Inherited Craziness
A place to share all the nuts found on my family tree

Sunday 29 August 2021

Cornelius Walter Jones


Cornelius Walter Jones, born 2 Jan 1893 in Queenstown (Cobh), Ireland, eldest son of David Jones and his second wife, Laura Elizabeth White, was my grandmother's elder brother. We've never been able to find his military record, but know he enlisted in the Army and served during World War I. His first cousin's husband, who was in Queenstown with the US Navy, kept a detailed diary and had written that Cornelius (Con) was leaving for Egypt in 1917

The image above, which I admit I downloaded some years ago (the page no longer exists) [1], is dated 10.11.1917 EGYPT. The taller man (that makes perfect sense too as his grandfather, Thomas Jones, had been 5' 9½", which was tall for his time), second from right, back row, is so much like my father it's literally like looking straight into his eyes. His stance, his eyes, ears, nose, mouth, brow line and, above all, hair, are all identical. It's so close a resemblance that it's eerie and uncanny and, unless someone can prove otherwise, I feel sure this has to be my great-uncle, Cornelius Jones.

Though our cousin had thought that Con didn't return from the war, I now know he did, probably suffering shell-shock, for which one of his younger siblings described him as "daft" - such was the lack of understanding. 

Not expecting to find him there in Ireland, we were quite shocked when we read the listing of his burial at the Old Church Cemetery (Cobh)

Cornelius Jones, late of Rushbrooke, Cork, died on 21 Apr 1926 at the Cork District Hospital (now St. Finbarr's Hospital, with its origins in the Cork Union Workhouse and Infirmary). He was a bachelor, previously employed as a labourer. The record says 30, but he was 33 and died from Pneumonic Phthisis (tuberculosis, also known as consumption), after 8 months in hospital. The informant was Helena Lynch, "Inmate" Cork Union. 

Cornelius Walter Jones was buried on 24 Apr 1926, in the family plot at Old Church Cemetery (Cobh), along with his mother, who had died in 1917.

[1] The file name of the image above, b4croad3 matches the file name of the now defunct page at the former Royal Munster Fusiliers website at http://royalmunsterfusiliers.net/b4croad3.htm (also mentioned here) appertaining to a Private Frederick R Croad, 2nd R. Munster Fus, who I believe is also in the image. We have no record of what unit Cornelius joined or when, however, two Extra Reserve Battalions of the Royal Munster Fusiliers were mobilised at Queenstown (Cobh). The 6th (Service) Battalion certainly sailed on 9 Sep 1917 from Salonika for Alexandria in Egypt.

Friday 27 August 2021

Private Robert John Ridgeway

When we first visited St Peter’s Church, Uplowman, in 2016, I'd noticed this cross in remembranc of Private Robert John Ridgeway and took the photo as a reminder to research him to see how we might be related. Many of my Ridgeway ancestors had ended up in Uplowman: my 2x great-grandmother, Mary Ridgeway, daughter of James Ridgway, was born in Ashbrittle and is buried in Uplowman churchyard. Mary's brother, Thomas Ridgway, also came to Uplowman and had no less than ten children there. Perhaps, I thought, Robert John Ridgeway will have 'belonged' to one of them. Now that I've worked my way through them, however, I discover he does not and actually exists in a parallel universe:


Private Robert John Ridgeway, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, the parish website informs us, "... died in November 1945, after the war in Europe had ended, in a road accident when the armoured Ford Lynx scout car that he was a passenger in, tried to overtake another vehicle in a convoy and left the road striking a tree on Watling Street, Shenstone in Staffordshire." Robert John Ridgeway died on 6 Nov 1945, is buried in Uplowman churchyard and is remembered inside the church.


Robert John Ridgeway was born on 18 Mar 1927, was at home in 1939, at Uplowman Cross Cottage, Uplowman. Is that the same as 1 Crosses Cottage, Uplowman, where my relative, Frederick John Ponsford, son of Charles Ponsford and Bessie Ann Stone, was living in 1970? Or 2 Crosses Cottages, Uplowman, where Elsie Tremlett, daughter of William Ridgeway and Florence Louise Finnimore, was living in 1979? Or even Lowman Cross, Uplowman where Thomas and Ann Ridgway were living in 1871?

The parish website also says that "Robert lived a large part of his life at Wallflower Cottages, Uplowman." Several of my relatives have been residents at Wallflower Cottages, Uplowman: William and Florence Ridgeway and George and Ellen Norman in 1911, and Herbert Ridgeway in 1988. These were most likely tied cottages, so it suggests they were all working for the same farms, but is no particular indication that they're related.

Sarah Ridgway 
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John Ridgway bap. 27 Nov 1825 - Mary Parker b. 1831
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James Ridgway bap. 25  Apr 1858 - Eliza Vickery b. 1861
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Robert John Ridgeway b. 7 Sep 1898 - Louisa Baker b. 10 Dec 1899
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Robert John Ridgeway b. 18 Mar 1927 - d. 6 Nov 1945

Robert John Ridgeway's parents were Robert John Ridgeway (b. 7 Sep 1898) and Louisa Baker (b. 10 Dec 1899), who had married, in Tiverton, in 1924.

In 1911, Robert John Ridgeway Snr (12), born in Holcombe Rogus, was living with his widowed mother, Eliza (48), sister Florence Alice (9) and brother, Herbert Percy (6) at Passmore's Court, Halberton. In 1910, this Robert John Ridgeway had attended Halberton School. In 1901, living at Ford, 90, Holcombe Rogus, were James Ridgway (43) Cattleman on farm, from Stawley, Somerset, wife Eliza (39), Beatrice (13), Edith (11), Eliza (9), William (7), Lillie (5) and Robert John, listed simply as John (3).

Records suggest that James Ridgeway had married Eliza Vickery in the second quarter of 1887, in the Wellington, Somerset registration district.

The baptism for James Ridgway on 25 Apr 1858, in Stawley, Somerset, listed his parents as James and Mary Ridgway, however, in 1861, we find the 3 yr old, living at Parkley, Stawley, Wellington as the son of John Ridgway (33) Agricultural Labourer, with wife Mary (30) and John (8), Mary Ann (6), Sarah Jane (4), James (3), Charles (1) and Mary Cotter (12) Housemaid. In 1871, John Ridgeway (46) and wife Mary (40) were living at Stones Cottage, Stawley, Wellington, with John (18), Mary Ann (16), Sarah (14), James (13), Elizabeth (10), Emily (8), Thomas (6), Edwin (4) and William Henry (2).

John Ridgway married Mary Parker, on 18 Apr 1851, at St Michael & All Angels, Stawley. One of the witnesses was William Vickery. Mary Parker's father is listed as James Parker, while the name of John Ridgeway's father isn't listed ... which stacks up with the baptism of John Ridgway in Ashbrittle, on 27 Nov 1825, son of Sarah Ridgway, described as 'single - base'.

These earliest records of Baptisms, Burials & Marriages, were transcribed from the "Bishop's Transcripts", which were in poor condition. There aren't any further records to prove if we have a common ancestor. But, to be having an illegitimate child in 1825, there's a fair chance that Sarah Ridgway was born around 1805, give or take. My 3x great-grandfather, James Ridgway was born around 1806. They are from the same hamlet - the population in 2014 was only 225 - with the same surname. Their descendants all turn up in the same locations. They could be siblings. They could be first cousins. It would be much more difficult to accept that they were not at all related.

Thursday 26 August 2021

Charles Ridgeway and Ivy Edna Evans

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 RegentSaint 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.

Wednesday 25 August 2021

Sidney Ridgeway and Lucy Headford

St Andrew Street, Tiverton
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Derek Harper - geograph.org.uk/p/1546985

Sidney Ridgeway (b. 24 Feb 1882), son of Thomas Ridgway and Ann Tooze, married Lucy Headford (b. 3 Jan 1886), daughter of George Headford and Ellen Baker, in Tiverton, in 1908. In 1901, Lucy, living at Cosways Buildings, 7, Westexe South, Tiverton, with her widowed mother and siblings, was working as a Wheelwinder, while her mother was a Silk hand and her sister a Silk winder, which suggests they were employed at Heathcoat Fabrics.

Sidney and Lucy had two children: 
  1. Charles Ridgeway b. 29 May 1908
  2. Beatrice Maud Ridgeway b. 21 Jun 1910
In 1911, Sidney Ridgeway (28) Woodman on estate, Lucy Ridgeway (24), Charles (2) and Beatrice (0) were living at 2 Langwood, Cove, Tiverton.

In 1921, Sidney Ridgeway (39) Colliery Repairer Underground at Gt Western Colliery Co; Lucy Ridgeway (35), Charles Ridgeway (13) and Beatrice Maud Ridgeway (11) were living at 48, Danygraig Street, Pontypridd, Wales.

In 1939, Sidney Ridgeway, 'Electric Wireman at the Municipal Electric Works', Lucy Ridgeway and Lily Headford, Incapacitated (Lucy's younger sister), were in Higher Rock Close, St Andrew Street, Tiverton. In a separate household in Higher Rock Close, were Malcolm G Huish, 'General Labourer Gas & Electricity Works', Beatrice Huish and daughter, Marion. Charles Ridgeway, 'Gas Worker' and Dorothy Ellen Ridgeway, lived at 9 Hammett Square.

Lucy Ridgeway died, in Tiverton, in 1949, aged 64. Sidney Ridgeway died, in Tiverton, in 1957, aged 75. Charles Ridgeway died, in Tiverton, in 1973, at 65, and Beatrice Huish, in 1975, at 65, in Sedgemoor, Somerset.

  • Charles Ridgeway married Dorothy Ellen Lazarus in 1932.
  • Beatrice Ridgeway married Malcolm Garfield Huish in 1935.

William Ambrose Quick and Bessie Ann Ridgeway

Tiverton : Barrington Street & The Barley Mow
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Lewis Clarke - geograph.org.uk/p/1601864

William Ambrose Quick (b. 2 May 1885), son of George Quick and Mary Winzer married Bessie Ann Ridgeway, daughter of Thomas Ridgway and Ann Tooze, in Tiverton in 1906. In 1901, Bessie had been employed as Servant in the household of Thomas Heath, Postmaster, at 11, Bampton Street, Tiverton. William Quick (15), at that time, was a Tailor's apprentice.

William and Bessie had three sons:

  1. George Ridgeway Quick b. 8 Feb 1907
  2. Kenneth William Quick b. 7 Jan 1911
  3. Hedley Charles Quick b. 18 Aug 1918
George and Kenneth were both baptised on 5 Jul 1911 at St Peter's Church.

In 1911, at 1 Brickfield Terrace, Martins Lane, Tiverton, Bessie Ann Quick (31) Boarding house keeper, with sons George Ridgeway Quick (4) and Kenneth William Quick (0) and three boarders: Annie Cuthbert (52), Thomas Jenkinson (28) and Edward Jenkinson (26). William Quick (25) Tailor, was a patient at the Tiverton Infirmary And Dispensary in Bampton Street.

In 1921, William Ambrose Quick (36) Tailor, working for Frederick William Mogridge Tailor at 47 Bampton Street, Tivertonwas living at 104 Barrington Street, Tiverton with Bessie Anne Quick (41), George Ridgway Quick (14) Factory Boy Machine Minder at John Heathcoat & Co, Lace Manufacturers; Kenneth William Quick (10) and Hedley Charles Quick (2).

In 1926, Kenneth William Quick (15) enlisted in the Royal Artillery.

In 1939, the family were living at 104 Barrington Street, Tiverton with William A Quick, Tailor; Bessie A Quick; Hedley C Quick, Glove Cutter. Living with them was Ellen Sampson, widow, Bessie's younger sister.

William A Quick died in 1952, at 67. 

Bessie A Quick died in 1956, at 75.