Herbert Keeping

Bank: London County & Westminster Bank

Place of work: London Bloomsbury branch

Died: 9 October 1916

Herbert Hargrave Keeping was born on 23 December 1880, the son of Edward Keeping, steward of the Grocers' Hall in London, and his wife Bessie. In July 1897, when he was 16 years old, he followed in the footsteps of his older brother Edwin by going to work for London & Westminster Bank as a junior clerk. Like his brother, he also joined the bank's staff sports club, and played for the club's rugby team for several seasons. In March 1899 he was appointed a teller at London Westminster branch, and in December that year he moved to Hornsey branch. In 1900 Edwin and Herbert's younger brother John also joined the bank.

In January 1901 both Herbert and Edwin volunteered for the army, to fight in the Boer War in South Africa. They were gone for 18 months, returning to England - and to the bank - in summer 1902. Shortly after his return, Herbert Keeping was appointed a teller at the bank's London Bloomsbury branch. Six months later he became a clerk (4th class) at London Eastern branch. In 1909 London & Westminster Bank merged with London & County Bank, and Keeping became an employee of the enlarged London County & Westminster Bank. In May 1912 he became a clerk (3rd class) at London Bloomsbury branch.

During the First World War Herbert and his brother John joined the army together, both becoming Privates in the King's Own (Yorkshire Light Infantry). They both died at Salonika, Greece, on 9 October 1916. Herbert was 35 years old and left a widow, Mary, whom he had married in 1914.