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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Herefordshire => Topic started by: Sarahjane on Tuesday 05 October 04 19:17 BST (UK)
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robert jones vc was my great great grandfather his daughter edith emily jones was my great grandmother,but thats all i know about the family,if anyone knows any info about this family it would be great to know
Thanks ::)[]
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This website gives the name of Robert JONES's wife, the number of children, his date of birth & place of residence:
http://www.rorkesdriftvc.com/vc/jones.htm
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I saved a Hereford Times article, dated Feb 21 1991, about him for some reason, and quote from some of it:
Robert Jones was a teenage hero of the Zulu War, fighting off the African hordes and suffering bullet and spear wounds. Almost 20 years later a coroner's jury ruled that the Victoria Cross holder had taken his own life in a Herefordshire garden. But was it suicide? Still being fiercely defended in the Golden Valley village of Peterchurch today is the reputation for courage Jones earned on the dark continent.
Handed down from generation to generation has been the claim that Jones died in a tragic accident - a jolted gun succeeding where the warriors that were the pride of Zulu Chief Cetewayo had failed.
He won the VC in 1879 aged 19, he was of the 2nd Battalion 24 Foot, South Wales Borderers.
He died while employed by Mr De la Hay as a farm labourer. The vicar of the church, John de la Tour Davies has campaigned to have the suicide verdict quashed. He claims that a vital piece of evidence was overlooked - Jones was carrying a box lock gun that could unintentionally be triggered if suddenly jarred.
He has a fine marble gravestone in Peterchurch, cared with devotion, and on Remembrance Sundays the Royal Legion lays a wreath at its foot.
[Wife's name Elizabeth].
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I dont know if this helps. I was a pupil at a school in Kington in Herefordshire in the 1960's . The lad that I sat next to was someone called Michael Wilding who was from Vowchurch which is very near to Peterchurch. Michaels grandfather won a VC at the battle of Rorkes Drift ! The relationship was on his mothers side.I remember when Zulu first came out that he and his mother were featured in the Hereford Times and were given complimentary tickets. I havent seen Michael since school but I do know that he lives in Abergavenny . It may prove possible to contact him through the Friends Re-united website which is where I picked up where he is. Jones is obviously a common name but the Peterchurch link is interesting.If you can trace the Hereford Times archive around the date the film was released it might confirm. There again it might have been someone else.
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It may sound strange, but I am also the G. G. granddaughter of Robert JONES VC.
My G. Grandmother was Alice SMITH nee JONES. We know quite a lot about Robert JONES as Alice was interested in what was happening and spoke in great detail about things. There are a number of relations living in our area who could also help you. Please contact me if you want any information.
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robert jones vc was my great great grandfather his daughter edith emily jones was my great grandmother,but thats all i know about the family,if anyone knows any info about this family it would be great to know
Thanks ::)[]
Robert Jones VC was my Great grandfather. His daughter Lily Rose Griffiths (Nee Jones) was my Grandmother. My father was William Frederick Griffiths, son of Lily Rose Griffiths. Everything you need to know is on WIKI. Just type in Robert Jones VC and click on Wiki.
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Robert Jones VC was my Great Grandfather. His daughter Lily Rose Griffiths (nee Jones) was my Grandmother. Her son, William Frederick Griffiths was my father. Type in Robert Jones VC and everything you need to know about him will come up, esp on Wiki...Regards, David Griffiths.
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Robert jones Was also my great great grandfather and lily rose my great grandmother. I have always wanted to know my family tree and looking at this today has opened up some doors. I come from Tredegar but now live in England and can't find much about the history here. I'm amazed to find something like this.
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Hello Chris. It sounds as though we are closely related. My Grandma, Lillian Rose Griffiths, who was the daughter of Pte R Jones VC had five children...My father Fred...My uncle Dai, My auntie Dorothy, My auntie Pat and my auntie Glennis. Now, I see that you carry the Griffiths surname so I guess that uncle Dai is your Grandad and your father is my first cousin. Uncle Dai married Auntie Anne in the fifties...Auntie Dorothy married Uncle Jack Edwards, Auntie Pat married Uncle Phil and I dont know about Auntie Glennis. They all lived in Sirhowy with Grandma Rose and Grandad Donald Griffiths. Uncle Dai lived with us in the early fifties when we lived in Carlton near Barnsley and used to visit my Auntie Anne in Lancashire before they were married.
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That's right they are my grandparents. They moved to sirhowy/ tredegar later in there lives. Annie passed in 1999 and dai a couple of years later. I started a diagramed fam tree on my laptop and I have got bits to add to it now :-).
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Am sorry to hear that Chris. Uncle Dai was my very fav Uncle and used to join in with us as kids playing, we shared my bed in Carlton untill he married Auntie Anne. I heard about the schism from Gaynor at my dads funeral in 1991...she never went into it. I am on (*)
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Robert Jones ('716 Jones)' is mentioned in 'Victoria Cross Heroes' by Michael Ashcroft. His VC forms part of the Ashcroft Collection.
Cati
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Thanks for that Cati. Much appreciated. Regards Dai Griffiths.
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Thanks for that Cati. Much appreciated. Regards Dai Griffiths.
Perhaps if you contact Lord Ashcroft - http://lordashcroft.com/contact.html - he may be able to advise you how the VC got into his collection (I mean, obviously he bought it, but he may know how it ended up for sale)
Cati
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Thank you David for the information it's a big help and sorry to hear about your dad too. My dad has got the rokes drift book and I know bits from there that's all. So all info was a great help. I just need more info so I can add to the family tree I am making. I also want to try and go further back on the jones and Griffiths sides
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Hello Chris, If you want pictures of Great Grandad Jones or info including pictures of his grave etc then I can supply them. I am 67 years old and I am the eldest of the first cousins although I have never met any of Uncle Dai's children, the last time that I saw him was when he married Anne. So it was back in the 50's when I last saw Uncle Dai. I have one brother, Mervyn, who I am estranged from. He is 65 in April. I know all of Auntie Dorothys children, who are Gaynor, Bryn and Allison. I used to go and visit Grandma Rose every year when she lived in Sirhowy from the late forties and all through the fifties. I was present at Grandma Rose's house in Sirhowy when Grandad Donald Thewellen Griffiths died in the early 50's. Grandma Rose told me all about her father Robert Jones VC, and his VC way back in around 1950 when I was about six years old or so. There was a large picture of him in uniform with his VC. The last time that I saw Grandma Rose was in the mid 60's when I was serving in the Royal Navy. I paid a week long visit to her see her in Cefn- Golau, Tredegar in 1962 when Auntie Pat and Phil were there. Bye for now. Regards David.
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The above pictures are of my Great Grandfather Pte Robert Jones VC. The top one shows him with his VC, the middle picture is of his grave in Herefordshire (Peterchurch Churchyard) For some time, my Great Grandfathers headstone was in a sorry state, with lead missing from lettering and moss covering most of the surface. However, Stephen Jackson from Longwell Green in Bristol came to the rescue and engaged Mr N C Pegler, Monumental Mason, Rockfield Road, Hereford to re-furbish the headstone. I think you will agree the results are stunning.
Thank you Stephen Jackson.
The bottom picture is of him in 1898...the year of his hotly disputed suicide.
1. Pte Robert Jones VC, won VC at Rorke's Drift. Born 19th August 1857 Tynewydd Nr Raglan; committed suicide (disputed, may have been shooting accident) 6th Sept 1898; buried in St Peter's Churchyard, Peterchurch. At time of burial coffin taken over churchwall rather than through gate, headstone facing opposite to all others in churchyard due to Jones's alleged suicide.
2. Pte Alfred Hook VC, won VC at Rorke's Drift. Born 6th August 1850 at Birdwood, Churcham, Glocs, died 12th March 1905 of consumption, buried in Churcham, St Andrew's parish church. Worked in British Museum as an inside duster, later promoted to umbrella attendant.
3. Pte William Jones VC , won VC at Rorke's Drift. Born 16th August 1839 in Bristol, died 15th April 1913, buried in Phillips Park Cemetery, Manchester. Pawned VC for £5 to feed his family then later sold pawn ticket. Just before death was found wandering the streets of Manchester under the illusion the Zulus were coming to get him. [Note that William Jones is not wearing his VC in the photo, due to the medal having been pawned.]
4. Pte David Bell VC, won VC at Little Andaman Islands, 7th May 1867 saving men from island inhabited by cannibals. Born 1845 Co Down Northern Ireland, died 7th March 1920, buried Woodlands Cemetery, Gillingham. [Pte William Griffith VC, ot shown in this group, won his VC at the same situation, later killed 22nd Jan 1879 at Isandlwana.]
5. Col Browne won VC at Inhlobana, 29th March 1879 rescuing stranded Mounted infantrymen. Born 23rd Dec 1852, Cambridge, died 16th July 1907, buried Clarens Cemetery, Chemin de Munraz, Montreaux .
6. Pte Frederick Hitch VC, won VC at Rorke's Drift. Born 29th Nov 1856 Southgate, Middlesex, died 6th Jan 1913 of pneumonia and heart failure due to picket duty while on strike as a cabby after the Home Secretary (Winston Churchill) increased the price of petrol but did not allow fares to be increased at the time; Hitch is buried in Chiswick cemetery.
7. Pte John Fielding VC (aka John Williams), won VC at Rorke's Drift; joined the army as John Williams to avoid his father knowing of enlistment; born 24th May 1857 in Abergavenny, died 25th Nov 1932, buried Llantaman, Monmouthshire.
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Am sorry to hear that Chris. Uncle Dai was my favourite Uncle and used to join in with us as kids playing outside in the street at Carlton, games such as tig and hide and seek and sticks... then again he was only in his twenties and young himself. I had two uncles and three aunties from my mothers side. My mother was called Jennie Griffiths nee Brindley and she had two brothers and three sisters. (Amended)
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Still live in Barnsley on the Wakefield/Barnsley border. These are the actual pictures of Great Grandfather Pte Robert Jones VC's medals, with VC and South Africa 1877-79 medal. Its just a pity that we only have pictures of them and that as family we dont know who sold them in 1996. It must have been legal and I understand that my greatgrandfathers widow Elizabeth remarried after his death and his VC may have gone down that road or was sold or pawned and left the family. But it really is a pity that they are in a private collection and were not even donated to his old regiment although I understand that his regimental museum made a bid for them but lost out to the private buyer Lord Ashcroft. The other thing is of course his supposed suicide in 1898....it is well known that the gun he used for shooting crows and rabbits etc had a hair trigger that could go off at anytime if you were not very careful, but suicide was the verdict and they only buried my greatgrandfather in the churchyard with great reluctance. In fact it was only because that he had won the VC that permission was given, but he was buried the opposite way round to everyone else and his coffin had to come into the churchyard over the wall and not the main entrance. A total disgrace! My greatgrandfather had a young family at the time, five children under twelve years old including Grandma Lillian Rose who was born in 1890 and was only eight years old at the time. I dont think he would have commited suicide with a young family to bring up. Obviously the gun went off accidentally with fatal results.
Research into the accident was done by Graham Mason who is an Anglo-Zulu War Researcher entitled ''WHAT HAPPENED AFTER''......
''Research has proven that nearly all who took part in the campaign on Jan 22/23 1879 were affected in a mental capacity. To a man, any mention of those terrible 12 hours brings out anger or denial if mentioned in later years. Pte William COOPER who was over eighty gassed himself in the 1940's because, coupled with his physical condition and memories, his mind could take no more. Pte William JONES VC was seen towards the end of his life wandering the streets of Manchester with his granddaughter in his arms to protect her from the Zulu, quite obviously suffering from the pangs of that terrible day. Another VC winner (Pte Robert JONES VC) allegedly shot himself with a shotgun while the balance of his mind was disturbed. Quite how he managed to shoot himself twice is a fact I find difficult to accept. What is true is that the gun he was carrying was known to have a hair trigger, that the area where the accident took place was uneven and that Robert was not concentrating on his business at the time as it was proven that he was "disturbed" about events back in 1879 and this fatal combination resulted in him losing his life. To add insult to injury his coffin was taken over the cemetery wall and when buried, the headstone faced the other way round from the others as he was a 'supposed' suicide!! I feel a campaign is in order to investigate the true causes of his death and to reverse the suicide verdict raised against him.''
Graham ''Sapper'' Mason.
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JONES, Private Robert (24th Foot)
Auction Date: 11 Jun 96
Lot Number: 468
Category: GROUPS AND SINGLE DECORATIONS FOR GALLANTRY
Estimate: £80000-£120000
Hammer Price: £80000
Description
The Zulu War Victoria Cross Pair Awarded to Private Robert Jones, 2nd Battalion, 24th Foot, for his Gallantry in Saving the Lives of Six Patients from the Hospital during the Historic Defence of the Mission Station at Rorke’s Drift on 22nd and 23rd January 1879
Victoria Cross, the reverse of the suspension bar officially inscribed (Private Robert Jones, 2-24th Regt.), the reverse centre of the Cross officially dated ‘22. 23. Jany. 1879.’
South Africa 1877-79, clasp, 1877-8-9 (V.C. 716 Pte. R. Jones, 2-24th Foot)
Old repair to the ribbon slot on the upper part of the suspension bar of the Victoria Cross, contact marks and pitting to both medals, a fine and historic pair (2)
Footnote
Victoria Cross (jointly with 804 Private William Jones) London Gazette 2 May, 1879: ‘Robert Jones, Private, 2nd Battn. 24th Regt. At the hospital, in a ward facing the hill, Private William Jones and Private Robert Jones defended the post to the last, until six out of the seven patients it contained had been removed. The seventh, Sergt. Maxfield, was delirious through fever. Although they had previously dressed him, they were unable to induce him to move. When Private Robert Jones returned to endeavour to carry him away, he found him being stabbed by Zulus as he lay in his bed.’
The news of the epic defence, in early 1879, of the remote outpost at Rorke’s Drift against some 4,000 Zulu warriors, flushed with victory following the annihilation of the 1st Battalion, 24th Foot at Isandhlwana, thrilled Victorian Britain and has been hallowed ever since as one of the most heroic stands in military history. The backbone of the Rorke’s Drift garrison consisted of ninety-five men belonging to ‘B’ Company of the 2nd Battalion, 24th Foot. Acts of gallantry performed during the defence resulted in the awards of eleven Victoria Crosses - the highest number ever conferred for a single action - with seven of them going to members of ‘B’ Company. Of those seven, only Robert Jones’s Cross has failed down the years to find its way into the Regimental museum of the South Wales Borderers. The action has inspired numerous artists and, as a recipient of the Victoria Cross, Robert Jones’s heroism has been celebrated in every major work from Lady Elizabeth Butler’s painting The Defence of Rorke’s Drift, January 22nd 1879, to the 1964 cinema classic Zulu, in which Jones’s part was played by actor Denys Graham. It has been said that Robert Jones never really escaped from the traumatic events at Rorke’s Drift and continued to be haunted by visions of the lethal contest between thrusting bayonet and the vicious stab and slash of the assegai until he met his tragic end at the age of forty-one. However, at the time, the performance of Jones and his kind did much to restore public morale after the Isandhlwana disaster, and has been seen ever since as epitomising the stalwart and disciplined fighting qualities of the British infantryman.
Robert Jones, a farm worker’s son, was born into the agricultural community of Tynewydd, Clytha, near Raglan, Monmouthshire, on 19 August, 1857. Described as ‘a typical Welsh country boy’, he worked alongside his father on the land until he was eighteen when, against his family’s wishes, he went off to Monmouth to enlist into the 24th Regiment of Foot on 10 January, 1876. On the 28th of that month, 716 Jones, as he was now known among the proliferation of other Joneses in the regiment, was posted to the 2nd Battalion at Dover. Recorded on enlistment as being five feet seven and a half inches tall, with a fresh complexion, grey eyes and brown hair, he embarked for South Africa in February 1878 for service in the Cape Frontier War.
RIP Great Grandad. I wouldn't be here if you hadn't have made it.
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Rourkes Drift...
A single company of infantry garrisoned the mission station at Rorke’s Drift, B Company, 2nd Battalion, 24th Foot. Although the 24th was designated the South Warwickshire Regiment, this company was manned largely by Welshmen, in January 1879.
The British garrison set to fortifying the mission station. Tents were struck and stored and the buildings loopholed for defence. The store (church) and building (Witt’s house) were linked by walls of mealie bags.
A party of Durnford’s unit arrived and was posted forward to hold the Zulu advance as long as possible.
At 4.20pm firing was heard from the hill and the men of Durnford’s unit returned to the mission station and then left for Helpmakaar, the nearest Natal town. The company of Natal Native Infantry also left, leaving the regular British troops and some Natal irregulars.
The garrison hurriedly built a shorter perimeter line of biscuit boxes to accommodate the greatly reduced numbers of soldiers.
500 Zulus appeared around the hill to the South, running towards the mission station. They were met by a heavy fire from the garrison and at some 50 yards from the wall veered around the hospital to attack from the North West. They were driven back by the fire from the garrison and went to ground in the undergrowth, uncleared due the shortage of time.
The main body of Zulus came up and opened a heavy fire on the British from cover around the West and North West of the mission station.
The hospital at the western end of the fortifications became the focus for the fighting. Set on fire and stormed by the Zulus, it became untenable. As many men were extracted as possible, the remaining patients perishing in the flames. Privates John Williams, Henry Hook, Robert Jones, William Jones, Frederick Hitch and Corporal William Allen all received the Victoria Cross for their defence of the hospital building, fighting with bayonets once their ammunition was expended, as they contested every room with the attacking warriors.
The fighting now concentrated on the wall of biscuit barrels linking the mission house with the mealie wall. As night fell the British withdrew to the centre of the station where a final bastion had been hastily assembled. The light from the burning hospital assisted the British in their fire. The savage Zulu attacks were resisted until around midnight when unexpectedly the ferocity of the assault fell away. Firing continued until around 4am when the Zulus withdrew. By then the British held only the area around the storehouse.
At 7am a body of Zulus appeared on the hill, but no attack followed. It became apparent that the Zulus could see Chelmsford’s column approaching from the direction of Isandlwana. The Zulus turned and left.
Soon afterwards the column arrived at the drift and crossed the Tugela, marching up to the mission station. Chelmsford’s delight at finding the garrison alive and still resisting was heavily tempered by his despair at finding that no survivors from Isandlwana had escaped to Rorke’s Drift.
Casualties: Zulu casualties are thought to have been around 500 dead of the 4,000 Zulu's. The garrison of the mission station comprised 8 officers and 131 non-commissioned ranks. Of these 17 were killed and 10 wounded.
The defeat at Isandlwana brought Lord Chelmsford’s Centre Column back to the Tugela. Chelmsford had then to ensure that the Zulu Armies did not invade Natal. He called for substantial reinforcements and got them. In March 1879 Colonel Evelyn Wood’s Northern Column inflicted a heavy defeat on the Zulus at Khambula. In April 1879 Chelmsford relieved Colonel Pearson’s Southern Column, entrenched for some months at Eshowe, and later renewed the advance from the Tugela. On 4th July 1879 Cetshwayo’s Zulu Army was utterly defeated at the Battle of Ulundi. Fighting continued in a desultory form until Cetshwayo’s capture on 28th August 1879 and the end of the war.
Lieutenants Chard and Bromhead were each awarded the Victoria Cross for the defence of the Rorke’s Drift mission station and promoted major.
In addition to the soldiers of the 24th who distinguished themselves in the defence of the hospital, Victoria Crosses were awarded to Surgeon Reynolds, Commissary Dalton and Corporal Schiess of the NNC. Colour Sergeant Bourne and Private William Roy of the 24th Foot, Gunner Cantwell of the Royal Artillery and Corporal Attwood of the Army Service Corps were awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.
The medical consequences of the battle: It seems likely that a number of the defenders of Rorke’s Drift subsequently suffered from what is now classified as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Corporal Schiess fell “on hard times” and died in 1884 aged 28 years; Pte John Fielding’s hair is said to have turned white shortly after the battle; William Jones in old age suffered from nightmares that the Zulus were about to attack; Robert Jones allegedly shot himself in 1898, but this is hotly contested by the family and a report by ''Sapper'' Graham Mason...Anglo-Zulu War Researcher gives the following account of his death......
''The death of Robert in 1898 was a result of an accident I believe whilst Robert's mind was not on his job, whilst carrying a loaded shotgun along a rocky path, I believe he tripped , dropped the gun and one barrel took him under the chin whilst the other went off as the gun fell over.''
I received this opinion from ''Sapper'' last week.
David Griffiths.
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At long last and thanks to this Forum I have been sent infomation as to who sold my Great Grandfathers Victoria Cross to Lord Ashford for £80,000 in 1996.
An article in the Independent newspaper dated Wed. 12th June 1996 says the following......
''A Victoria Cross won at the defence of Rorke's Drift during the Zulu War was auctioned for pounds 80,000 yesterday and hopes were high that it will find its way to a regimental museum.
The medal, one of 11 awarded in the clash, was bought by an unidentified buyer at the sale at Westbury Hotel, Conduit Street, central London, for less than expected. It was awarded to Private Robert Jones, 21, of a regiment which later became the South Wales Borderers. He played a crucial part in the stand of 153 soldiers against 4,000 Zulu warriors in January 1879''.
Family members including grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great- great-grandchildren were at the auction. Michael Naxton, representing the buyer, refused to give any details other than that he or she was British but not Welsh. Asked if the medal could be loaned to the regimental museum in Brecon, Powys, Mr Naxton said: "It may be it will be loaned to the museum. It's not for me to say."
Jones's medal was one of seven won by the 24th Regiment of Foot. The other six are kept at the museum, which would have liked to have bid for it but did not have the funds.
Jones's great-granddaughter, Bronwen Bufton, of Presteigne, Powys, said the family was "very proud" to be able to see the medal, which had been bought by an unnamed investor for pounds 98 in 1950. "We would very much like to have it back ... at the museum in Brecon; that is the family's aim. We are hoping whoever has bought it is on our side. If he would be very kind and lend it to the museum that would be wonderful.
Thankyou to the person who sent this information to me and although I do not know which member of the Family sold my Great Grandfathers Victoria Cross to the unnamed invester in 1950 for £98 which was a lot of money then, about £3,000 to £5,000 now, but I do know that Lord Ashcroft was the buyer, and I can now put this behind me, as the member of my family who sold it is of no interest to me as it is too long ago. Suffice to say that they let the family down.
I would like the case of his alleged suicide to be reversed as soon as possible.
David Griffiths.
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Goodbye all...
I have completed my task as per my remit.
To the people who care...Please continue the fight to have this suicide verdict overturned and have my Great Grandfathers headstone turned the correct way around.
David Griffiths.
Great Grandson of Pte Robert Jones VC.
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Hello all, my name is Stewart Campbell and was very touched after reading the article on Pte Robert Jones VC. I am a former soldier myself and would like to kick start a campaign for Pte Jones VC to have his headstone turned round. I understand that a national newspaper had a go two years ago but still the headstone remains the same.
I would like to use social media and public opinion and would be great if Robert's family members could help with this campaign?
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Hello David,
My name is Stewart and a former soldier myself. I picked up on a newspaper article by Pete Winners a former SAS soldier who made a national awareness of Robert's headstone and the direction. Although it's now two years on I and other army colleagues have picked up on this and to be frank were very toughed by the events. using new social media we have started a facebook campaign page that by estimates we will hit over a thousand followers within the first 24 hours of being up and running.
This has happened so fast and it's the last thing we want to do is upsetting anyone within your family. The campaign facebook page is called 'Campaign for full respect for Pte Robert Jones V.C https://www.facebook.com/groups/290891890982574/291124290959334/?notif_t=like
Late last night it was suggested to me that the family wish for the headstone to remain as it is and not turned in wards. Is it possible for us to chat?
Kind regards and respect
Stewart
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Goodbye all...
I have completed my task as per my remit.
To the people who care...Please continue the fight to have this suicide verdict overturned and have my Great Grandfathers headstone turned the correct way around.
Here is a photo of me in 1962 when I served in the Royal Navy and an up to date one when aged 68.
David Griffiths.
Great Grandson of Pte Robert Jones VC.
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Goodbye all...
I have completed my task as per my remit.
To the people who care...Please continue the fight to have this suicide verdict overturned and have my Great Grandfathers headstone turned the correct way around.
Here is a photo of me in 1964 when I served in the Royal Navy and an up to date one when aged 68.
Sorry for the double post.
David Griffiths.
Great Grandson of Pte Robert Jones VC.
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My name is darren jones. Robert jones was my great great uncle. He was my great great grandfathers brother. My grandfather was from stourbridg uk. He came to canada in 1906. Hes was born in 1887. There is alot of jones's here in peterborough ontario and all of canada. Just found out about pte. Robert jones. My dad robert jones was named after him. Big family tree. Lol
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Robert jones was my great great uncle. My name is darren jones from canada. My grandfather and greatgrand father lived in stourbridge worchestershire. My greatgrand father was robert jones brother. His name was richard jones. My grandfather came to canada in 1905 his name was wilfrid jones. He lived in toronto and then moved to peterborough ontario and worked at briton carpet factory for 45 years. He had 10 kids here. Big family tree.
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Robert jones was my great great uncle. Darren jones from canada
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Hi,
Are you looking for Census info? You have posted on the Hereford board, it should be Worcester Stourbridge is in Worcestershire.
In 1901 Wilfred b 1888 with father Richard b 1856 and family are at 15 Cherry Street Stoubridge, Worcester
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stourbridge
Oops did not realise this thread was 4 pages long. :-[
Disregard post.
Cas
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Reference to David about his relation Robert Jones V.C. truly a brave man. But the garrison at Rorkes Drift were the 2nd Warwickshire Regiment 24th-Foot, not South Warwickshire. And the Drift was not defended by mostly Welshmen, there were approx 30 Welshmen there out of 130 +.
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Incorrect it was the
24th Foot (2nd Warwickshire) from 1776 to 1881 and in the Zulu Wars and known just as just the 24th Foot
Previously it was just the 24th Foot till 1776
There was Never
just a 2nd Warwickshire Regt in the British Army
Who ever said it was All Welshmen at Rourke's Drift ?
It was never the Movie
And Never Stanley Baker
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If you would read my write up properly you would see that I stated that it was the 24th, 2nd Warwickshire. And if you would look at the badge you will see that it says 24 and around the edge it says 2nd Warwickshire. I did not say it was all Welshmen at Rorke's Drift I stated that there was approx 30 there. Stanley Baker said during the film can the Welsh do better than that (referring to the singing). Also the during the film it implies that William Jones was Welsh he was English. And you spell Rorke's Drift NOT Rourke's.
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You are Correct about spelling Rorke's which I knew really but must be dementia slipping in.
Spent living and working in Brecon 1977 to 2010 ( our Dentist is still with them)
Worked Just 100 yards from 24th Museum which was always visited when Relatives came from Liverpool to stay with us on their Holidays here
Regularly Played Squash next door at the Barracks Squash Court
My Brother worked in The Barracks there
We are Now living near Aberystwyth on the coast but 2 hrs drive to our Dentist
Knew the local Brecon Builders - The Rourke's
Noticed The Wheatsheaf Inn of Wheat Street Brecon is now renamed " The Rorke's Drift" since our Migration
Our 45th Wedding Anniversary on this Saturday we were Married in Brecon and first night in The Watton Hotel
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Hoping to get down to the SWB museum later in the year. The thing is all the V.C.s on display are copies with the originals locked away in a vault.
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Just a little Unknown Fact about the Ridley Scott Movie "Gladiator"
Any expert who has watched the Stanley Baker Movie "Zulu"
Will recognise in the first few minutes of the first attack in Gladiator -
The Huns charging in the Forest towards to the Romans
They are Chanting and Bagging their Shields the SAME identical ZULU War Chant
that Ridley Scott cleverly hid into the Soundtrack
"Not alot of people know that !"
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Before you visit the Museum later this year
Check if it still exists.
I read earlier this year suggesting it was Closing
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-55750619
They only ever actually held and displayed 9 of the 11 V.C.s
Our Stagecoach Bus Driver in Brecon - Nigel
Was researching Every V.C. awarded not just the 11 but All since awarded and visit their Grave
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Yes, Lord Ashcroft has Robert Jones's V.C. in his collection.
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I grew up in Bootle Liverpool played as a Kid running around Ford Cemetery and this Headstone
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/rorkes-drift-zulu-hero-thomas-6536397
Pre 1964 Rorke's Drift meant nothing to us kids or that Brecon and its Barracks and the 24th Museum would later have a part of my later life.
Lived for years in Hay on Wye and passed regularly Peterchurch Graveyard and Jones' Headstone
Small World