Evander Jackson Tames

[cheekyboo68]

Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone can help me shed some light on my grandfather, particularly with reference to the First World War.

This is all I know.

Evander Jackson Tames
Born 1885 (possibly Tarporley) or Liverpool (where he lived for most of his adult life)
Died 1964
Evander was married, had four children (Ruby and Ronald were two) and widowed, before marrying my grandmother Sarah Flood (nee Patrick).
Evander and Sarah had two daughters - Elsie who died in infancy and Irene, my mother (born June 1941, died January 1989)

Sarah had previously been married to a WW1 veteran Edward Flood. Due to the work of one of Edward's relatives (Stephanie) I know a bit about him - he returned suffering from shell shock, compounded by the tragic death of his toddler son and spent most of his remaining few years in hospital.

Unfortunately I know little about Evander as he died before I was born and my mother died 24 years ago. There are no relatives that I'm in contact with.

I understand, but can't confirm, that Evander served in the Great War, though I have no details at all about regiment, where he served or when he was conscripted/enlisted. Apparently, like many, he returned bitter and disillusioned. I recall being told that he became involved with the founding of the Liverpool Communist Party in response his experiences. A confirmed athiest he did not enter the church to "give my mum away" when she was married. My father said he never talked much about the war, but wore a hammer and sickle pin badge that had apparently been obtained in the war.

However, I have two of his belongings - A Little, Brown and Company 1929 First Edition copy of All Quiet on the Western Front (with a 100,000 Mark Reichsbanknote in it - n.b. this could have returned with Edward Flood) and an ARP Whistle from the Second World War.

Unfortunately this is about all I know. I've tried the Ancestry and Genesreunited web sites, and contacted Chris Baker from fourteeneighteen.co.uk. Chris's preliminary search did not reveal anything so he suggested I try local sources - hence I've signed up to this website.

If anyone can shed any light on Evander Jackson Tames, or has some additional suggestions I'd be most grateful.

[dickiesam]

Hello Cheekyboo68 and welcome to the forum. I hope we can help in your quest.

Some background for the crew....
In 1910+1 Evander is single and living with his brother-in-law at 17 Coleridge St, Liverpool.
HEESOM, Thomas Head Md 31 1880 Commercial Traveller's Porter - Liverpool
HEESOM, Emma Elizabeth Wife 31 1880 - Liverpool.
TAMES, Evander J Brother-in-law u/m 26 1885 - General dealer - Liverpool

Thomas Heeson married Emma Elizabeth Tames
Registration district: Toxteth Park
Year of registration: 1899; Dec qtr
Volume no: 8B; Page no: 462

Haven't yet found a previous marriage for Evander, but did find these children...
Births Mar 1913: Tames, Ronald W E [Paul] W.Derby 8b 1050
Births Mar 1916: Tames, Ruby P [Paul] W. Derby 8b 1071
Births Mar 1924: Tames, Margaret B [Paul] Liverpool 8b 518

Since Evander was a widower when he next married, this is the only Tames female death from 1924 to 1934...
Deaths Dec 1925: Tames, Annie B [36] W. Derby 8b 679
But there is also this..
Deaths Jun 1927: PAUL, Annie [54] W.Derby 8b 316

Evander J Tames married Sarah R Flood
Registration district: Liverpool North
Year of registration: 1935; Jun qtr
Volume no: 8B; Page no: 730

[MaryA]

Hi and welcome to the forum. The marriage Dickiesam was looking for is

Annie B Paul married Evander J James Q4 1911 W.Derby 8b 822
West Derby, Register Office or Registrar Attended

This often means that the marriage took place in an RC or non conformist church, but after what you say about his views, perhaps it did take place in the Register Office, so if you wanted the certificate you would need to order it either from the Liverpool Register Office or online through www.gro.gov.uk using the references given above.

[dickiesam]

Annie B Paul married Evander J James Q4 1911 W.Derby 8b 822
West Derby, Register Office or Registrar Attended.

Thanks for finding that MaryA.
James instead of Tames! Now there's a slip twixt one pen and another.

[MaryA]

Joint effort DS, without the surname Paul, I wouldn't have found it.

[cheekyboo68]

DS/MaryA,

Many thanks indeed for giving up your time to look at this.

In the space of 24 hours I think I've learned more about my mum's father than I've known for the previous 45 years !!

The great mystery remains the Great War. Chris from fourteeneighteen.com couldn't initially find anything so he politely declined my research request. I'll have another try with Evander James. Hopefully some clarity will be forthcoming through the forum and I'll follow up on some of the pointers you've supplied.

Thhanks again, I'm really grateful for your help.

[dickiesam]

Hi Cheekyboo68,
There is a major problem concerning searches for WW1 military service records. A huge number of records were destroyed by a disastrous fire during WW2. I understand at least 50% did not survive the fire. If the WW1 experts cannot find Evander's records his service will, unfortunately, remain a mystery.

[Katie]

Haven't yet found a previous marriage for Evander, but did find these children...
Births Mar 1913: Tames, Ronald W E [Paul] W.Derby 8b 1050
Births Mar 1916: Tames, Ruby P [Paul] W. Derby 8b 1071
Births Mar 1924: Tames, Margaret B [Paul] Liverpool 8b 518

You could try getting the Birth Certificate for Ruby which may record a Regiment and also if your lucky his number. But there is chance there may not be a Regiment or number recorded.

I carried out a first name search on Documents online for a Evander J only one match for that forename but his surname was MacKenzie

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.u ... =evander+j

Also nothing with just Evander there was matches but nothing identical to Tames/James

[cheekyboo68]

Folks,

Thanks again for your help and advice.

I will try and get Ruby's birth certficate and see if that helps. My dad does remember Ruby quite well, but after that I think I've exhausted most of his knowledge.

CB68

[dickiesam]

Folks,

Thanks again for your help and advice.

I will try and get Ruby's birth certficate and see if that helps. My dad does remember Ruby quite well, but after that I think I've exhausted most of his knowledge.

CB68

Hi,
If you go ahead with a purchase of a birth cert don't do it through any of the family genealogy sites. Use the General Registry Office at Southport online at http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certi ... efault.asp A cert will cost you £9.25 and takes about 2 weeks. Using an online genealogy site where cert services are on offer could cost more than 3 times as much.

[Hilary]

There is a tree on Ancestry about Evander.

They state he married Sarah Rachel Patrick on 8 July 1935 at St Augustine Church Everton. It would be worth contacting the owner of the tree as they are presumably related top you and do appear to have quite a bit of information.

[cheekyboo68]

Many thanks Hilary.

Evander features on three separate family trees so I've left messages via ancestry for the three owners. Hopefully they'll get them but unfortunately none of them have logged in for 8 months.

Fingers crossed.

[MaryA]

Glad we've helped just a little, the lack of records for WWI is very unfortunate but so often the case. Don't take "James" for granted that it may be a name he used, the most likely reason is that the T was written unclearly and the transcriber expected the more usual name of James and jumped on that.

[cheekyboo68]

Hi All,

I just thought I'd provide you with an update on where I've got on Evander Tames, though unfortunately there's not much to tell.

As suggested I ordered the birth certificate for Ruby, born in 1916, however, my grandfather is just described as a General Clerk. It was definitely worth a try, but I suppose if he did go to war, aged over 30 it was likely he was conscripted in 1917, after all the volunteers and pals fell on The Somme.

Unless anyone has any other suggestions, I guess I'll not be be able to find out any more.

Thanks to you all for your help. I at least know more about my grandad than before, even if The Great War remains a mystery.

I have come across another mystery though if any of the WW1 experts can shed some light.......

I have in my posession the RFC Great War Campaign Medals of my great, great uncle Malcolm Tomlinson. I even have his war diary which I've been reading, so I know quite a lot about him. However, another set of medals were kept with Uncle Malcolm's- they belong to 2nd Lieutenant E Bedson which is engraved on the edge of the medals. There is no number, just the name which doesn't mean anything at all to me or anyone in my immediate family.

Can anyone shed any light on this, for the moment, Unkown Soldier ??

[Katie]

These are probably his records at Kew

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.u ... i=C1168400

There is a Medal card for

2nd Lieutenant Eric Bedson Leicestershire Regiment

the address on the Medal Card is

92 Ellerton Road,
Firth Park
Sheffield

There is also a Medal Card for

Eric Hamilton Bedson Lieutenant/Captain

He was with the Lancashire Fusiliers attached to the Royal Flying Corps

This Officer Died

He is on CWGC

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casua ... 20HAMILTON

Service Records for E. H. Bedson

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.u ... i=D8190925

[cheekyboo68]

Katie, many thanks.

Logic would suggest that they belong to Eric Hamilton Bedson as my uncle was from Liverpool and in the RFC.

My wife checked up and he is listed on the Great War Memorial in Didsbury.

[Bertieone]

Photo, Eric Hamilton Bedson

http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/1283/ ... turnRecord

[cheekyboo68]

Thanks Bert, I'll check that out.