Arthur Dean

Private Arthur Dean – Military Police Corps

Early Life and Enlistment

Short Service Records

Arthur Dean's early records come from the 1901 and 1911 Censuses, which trace his family home in Neath, his marriage to Emily, and the children they were raising before the war. His surviving military papers are limited to his Short Service Record, which shows he enlisted in 1914, in the opening months of the First World War, but was declared not physically fit and formally discharged in April 1915.

His service record also names his next of kin as his wife, Emily Dean, of 38 Greenway Road, Neath, which became the family’s home address.

Census Research

1901 Census
The census records Arthur Dean, aged 24, living with his in-laws at 10 Anne Street, Neath. The head of the household was Charles Blake, 67, described as “invalid,” and his wife, Ellen Blake, 57. Their daughters included Ellen Blake (later Emily Dean), aged 26, and Mary Blake, aged 15.

Arthur appears here as their son-in-law, employed as a General Labourer. Two of his young children were already present in the household — Jeremiah Dean, 3, and Ellen Dean, 1. Also living in the house were three additional grandchildren of Charles and Ellen Blake: George Bresnan, 10; John Bresnan, 12; and Mary E. Bresnan, 10.

This record confirms that Arthur had married into the Blake family in the late 1890s and was raising his first two children while still living under the same roof as his wife’s parents. Emily is recorded under her maiden surname, a common clerical inconsistency in census returns.

1911 Census Ten years later, the census shows the Dean household at 34 Charles Street, Neath. Arthur Dean, aged 33, was working as a labourer, while his wife Emily, aged 30, managed the home. Their children were Jeremiah, 13; Ellen, 11; Sarah, 8; Charlie, 3; and Willie, 1. Also living in the household was Emily’s widowed mother, Ellen Blake, aged 67, along with two older grandsons from the extended family — John Bresnan, 23, employed as a carter, and George Bresnan, 24, employed as a labourer.

Death and Burial

Arthur Dean
Danygraig Cemetery
credit - findagrave

Arthur Dean died on 15^th August 1917. Despite the brevity of his active service, his passing was marked with the dignity accorded to a man who had answered the call to arms in 1914.

The Herald of Wales and the South Wales Daily Post carried notices of his death and funeral. These reports noted the presence of family, neighbours, and representatives of the local community who gathered to pay their respects. His coffin, borne by fellow servicemen and family members, was interred at Danygraig Cemetery, Swansea.

The service reflected both military and family traditions: prayers and scripture readings emphasised his willingness to serve despite ill health, while floral tributes were laid by his widow Emily, their children, and members of the extended Blake and Bresnan families. His comrades and neighbours also contributed wreaths, honouring his short but sincere commitment to the war effort.

Arthur’s funeral was recorded as the last military burial at Danygraig in 1917, symbolically closing another year of sacrifice for Swansea families.

Legacy

Although few details survive of his life, Arthur Dean’s story reflects the experience of many men who enlisted in 1914 but whose health prevented them from continuing in uniform. His grave at Danygraig Cemetery ensures that his name endures among Swansea’s wartime dead, standing as a reminder of the breadth of sacrifice — not only those who fell in battle, but also those whose service ended prematurely due to illness or infirmity.