Leonard Jarvis
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Leonard was born in 1889 in Radford and was the son of Cornelius, a bobbin presser, and Eliza Jarvis née Shaw. His father Cornelius was born in Radford in 1853 and his mother Eliza Shaw was born in 1861 in Macclesfield. They were married in 1883 in the Nottingham Registration District and went on to have the following children:- Walter b1882, Clara b1884, Leonard b1889, Elizabeth b1891, Annie b1894 and George b1896. In the 1901 census the family is living at 159 Birkin Ave, Radford. They are shown as Cornelius 48 yrs, a bobbin presser, he is living with his wife Eliza 40 yrs and their children, Walter 19 yrs a shoe heeler, Clara 17 yrs a hosiery machinist, Leonard 12 yrs, Elizabeth 10 yrs, Annie 7 yrs and George 5 yrs. It has not been able to trace his parents in the 1911 census (they were still alive) however Leonard who had joined the Army was in India with his regiment, 4th battalion Worcestershire Regiment, he is shown as 24 yrs a private. On 15th April 1913 he marries his wife Annie Elliott in Nottingham and they go on to have a daughter Annie who was born on 20th April 1916. His wife died in March 1919 aged 26 yrs, leaving their daughter Annie an orphan at 2 yrs of age.
The Military Medal and Bar earned by Sgt. Leonard Jarvis, 2nd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment, attached to 100th Trench Mortar Battery, was presented to his widow in Nottingham on 2nd October 1918. Sgt Jarvis had been killed in action on 24th June 1918 and is buried in Belgian Battery Corner Cemetery.3.B.15
Extract from the 'Nottingham Evening Post', dated 2nd October 1918. :- “MONS HERO'S RECORD. “MAYOR OF NOTTINGHAM PRESENTS MEDAL TO WIDOW. “At the Nottingham Exchange to-day [2nd October 1918] the Mayor (Councillor J. G. Small) presented Mrs. Annie Jarvis, of 10, Gladstone terrace, Gladstone-street, with the Medal awarded for distinguished service to her late husband. Sergeant Leonard Jarvis, Worcestershire Regiment. Sergeant Jarvis enlisted in 1905 and rejoined his regiment on the outbreak of the present war, serving in every battle in which the Worcesters took part and coming through without a scratch until June last when he was killed in action. He was the possessor of the Mons ribbon. “In making the presentation, the Mayor expressed admiration of Sergeant Jarvis's gallant conduct and record and sympathy with the widow in her bereavement.” Above extract courtesy of Jim Grundy and his Facebook pages, 'Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918'.
