Harold Garnett SCHENK (1885-1961)

Harold Garnett Schenk (1885-1961) was a schoolfriend of Arthur Sladden when they both attended Christ College, Brecon.

Harold Schenk was born in 1885 at Chepstow, Monmouthshire, the fifth of seven children of August Oswald Schenk, a civil engineer, and his wife, Ellen.  In 1891, the family was living at Levenshulme, Lancashire.

At the time of the 1911 census, Harold was Assistant Manager of a Steel Works and living with his parents and two of his sisters at 53 Bryn Road, Swansea.  He married Nora O’Sullivan in 1913 in the Paddington district.  They had two daughters:  Gisela Oona Mary (1913-1991) and Faith Blake (1920).

When war broke out, Harold was married with a young daughter and in a reserved occupation, so there was no expectation that he would enlist.  At the end of 1915, he enrolled on the Derby scheme and was placed in category 36 as a married man.  He was at that stage making shells in a controlled factory.  In the event, he was never called up because of his important job at the iron works.

Harold and family lived at Grey Edge, West Cross, Swansea.

Harold died on 13th November 1961 at 52 Clarendon Drive, Putney, London.