Edwin Crowhurst Jones - what happened to him?

[Peter J]

Seeking assistance in tracking down Edwin Crowhurst Jones b.1879, Bancroft Road, Mile End Old Town.

I have him in the censuses of 1881 and 1891, but he then disappears until October 1921, when he turns up as the informant on the death cert of his father, Alfred Jones, in which his address is given as 31 Cantrell Road (Stepney). 31 Cantrell Road, was his recently deceased brother Charles' home address, where Edwin's sister-in-law Emily and her children were living.

Edwin was the third-born of six children (all male) to parents, Alfred Jones and Emily nee Beavis.

This is everything I know of him - any information relating to this man would be of great help, and very much appreciated.

With thanks,

Peter.

[Hackstaple]

The only Edwin Jones born Mile End that I can find in the 1901 census is a Royal Marine at Chatham. That Edwin is shown as age 20 and has no middle name. Others on the muster roll have their middle names recorded.

So, the most usual solution to young men missing in 1901 is the Boer War or elser they are sailors.

[Peter J]

Thank you for this H,

I am very glad you mention this because I had suspected as much. I too noted the Edwin you cite at Chatham, but was reluctant to add it to my initial post in case it clouded matters.

I suppose obtaining his certificate of service would be the next logical step, if it is available and I can narrow him down from all the other Joneses! (We're are a very exclusive bunch, don't you know).

Regards,

[jorose]

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/royalmarines.asp
 - possibly the one on the census is Edwin Jones b. "11 Jan 1887" (may be a mistranscription for 1881)

[Peter J]

Thank you, Jorose,

I know from Edwin's birth cert that he was born on 18th Jan 1879 - how reliable would you say the birth dates given on Service Certs are?

My Grandfather (Royal Navy 1913-1921) has an incorrect birth date on his Service Cert, though it is out by a matter of days rather than years.

Peter.

[Hackstaple]

No reason for Edwin to downgrade his age on enlistment - the reverse was often the case. So the Edwin, marine, 1901 is not your Edwin. He may still have been in South Africa or out of the country. Does he appear in 1911?

[Peter J]

Does he appear in 1911?

Haven't found him so far, but that's not to say he's not there, of course.

The unusual middle name is something which has really helped me with the Jones family research across the various generations; so it has been a bit disappointing that in Edwin's case it has not jumped off the page at me. I often wonder if perhaps he wasn't too fond of it, and so avoided using it wherever possible.

Peter.

[Hackstaple]

I see that the name has now become hyphenated with the birth of a young lady in 2004. I had looked under that as well.

[Hackstaple]

There were 3 men called Edwin Jones who fought in the Boer War:
No. 32973 in the Imperial Yeomanry
No. 5698 in the Derbyshire Regiment/ Sherwood Foresters
No. 3672 in the Welsh Dragoon Guards. He was Edwin Caswell Jones.

So his absence in 1901 is quite possibly explained this way.