Generation One 1. Edward Henry Garrett, b. 1870 in Woolwich Kent. Here is Granddad Edward Henry Garrett’s service record Sergeant Edward Henry Garrett 2nd Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment Nos.3146 and 2783 Introduction Information provided was that Edward Henry Garrett was a Corporal in the Royal West Kent Regiment when he married Mary Agnes (Nellie) Harold at Woolwich, Kent on 4 January 1897. However, he was known to be out of the army when his first son Stanley Edward William was born in December 1905. Search Results As Edward served in the final years of the 19th Century and possibly the early years of the 20th Century the archives of Soldier’s Documents for the periods 1883-1900 and 1900-1913 were searched but, unexpectedly, his papers were not found in either. The possibility existed that he later returned to the army to serve in World War 1 when his papers from his previous service would have been carried over to those records. When the WW1 Medal Roll Card Index was examined a soldier named Edward Henry Garrett who served in the Royal West Kent Regiment was found. In the hope that he was the man sought a search was made in the WW1 Soldier’s Documents archive. Ironically, the man in the medal roll proved not to be the man sought but the papers for the correct Edward Henry Garrett were found. He did not appear in the Medal Rolls because he did not serve abroad during WW1, presumably as a result of his age. He spent the entire war serving in the army at Home. The following is an organised compilation of his periods in the army extracted from his papers and other related items. Personal Details Edward enlisted in October 1891 stating that he was born in Woolwich, Kent. He gave his age as 21 years 10 months that, if correct, would place his birth in November or December 1869. His physical description was 5ft 7½ins in height, weighing 140lbs with a fresh complexion, grey eyes and dark brown hair. He was a Labourer in a Telegraph Works by trade and his religious denomination was Church of England. As he was unmarried he gave his mother, Harriett living at 1, Godfrey Street, Woolwich, Kent as his next-of-kin since his father was already dead at that time. He also gave the name of his sister, Mrs Ife, living at the same address. The record of his Discharge Proceeding when he left the army in 1907 records that he subsequently married Nellie Alberta Mary Agnes and that his ’Intended Place of Residence’ was to be 9, Agnes Street, Silvertown in the east end of London. He was considered to be suited for future occupation as a telegraphist. Service Details Edward attested as a Private in the Royal West Kent Regiment at the Regimental Depot on 22 October 1891. His service commitment was 7 years with the Colours and 5 years in the Reserve. He was promoted to Lance Corporal in March 1893 and after two years service was awarded his first Good Conduct pay of an additional penny a day. In March 1894 he was promoted to Corporal and in September of that year was appointed Orderly Room Clerk. In July 1894 he was further promoted to Lance Sergeant but seven weeks later apparently chose to revert to Corporal in order to remain as Orderly Room Clerk. On 10 March 1897 he apparently exercised an option to prematurely transfer to the Army Reserve before completing 7 years with the Colours. It is possible to speculate that this was motivated by his marriage two months earlier. However, with the onset of the Boer War he was recalled from the Reserve to his Regiment and rejoined as a Corporal on 26 December 1899. He served in the campaign from March 1900 until a few months after its conclusion, returning home in September 1902. On 6 May 1903 he was retransferred back to the Army Reserve and was finally discharged on 21 October 1907 having completed exactly 16 years of service During the course of the Boer War he was promoted firstly to Lance Sergeant and later to full Sergeant. For his service in the war he was awarded the Queen’s South Africa Medal with three clasps for Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Transvaal. He was also later awarded the King’s South Africa Medal with 1901 and 1902 Clasps. On 23 October 1914 at the outbreak of World War 1 and at the age of 44 years Edward volunteered a second time when he enlisted as a Private in the 24th Battalion of the City of London Regiment, a Territorial unit. He was immediately promoted to Colour Sergeant but was reduced to Sergeant in September 1915 after returning drunk to Barracks in Chingford. At the same time he was transferred to the 7th Battalion of the City of London Regiment. The following year, in April 1916 he was again transferred, this time to his old regiment, the Royal West Kent and served at Home for the duration of the war. In November 1918 at the end of the war he was briefly posted as Orderly Room Clerk at the camp for repatriated prisoners of war at Old Park, Canterbury. However, this only lasted for a month until he was confined awaiting trial from 25 December 1918 to 13 January 1919 for absenting himself without leave on Christmas Day morning. His sentence was to take rank and precedence as if his appointment as Sergeant only took effect from 19 December 1915. This probably had the effect of a reduction in the pension he was eventually awarded. He was finally discharged on 31 May 1919 when his home address was 75 Leyes Road Custom House in East London. Harold Family Details In order to check that no children had been born prior to 1901, the Population Census Returns were checked for that year and Mary Agnes Garrett was found to be Ellen M A Garret born in Hackney, the 29 years old married daughter living with her parents, Jesse & Ellen Harold. The 1891 the Population Census Return showed that Jesse and Ellen Harold had 6 children, namely Harley E 17, Ellen M A 19, Jesse E 13, Ernest E 11, Stanley G 7 and Ruby E aged 6 months. Also with the family was his mother in law, Mary E Harley aged 63 years. The 1881 the Population Census Return showed that Jesse Harold was not only a Clerk but also an Army Pensioner aged 41 years born in Suffolk. A check on the 1871 Population Census Return showed that Jesse Harrold (sic) was living at Aldershot with wife Ellen. They were living at the Infantry Barracks for the 94th and 45th Regiments of Foot. An error with the imaging of the census prevented further information being obtained. Patricia E Martin January 2005 Documents Search WO 97/4911 1883-1900 Soldier’s Documents Garo - Garre WO 97/4911 1900-13 Soldier’s Documents Garratt – Garrity WO 100/194 Royal West Kent Regiment Queen’s South Africa Medal Roll WO 100/338 Royal West Kent Regiment King’s South Africa Medal Roll WO 363/G209 WW1 Soldier’s Documents Garrett Archer – Ernest H WO 364/1316 WW1 Soldier’s Documents Garratt Harry – Garrett John 1871 British Population Census 1881 British Population Census 1891 British Population Census 1901 British Population Census 1911 Census Address 48 Constance St Silvertown Parish West Ham Town Silvertown Type of Building Private House Number of Rooms 3 Inhabited Y Reference RG14PN9473 RG78PN508 RD188 SD4 ED3 SN95 Administrative County Essex Registration District West Ham Registration Sub District Canning Town Enumeration District 3. He married Nellie Alberta May Agnes Harold, 1897 in Woolwich, b. 1873 in London Hometown (daughter of Jesse Harold and Ellen Harley). Children: i. Stanley Edward William Garrett, b. 1906 in Stafford Staffordshire. Name Stanley Edward William Garrett Relationship to Head of Household Son Gender M Age 5 Estimated Year of Birth 1906 Occupation School Employed N Working at Home N Place of Birth Staffordshire Stafford. 2. ii. Harold Leslie Garrett b. 25 Aug 1907. iii. Eric Herbert Garrett, b. 1911 in Custom House Essex. Generation Two 2. Harold Leslie Garrett, b. 25 Aug 1907 in West Ham England. He married Doris Evelyn D'cunha, 15 May 1931 in Kirkee India, b. 7-Jun-1904 in Jhansi Bengal India (daughter of Cevelino D'cunha and Sarah Elizabeth Amor). Children: 3. i. Eric Garrett b. 24 Apr 1932. ii. Doreen A Garrett, b. 1935 in Poona. Generation Three 3. Eric Garrett, b. 24 Apr 1932 in Poona India, d. 2009 in Gillingham. He married Sylvia Rebecca Coward, 29 Mar 1958 in Gillingham, b. 1939 in England. Children: i. Doreen Garrett, b. 28 Aug 1957 in Chatham. 4. ii. Sharon Garrett b. 27 Mar 1959. 5. iii. Lorrain Garrett b. 2 Aug 1963. iv. Lee Garrett, b. 21 Oct 1971 in Chatham. He married Itzelt Olguin Cavello, 29 Aug 2001 in Chatham, b. 8 Jan 1976 in Mexico. Generation Four 4. Sharon Garrett, b. 27 Mar 1959. She married Peter Ward, 24 Apr 1982 in Strood RC Church, b. 16 Jan 1959. Children: i. Sarha Ward, b. 24 Apr ____. ii. Adam Ward, b. 28 Sep ____. 5. Lorrain Garrett, b. 2 Aug 1963 in Strood Kent. She married Nigel Trowel, 7 Apr 1984 in RC Church Strood, b. 12 Mar 1964. Children: i. Thomas Trowel, b. 26 Jan 1986 in Gillingham. ii. Lucy Trowel, b. 13 Mar 1988 in Halling.
