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Alfred Quin
Alfred Quin was named in an undated Foreign Office document contained
within file FO 369/710, entitled Russenlager Ruhleben (Ruhleben Russian Camp), implying it was compiled at the outbreak of
internment in 1914. He was described as 19 years old and previously at
work in Berlin.
Quin was also named in another file in
FO 369/710 dated 11 OCT 1914, in a list communicated to the Foreign Office by a Nurse Coe (with thanks to Simon Fowler).
James Quinn
From the handbook of the Ruhleben Football Association Season 1915, we
learn that James Quinn was resident at 24 Blackburn Grove, Bootle, was born in Bootle on 8 APR 1892, was an engineer
arrested in Hamburg on 6 NOV 1914, and after a brief period of confinement in Hamburg was sent to Ruhleben, where he was interned
in Barrack 1.
Quinn was recorded as a member of the Ruhleben Lancastrian Society in the
Manchester Guardian of January 15th 1915 (p.12). The article is entitled "Interned in Germany: Lancashire's Civilian Prisoners:
Full List of Those Detained at Ruhleben". His address was again recorded as 24 Blackburn Grove, Bootle.
Quinn was also noted as playing on the Rest of the World side, led by Cameron, in a mock international between
England and the Rest of the World on May 2nd 1915. Kick off took place at 4.30pm, and a document with the teams listed was
recently discovered amongst some Foreign Office files by the National Archives, in November 2005.
In the fifth issue of the Ruhleben Camp Magazine (Christmas 1916, p.58) Quinn was noted as having
played for the winning Cameron's XI side against Brearley's XI on October 7th 1916. The score was 4-2 to the Cameron
team.
R
Samuel Raine or Rains
Samuel Raine was one of the Ruhleben prisoners to sign a message of greeting
to Sir Edward Letchworth, Grand Secretary of English Freemasons, postmarked December 9th 1914, and printed in the Times of
December 28th 1914 (page 3, col. B). The message stated:
"Worshipful Sir & Bro.,
We the undersigned brethren, at present interned with other British civilians
at the concentration camp at Ruhleben - Spandau, Germany, send hearty good wishes to the Grand Master, officers and brethren
in Great Britain, hoping that we may have the pleasure soon of greeting them personally."
From the handbook of the Ruhleben Football Association Season 1915, we
learn that Raine (noted as Rains) had his address noted as c/o Mrs Whitley, 11 Mayson Street, Currock, carlisle,
and was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, in 1885. he was an exporter arrested in Hamburg on 6 NOV 1914, and after a brief
imprisonment in Hamburg was interned in Ruhleben, in Barrack 3.
Reginald Ramm
An article from the Times of July 16th 2005 on historian Agatha Ramm confirms that Reginald Ramm,
her father, was a civilian POW at Ruhleben.
When war broke out, Ramm, who ran an English language school in Berlin, was interned, whilst
his wife, a German of French Hugenot descent, left with no means of subsistence, obtained
an emergency pass from the American Embassy, which allowed her three days to get to England. This she achieved, with her daughter
Agatha in her arms, and gold sovereigns sewn into the hem of her petticoat. In England, she lived with her English in-laws
in Brentwood.
Reginald Ramm escaped from Ruhleben in 1917, but was recaptured and moved to a punishment camp at Havelburg. At his homecoming at the end
of the war, Agatha opened the door to a total stranger and noted how prickly his beard was when he picked her up and embraced
her. Of the four brothers who were born between 1919 and 1934, all but the youngest were to predecease her.
After the war, the family moved first to Nottinghamshire, then to Lancashire, where Reginald
Ramm taught.
Ramm was noted in the third issue of the Ruhleben Camp Magazine (May
1916, p.18) as having taken part in a debate against Mr. Farmer entitled "Is Legislation Directed by Social Reform?".
Ramsay
Ramsay was noted in the Scotsman newspaper of May 12th 1915 as having sung
some popular Burns songs at the camp's first Burns Night celebration ("A Burns Celebration in a German Prison", p.14).
W. W. Ramsden
W. W. Ramsden is noted on a list of prisoners of war on a document entitled 'Men in Englander Lager,
Ruhleben', held by Hull Local Studies Library (provisional catalogue entry: Hohenrein Collection F 10b), supplied by senior local studies librarian
David Alexander Smith in July 2008, for which I am grateful. The document
notes that Ramsden was a merchant seaman on board the S. S. Castro, and interned in Barrack 22, A.
M. Randall
M. Randall was noted in The Times of December 8th 1915 as having been one of the 160 prisoners released
from Ruhleben on the previous day who had travelled by train to Flushing ("Returning Civilians" p.9, col.F).
Rankin
Rankin was noted in the second issue of In Ruhleben Camp (1915, p.22) as
being one of the forwards on the losing Scottish side in the freindly rugby international between the Scots-Colonials and
the Welsh.
Norman G. Rapp
Norman G. Rapp was noted in the second issue of In Ruhleben Camp (June 1915, p.28) as having played
the role of Jacques in the play "As You Like It", produced by fellow inmates C. Duncan Jones and Leigh Henry.
Rawcliffe
Rawcliffe's name was inscribed in the autograph book of fellow inmate
W. F. Pinn (Barrack 11, box 7). Many thanks to Paul Bayliss.
Wyatt T. R. Rawson was noted in the second issue of In Ruhleben Camp (June 1915, p.28) as having played
the role of Phoebe in the play "As You Like It", produced by fellow inmates C. Duncan Jones and Leigh Henry. He was sketched
in the role for the same issue (p.11).
Rawson was also noted in issue 7 of the In Ruhleben Camp magazine of having given a paper on H. G.
Wells, one of the papers on the four "Modern English Thinkers" read in the Grand Stand Hall on August 30th (p.2.
September 1915). A further article entitled "What's Wrong With the World" expands on the paper as discussed by him (p.10).
The Liddel Collection of Leeds University holds some items relating to Rawson's stay at the camp,
under reference RUH 43, placed in the collection by Rawson himself in January 1977. These are a manuscript
poem 'To Germany' by Henry Andrews, dated July 21st 1917; a group photograph; a Ruhleben Exhibition catalogue from
1919; a hand-painted Alma Mater insignia on card from 1917; an extract 'An Alabaster Image of St. Christopher', with reference
to C. D. Jones who was at Ruhleben, from 'Country Life' magazine, dated December 31st 1921; a letter from
Vincent, dated January 29th 1938; a typescript of recollections of M. S. Prichard by W. Rawson, with manuscript notes;
notes for a Ruhleben quiz from October 30th 1976; and a typed transcript of an interview recorded with Peter Liddle
in February 1977. The online index tells us that Rawson was born in 1894 in London and educated at Westminster School
and Trinity College, Cambridge. He was at Weimar studying music and philosophy at the outbreak of the war, and was interned
in Barrack 3.
Rudolph Ray
Rudolph Ray was recorded as a member of the Ruhleben Lancastrian Society
in the Manchester Guardian of January 15th 1915 (p.12). The article is entitled "Interned in Germany: Lancashire's Civilian
Prisoners: Full List of Those Detained at Ruhleben". His address was recorded as 60 Booth Street, Manchester.
Rayner
Rayner was noted in the second issue of In Ruhleben Camp (1915, p.22) as being on the winning Welsh
side against the Scots-Colonial team, in a friendly rugby international at the camp.
Samuel Razire
Samuel Razire was one of the Ruhleben prisoners to sign a message of greeting to Sir Edward Letchworth,
Grand Secretary of English Freemasons, postmarked December 9th 1914, and printed in the Times of December 28th 1914 (page
3, col. B). The message stated:
"Worshipful Sir & Bro.,
We the undersigned brethren, at present interned with other British civilians
at the concentration camp at Ruhleben - Spandau, Germany, send hearty good wishes to the Grand Master, officers and brethren
in Great Britain, hoping that we may have the pleasure soon of greeting them personally."
(The entry needs to be reconfirmed
as the signature on the photocopy of the Times article has not come out too clearly).
Ernest C. J. Read
Ernest C. J. Read was one of the Ruhleben prisoners to sign a message of
greeting to Sir Edward Letchworth, Grand Secretary of English Freemasons, postmarked December 9th 1914, and printed in the
Times of December 28th 1914 (page 3, col. B). The message stated:
"Worshipful Sir & Bro.,
We the undersigned brethren, at present interned with other British civilians
at the concentration camp at Ruhleben - Spandau, Germany, send hearty good wishes to the Grand Master, officers and brethren
in Great Britain, hoping that we may have the pleasure soon of greeting them personally."
Read was noted in The Times of December 8th 1915 as having been one of the 160 prisoners released
from Ruhleben on the previous day who had travelled by train to Flushing ("Returning Civilians" p.9, col.F).
On May 8th 1923, Read was further noted in The Times as having failed in a claim against the
German Government for compensation with regards to a business venture he had entered prior to his internment in Germany. The
start of the article describes Read's arrest and internment ("A German Partner", p.5, col. F):
The claimant at the outbreak of war was carrying on business with
Herr Otto Carl Schmidt, a German national, at Hamburg and Altona. Arrested on August 4, 1914, Mr. Read was transferred to
Ruhleben on November 8, 1914, and, owing to ill-health, was repatriated to England on December 6, 1915.
S. F. Reasley
S. F. Reasley, of Market Harborough, was named in a list of merchant seamen
interned at Ruhleben, as published by the Scotsman newspaper on 7/1/1915 (p.7).
Harold Redmayne
The Liddle Collection of Leeds University holds items relating to inmate
Harold Redmayne at RUH 44, which he placed there himself in 1977 and 1978. These are issue No. 1 of 'Ruhleben
Camp News' from January 1915; publication 'The Ruhleben Bye-Election' from 1915; a handbook of the Ruhleben Football Association
from 1915; typescript rules relating to elections and camp finances; manuscript notes relating to the reference library; manuscript
notes relating to the funeral of Captain Tyndall, dated October 16th 1918; twelve photographs and two negatives from
1916 to 1918; an issue of 'In Ruhleben Camp' (September 1915); two issues of 'The Ruhleben Camp Magazine' (December 1916,
June 1917); an issue of 'La Vie Francaise de Ruhleben', dated July 14th 1916); a manuscript and typescript
notes relating to the possible disbandment of the camp; seventeen Ruhleben Theatre and Concert programmes from 1915 to
1918; a typescript of The Ruhleben Song; two copies of the tercentenary Shakespeare Festival song-sheet, from April 23rd
to 30th 1916; a press cutting from September 21st 1917; a prospectus of work for the 1917 Autumn Term at Ruhleben Camp School; two
Camp Expenses Accounts from 1918; manuscript notes relating to the Foreign Office; a voting paper; an envelope of camp membership
cards and cigarette cards, from 1917 to 1918; a letter from the Ruhleben Camp School Office, dated June 24th 1918; a
letter from the Captains' Committee, dated October 31st 1918; a manuscript of recollections; and a typed transcript of
an interview recorded with Peter Liddle in October 1977, with the original audio held on tapes 467 and 469.
The online index tells us that Redmayne was born in 1887 at Didsbury
in Manchester and educated at Manchester Grammar School. He worked as an accountant in Manchester and Paris before taking
up a post in Berlin in June 1914, and was arrested on suspicion of spying. In the camp, he lived in Barrack 5, Barrack 13
and Barrack 21, and was elected onto the Ruhleben Camp Council.
Redmayne was recorded as a member of the Ruhleben Lancastrian Society in the Manchester Guardian of
January 15th 1915 (p.12). The article is entitled "Interned in Germany: Lancashire's Civilian Prisoners: Full List of Those
Detained at Ruhleben". His address was recorded as 79 Barlow Moor Road, Didsbury.
The Guardian of November 29th 1915 (p. 4) carried an article entitled "Lacrosses
at Ruhleben Camp" expressing Redmayne's thanks on behalf of 60 prisoners to Mr W. B. Farrington of the Old Mancunians Lacrosse
Club for his appeal for the crosses supplied and to Mr. Alec Watson for fixing damaged crosses for them.
From the handbook of the Ruhleben Football Association Season 1915, Redmayne
is noted as being from Langcliffe, Barlow Moor Road, Didsbury, and as having been born in Didsbury in 1887. He worked
as a chartered accountant in Berlin, where he was arrested on 5 AUG 1914. After a brief period held in Berlin
he was sent to Ruhleben, where he was interned in Barrack 5.
E. D. Rees
E. D. Rees, of Newquay, Cardigan, was named in a list of merchant seamen interned at Ruhleben, as published
by the Scotsman newspaper on 7/1/1915 (p.7).
From Marcus bateman's merchant seamen site, we learn that Rees was second officer on the 'Scarsdale',
and originally from 1 High Terrace, Newquay, Cardigan. He may have been related to Henry John Rees (below).
Henry John Rees
Henry John Rees was first engineer on the 'Scarsdale', and was originally
from 144 Crwys Road, Cardiff. He was one of a group of Ruhleben inmates released on March 6th 1918 to England, as noted
in files at the National Archives in Kew under accession number MT9/1238. Throughout his stay he was interned in Barrack
11. Many thanks to Marcus Bateman.
Thomas Rees
Thomas Rees was listed in The Times of January 8th 1916 ("Released Civilians" p.5, col. D) as one
of 69 men released from Ruhleben on Thursday, January 6th, 1916, who subsequently travelled to Flushing for their return
trip to England.
Cyril Reid
From the handbook of the Ruhleben Football Association Season 1915, Cyril
Reid's home address is noted as PO Box 104 East London, and as having been born in South Africa. He was a merchant arrested
in Blumenthal on 6 NOV 1914, and sent to Ruhleben, where he was interned in Barrack 6.
Thomas G. Reid
Thomas G. Reid is listed in the surviving register from Barrack 5 at Ruhleben (register
number 2), recorded by Neville Stanley Wilkinson in approximately 1916. In the register, Reid is recorded as having been
born onAugust 18th 1871 in Liverpool, and is described as having been a prokurist (sic) prior to his internment.
His home address was listed as 4 Church Mount, Liverpool. At the time the register was recorded, Reid was noted
as staying in box 5, having transferred there from the Tea House on April 19th 1915. He returned to England on August
23rd 1918.
Reid was recorded as a member of the Ruhleben Lancastrian Society in the
Manchester Guardian of January 15th 1915 (p.12). The article is entitled "Interned in Germany: Lancashire's Civilian Prisoners:
Full List of Those Detained at Ruhleben".
W. Lawrence Reid
From Judith Taylor in May 2010, via the guestbook on this site:
My father W. Lawrence Reid was interned in Ruhleben Camp at the beginning of
WWII. (His name is not in your list.) He was 19 and was in Germany to improve his knowledge of the language. While a prisoner
he took part in sport, drama, music, and woodwork among other things. He also befriended two German fieldmice which he kept
as pets. One survived to travel home with him in a tobacco tin, arriving in Edgbaston, Birmingham on 1st December 1918. Joey
now sits in a glass case on top of my china cabinet.
With thanks to Judith for providing details of the 2000th internee's
name to be added to this site!
From the handbook of the Ruhleben Football Association Season 1915, W.
L. Reid was noted as being from 24 Chad Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham. He was arrested on 1 SEP 1914, and after
a brief period held in Wernigerode, Magdeburg and Alten Grabow, he was sent to Ruhleben, where he was interned in Barrack
7.
A. Reilly
The National Archives in London hold documents from 1915 at FO383/50 regarding
the effects of four British seamen detained at Ruhleben, namely Charles Sivier, A. Reilly, John Lewins, and E. W. Henderson,
all formerly of the S.S. Monitoria. The documents regard the payment of the balance of their wages, arrangements
for the delivery of their effects, and an investigation into their subsequent non-delivery, leading to the question of responsibility
for their losses and possible compensation.
Andy Reynolds
Andy Reynolds was noted in issue two of In Ruhleben Camp (June 1915, p.12) as intending to submit
"A Midsummer Night's Dream" for production to the committee of the Ruhleben Dramatic Society, along with Leigh Henry. He is
also noted on page 36 as having produced the play "A Speckled Band" in the camp, written by Arthur Conan Doyle.
A Mr. Reynolds was made fun of in a sketch in the fifth issue of the Ruhleben Camp Magazine (Christmas
1916, p.37), when it was suggested that after the war, he should become an undertaker's assistant.
F. C. Reynolds
F. C. Reynolds was thanked for articles written for the Ruhleben Camp Magazine by its editor, C. G.
Pemberton, in the fifth issue (Christmas 1916, p.62).
Ricardo
Ricardo was noted as the first speaker during a Shakespeare Evening held in the camp in 1915, in In
Ruhleben Camp issue 7, p.8 (Sep 1915). The magazine gives a brilliantly snobbish appraisal of his talents!
The first speaker was Mr. Ricardo whose subject "The country-side of Shakespeare"
offered unlimited possibilities which, however, he quite failed to utilise. What he read he read very badly and his remarks
were not in the least illuminating.
George Rich
George Rich was chief officer on the 'Sinainn', and was originally from
3 Bernard Street, Swansea. He was one of a group of Ruhleben inmates released on March 6th 1918 to England, as noted
in files at the National Archives in Kew under accession number MT9/1238. Throughout his stay he was interned in Barrack
16. Many thanks to Marcus Bateman.
E. Richards
E. Richards, of Falmouth, was named in a list of merchant seamen interned at Ruhleben, as published
by the Scotsman newspaper on 7/1/1915 (p.7).
T. Wyndham Richards
T. Wyndham Richards was noted in an article for the Scotsman newspaper
of April 21st 1915, entitled "Football Among War Prisoners in Germany", as having captained the losing Oldham Athletic side
in the final of a tournment at Ruhleben, played in November 1914. Richards was noted as being the leader of one of the largest
Cardiff football clubs, back in Wales. The story is also covered in The Times of April 20th 1915 (p.5, col. B).
Richards was photographed with the Ruhleben Parcel Post - the image can
be seen under Alfred Hazell King's entry.
Richard's son Derek Richards contacted me in November 2007 and added the
following, for which I am very grateful:
(Richards) was in Barrack 10, played a lot of soccer & rugby, studied hard, spent most of
his time at Ruhleben working in the Parcels Office, escaped in October 1917 (along with many others) and was sent to Havelberg
Camp, which was full of French & Russian Military prisoners. He must have been returned to Ruhleben in time for repatriation
in 1918, but I cannot find out exactly when.
Alexander Richardson
Alexander Richardson is listed in the surviving register from Barrack 5 at Ruhleben
(register number 2), recorded by Neville Stanley Wilkinson in approximately 1916. In the register, Richardson is recorded
as having been born on October 28th 1888 in Liverpool, and is described as having been a manager prior to his
internment. His home address was listed as 149 Seaview Road, Liscard, Cheshire. At the time the register was recorded, Richardson was
noted as staying in box 1, having transferred there from Barrack 14 on April 19th 1915. On September 22nd 1917 Richardson
was given indefinite leave from the camp.
Richardson was recorded as a member of the Ruhleben Lancastrian Society in the Manchester Guardian of January 15th 1915
(p.12). The article is entitled "Interned in Germany: Lancashire's Civilian Prisoners: Full List of Those Detained at Ruhleben".
Many thanks to Diana Mothershaw in Manchester for the following contribution via this site's guestbook in June 2008:
I was delighted to discover your website. I have been looking for Alexander
Richardson for years. He was my maternal grandmother's uncle who she was very fond of and talked about him when I was young.
I heard that he had died a young man and had been educated for some time with his siblings in Germany where his father was
reputedly a judge on the German Stock Exchange. A visit to Manchester Central Library is now due to look him up in the 1915
Manchester Guardian. Thanks for a great site.
Charles Richardson
Charles Richardson is listed in the surviving register from Barrack 5 at Ruhleben (register
number 2), recorded by Neville Stanley Wilkinson in approximately 1916. In the register, Richardson is recorded as having
been born on May 15th 1880 in Salford, and is described as having been a fitter prior to his internment. His
home address was listed as 4 Herbert Street, Salford. At the time the register was recorded, Richardson was noted
as staying in loft B.
Charles was recorded as a member of the Ruhleben Lancastrian Society in the Manchester Guardian of January 15th 1915
(p.12). The article is entitled "Interned in Germany: Lancashire's Civilian Prisoners: Full List of Those Detained at Ruhleben". In
this record, his address was recorded as 96 West High Street, Salford.
Fred
Richardson
Fred Richardson
was a golf professional at Berlin Golf Club from 1905 at least until 1911. He then took up employment at Bremen Golf Club
1912 or 1913 and he was still working when WWI broke out. A certain F.W. Richardson worked at Sandy Lodge 1922 to 1929.
Many thanks to
Hamburg based golf historian Christopher N. Meister for supplying this information in November 2007.
George Richardson
The National Archives in London hold documents from 1915 at FO 383/19 which
includes information on parcels for George Richardson, civilian prisoner at Ruhleben, and an enquiry
from his son, Mr. W. Richardson, of County Durham.
Henry Richardson
Henry Richardson was craneman on the 'Iris', and was originally from 29 Neckinger Street, Bermondsey.
He was one of a group of Ruhleben inmates released on March 6th 1918 to England, as noted in files at the National Archives
in Kew under accession number MT9/1238. Throughout his stay he was interned in Barrack 4. Many thanks to Marcus Bateman.
James Richardson
James Richardson was one of the Ruhleben prisoners to sign a message of greeting to Sir Edward Letchworth,
Grand Secretary of English Freemasons, postmarked December 9th 1914, and printed in the Times of December 28th 1914 (page
3, col. B). The message stated:
"Worshipful Sir & Bro.,
We the undersigned brethren, at present interned with other British civilians
at the concentration camp at Ruhleben - Spandau, Germany, send hearty good wishes to the Grand Master, officers and brethren
in Great Britain, hoping that we may have the pleasure soon of greeting them personally."
Joe Richardson
From a photo of a National Archives file from collection MT9, supplied by Marcus Bateman in March
2007, it is known that on December 5th 1916, Joe Richardson returned from Dr. Weiler's Sanatorium to the Lazarette
(Camp Changes, Supplement 10). Many thanks to Marcus.
John Hannam Richardson
The National Archives in London hold documents from 1915 at FO 383/25 relating
to John Hannam Richardson, a civilian POW at Ruhleben. The documents relate to an enquiry from his uncle, William Miller of
Darlington, and mention that Richardson was previously employed in the Anglo-South American Bank in Hamburg.
The Liddle Collection at Leeds University holds some items relating to
Richardson's internment, at RUH 45, placed there by W. J. H. Richardson. These are thirteen photographs, a
colour photocopy of two sketches and a library ticket, and a photocopied obituary. The online index tells us that Richardson
was working with the Anglo-South American Bank in Hamburg at the the outbreak of the war. He died in 1934.
John's son Bill contacted me in July 2006 with the following additional
biographical information on his father, who he knows from letters was living in Barrack 19 in July and September 1916:
My father was working with the Anglo South American Bank in Hamburg when war was
declared and instead of being returned to the UK he
was firstly imprisoned in a civilian goal then interned in Ruhleben. He was 21 years old.
Whilst in Ruhleben he improved his knowledge of European languages
to become fluent in German, French and Spanish. He had a good working knowledge of Italian.
I have a small album of
photos, a bound copy of the camp magazines and also a copy of La Vie Francaise du Camp de Ruhleben. All written and printed
in the Camp.
Family rumour, and it is no more, passed down to me by my Mother, is that my Father escaped by walking
out of the Camp, crossed into Holland and was very unfortunate on knocking on the door of a pro-German Dutchman who gave him
up to the Germans. He was returned to Ruhleben and sentenced to a short period in a salt mine which may have been a reason
that his health was to suffer and he was to die at the early age of 40 in 1934. I was seven at the time, I am glad to say
that I remember my Father well but my sister who is five years younger has sadly no memory of our Father.
He was returned
to the UK by ship from a port in Holland to Hull and thence free to return to his pre-war occupation with the Bank.
He was posted to Madrid and Barcelona for a short
time, long enough to become engaged to a Spanish Lady, then he was posted to Antwerp where he met and married my Mother in 1925. I gather that the breaking
off of the engagement caused a bit of a stir. My Mother was at that time living with her parents, my Grandfather was the manager
of the British American
Tobacco factory in that city.
Prior to the Belgian posting he had been to the USA I have a photo of him aboard the R.M.S. Mauretania dated 3rd April 1922. On returning to the UK he became the European representative of the Grace National Bank of New York. ( I am a little hazy of the actual dates of this could he have been based in Antwerp?) As a family we were also for a short period after 1926 in Berlin as I have photos of myself and parents
together with my German Nanny Tina. We were able to visit her later in 1937.
My parents, I surmise returned to the
UK in about 1928/30. We lived in London and then Chislehurst in Kent where my father specialised in representing a group of Continental Banks. He died in March 1934 and is
buried in Chislehurst Cemetery.
I have some copies of advice he wrote for these Banks. He had an office in the City of London.
I have tried to confirm the escape story with little or
no success, he certainly had some funds in Germany at the time, as did others in the Camp and an escape would have been helped by his excellent German. I searched diligently
at the Brotherton Library at Leeds University.
Many thanks indeed Bill for sharing this information.
S. Richardson
S. Richardson was noted on a list of prisoners of war on a document
entitled 'Men in Englander Lager, Ruhleben', held by Hull Local Studies Library (provisional catalogue entry: Hohenrein Collection F 10b), supplied by senior local studies librarian
David Alexander Smith in July 2008, for which I am grateful. The document
notes that Richardson was a merchant seaman on board the Duke of Wellington, and interned in Barrack 17.
Eric G. Riddell
Eric G. Riddell, from South Shields, was a former Edinburgh University
man who subsequently joined the Merchant Navy, and who was interned in Ruhleben after the outbreak
of war. The Scotsman newspaper on 1/1/1915 (p.8) recorded the text of the following postcard sent to Edinburgh University:
"Best greetings to the old 'Varsity from the following students and ex-students
at present resident at Ruhleben - James L. Mounsey; H. J. W. Tillyard, lecturer in Greek; W. J. Crosland Briggs, M.A., 1914;
Harold Luck, M.A., 1913; M. F. Liddle, M.A., 1909; J. Halliday, M.A., 1914; James Peebles Conn, Bucher scholar in music, 1902;
J. M. Dickson, M.A., BSc., Agric.; R. Herdman Pender, M.A., teacher in George Heriot's School; E. G. Burgoyne, J. Fleming,
1895-97; Robert McNeil, 1905-6; Eric G. Riddell, 1908-9, former students."
A list of Ruhleben interned merchant seamen, including Riddell,
was published in the Scotsman on 7/1/1915 (p.7).
William Riding
William Riding was recorded as a member of the Ruhleben Lancastrian Society in the Manchester
Guardian of January 15th 1915 (p.12). The article is entitled "Interned in Germany: Lancashire's Civilian Prisoners: Full
List of Those Detained at Ruhleben". His address was recorded as 351 Weelsby Street, Grimsby.
From the handbook of the Ruhleben Football Association Season 1915, Riding's address is confirmed.
He is noted as having been born in 1872 in Grimsby, and as having been a donkeyman, arrested on 2 AUG 1914 in Hamburg, and
after a brief imprisonment on the hulks, was sent to Ruhleben, where he was interned in Barrack 3.
Richard Rigg
Richard Rigg is listed in the surviving register from Barrack 5 at Ruhleben (register
number 2), recorded by Neville Stanley Wilkinson in approximately 1916. In the register, Rigg is recorded as having been
born on November 9th 1876 in Grange-over-Sands, and is described as having been an engineer prior to his internment.
His home address was listed as Borgesch 9 II, Hamburg 5. At the time the register was recorded, Rigg was noted as
staying in box 1, having transferred there from the Tea House on April 19th 1915.
H. B. Riggs
H. B. Riggs was one of the Ruhleben prisoners to sign a message of greeting to Sir Edward Letchworth,
Grand Secretary of English Freemasons, postmarked December 9th 1914, and printed in the Times of December 28th 1914 (page
3, col. B). The message stated:
"Worshipful Sir & Bro.,
We the undersigned brethren, at present interned with other British civilians
at the concentration camp at Ruhleben - Spandau, Germany, send hearty good wishes to the Grand Master, officers and brethren
in Great Britain, hoping that we may have the pleasure soon of greeting them personally." H.
B. Riggs, of Liverpool, was named in a list of merchant seamen interned at Ruhleben, as published by the Scotsman
newspaper on 7/1/1915 (p.7).
E. D. Ripley
E. D. Ripley was listed in the fourth issue of the Ruhleben Camp Magazine (August 1916, p.45) as being
a member of the Ruhleben Tennis Association, and was co-author with G. A. Packe of the tennis article.
Ripley was thanked for articles written for the Ruhleben Camp Magazine by its editor, C. G. Pemberton,
in the fifth issue (Christmas 1916, p.62).
Ritchie
Ritchie was noted in the Scotsman newspaper of May 12th 1915 as having sung some popular Burns songs
at the camp's first Burns Night celebration ("A Burns Celebration in a German Prison", p.14).
Ritchie was noted in the second issue of In Ruhleben Camp (1915, p.22) as being a member of the Irish
rugby team in a series of friendly internationals in the camp.
Ritchie was also named in the second issue of the Ruhleben Camp Magazine (April 1916, p. 32)
as being a recent inclusion to the camp's Barbarians rugby team.
Allan Ritchie
Allan Ritchie was one of the Ruhleben prisoners to sign a message of greeting to Sir Edward Letchworth,
Grand Secretary of English Freemasons, postmarked December 9th 1914, and printed in the Times of December 28th 1914 (page
3, col. B). The message stated:
"Worshipful Sir & Bro.,
We the undersigned brethren, at present interned with other British civilians
at the concentration camp at Ruhleben - Spandau, Germany, send hearty good wishes to the Grand Master, officers and brethren
in Great Britain, hoping that we may have the pleasure soon of greeting them personally."
G. H. S. Ritling
From the handbook of the Ruhleben Football Association Season 1915, G.
H. S. Ritling was noted as being from 49 St. Dunstan Road, London, and as having been born in London in 1891.
He worked as a clerk and was arrested in Bremen on 6 NOV 1914. He was sent to Ruhleben, where he was interned
in Barrack 7.
C. Lockyer Roberts
Lockyer Roberts was noted in the first issue of the Ruhleben Camp Magazine (March
1916) as soon to be giving a lecture to the M.E.A. Circle entitled "Engineering".
It was also noted in IRC issue 7 that he gave a lecture on August 25th and 28th 1915 on "Wireless Telegraphy", and
that he was preparing to give more on September 1st and 4th.
Lockyer Roberts was also noted in issue six of the Ruhleben Camp Magazine (June 1917) as having produced the play "The
Frogs" whilst in the camp.
G. G. Roberts
G. G. Roberts, of Holyhead, was named in a list of merchant seamen interned at Ruhleben, as published
by the Scotsman newspaper on 7/1/1915 (p.7).
Henry Roberts
Henry Roberts is listed in the surviving register from Barrack 5 at Ruhleben (register
number 2), recorded by Neville Stanley Wilkinson in approximately 1916. In the register, Roberts is recorded as having
been born on January 15th 1869 in Tenby, and is described as having been a seaman on the "Dunslow" prior to
his internment. His home address was listed as 3 Olive Buildings, St. Mary Street, Tenby. At the time the register was recorded, Roberts was
noted as staying in loft B, having transferred there from Barrack 14 on April 19th 1915. He returned to England on January
2nd 1918.
Jacob Roberts
Jacob Roberts advertised in the second issue of In Ruhleben Camp magazine
(June 1915, p.16):
Japanese Laundry Bar 5A. Proprietor Jacob Roberts.
Leonard Plato Roberts
Leonard Plato Henry Roberts is listed in the surviving register from Barrack 5 at Ruhleben
(register number 2), recorded by Neville Stanley Wilkinson in approximately 1916. In the register, Roberts is recorded
as having been born on November 20th 1879 in Watford, and is described as having been a woodwork instructor
prior to his internment. His home address was listed as West Hill Lodge, Westcott, Dorking. At the time the register was recorded, Roberts was
noted as staying in Loft B.
From the handbook of the Ruhleben Football Association Season 1915, Roberts is noted as being from Dorking,
Surrey, and as having been born in Watford in 1876. He worked as a rosarian in Berlin, where he was arrested on 5 AUG
1914. After a brief period held in Berlin he was sent to Ruhleben, where he was interned in Barrack 5.
W. A. C. Roberts
In the second issue of the Ruhleben Camp Magazine (April 1916, p.6), we learn that W. A. C. Roberts,
of Barrack 10, returned to England on March 19th 1916.
William Henry Roberts
William Henry Roberts, of Liverpool, was named in a list of merchant seamen interned at Ruhleben,
as published by the Scotsman newspaper on 7/1/1915 (p.7).
From Marcus Bateman's merchant seamen POW website we learn that Roberts was chief officer on the 'Inkula',
and was originally from 15 Burdett Street, Aigburth, Liverpool. He was one of a group of Ruhleben inmates released on
March 6th 1918 to England, as noted in files at the National Archives in Kew under accession number MT9/1238. Throughout
his stay he was interned in Barrack 8. Many thanks to Marcus Bateman.
William Henry Roberts
From Marcus Bateman's site we also learn of another internee called William Henry Roberts, an AB seaman
on the 'Victoria Transport', formerly from Cookshill, newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Charles M. Robertson
Charles M. Robertson is listed in the surviving register from Barrack 5 at Ruhleben
(register number 2), recorded by Neville Stanley Wilkinson in approximately 1916. In the register, Robertson is recorded
as having been born on June 6th 1890 in Edinburgh, and is described as having been an engineer on the "Garvelpark" prior
to his internment. His home address was listed as 33 Belcerres Street, Edinburgh. At the time the register was recorded, Robertson was
noted as staying in loft A, having transferred there from Barrack 13 on November 27th 1916.
George Robertson
From the handbook of the Ruhleben Football Association Season 1915, George
Robertson is noted as being from 24 Market Place, Inverurie. He was a sailmaker arrested in Wismar on 6
NOV 1914, and sent to Ruhleben, where he was interned in Barrack 6.
J. Robertson
J. Robertson was noted in The Times of December 8th 1915 as having been one of the 160 prisoners released
from Ruhleben on the previous day who had travelled by train to Flushing ("Returning Civilians" p.9, col.F).
Rudolf Robinson
Rudolf Robinson was a British horse trainer working in Hoppegarten, who was interned in
Ruhleben at the beginning of November 1914, as noted in the Scotsman newspaper on 9/11/1914 (p.9), and in The Times of the
same day ("British Interned in Germany", p. 7, col. E).
The Scotsman noted on 30/11/1914 (p.9) that he was released from the camp two days prior, on the 28th.
Robinson was released because many thoroughbreds had been left on their own in their stables, and had soon gotten out of control.
The Germans therefore deemed it wiser to release their trainers than to have them remain interned.
From Jochem Heicke in Germany came the following additional information on Robinson in April 2008,
for which I am indebted:
Rudolf Robinson, trainer # 11, is not listed as a trainer during the war but
is listed with same button after the war. He had had some success as a jockey in Germany.
Frederick Cantelo Robinson
Frederick Cantelo Robinson is listed in the surviving register from Barrack 5 at Ruhleben
(register number 2), recorded by Neville Stanley Wilkinson in approximately 1916. In the register, Robinson is recorded
as having been born on August 16th 1880 in London, and is described as having been a bank clerk prior
to his internment. His home address was listed as 2 Lappenbergallee, Hamburg 31. At the time the register was recorded, Robinson was
noted as staying in box 25, having transferred there from Sanat on June 6th 1917.
Robinson was moved into the sanatorium on August 18th 1917. He later relocated to
Holland on February 21st 1918.
J. E. Robson
J. E. Robson was photographed as a part of the Ruhleben Parcel Post - see Alfred Hazell King's entry for the image.
Norman L. Robson
Norman L. Robson was appointed in March 1915 by Powell, the camp captain at Ruhleben, to be joint
vice-chair, with Harry Cocker, of the Canteen Department, as reported in the Scotsman on 29/3/1915 (p.8) The department's
remit was to control and administer the camp canteens and to handle all questions connected with the purchase and sale of
goods in the camp.
In an article in the Scotsman newspaper of October 27th 1915, Robson was listed as captain of
Barrack 9 ("Ruhleben Camp - Success of Civil Administration", p.9).
The Liddle Collection of Leeds University holds items relating to Robson's
internment at RUH 46. These are an off-print list of local civilian prisoners of war from the 'Sunderland
Daily Echo', dated December 24th 1915; a receipt dated April 19th 1916; a Ruhleben dental surgery appointment
card; a prospectus of work for the 1916 summer term at Ruhleben Camp School; two price lists of duty free tobacco and
cigarettes from July 1st 1916; two typescript copies of letters from John Hatfield relating to the exchange
of Ruhleben prisoners dated October 28th 1916 and November 4th 1916; a letter from the Bread Fund for Prisoners
of War, dated September 4th 1916; two Bread Fund for Prisoners of War receipts dated May 15th 1916, and September
5th 1916; two Bread Fund for Prisoners of War acknowledgement cards, dated July 31st 1916, and August
3rd 1916; two letters from A. Leideman & Co, dated November 14th 1916, and November 17th 1916; an
open letter from the Durham Light Infantry Prisoners of War Fund, from 1917; a letter from the Ruhleben Prisoners Release
Committee, dated April 5th 1917; tickets and vouchers; three pamphlets of 'The Ruhleben Prisoners: The Case for their
Release', 'The Ruhleben Prisoners: A Reasoned Plea for Immediate Release, Pamphlet No. 2' and 'The Ruhleben Prisoners:
The Government Attitude, Pamphlet No. 3', all from 1917; an 'Issue of 'The Ruhleben Camp Magazine' (June 1917); 27 photographs;
a leaflet relating to food parcels; miscellaneous press cuttings from 1916 to 1918; manuscript notes 'On Our Own Responsibility!'
relating to revolution in Germany; a German pamphlet 'Die Deutsche Revolution' from November 1918; a Parcel Office card, dated
November 4th 1918; miscellaneous photocopied papers; a booklet 'Summary of the Allies' Peace Terms to Germany' dated 1919;
a booklet relating to the Treaty of Versailles', dated 1919; a letter from The Civilian War Claimants Association, dated January
7th 1931; and a typed transcript of an interview recorded with Peter Liddle in April 1977, with the original audio recording
held on tape 439.
The online index also tells us that Robson was born in 1894 in Sunderland,
and was working in a shipping office in Lubeck at the outbreak of the war, and confirms that he was Captain of Barrack 9.
Rockold
Rockold was released from Ruhleben in January 1917, as reported in the Scotsman newspaper on January
31st 1917 ("British Civilians From Ruhleben", p.6).
Allan F. Rodger
Allan F. Rodger's signature was identified on a Ruhleben Christmas card postcard dated 1914 owned
by David Nelson. Many thanks to David for supplying this information in December 2006.
Colin Rodger
Colin Rodger was one of nine men released from Ruhleben in January 1917, as reported in the Times
of January 12th 1917 ("Nine Prisoners Released from Ruhleben", p.5, col. B).
Theodore Paproth Roessler
The National Archives in London hold documents from 1915 at FO383/41 regarding
Theodore Paproth Roessler, interned at Ruhleben, namely an enquiry from his brother,
F. P. Roessler of Wimbledon.
An unknown 'Rossler' is noted as being in Barrack 8 Box 8 on a chocolate order dated 2 JAN 1916,
a copy of which is held by Dr. Manfred G. Heber of Grand Canaria (with thanks to Dr. Heber).
George Rogans
George Rogans was recorded as a member of the Ruhleben Lancastrian Society in the Manchester Guardian
of January 15th 1915 (p.12). The article is entitled "Interned in Germany: Lancashire's Civilian Prisoners: Full List of Those
Detained at Ruhleben". His address was recorded as 3 Hawson Road, Seaforth.
From the handbook of the Ruhleben Football Association Season 1915, Rogans' address is confirmed as
above. He was born in Workington in 1892, and was an engineer, arrested in Hamburg on 16 OCT 1914 and sent to Ruhleben,
where he was interned in Barrack 3.
Henry Rogers
Henry Rogers is listed in the surviving register from Barrack 5 at Ruhleben (register
number 2), recorded by Neville Stanley Wilkinson in approximately 1916. In the register, Rogers is recorded as having
been born on September 29th 1870 in Greenwich, and is described as having been a seaman on the "Manx Queen"
prior to his internment. His home address was listed as 105 Park Street, Grimsby. At the time the register was recorded, Rogers was
noted as staying in box 4. he is further noted as having returned to England on January 2nd 1918.
H. E. Röhll
The Liddle Collection of Leeds University holds a couple of items relating to inmate H. E. Röhll,
at RUH 47. These are a photograph album from 1916 to 191, and a typed transcript of an interview recorded
with Peter Liddle in June 1977, the original audio recording being found on tape 441.
The online index tells us that Röhll was born in 1898 in London, and was in Lubeck studying German
at the outbreak of the war, where he was arrested and imprisoned on suspicion of spying in Dec 1914. He was then interned
in Barrack 4.
John Roker
According to Elizabeth Beasley, daughter of Ruhleben internee Jack Griggs,
Cyrus Harry Brooks had the original idea of staging a revue at the Camp, which he suggested to John Roker early
on in their internment. The result was "Don't Laugh" which premiered on 8 May 1915. Brooks wrote the lyrics which
included the "Ruhleben Song". He subsequently wrote the pantomime "Cinderella" which was even more successful. The
Ruhleben Camp Magazine (March 1916, p.8) noted Roker as being the producer of Cinderella, which was performed for
the camp at Christmas 1915.
Roker is named a member of the new camp entertainments committee (after a strike in the camp)
in IRC issue 7, p.8 (Sep 1915). He is also noted as being about to produce a pantomime at the camp in the Manchester
Guardian of December 23rd 1915, p. 6 ("Christmas at Ruhleben").
Roker was also listed as one of the former inmates at Ruhleben in an article in The Times on January
4th 1919 concerning the Ruhleben Exhibition at the Central Hall of Westminster ("Life in Ruhleben", p.11, col. F). At the
exhibition, a chorus performed some concert items under Roker's direction. The article also states that Roker had just been
appointed as ballet-master to a German theatre when the war broke out.
Roker was also present at the Exhibition on February 10th 1919, where he was one of the prisoners
who entertained the King and Queen on a Royal visit to see for themselves what the prisoners had endured, and as recorded
in The Times of February 11th 1919 ("Ruhleben Exhibition", p.9, col. F). A chorus of prisoners sang The Ruhleben Song to the King and Queen, under Roker's direction.
Thomas Rooney
Thomas Rooney was recorded as a member of the Ruhleben Lancastrian Society in the Manchester Guardian
of January 15th 1915 (p.12). The article is entitled "Interned in Germany: Lancashire's Civilian Prisoners: Full List of Those
Detained at Ruhleben". His address was recorded as 63 Allen Street, Warrington.
Captain John Edward Roop
Captain John Edward Roop was one of the Ruhleben prisoners to sign a message of greeting to Sir Edward
Letchworth, Grand Secretary of English Freemasons, postmarked December 9th 1914, and printed in the Times of December 28th
1914 (page 3, col. B). The message stated:
"Worshipful Sir & Bro.,
We the undersigned brethren, at present interned with other British civilians
at the concentration camp at Ruhleben - Spandau, Germany, send hearty good wishes to the Grand Master, officers and brethren
in Great Britain, hoping that we may have the pleasure soon of greeting them personally."
The National Archives in London holds documents from 1915
at FO383/26 concerning Roop, of Nova Scotia, master of the British steamer Frankdale.
A. Rose
A. Rose was a prisoner who contributed a sketch entitled "The Camp Police
Station" to the sixth issue of the Ruhleben Camp Magazine (June 1917).
Rose was thanked for his illustrations for the Ruhleben Camp Magazine by its editor, C. G. Pemberton,
in the fifth issue (Christmas 1916, p.62).
Simon Rosenberger
From a photo of a National Archives file from collection MT9, supplied by Marcus Bateman in March
2007, it is known that on December 1st 1916, Simon Rosenberger was removed to Barrack 9 from Barrack 13.
(Camp Changes, Supplement 10). Many thanks to Marcus.
Prior to this it is possible that this is the same Rosenberger noted as an addressee on a postcard dated 4 MAR 1916 as held by Dr Manfred
G. Heber of Grand Canaria (with thanks to Dr. Heber).
Alec Noble Ross
Alec Noble Ross is listed in the surviving register from Barrack 5 at Ruhleben (register
number 2), recorded by Neville Stanley Wilkinson in approximately 1916. In the register, Ross is recorded as having been
born on August 2nd 1891 in London, and is described as having been an engineer prior to his internment. His home
address was listed as c/o Dick, Kerr and Co., Preston. At the time the register was recorded, Ross was noted as
staying in loft A, having transferred there from Barrack 12 on April 19th 1915.
Ross was recorded as a member of the Ruhleben Lancastrian Society in the Manchester Guardian of January 15th 1915 (p.12).
The article is entitled "Interned in Germany: Lancashire's Civilian Prisoners: Full List of Those Detained at Ruhleben".
John Ross
John Ross was noted in the third issue of the Ruhleben Camp Magazine (May
1916, p.43) as having been appointed to take over control of the cricket ground for the Cricket Committee.
He may be the same John Ross noted on a list of prisoners of war in a document entitled 'Men in Englander
Lager, Ruhleben', held by Hull Local Studies Library (provisional catalogue entry: Hohenrein Collection F 10b), supplied by senior local studies librarian
David Alexander Smith in July 2008, for which I am grateful. The document
notes that this John Ross was a merchant seaman on board the Duke of Wellington, and interned in Barrack 17.
A. C. Rothschild
A. C. Rothschild was noted in The Times of December 8th 1915 as having been one of the 160 prisoners
released from Ruhleben on the previous day who had travelled by train to Flushing ("Returning Civilians" p.9, col.F).
Ch. F. Roupell
Roupell is noted in the second issue of In Ruhleben Camp (June 1915, p.14) as having played for the
Varsities team against the Rest of Ruhleben, in the Ruhleben Cricket League.
Roupell is also recorded in the fourth issue of the magazine (August 1916, p.38) with
an average cricket score of 51.72 runs per inning, having scored 362 runs in total for 9 innings in several July
matches, twice not out.
Roupell was also listed in the same issue (p.45) as being a member of the Ruhleben Tennis Association.
He was also one of the internees photographed with the Ruhleben Parcel Post - see Alfred Hazell King's entry for the
image.
Roupell is also noted in the Manchester Guardian of August 19th 1915 as having participated in a Lincolnshire versus
Yorkshire cricket match (p. 6).
F. Rowell
F. Rowell, of Liverpool, was named in a list of merchant seamen interned at Ruhleben, as published
by the Scotsman newspaper on 7/1/1915 (p.7).
Rowell was recorded as a member of the Ruhleben
Lancastrian Society in the Manchester Guardian of January 15th 1915 (p.12). The article is entitled "Interned in Germany:
Lancashire's Civilian Prisoners: Full List of Those Detained at Ruhleben". His address was recorded as 20 Rawson
Road, Seaforth.
T. Rowell
T. Rowell, of Liverpool, was named in a list of merchant seamen interned at Ruhleben, as published
by the Scotsman newspaper on 7/1/1915 (p.7).
Daniel Rowlands
Daniel Rowlands is listed in the surviving register from Barrack 5 at Ruhleben (register
number 2), recorded by Neville Stanley Wilkinson in approximately 1916. In the register, Rowlands is recorded as having
been born on November 14th 1888 in Cumaman, South Wales, and is described as having been an engineer on the "Duns
Law" prior to his internment. His home address was listed as 91 Fforchaman Road, Cumaman, Aberdore. At the time the register
was recorded, Rowlands was noted as staying in loft A, having transferred there from Barrack 14 on April 19th
1915.
William Rowlandson
William Rowlandson was listed in The Times of January 8th 1916 ("Released Civilians" p.5, col. D)
as one of 69 men released from Ruhleben on Thursday, January 6th, 1916, who subsequently travelled to Flushing for their
return trip to England.
James Henry Royal
James Henry Royal was skipper of the 'Indian', and was originally from 16 Cheapside, Boston, England.
He was one of a group of Ruhleben inmates released on March 6th 1918 to England, as noted in files at the National Archives
in Kew under accession number MT9/1238. Throughout his stay he was interned in Barrack 11. Many thanks to Marcus Bateman.
A. Ruckenstein
A. Ruckenstein was noted in The Times of December 8th 1915 as having been one of the 160 prisoners
released from Ruhleben on the previous day who had travelled by train to Flushing ("Returning Civilians" p.9, col.F).
Rudel
Rudel was released from Ruhleben in January 1917, as reported in the Scotsman newspaper on January
31st 1917 ("British Civilians From Ruhleben", p.6).
Frank Martin Rudland
Frank Martin Rudland is listed in the surviving register from Barrack 5 at Ruhleben (register
number 2), recorded by Neville Stanley Wilkinson in approximately 1916. In the register, Rudland is recorded as having
been born on March 2nd 1878 in Birmingham, and is described as having been a bank manager prior to his
internment. His home address was listed as London City & Midland Bank, Hove. At the time the register was recorded, Rudland was
noted as staying in box 9. he transferred to Barrack 2 on May 8th 1918.
Thomas Henry Rumbold
Thomas Henry Rumbold is listed in the surviving register from Barrack 5 at Ruhleben
(register number 2), recorded by Neville Stanley Wilkinson in approximately 1916. In the register, Rumbold is recorded
as having been born on March 13th 1886 in Bicester, Oxon, and is described as having been a groom prior to
his internment. His home address was listed as Longborough, Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire. At the time the register was
recorded, Roberts was noted as staying in box 20, having transferred there from Barrack 1 on April 19th 1915.
Rushdon
Rushdon was noted in The Times of December 8th 1915 as having been released
from Ruhleben on the previous day ("Returning Civilians" p.9, col.F). Tragically, the article states that Rushton, who had
been suffering from cancer, never made it home - he collapsed and died on the train to Flushing, and was removed from the
train at Stendal.
Arthur Russell
Arthur Russell was one of a group of Ruhleben inmates released on March 6th 1918 to England,
as noted in files at the National Archives in Kew under accession number MT9/1238. Throughout his stay he was interned
in Barrack 10. Many thanks to Marcus Bateman.
David Russell
The National Archives in London hold documents from 1915 at FO383/68 regarding
David Russell, a British subject interned at Ruhleben, specifically a request for information
about his German-born wife and family in the UK, a report that they had been admitted into the Hull workhouse on arrival
in destitution to the UK, and a request for arrangements for Mrs. Russell to see her children.
Captain Edward Russell
Captain Edward Russell was one of the Ruhleben prisoners to sign a message of greeting to Sir Edward
Letchworth, Grand Secretary of English Freemasons, postmarked December 9th 1914, and printed in the Times of December 28th
1914 (page 3, col. B). The message stated:
"Worshipful Sir & Bro.,
We the undersigned brethren, at present interned with other British civilians
at the concentration camp at Ruhleben - Spandau, Germany, send hearty good wishes to the Grand Master, officers and brethren
in Great Britain, hoping that we may have the pleasure soon of greeting them personally."
Russell, of Grimsby, was named in a list of merchant seamen interned at Ruhleben, as published
by the Scotsman newspaper on 7/1/1915 (p.7).
Captain Russell was appointed in March 1915 by Powell, the camp captain at Ruhleben, to vice-chair
the Watch and Works Department, as reported by the Scotsman on 29/3/1915 and the Times on 29/3/1915 ("More and Better Food at
Ruhleben" p.4 col A). The department's remit was to take control o the camp's police, the maintenance of order in the camp,
and the control of the hot water boilers, barbers, cobblers and petty tradesmen.
In an article in the Scotsman newspaper of October 27th 1915, Captain Russell was listed
as captain of Barrack 8 ("Ruhleben Camp - Success of Civil Administration", p.9).
Percy Russell
From the handbook of the Ruhleben Football Association Season 1915, we
learn that Percy Russell was resident at 109 Westville Road, Cardiff, was born in Pen-y-lan on 28 JAN 1890,
was a correspondent arrested in Dessau on 2 SEP 1914, and after a brief spell confined in Alten-Grabow was sent to Ruhleben,
where he was interned in Barrack 2.
Thomas William Russell
The National Archives in London hold documents from
1916 at FO383/208 regarding enquiries about the identity and previous address of Thomas William Russell, following
a letter received by the Prisoners of War Help Committee from Ruhleben Camp requesting assistance,
and a report of subsequent interviews with Russell by American Embassy staff.
Dr. Horst Pöethe, president of the Herrigsche Gesselschaft (Germany's oldest literary
society), contacted me in May 2008 to say that he had found many books in second hand stores in Berlin which had previously
been part of the Ruhleben Camp Library. Inside the covers of some of these books were names of former prisoners, which he
has kindly forwarded to me. The following is the signature of T. W. Russell:
Dr. Percy Rutterford (also Rutherford)
The National Archives in London hold documents from 1915 at FO383/15 regarding
Dr. Henry S. Moore and Dr. Rutherford, namely an enquiry into whether they may be released as doctors as holding
American degrees.
In the seventh issue of In Ruhleben Camp, Percy Rutterford is noted
as one of the camp's dentists, the other being H. Sumner Moore (Sep 1915, p.29).
Rutland
In the second issue of In Ruhleben Camp (June 1915, p.18), Rutland's participation
in the camp's Debating Society is discussed:
"The Debating Society had a snappy meeting on the 16th. Mr. Rutland put it to
the house that civilization had not improved our happiness in the least, which Mr. Woods opposed."
James Ryder
James Ryder was recorded as a member of the Ruhleben Lancastrian Society in the Manchester
Guardian of January 15th 1915 (p.12). The article is entitled "Interned in Germany: Lancashire's Civilian Prisoners: Full
List of Those Detained at Ruhleben". His address was recorded as 61 Albert Street, Aldwick, Manchester.
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