Commemorated: | |||
Awards & Titles: | Bachelor of the Arts Bachelor of Law | ||
Early Life :
Born 1884, at Tunbridge Wells to Samuel and Hannah Oaten of "Sunnyside", St. Peter's Estate, Tonbridge where he spent his early years. He had one elder sister, Etheline (b.1883) and a younger sister, Ellen (b.1887). His father was a Schoolmaster, no doubt a strong influence on what Edward would later become. By the time of the 1901 census, two further brothers had been born, Walter (b.1893) and Frank (b.1896).A referenced biographical account is listed on ThoseBefore.com by Tim Hill.
A 'book review' article about his pre-war activities was written for the Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser on 9th April, 1909 : - "Travels in India (European travellers in India during the Fifteenth, Sixteenth, and Seventeeth Centuries)," by Edward Farley Oaten, B.A., LL.B. (London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Truebner and Company, Limited, 3s. 6d. net), is a book which fills a hiatus in the popular acquaintance with India, gathering together as it does the threads of a loosely-woven fabric of knowledge of the country acquired from the occasional visits of the Europeans before the Peninsular became the hunting-ground of the adventurer with the set purpose of acquisition, and the El Dorado of the pioneers of the later commerce. The public will find both visitors and visited interesting in the light of their own revelations of themselves."
By the 6th September, 1909 his appointment in India was announced in the Homeward Mail from India, China and the East publication: "The Secretary of State has appointed Mr. Edward Farley Oaten B.A., LL.B., of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, to the India Education Service, Bengal." This corresponds nicely with The India Office List which shows OATEN, EDWARD FARLEY, M.A., LL.B., late Indian Educl. Service (Bengal) (b.24th Feb., 1884).- Joined the service, 20th Oct., 1909 as profr., Presy. Coll., Calcutta; on mil service, Sept. 1916, to March, 1919; asst. dir. of public instrn., Bengal, Feb., 1921; offg. dir. of public instrn., Feb., 1924; confd., June, 1924; retd., July, 1930.
In the interwar years his name is sadly linked to his own divorce case in the Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser of 14th March, 1930 - "TUNBRIDGE WELLS DIVORCE CASES. - Mr Justice Hill in the Divorce Court on Monday heard the petition of Mr. Edward Farley Oaten, of Tunbridge Wells, for a dissolution of his marriage with his wife, Dorothy Aileen Fegan Oaten, on the ground of her adultery with a co-respondent named Alexander Keith Jameson. The suit was not defended. The parties were married in June, 1914, and lived for a time in Hindhead, there being two children. In September, 1916, petition joined the Army and was posted to the North-Western Frontier of India. After his demobilisation from the Army he returned to civil life in India. Later he and his wife became acquainted with the co-respondent and a friendship between the wife and the co-respondent led to remonstrances that it was all going too far. All petitioner's efforts to persuade her to give up the co-respondent were unavailing. His Lordship granted the petitioner a decree nisi with costs and custody."
Family :
Married Dorothy Aileen Fegan (nee Ellis), 16th June, 1914 at Grayshott, St Luke, Surrey, who he divorces as seen above. The urgency of his divorce seems apparent in his second marriage to Kathleen Mary Briscoe in 1931.Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: 11th King Edward's Own Lancers (Probyn's Horse) |
| Action : War Survivor |
Although many perished in times of national conflict and in the service of their country, many more survived including those interned as Prisoners of War. Stories of those who did survive are included as part of this site, especially those with high gallantry awards, those included against an external rolls of honour and those who had a distinguished career in wartime and military leaderhip.
Detail :
Captain & Adjutant, 11th Lancers, Indian Army.
He was cremated at a Kent crematorium on 24th April, 1973.
Probate OATEN Edward Farley of 9 Beech Cl Walton-on-Thames Sy died 17 April 1973 Probate Brighton 26 June £33202.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Holmesdale No. 874 E.C. | West Kent |
| Joined : | Devon No. 1999 E.C. | Northern India |
| Joined : | Lodge Concordia No. 3102 E.C. | Devonshire |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
19th December 1906 | 16th January 1907 | 20th February 1907 |
Edward joined Freemasonry as a 22 year old post-graduate and B.A. Cambridge, when his stated residence was "Sydney Sussex College Camb". He was initiated into Holmesdale Lodge No. 874, the lodge of his father, Samuel, in West Kent in 1906. Whilst out in India in 1913, working for the Indian Education Service, he joined Concordia Lodge No. 3102, at Calcutta (and which now meets in Torquay, Province of Devonshire). He went on to join Devon Lodge No. 1999 at Jullundur on 18th January, 1918 whilst a Lieutenant but by September of the same year he had resigned.
His war service is recorded in the contribution record of Concordia Lodge No. 3102 for 1916-1918 after which he continues to pay his dues. He stays out in Calcutta for some years following the war as he goes on to become Worshipful Master of Concordia, 1924-1925. His Past Master jewel is in the charge of the Lodge Secretary, Simon Wills, Thomas Harper Lodge No. 9612.
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley