Research Forum

Help needed - William Henry JERVIS 1881-1956
published by Pat Hase on Sat, 16/07/2016 - 22:36

A problem has arisen in the Library on a Saturday which someone might like to have a go at solving - any thoughts gratefully received!

On the 1939 Register for Weston-super-Mare is a William Henry JERVIS whose date of birth is given as 24th June 1881
He appears on the 1911 census of Weston as William JERVIS aged 30 born in Derby, Derbyshire
There is the registration of a birth in the Sept qrt 1881 of a William Henry JERVIS in the Registration District of Basford (which covers Derbyshire and Nottingham)
That Birth certificate gives the date of birth of William Henry JERVIS as the 24th June 1881 and birthplace as Belvoir Terrace, Ilkeston, Nottingham
His parents were William JERVIS (deceased) and Mary Ann JERVIS formerly RICHARDS
The 1881 census shows an Ann JARVIS [sic], aged 28, widow, lodging at 2 Belvoir Terrace, Ilkeston.

FreeBMD shows the marriage of William JARVIS [sic] and Mary Ann RICHARDS in 1879 and his death early in 1881

The problem seems to be that on the 1901 census in Derby, a William JERVIS aged 20, born in Derby, appears as the son of Edwin and Louisa RICHARDSON.
On the 1891 census Edwin and Louisa RICHARDSON have a 10 year old son called William RICHARDSON, born in Derby. Is this the same William Henry JERVIS?

Just to complicate matters Louisa Augusta RICHARDSON was previously married to a George JERVIS – is this just a red herring? She didn’t marry Edwin RICHARDSON until 1887 in Derby – using her maiden name. Don’t know what happened to George JERVIS. Is there a connection between William JERVIS (who died in 1881), father of William Henry and George JERVIS first husband of Louisa?

We need some more suggestions for solving this one! Thank you.

Comments ..

Submitted by on Sun, 17/07/2016 - 12:50

HI Pat

In browsing around this question, I note that in the 1911 Census William lists himself as a pensioner of the 16th Lancers.
The Anglo-Boer records (findmypast) list W H Jarvis (sic) as a private (3351) in the 16th.
He gained the Queen's South Africa Medal with 5 clasps. The clasps were awarded for events in 1900 but I wondered whether he was still serving in 1901 and thus not likely to be in the 1901 census? There is no mention of military service in the 1901 census that you mention.
There is a second Boer War record transcription this time for a W H Jervis in the Anglo-Boer records 1899-1902. There is no service number or unit but he is a private in the regular army.
I see that he married Rose Amelia Stock in Bristol in 1907.
Hope that is of some help. I shall ponder it more.

Stuart

Submitted by Pat Hase on Sun, 17/07/2016 - 16:07

Thank you so much for looking into this - it's really helpful to have someone else's opinions, especially the Military link - we've been really stumped on that issue.

The British Army Service Records 1760-1915 (also on Findmypast) include the images of the records of a William Henry JARVIS, service number 3315, serving in the 16th Lancers but who was born in Arundel in Sussex and enlisted in 1891 when he was 19 years old.

The school records are new to us and are very interesting - especially the birth date - can you find a birth registration for this William JERVIS? Many thanks for your interest.

Submitted by on Sun, 17/07/2016 - 13:52

William is listed in the attached school record with a dob of 14th March 1881. His parent or guardian is listed as Edwin Richardson, plumber. I think that would determine that this is a different William? I suggest it also confirms that this William Jervis must have been "adopted" by the Richardsons who didn't marry until 1887? The 1911 census indicates that they only had one child that is listed in earlier censuses as Lillian.
What happened to Mary Ann Jervis after 1881?

Submitted by on Sun, 17/07/2016 - 14:27

The School is Orchard Street Board School, Derby.

Submitted by on Sun, 17/07/2016 - 16:12

There is a marriage of Mary Ann Richards, aged 30, daughter of Samuel (deceased) and of William Jarvis, aged 40, s of Edward at St Mary Nottingham 24th July 1879. This appears to correspond with Reg entry Sept 1879 7b 329.
Previous census entries for Samuel (Framework knitter) and Hannah Richards show them at St Mary, Byron, Nottingham. Mary is aged 22 in 1871, a cotton winder. She is the eldest of 6 children all the family are listed as born in Nottingham.
This does not fit with the Ann Jarvis residing as a widow in Ilkeston in 1881 where she is listed as born in Bristol. The address would fit with the birth place of William Henry however.
There is a variation in age too. If she is the daughter of Samuel, she was 22 in 1871 and 30 when she married in 1879 making her circa 32 in 1881 rather than the 28 given. A small difference however.

I think that is as far as I can take it.

Submitted by on Sun, 17/07/2016 - 16:55

Without looking at parish records for both families, has anyone considered that two Jervis/Jarvis brothers married two Richards sisters (cousins also a possibility) - the apparent duplication of the William Henry name could be caused by something as simple as this and the importance of the name "William Henry" in one or other family?
I've seen this kind of thing in parish records of both South and South West England, as well as Ireland.

Clatworthy

Submitted by Anne on Sun, 17/07/2016 - 20:57

In the school records for 1888 William's father is given as George, occupation labourer. In 1891 it is Edwin Richardson, plumber. George has presumably died, and Edwin is there as step father.

Also, I read the regiment William was in as 5th Royal Irish Lancers..... but I can't find any more information.

Submitted by Pat Hase on Sun, 17/07/2016 - 22:28

Thank you so much - this is so helpful! That William JERVIS who lived with Edwin and Louisa Augusta RICHARDSON must have been Louisa's son by her first husband, George JERVIS. A William Albert George JERVIS was christened on the 15 May 1881 at St Chad's Church, Derby s/o George & Louisa JERVIS.(Ancestry). I originally thought he must have died but now I've discovered that when he married in 1902 he called himself George William Albert JERVIS! So that eliminates the William JERVIS step-son of Edwin RICHARDSON as being William Henry JERVIS. Thank you!

So where was William Henry JERVIS in 1891 and 1901? Back to the drawing board! Perhaps he was serving in the Army? You are correct it was the 5th Royal Irish Lancers which he gave on the 1911 census.

Many thanks.

Submitted by Pat Hase on Mon, 25/07/2016 - 12:15

With thanks to all those who have assisted with this problem.

The situation now is that William Henry JERVIS was born in Ilkeston in 1881 and his parents William JERVIS and Mary Ann RICHARDS were married in 1879 at St Mary's Church Nottingham. Stuart found a transcription of this marriage (SOG) which confirmed that Mary Ann's father was a Samuel RICHARDS (deceased) and had been a Baker. But what brought William Henry JERVIS to Weston-super-mare?

There was a Mary Ann RICHARDS born in Weston-super-Mare in about 1853 (christened at Emmanuel in 1854) s/o Samuel & Susannah RICHARDS nee SPERRIN and he was a Baker.
Looking to see when Samuel RICHARDS was buried in Weston Cemetery (Nov 1878) I also found another Samuel RICHARDS who died in Dec 1875 aged 14 days but described as the illegitimate son of Mary Ann RICHARDS.
A familytree on Ancestry gave me the next clue - Mary Ann RICHARDS had a daughter Susannah RICHARDS in Derby in 1877 who was brought up by her married sister Susannah NUTT who lived in Derby. On the 1881 census the child is listed as Susannah PRITCHARD and niece of Susannah NUTT.

Are these just coincidences or do they show the same Mary Ann RICHARDS who married William JERVIS and the connection with Derby. Can anyone find out what happened to Mary Ann JERVIS nee RICHARDS after the 1881 census? Where was William Henry JERVIS in 1891?

Submitted by tonysperrin on Tue, 26/07/2016 - 14:41

Mary Ann RICHARDS born 1854 in Weston-super-Mare is my 1^st cousin twice removed.

Pat mentions Susannah NUTT. Susannah was the sister of Mary Ann. Susannah married Henry John NUTT in Bethnal Green, London 23^rd May 1870

Henry John NUTT was born in Oxford in 1850. He died in Derby in 1894

His widow, Susannah RICHARDS NUTT remarried in 1898 to a Thomas JONES in Prescott, Lancashire.

As did Pat, I also found a Susannah PRITCHARD niece of Susannah NUTT on the 1881 census. She is also on the 1891 census now named RICHARDS. In both census’s John NUTT is born in Oxford, wife Susannah born Weston-super-mare, niece Susannah born Derby. Both census’s give the nieces birth year as 1878.

I have a birth certificate for a Susannah RICHARDS, born 18^th October 1877 at No. 4 Corden Street, Litchurch, Derby. Mother is Mary Ann RICHARDS, her employment is domestic servant. No father is mentioned which points to a likely illegitimate birth.

Submitted by Pat Hase on Sat, 30/07/2016 - 1:17

Thanks Tony - We think we've solved this riddle!!

Mary Ann JERVIS nee RICHARDS married in Bristol in 1883 to a George William FLETCHER. They lived in Weston-super-Mare and on the 1891 census the family includes a 9 year old son, William FLETCHER.

I wondered whether this lad was really William Henry JERVIS using his step-father's surname and lo and behold a William FLETCHER, born in Derby but living in Weston had enlisted in the Somerset Light Infantry in Dec 1899. At the end of his Army papers it says he was discharged from the SLI in Feb 1900 and joined the 5th Lancers! We've got him - what a relief.