Tag Archives: Devon

The Jolliffe Brothers

01 Wednesday Dec 2021

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The sons of Reverend Ebenzer and Lillie Jollife, Cecil Norman Vyvyan was born in Devonport, Devon in 1891, and Hylton Rodney was born in Ivybridge, Devon in 1892. By 1901 they were living in Bolton, Lancashire, with their sisters Gladys M. and Edith M. By 1911, Hylton was a boarder in the home of Mary Blaxton in Tottenham, Middlesex, and was working as a junior bank clerk. Cecil was visiting the home of Pembroke Henry Cokayne Cross in Cosham, Hampshire, and was working as an articled clerk to an estate agent.

Hylton enlisted in the 291st Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery (service number 2677, later 931411), but was unfortunately killed in action on 26 September 1917. Cecil became a Gunner in the Royal Garrison Artillery (service number 129172). At some point, both men must have come to Wolverhampton, as Hylton is remembered on the memorial of Trinity Wesleyan Church in Compton Road, and Cecil is listed on the memorial brass of all local men who served, which was situated within the Church itself. As their father was a Wesleyan minister, presumably they both attended this Church when they moved. Hylton is also remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium.

Percival William Diment

09 Sunday May 2021

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Percival, or Percy, was born on 4 October 1897 in Exeter in Devon, the son of Walter and Clara Mary Diment. He was baptised at St Thomas’s Church, Exeter on 29 December 1897. The family had moved to Gloucester by 1901, where they were living with Percy’s brothers, Walter John and Wilfred Henry. From 1905 onwards Percy attended St Peter’s Boys School in Worcester. In 1908, the family had presumably moved to Wolverhampton, as Percy started at Dudley Road Primary School. In 1911, they were living at 82 Lower Villiers Street, Wolverhampton.

In 1914, Percy enlisted in the 1st/3rd North Midland Field Ambulance, part of the Royal Army Medical Corps (service number 2466, later 421273). By then Percy was working as a clerk. On 1 August 1916 he received a punishment because when he was meant to be in charge of the boiler at the Russian Baths he “did neglect same thereby causing damage to one of the Boilers and considerable delay to the Bathing of this Brigade”. On 14 July 1917, he was admitted to the 18th General Hospital with pyrexia and severe trench fever, and was discharged back to duty on 1 October 1917. On 22 May 1918, he was killed in action. He is buried in the Houchin British Cemetery in France, and is remembered on the memorial of Wolverhampton Higher Grade School (where he presumably also attended), the RAMC memorial at St Peter’s Church, and on St Luke’s Church memorial in Blakenhall.

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The research for this blog post was completed by remote volunteer Jacky de Escofet.

James Donald Corke

26 Friday Feb 2021

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James Donald Corke was born in Wolverhampton on 23 April 1881, the son of James and Janet Louisa Corke. He was baptised at St Peter’s Church on 15 May 1881. By the 1891 census, he was living with his parents and siblings Maria L., Elsie, Grace D. and Nora L. in Oak Crescent, Wolverhampton. The family had moved to Goldthorn Road, Wolverhampton by 1901, by which date James was working as a Jewellers Assistant. Visiting the house at the same time was James’s future wife, Alice Maud Walton, who was working as a draper’s assistant. On 9 February 1905, the couple were married at St Leonard’s Church in Bilston. They had three daughters – Phyllis Maud (born 1906), Isabelle Marvin (born 1907) and Janet Enid (born 1909). By 1911, they were living at “Woodcote” on Mount Road, Tettenhall Wood, and James was now a Jeweller Dealer. They had two further children, Hazel M. (1913) and William James (1916).

During the First World War, James served as a Special Constable, and his name is listed in the illuminated volume we have at the Archives. James appears to have become a travelling jewellery salesman so on the 1939 Register he appears at the Old Bush Hotel in Albrighton, although the rest of the family appeared to be living in Watford, Hertfordshire by this point. James died on 12 May 1951 at the Ilfracombe and District Tyrill Hospital in Devon. His home address by then was Old Tree Cottage, Lyncombe Lee, Ilfracombe. The value of his effects was £13018 3s. 9d.
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Thank you very much to David Ingham, who shared these details with us.

Walter Cliff

05 Sunday May 2019

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Walter was born in Claverley, Shropshire, in about 1875, the son of William Cliff. Walter married Kate Rowe in St Thomas, Devon, and by 1901, Walter was living with his wife at 23 Merridale Road, Wolverhampton. Walter was working as a publican’s barman. They were at 6 Market Street, Wolverhampton, in 1911, and Walter was the manager of a beer house. The couple had two children – Maud Mary and Walter Leonard.

Walter does not appear to have done any military service during the First World War. However, he did serve locally as a special constable for Wolverhampton Borough Council. Unfortunately, he did not survive the war, as he died in 1915.

Theophilus Fred Teece

12 Wednesday Sep 2018

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Theophilus was born in Wolverhampton on 21 April 1876, the son of Theophilus and Lucy Teece. In 1901 they were living at 25 Oaklands Road, Wolverhampton, along with Theophilus’s siblings Harold, Ethel M., Howard V., Dorothy, Clarrice, and Evelyn L. By 1911, Theophilus had become a school master at Greenfield, 35 South Street, Newport, Barnstaple, Devon. He married Edna White in Wolverhampton in 1913, and the couple had a son, Arthur W. C., in Dover in 1919.

He appears to have served as Fred Teece during the First World War, enlisting as a Private with the Lancashire Fusiliers (41377). He survived the war, but appears on the Portobello war memorial, so his family must have lived in that area at some point.

By 1939, Theophilus was still a schoolmaster in Barnstaple. He died on 27 December 1946, and the value of his effects was £3403 5s. 7d.

 

 

Victor Roland H. Potter

19 Sunday Apr 2015

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Victor was born in Droitwich, Worcestershire, on 12 March 1870, the son of Joseph H. and Eliza H. Potter. By 1881, the family, including Victor’s brothers Ernest A. H. and Horace J., were living in Bushbury Lane, Bushbury, Wolverhampton.

On 21 July 1894, Victor joined the Royal Navy (number 268230). He served with the Navy continuously until he was discharged on 6 November 1918. Victor did not marry, and died in Devon in 1945.

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