Lewis Lazarus and his younger brother, Emmanuel joined Ilford County High School in 1901. His father was Henry (a commercial traveller making and selling cabinets and steel products) and his mother was Emily. Lewis was one of six children; he had three sisters (Bessie, Mabel and Miriam) and two brothers (Emanuel and Leopold). His family lived at 42 Kingswood Road, Goodmayes.
Lewis left the school aged 14, in July 1903 to take a job in business. The 1911 census records Lewis as a twenty-two-year old commercial traveller who specialised in lace goods.
In 1926, the Honorary Chairman of the Old Parkonians Cricket Club wrote a tribute to Lewis in the Commemorative edition of Chronicles. He claimed, ‘To Lew stands the honour of making two centuries during the time in which he played for the Club, and his 112 against Mayfield C. C. in Goodmayes Park still remains the highest individual score in any game. He was the Cricket team captain in 1911-12. Lewis also played right back in the 1902-3 school football team who became Champions of London by winning the Dewar Shield (after a 1-0 victory over Greenwich in the final). The school’s football annual described Lewis as, ‘a good sound kick and tackler. Very fond of volleying. Uses his weight with good judgment. During the last month of the season his kicking became very sure. Honours badge awarded; school 1903.’
His army service record shows that by the time he enlisted for the army on 10th December 1915, Lewis was one month short of his 27th birthday, was married and had a 10-month old daughter, Dora. He had married Esther Freeman in West Ham Synagogue, Forest Gate on 10th June 1914.
Lewis died of Influenza and Bronchial Pneumonia on 15th December 1918, having been admitted to the Military Hospital in Parkhurst on 7th December 1918. When admitted, his body temperature was recorded as 103.6. He died of heart failure. After his death, the army and Ilford police had a little difficulty locating his wife to return some of his effects and death plaque. This was because after his death, his wife and daughter moved to New South Wales in Australia.
Research by Andrew Emeny, History Teacher at ICHS
Sources:
Ancestry.com
ICHS school records and magazines
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Note
Ilford County High School started life as the Park Higher Grade School in 1901 in Balfour Road, Ilford. It was renamed Ilford County High School (or initially County High School, Ilford) in the years after the school’s management was transferred from Ilford School Board to Essex Education Committee in 1904.