1867 –1927
Served in Army in India and later in WWI.
Relatives
Research:
Unmarked grave Herbert Vincent Edney (1867-1927)
Herbert was born in 1867 Swansea, Glamorgan. He was registered as Vincent Herbert, but appears to have always used his second name.
His mother Lucy (née Allam), had been born in Hemel Hempstead and his father was Joseph Edney, a railway policeman from Berkshire.
In 1871 the family were living in Neath, near Swansea, but his father died in Swansea in 1880 and by 1881 Herbert was living with his mother in George Street, Berkhamsted and working as a “factory boy”. Also at home were his two younger sisters and two younger brothers.
In July 1885 Herbert enlisted in the King’s Own Rifle Corps. He was 18 years old and had been working as a painter. He was just over 5 foot 5 inches tall, with dark blue eyes and brown hair.
Herbert served in India November 1890 to March 1893 and the rest of his time in the UK.
In 1891 he was part of the Miranzel Expedition against the Pathans. In March-May 1891 he was with the Black Mountains Expedition to Hazara on the banks of the Indus River in the Hindu Kush, fighting the Hassanzai and Akazai tribes of Pathans and he was part of the Izazi Expedition of 1892. He was discharged in July 1897 after serving 12 years as a private.
He married Elizabeth Emma Blundell at St John’s, Northchurch 7 April 1894. They were to have two sons and four daughters, one of whom, Elsie, died as an infant and is buried in this cemetery.
In 1911 the family were living in New Street, Sunnyside and Herbert was employed as a groundsman.
On the 14th October 1914 Herbert, then 45, enlisted as a private in the Herts Regiment of the Territorial Army, eventually discharged in October 1917. By 1916 this had become part of the Royal Defense Corps: “The role of the corps was … to provide troops for security and guard duties inside the United Kingdom, guarding important locations such as ports, bridges and railways, as well as prisoner-of-war camps. Garrison battalions were composed of soldiers either too old or medically unfit for active front-line service….The RDC was organised into independent companies of men aged between 41 and 60. Protection Companies guarded infrastructure, while Observation Companies kept watch for enemy activity off the coast and in the skies.” (Wikipedia)
By 1921 they had moved to 6, Bridge Street and Herbert was employed as a printer’s porter at HM Stationery Office.
He died at home in December 1927 aged 60. Elizabeth survived him until 1938 and is buried in this cemetery.
View burial 
Personalities of the Past
The Fallen of WWI in Rectory Lane Cemetery
Memorial Symbolism
