoln. Martha was described as “Private school teacher”. To help make ends meet she had taken two boarders, brothers aged nine and ten, and had a young domestic servant to help out.

Ten years later the family were living in Lincoln at South Park Terrace overlooking Lincoln’s South Common. Also in the household were two unmarried female cousins of Martha’s and a young female servant.

John was a pupil at Lincoln Cathedral Choir School. In 1886 he joined the Territorials aged seventeen and remained with them until the outbreak of war.

Between 1884 and 1889 John was an articled pupil to the organist of Lincoln cathedral, then took up the post of Deputy Organist at Lincoln in August 1889. He did not remain there for long, however, and moved to Southampton later that year to be Music Master, organist and Choir Master at Handel College, Southampton, a private boys’ school where he taught until 1891. (More about the college and a photograph are at http://sotonopedia.wikidot.com/page-browse:handel-college.) During his time in Southampton he served as organist and choirmaster at St Peter’s Church.

In 1891, aged twenty two, John moved to Berkhamsted School to take charge of the school’s music, eventually becoming Director of Music. He wrote the music for the school song Carmen Berkhamstediense, introduced House singing competitions and took charge of both the choir and the first school orchestra in 1897. He was a great supporter of the Officer Training Corps, played football and cricket and was Housemaster of Bees. [With thanks to the Archivist of Berkhamsted School for this information].

John married Grace Durance, the daughter of a solicitor, in Lincoln in 1893, giving his occupation as “musician”.

He studied for the Oxford University Preliminary and Parts 1 and II of a degree of Bachelor of Music from 1900, although it has not yet been possible to find a date for the award of a degree. The Lives of the First World War website states “Non-collegiate matriculation Oxford university 1900.” (https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/)

The couple were to have seven children: Charles (b. 1895), Arthur Julian Walter (b.1896), Geoffrey Wynne (1897), Elsa Mary (b.1900), John Herbert (b.1902), Margaret Grace (b.1905) and Edward Sydney Durance (b.1907). Their third son, Geoffrey, joined the Royal Flying Corps, was tragically killed in a training accident in November 1915 and is buried here.

In the Musical Times for December 1900 there is a notice under “Organ Recitals”:

“Mr J. T. Bavin is giving a series of organ recitals in Berkhamsted School Chapel, in which he will play Mendelssohn’s six Sonatas. Two novel features of these recitals may be recorded (1) analytical notes, with music type illustrations, on the Sonatas and (2) that each Sonata is repeated at the end of the programme, ‘so that those who wish to hear it a second time may have the opportunity.’”

In 1901 John and his family were at ‘Lindum’, Upper King’s Road. He is described as “Musician”, and also part of the household was his “assistant music mistress. Completing the establishment were a “Lady Nurse”, perhaps helping with the youngest child, and a domestic servant.

In the 1911 census he gives his occupation as “Music Master, Berkhamsted School” and the family were living at 95, High Street, a large house of eleven rooms. Also in the household were an assistant music master, a lady’s help and a domestic servant.

With the outbreak of war John joined up and was initially posted to the Norfolk Regiment, 2^nd (Reserve) Battalion of which he became Adjutant. He was latter second in command of  the 12th Battalion, The Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment and ended the war a major.

He returned to Berkhamsted School in July 1919, but left in December that year.

In the 1921 census John and Grace are shown still at 95, High Street, but he is no longer a teacher and his occupation is given as “Music Secretary, Young Men’s Christian Association”. Their children Margaret and Edward were still at home and Grace was employing a “companion”, a single unmarried lady slightly younger than herself.

John’s career and activities after he left Berkhamsted School are difficult to date. His entry in Who Was Who states: “Organist and Director of the Music, The Foundling Hospital Chapel.” In The Musical Directory, 1930, there is the entry: “Berkhamsted School of Music (Prin. J.T. Bavin), Lower King’s Rd, Gt. Berkhamsted” This would appear to be a private institution.

John died aged sixty seven on 20th June 1937.

His wife Grace survived him by two years and is buried here with him and their son Geoffrey.

Who Was Who lists his publications as: “Music for School and Home; Pathways to Music; A Piano Class Instructor; A String Class Instructor; Aids to Music; numerous articles on music teaching.”

John’s brother Charles William Bavin and his wife Ethel Margaret, are buried here in Plot 272.

His daughter-in-law (Muriel) Joyce (née Berryman), wife of John Herbert Bavin, is buried in Plot 271.

Grace Bavin

d.08/12/1939

Mother of RAF 2nd Lieutenant Geoffrey Wynne Bavin

Relatives

Second Lieutenant Geoffrey Wynne Bavin (369) — son

John Thomas Bavin — husband