Fort Regent, Saint Helier, Jersey |
Charles Ridgeway (b. 1884), son of Thomas Ridgway and Ann Tooze, married Ivy Edna Evans (b. 5 Jan 1905), in Tiverton, in 1936. The bridegroom was 52 at the time of their marriage, while the bride was 21 years his junior at 31. Nevertheless, this does seem to be Charles' first marriage. Unable to find Ivy's birth record, I cannot discount that she could have been married before.
On 29 May 1901, Charles Ridgeway, previously a labourer from Uplowman, Devon, had enlisted in the British Army. His age of 18 and 3 months on enlistment, would give a birth year of 1883, so it appears that he added a year to his age to sign up. Certainly not the first or last to do so, and if there were any additional urgency or motivation for doing this, it might have been because the Second Boer War was then in progress. Charles later, was at Fort Regent, Saint Helier, Jersey and there transferred to the Royal Tank Corps, having previously been attached to the 3rd Hussars.
He was discharged, after 21 years service, on 28 May 1922, at the termination of his period of engagement (Para 392 (xxi) KR), having served right through World War I. His address on discharge was 104, Barrington Street, Tiverton, which was his sister, Bessie Ann Quick's address.
At some point, Charles had been wounded, which I believe is why he was awarded a pension at a rate of 31½d for life from 29 May 1922. (That's 18s 4½d per week, when 20 shillings = £1 in 1922 is worth £58.29 today.)
In 1939, Charles Ridgeway, Groom, was living at 5 Radcliffe Cottages, St Thomas, Devon. His date of birth on the 1939 Register is given as 24 Feb 1884. This was the date he was baptised, so either he was baptised on the very day he was born, or the actual date of his birth is lost in time. Living with him is his wife, Ivy E Ridgeway. There are then two closed entries, so it's possible that they had children (who may well still be alive).
Charles Ridgeway died at the beginning of 1955, aged 70, in Tiverton.
Ivy Edna Ridgeway died, in Exeter, in 1975, also aged 70.