James Vincent Oldershaw

James Vincent was the eldest son of James Henry Oldershaw and Louisa Elizabeth Oldershaw nee Trow. James Vincent's father, James Henry, was born in Gosport, the son of Corporal James Oldershaw Royal Engineers, and his wife Mary, who in 1881 were living at South Camp, Aldershot, where James senior was serving with the Corps of Engineers. James Henry, one of five siblings, was a telegraph messenger. James Vincent's mother, Louisa Elizabeth, was the daughter of James-Thomas and Louisa Trow, and was born in Ash, Surrey, where she was baptised in Ash St Peter's church on 20 April 1862. James Henry Oldershaw and Louisa Elizabeth Trow were married in 1887 (registration district Farnham) and at the time of the 1911 census when they had been married for 24 years, they had had 11 children of whom only seven had survived. Sadly, one of the children recorded on the 1911 Census, John Thomas (b. 1907), died in 1912. Eight children were named on the three census between 1891 and 1911; James Vincent (b. 21 March 1888, baptised 25 May 1888 Aldershot, Hants), Harry George (b. 24 December 1889, Sandiacre, and christened 3 August 1890, Sandiacre), Ethel (b. 1891, Sandiacre, and christened 21 August 1892, St Mary's, Ash, Surrey), Arthur Frank (b. 5 August 1895, Stapleford), Doris (b. 1900, Stapleford, d. 1903), Charles White (b. 28 September 1903, Stapleford), John Thomas (b. 1906, Stapleford, d. 1912) and Eileen Marjorie (b. 1909 Stapleford). In 1891 James (26), a carpenter, and Louisa (27) were living on Church Street, Sandiacre, with their two sons, James Vincent (3) and Harry (1). By 1901 they were living on Eaton Road, Stapleford, Nottinghamshire. James Henry was now working as a labourer in an iron foundry. James and Louisa now had five children, James (13), Harry (11), Ethel (9), Arthur (5) and Doris (9 months). Doris died two years later in 1903 (registered O/N/D) aged 3 years. James Vincent joined the Royal Navy in October 1903 and married Florence Beatrice Banks in 1910 (registration district Medway). At the time of his death he and Florence were living at 4 Best Street, Chatham, Kent. By 1911 James Vincent was serving in HMS Actaeon. In the same year his family was living at 9 Frederick Road, Stapleford. Five of his siblings were still at home on the night of the census; Harry (21) a shunter for a railway company, Arthur (16) a brass bobbin finisher in the lace trade, Charles (7), John (4) and Eileen (1). The eldest daughter, Ethel (19), was a housemaid in the household of Edward Kingsbury a physician surgeon, who lived in Stapleford. (Kingsbury also employed a cook, Amy Oldershaw, 19 b. Wells, Somerset, who might be a relative of Ethel's.) James and Louisa's youngest son, John Thomas, died aged five the following year (registered A/M/J 1912). James' mother, Louisa, died in 1913 aged 49 and his father, James Henry, died in 1941 aged 76. Of James Vincent's five surviving siblings: Charles White joined the Royal Navy at HMS Ganges on 11 June 1920 (J97546 Boy 2nd Class). He served in the following ships and shore establishments: HMS Ganges 11 June 1920-21 June 1921 (Boy 2nd Class. Boy 1st Class 20 February 1921); HMS Malaya, 22 June 1921-30 June 1921; Victory I, 1 July 1921-17 July 1921. He died of appendicitis abscess in the Royal Naval Hospital at Haslar, Gosport, on 18 July 1921. He was 17 years old. He was buried in Haslar Royal Naval Cemetery. On 30 January 1952 an Ethel Oldershaw, the right age for James' sister (61), sailed on the Canadian Pacific liner Empress of France from Liverpool to St John, New Brunswick, Canada. It is possible that she died in British Columbia, Canada. Eileen Marjorie Oldershaw died in 1953 (December, Nottingham registration district) aged 44. Harry George died in 1976 (March, Nottingham registration district) aged 86. Harry probably served in the Sherwood Foresters during the war (6831 Sergeant, 1st N&D and 17th N&D) and was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal; he would have been 24 years old when war was declared. Arthur Frank died on 18 September 1982 (September, Rushcliffe registration district) aged 87. The Probate record gave his address as the Newstead Nursing Home, 159 Musters Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham.

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