Liverpool & South West Lancs Genealogy

[Education Officer]

Unfortunately have to wait for some parcels to be collected. No time given just "today".

The library closes at 5pm so it may be tomorrow before I get there.

Hilary
Ed Officer

[Education Officer]

I got there and I think I've solved the mystery.

Befroe I started on the directories I was talking to a Local Historian in the library who thought Thorn Close was a nursery or plot or something like that towards the Marshside end of Cambridge Road.

He was right as I found in the directory. In fact Thorn Close was on what is now the corner of Cambridge Road and Cambridge Ave.

1914/15 directory (complied 1913/14)
Listed 83 Cambridge Road Thorn Close empty

1920/21 directory (complied 1919/20)
Listed 83 Cambridge Road as John Rimmer

1919 Electoral Roll 83 Cambridge Road
John Rimmer
Jane Rimmer

1918 Electoral Roll 83 Cambridge Road
John Rimmer
Jane Rimmer

1914 Southport Burgess Roll 83 Cambridge Road
John Rimmer right of vote from 83 Cambridge Road and 4 Hampton Road

At this point I thought "Oh heck" as Rimmer was the most common name in the Southport area. My second thought was a bit of deja vu - I've been to 4 Hampton Road before it's a bakery or somethink similar


I drove home via Cambridge Road and found 83. Cambridge Road is mainly detached Victorian Villas. 83 is still there and before extensions etc would have been a small 2 up 2 down cottage possible semi detached (it certainly is now) on a large plot of land. 83a now sounds on what was it's land.

At home I looked in my book Southpirt's Splendid Hearts by Victoria Bannister to see if there were any Rimmers with 83 Cambridge Road as their address. Sadly there was a Gilbert Rimmer killed in action 20 Sept 1917. He was 31 the son of Mr J Rimmer of 83 Cambridge Road of Hampton Road Bakery. He was formerly an assistant master at Holy Trinity School and was headmaster of Norton Canon School Herefordshire. He had a wife and one daughter.

Armed with this information I was able to find the family in 1901

4 Hampton Road Southport
John Rimmer 43 baker and grocer bn Birkdale
Jane wife 40 bn Hanley Staffs
James A son 20 van man
John M son 18 pupil teacher
Alice A grocer's 16 asst
Gilbert son 14
George son 12
Sydney son 9
Cyril 8
Stanley son 6
Herbert son 2
Edwin son 5 months
all the children bn Southport

I think James A Rimmer must be the Jimmy of the PC. He married Jane A Culshaw in 1906 at St Philip's Church Southport. In 1911 they are at 74 Clifton Road Southport. He's a grocer's asst. There is a daughter Phyllis whose 3 Margaret Moore Rimmer whose 13 months and they had a son James in 1915


In 1881 the family are at 5 Everton Road Birkdale and in 1891 at 22 Laurel Grove Southport.

I think the picture was taken at his parent's house rather than as an address to write too.

I have been doing some research on Rimmer's for someone locally. John Rimmer James father was the son of a James Rimmer. He had a brother Gilbert and the lady I am doing the research for descends from this Gilbert
born in 1845.

It's a small world!

Hilary
Ed Officer

[MaryA]

Very well done Hilary!!
_________________
MaryA - Member No. 6532
Liverpool Names - Lunt, Ayre, Forshaw, Parle, Ennis, Bayley, Russell, Baile, Mason
Any census information included in this post is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

[Education Officer]

Thank you Mary

Hilary
Ed Officer

[daggers]

Hilary
What a success story, with a typical FH coincidence too! Thank you very much for working this out. I have cut and pasted your complete answer for the other Forum, where its WW1-thinking members will be very impressed. I know I am.
D
_________________
M. no. 31

[Education Officer]

I had a look on the Great War Forum. Noit sure why they want the James and John Rimmers who died. James A Rimmer the one I found appears to have survived. Again taken from Southport's Splendid Hearts by Victoria Bannister

John Henry Rimmer 24475 RFA son of George and Dorothy Rimmer late of South End Farm Liverpool Road Birkdale. He was policeman before joining up

John Rimmer 188922 Gunner died 1 or 9 Dec 1916 buried St Cuthbert's Church Southport (so the one buried in Southport Churchyard) family of 21 old Park Lane late of 20 Zetland Street Southport

John Rimmer 105021 Driver son of Arthur and Margaret Rimmer 59 Rigby's Brow Marshside Southport.

James Rimmer 98015 died 13 May 1917 husband of Mrs Rimmer of 120 Park Lane Southport.

James Rimmer 38425 died 1 August 1918 not in the book

There are 3 other James Rimmers but none in the RFA

Not sure why the poster wants the dead if you see what I mean but would recommend the book to him.

Hilary
Ed Officer

PS I presumed the James A I found with the connection to Thorn Close was probably called Jimmy! I can't see a John would be called Jimmy

PPS I suggest your poster joins the Liverpool & S W Lancs FHS and gets onto our Forum!

[Education Officer]

I forgot to say that James' name was James Allen Rimmer and he married on 18 September 1906 at St Philip's Church Southport stating he was a grocer. He was 25 and his address was 4 Hampton Road. He married Jane Annie Culshaw.

I was at Lancs RO today and looked the marriage up.
Hilary
Ed Officer

[daggers]

Hilary
You have seen the GWF thread which started this off, but other readers will want to know how grateful the originator is for her help in pursuing the query.
A late posting there produced this, from a keen member in USA, who has a large library of UK references:
"204233 Pte. Gilbert Rimmer, 5th Bn, King's Liverpool Regiment was KIA on 20 Sept 1917. He was the son of Mr. J. Rimmer, 83 Cambridge Road, Southport and was employed at Hampton Road Bakery. He is evidently the Gilbert Rimmer listed in the reply by Daggers, above."

I agree with your PS and PPS!
D
_________________
M. no. 31

[Education Officer]

Hi D

Please copy and post my previous post with all the James and John Rimmers who died. The book I describe is the definite book about the people who died in the First World war. The lady researched not only the names on the war memorial but on all the other local memorials she found. It was backed up with research with the Commonwealth war Graves Commission and the local paper the Southport Visiter.

Why do they think Jimmy died?

The absent voters list doesn't appear to have survived and as we don't definitely know where Jimmy lived as Thorn Close was his parent's address it wouldn't be much use.

You may post this post as well

Hilary
Education Officer

[Education Officer]

Just to say if anyone was following this that when I look on the Great War site the originator of the request is still not convinced! I feel I wasted my time.

Hilary
Ed Officer

[daggers]

I think there must be some southern stubbornness down there - he has said he is very grateful for your efforts, but in the end he has to satisfy his own standard of accuracy, even without the local knowledge you are blessed with [as well as persistence!]
D
_________________
M. no. 31

[Education Officer]

All I can say is that he shouldn't ask for help if he wishes to find it out for himself.

Hilary
Ed Officer