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Discover your ancestors who went to Epsom College in Surrey, England, and whose deaths are recorded by the college. Explore when and where your relative died, how they died, and where they are buried or commemorated. Included in these records are those of Charles John Blasson, a medical student who acted as dresser and secretary to Sherlock Holmes creator, Arthur Conan Doyle, during the Boer War.

Learn about these records

Learn about these records

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Each record comprises an original transcript. The amount of information listed varies, but the records usually include a combination of the following information about your ancestor:

• First name(s)

• Last name

• Birth year

• Age

• Birth country

• Next of kin details

• Service number

• Rank

• Regiment

• Battalion

• Death year

• Death date

• Death place

• Cause of death

• Conflict

• Burial or commemoration place

• Burial or commemoration reference number

• Notes

Discover more about the Epsom College Deaths 1899 - 1945

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The record set comprises 650 records.

These records date from 1899 to 1945.

Epsom College

A co-educational independent school in Surrey, Epsom College was established in 1853 by Dr. John Propert as a boys’ school to give support for poor members of the medical profession. In 1855, Epsom College was formally opened by Prince Albert and his son, the future King Edward VII. Queen Victoria was the first patron, as is the present Queen today. The school is located on the outskirts of Epsom, near Epsom Downs. The Epsom Downs Racecourse is home to the Epsom Derby and the site of suffragette Emily Davison’s protest in front of King George V’s horse in 1913. (Both horse and suffragette went down; Davison died from her injuries four days later.)

A number of air raid shelters were built on the school’s Chapel Triangle during World War 2, the outlines of which are still visible today.

Notable alumni

Stewart Granger (Hollywood actor)

Jeremy Vine (BBC journalist)

Tim Vine (comedian)

Nick Paton-Walsh (journalist)

Suzannah Lipscomb (academic and broadcaster)

Ciara Janson (Hollyoaks actress)

Catherine (“Caggie”) Dunlop (Made in Chelsea star)

Robert (Bob) Rosaveare, a codebreaker at Bletchley Park during World War 2, taught mathematics at Epsom College after the war.

Epsom

Epsom is a market town in Surrey, Southern England. It gives its names to Epsom Salts (magnesium sulphate), which were identified from mineral waters there.

Causes of death

Many recorded causes of death are vague; for example, ‘Killed in action,’ ‘Missing,’ ‘Died.’ Some of the more specific causes of death include death by shell, disease, exposure, drowning after torpedo attack, or accidental death on duty.

Charles John Blasson

Included in these records is Charles John Blasson, a medical student who was a dresser and secretary to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes, during the Boer War. Conan Doyle was one of four civilian medical professionals recruited to the privately funded Langman Field Hospital in Bloemfontein, South Africa. Blasson died on his 23rd birthday on 2 August 1900 of typhoid fever. He is acknowledged in Conan Doyle’s book The Great Boer War for his literary assistance.

Conflicts mentioned in these records

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Algeria

Belgium

Burma

China

Denmark

Egypt

Eritrea

Ethiopia

France

Germany

Greece

Holland

Hong Kong

India

Israel

Italy

Libya

Burma

China

Denmark

Egypt

Eritrea

Ethiopia

France

Germany

Greece

Holland

Hong Kong

India

Israel

Italy

Libya

Uganda

United Kingdom