Edwards, Marjory E M

[Phil Wood]

Hi,

I am looking into many war memorials across West Berkshire - where there are few women commemorated. Two (Lorna Ferris, Newbury and Beatrice Stevens, COmpton) have been discussed on the GW Forum - so I thought I would ask about another.

Marjory E M Edwards, VAD British Red Cross Society is commemorated on the village memorial in Streatley.

Can anyone with more experience of researching nurses than me give me a steer towards more information on her life.

[royalredcross]

She appears to be Marjorie Eva May Edwards according to the BRCS Register. Contract completed before the 1918 edition so little other information.

NGG

[Phil Wood]

She appears to be Marjorie Eva May Edwards according to the BRCS Register. Contract completed before the 1918 edition so little other information.

It's a start, thanks. How do you access the BRCS register, is it available online?

Phil

[alf mcm]

Phil,

There is a medal record card for Marjory E M Edwards, V.A.D., available from Documentsonline at The National Archives.

Regards,

Alf McM

[Phil Wood]

Phil,

There is a medal record card for Marjory E M Edwards, V.A.D., available from Documentsonline at The National Archives.

Regards,

Alf McM

Thanks Alf,

I had assumed that Documentsonline and Ancestry had the same data - but it seems not.

There is a MIC for Miss M Edwards, Territorial Force Nursing Service on Ancestry - anyone know what the chances are of this being the same girl ?

The card gives a reference MID - L.G.1.1.6 p70. It's nothing like the MICs I am used to, just a plain index card with the information written on it. I had a go with the Gazette to see if I could find a reference to the MID, but no luck so far.

Phil

[jdoyle]

there is an M E M Edwards VAD commemorated on this war memorial

http://www.rossandcr...m/k22_wm05.html

there is a probate record for Marjory Eva May Edwards, 1918 who has Streatley as her address. Ties in with a death index entry :

Name:Marjory E M Edwards

Birth Date:abt 1892

Date of Registration:Jan-Feb-Mar 1918

Age at Death:26

Registration district:Hampstead

Inferred County:London

Volume:1a

Page:752

[royalredcross]

As far as I know the BRCS Register is not on line.

You could check with the publisher of the reprint which is Savannah Publicationns.

NGG

[Phil Wood]

Thanks all,

I found the probate entry last night - and a bit more:

Marjory Eva May Edwards was born in 1891, parents John Henry Edwards (born Simla) and Isabel Mary Jane (nee ?). She was baptised at St Catherine's, Liverpool on 21 Nov 1891 (parents address 17 Abercromby Square).

I cannot find her in either the 1901 or 1911 census.

In 1911 her parents are staying with George Pilkington at Stoneleigh, Beaconsfield, Woolton, Lancs. Her father gives his occupation as 'Alkali Manager'. There are a number of children named Edwardes and Edwards who are given as graindchildren of Pilkington - the children of George's daughter Mabel Carlisle Pilkington, who married a Hugh Edwardes (later the 6th Baron Kensington) - perhaps John Henry was related? George Pilkington appears to be seriously wealthy (ten servants including a footman) - suggesting a link to the glass family?

The probate (and death register index) show she died in Hampstead in 1918 (4 Jan) - but I haven't been able to find the address given ('The Hut' in Streatley) yet.

It is looking like the link to Streatley and West Berkshire is a short-lived one - perhaps indicated by having her name on the Knockbain memorial as well. I wonder how many people are commemorated on two village memorials so far apart in the UK?

With 3-4,000 names to research I won't be buying a lot of death certificates etc and will collect Documentsonline downloads when I am at TNA (when they are free) so the story may be on pause for a while - unless any of you wonderful folk can add to it ...

Phil

[David_Underdown]

Well here's her mention http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/29422/supplements/70 - date is 1 January 1916, but as it's a (New Year Honours) supplement one of the peculiarities of the online version is that it's given the date of the original issue, so it's always worth putting the start if search a few days before the date shown

[Jim Strawbridge]

I don't think that the TFNS nurse is the same woman. I have done a little more research and Marjory's mother was of good stock (maiden name Morant-Gale) and the grand-daughter of Sir Simeon Henry Stuart. Moneyed, it would seem, through sugar plantations in Jamaica. Isabel had made her home in Craigton, Ross-shire and this will be the link to Knockbain.

[Phil Wood]

A picture, I hope - for Jim (couldn't work out how to attach it to a PM - let me have an email address if you need a higher res immage).

I agree that the Miss M Edwards in the TFNS is not conclusively Marjory. There is also mention of a Miss M G Edwards, TFNS, clearly not Marjory, but every bit as likely to be the Miss M mentioned in dispatches (or the one mentioned several times in the war diaries at the scarletfinders site.

I'm not sure where you found the Morant-Gale connection Jim - I don't suppose you know where/when they married?

[Sue Light]

The MiD card can't be related in any way to Marjory Edwards. She was a VAD of the British Red Cross Society, and the Territorial Force Nursing Service was a totally separate service with a trained nursing staff. There are service records to five 'M. Edwards' of the TFNS at The National Archives, Three Marys, a Margaret and a Mildred, and probably several more who served but don't have a service record there. Try contacting the British Red Cross Archives for details of Marjory Edwards' service.

BRCS Archives

Sue

[Jim Strawbridge]

I'm not sure where you found the Morant-Gale connection Jim - I don't suppose you know where/when they married?

Phil, I found it using FreeBMD.

EDWARDS John Henry J Steyning 2b 438

Gale Isabel Mary J M Steyning 2b 438

Morant-Gale Isabel Mary J Steyning 2b 438

Third quarter 1889 with marriage registered in the Steyning registration district. With Marjorie coming along in 1891 they didn't waste any time !!!

Yes, I would love to have a copy of the memorial and am sending my email address through the messaging system.

[Phil Wood]

I was at TNA today and got the MIC - not very informative, but no sign of any entry into a war zone - it seems like she stayed in the UK (as suspected).

BRCS next ...

[Sue Light]

Phil

She definitely served overseas. The British Red Cross Register mentioned previously is actually a Register of overseas volunteers, and if she hadn't have gone overseas there would be no medal card. The absence of a date of entry is usual for VADs, most of whom went overseas after 1/1/16, therefore no DofE.

Sue

[Phil Wood]

She definitely served overseas.

Thanks Sue, I am learning with every post.

[mbriscoe]

There is also

 

B.R.C.S.

M. E. M. EDWARDS, V.A.D.

 

On the Knockbain War Memorial

 

CANMORE

 

See this has been noted above, did not notice earlier.

 

 

 

 

Edited 24 April , 2018 by mbriscoe

[mbriscoe]

Reading Observer - Saturday 26 January 1918

Image © Successor rightsholder unknown. Please contact us via support@britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk if you wish to claim rights to this title..

 

Quote

STREATLEY.

DEATH OF MISS EDWARDS.

Miss Marjory Eva May, the elder daughter of Mrs. Edwards, of the Hut Streatley, died in London on January 4th. Since the outbreak of war she had worked unceasingly for the British Red Cross Society. For two years she nursed at Battle Hospital, Goring, afterwards going to a military hospital in Rouen, France, where she remained until last August, when she was obliged to come home owing to ill-health. Before she was really strong again the returned to hospital work in London, where she contracted measles. Complications ensued and she died as stated. Her loss is deeply felt by her fellow workers and many friends both in Goring and Streatley, where she was universally beloved. A memorial service was held in the Parish Church by the Rev. E. L. Gillam, and was largely attended.