Sydney Archer was born in Corsham in 1871. His birth was registered in Chippenham and his parents were Alfred and Maria, who were living in Chapel Knapp Cottages in Gastard. His father was a freestone quarryman. By 1881, when Sydney was ten years old, they were living at Byde Mill near Thingley and Alfred was working as a farm labourer. The family included Brothers Henry, Daniel and Oliver and sister’s Rose and Annie.

Sydney joined the Wiltshire Regiment in 1890 and saw service in South Africa during the Boer War. He married Martha Hayward in 1898, and by 1901 they were living in Easton in Corsham with their son Alfred. Sydney was working as a quarryman.

By 1911, the family, which now also included a daughter, Blanche, had moved to Wales, and Sydney was working as a coal miner hewer Sydney would have been 43 years old when he enlisted in Chippenham at the outbreak of the Great War. At this time his wife and children were back in Corsham, living on the High Street. Sydney served with the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry and died on 15th October 1918 in Richmond Barracks in Dublin. His body was returned home and he is buried in Corsham Cemetery.