JARVIS/EVANS Volunteer records

vikingtim · 03-01-2011, 13:07

My Great-Grandfather, GEORGE JARVIS [born 17th June 1877, Gwersyllt] was a Volunteer in the Royal Welch Fusiliers 'pre 1895', according to later records of the Yorks and Lancs Regiment. It is possible that he may have enlisted under the name ROBERT GEORGE EVANS.

I am therefore very interested to know if any records exist of either GEORGE JARVIS or ROBERT GEORGE EVANS for the regiment in this 'pre-1895' period, bearing in mind that he was 18 in 1895. Any help would be gratefully received.

Many thanks. I am proud to have an ancestral association with this great regiment.

**ap1** · 03-01-2011, 15:15

Welcome Vikingtim.

Just checked Ancestry, interestingly there is a pension record for George Jarvis of 27 Mount St Wrexham Occupation, Labourer. He enlisted in 1RWF on the 2nd October 1915. He was 38yrs old!! When he enlisted, he was living with his sister. He signed on for short service and answered "No" to a question of whether he had any previous military service! His next of Kin was listed as his sister; Ada Roberts.

Obviously your guy is pre-1895, but without having all the details, its always useful to discount possibles.

**ap1** · 03-01-2011, 15:40

In fact...CANCEL!! I have a George Jarvis in 1895 enlisting into 2 RWF on the 17 June 1895 Aged 18yrs and 1 month. His birthplace is "Moss" which is in Gwersyllt. His occupation was given as "Collier"(the entire area was one big pit). He enlisted in Manchester.

His regimental No was 4711. His father is listed as Joseph Jarvis of 29 James St, Cresent Place, Wrexham. He embarked for Malta on the 30 June 1896, then is listed as deserting 1 July 1896.

Strangely enough my Great Grandfather did exactly the same thing in 1896, whilst serving in Ireland, he handed himself in 19yrs later to serve in the Great War, so perhaps my first offering from Wrexham may be the same guy!!!!

His records show he was previously a member of 3 RWF(Militia) with a regimental No 2038.

After 2 RWF arrived in Malta, they held a Board of Enquiry into his desertion. A large list of his missing kit was included in the eveidence, as was his conduct and pay sheet. It appears he remained "Uncaptured"

Does this fit with anything?

**Baconwallah** · 03-01-2011, 16:05

Al, I thought I had a reasonably complete J list for 1/RWF, but can find no George Jarvis - only William 6917 and WJ 41278. Given that my sources are often rather careless about initials, WJ may be the same man. Can you add any info at all on 'your' George Jarvis? I do not (yet) have access to Ancestry.

John

**ap1** · 03-01-2011, 16:19

He is 36140 George Jarvis. His record shows only "Home Service", before becoming disabled in 1916, which indicates he never made it to France. Although the front page of the enlistment sheet clearly shows 1st RWF.
This query could be an interesting one, given my second post.

**Baconwallah** · 03-01-2011, 17:12

Thanks, Al. No wonder I do not have him listed.

I am a bit puzzled by the 1/RWF reference on his papers. A man did not enlist in a specific bn, to the best of my knowledge (with the exception of 3 RWF and the four TF bns of course), but was posted wherever needed. Especially a man who signed for a Regular enlistment. Moreover, 1/RWF was in France. So how did he enlist in 1/RWF, I wonder?

Bit off topic, I fear.

John

**ap1** · 03-01-2011, 19:04

George Jarvis from Mount St Wrexham. 38 yrs old on his enlistment in 1915.

george j mount st.x.jpg

**ap1** · 03-01-2011, 19:15

George Jarvis from the Moss, Wrexham. Enlistment date 17 June 1895 aged 18 and 1 month.

george jarvis moss 1.x.jpg george Jarvis moss 2.x.jpg george jarvis moss 4.x.jpg george jarvis moss 3.x.jpg

**Baconwallah** · 03-01-2011, 19:26

Originally Posted by ap1

George Jarvis from Mount St Wrexham. 38 yrs old on his enlistment in 1915.

george j mount st.x.jpg

Thanks, Al. Never seen this before. Unusual.

John

vikingtim · 03-01-2011, 20:48

Thanks so very, very much ap1. You have proved right a family 'secret'. My Great-Grandfather was George Jarvis, born 17th June 1877 [son of Joseph Jarvis and Mary Jarvis formerly Shefton]. An elderly relative told me that he had changed his name to Robert George Evans as a result of this desertion. He later served in the Second Boer War as Evans, and also as a Reserve in the Yorks and Lancs [WW1 era] as Evans. We thought he had deserted from the Warwicks, but there are photos of him in uniform sporting the South Africa medal, which puzzled us. Now we know the truth.

On one hand, I am delighted that you have solved a mystery and that I know the original name was Jarvis [he is on various records at various times listed as both], but I feel a sense of unease about his desertion. I don't usually believe in notions of inherited guilt but feel that I should offer an apology for George's action. I am sorry that he behaved so dishonourably and disrespectfully towards a fine regiment.