Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Reginald Cooper Littlebury

09/11/1887 –22/09/1942

Manager of Court Theatre; died in air raid when temporarily managing cinema in Rye

• Melanie Hilton

Unmarked grave Reginald Cooper Littlebury (1887-1942)

Reginald was born 9 November 1887 in East Bergholt, Suffolk to Thomas Halls Littlebury, a post master, and his wife Agnes Sarah, who had been born in Malta.

Reginald was one of nine children and attended the village primary school.

In 1891 the family was living at The Post Office, East Bergholt, although Thomas’s occupation is shown on the census as boot maker – perhaps he was combining both jobs.

The 1901 census found 13 year old Reginald in Colchester hospital for some unspecified reason. However, he appears to have made a full recovery and in 1911 the family, including Reginald and five of his unmarried siblings, were living at 3, Brailsford Road, Tulse Hill, London. He was employed as an engineer’s clerk.

Reginald never married.

He became the manager of the Central Cinema, Great Yarmouth. The Yarmouth Independent for August 23 1924 records the transfer of the music licence for the cinema from Reginald who had moved to Berkhamsted to take over the management of the Court Theatre.

By 1934 Reginald was living at “Wyalony”, Greenway, Berkhamsted, the address he gave when he was fined for running a red light in Redhill in his car.

1939 Register shows him living at 47, Charles Street, apparently as the lodger of the Samuel family.

In a stroke of extraordinary bad luck, Reginald, aged 54, took a temporary appointment as assistant manager at the Regent Theatre in Rye. He “was to be in Rye for just a fortnight to get a respite from the London Bombing.” (https://ryesown.co.uk/rye-at-war/)

On 22 September 1942 the Regent Cinema, Rye, took a direct hit from German bombs. Reginald, who had just finished showing a training film, was the only fatality. A mother and baby who had taken refuge in the foyer were pulled safely from the wreckage.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has the following entry: “Of The Court Theatre, Berkhampstead, Hertfordshire. Son of Agnes Littlebury, of 84 Norfolk House Road, Streatham, Surrey, and of the late T. H. Littlebury. Died at Regent Cinema, Cinque Ports Street.”

Reginald was brought back to Berkhamsted to be buried here but is commemorated on the Rye war memorial.