An elusive grand-father at Colchester Cavalry Barracks

[a1emslie]

I wonder if anyone could possibly suggest an avenue of investigation?
My grand-father was John David Jenkins (also documented as David Jack Jenkins, the same as his father).My father John Frederick J was born in Blofield, Norfolk in dec 1919.His father's marriage in the previous jan 1919,says the husband was David Jack J,aged 24 yr, and using the Colchester Cavalry Barracks as his address.I do not know the names of any great aunts/uncles(none on certificate).Can I deduce anything at all from his address ?He was in the RASC as a driver which doesn't really   help me.Why would he have ended up at Colchester Barracks?Would there be any geographical reason for this?Would he have started out there?
I know that later on he had the Jenkins Cafe in Felixstowe.I see that there was a Jenkins Cafe in Colchester too, in the same street where my aunt, Mabel May Jenkins was born in 1925.Daisy M D J was born in Colchester too in 1923.Could this be a link, and how could I investigate this further?
If anyone has any suggestions at all about further research, please let me know.I would love to make content with any descendants too.I never met my aunts, but I believe that one of them may have married a Bernard Unknown and had a child.
Thank you in anticipation of any suggestions!
Annabel.

[vabbott]

Hi
When you joined the army you went wherever the regiment was sent  My father joined up in Middlesex with th e17 21st lancers but still ended up stationed at the Cavalry Baracks in Colchester which is where he met my mother......
Ronnie

I will see what I can find out from the local records office

[t mo]

hello annabel
have you tried tracing back through the censuses for siblings of your grandfather .
if your dad was born in norfolk do you know was your grandad stationed there ?
and what st was the cafe in in colchester , as an old col boy it,s always nice to find fresh info on the old place ,
best wishes
trevor
ps hows it going ronnie you,ve been keeping a low profile lately it seems !

[Ladyhawk]

Hi Annabel,

From the info. you have given have been looking at the censuses this appears to be Mabel - your father John Frederick Jenkins born 1919 Blofield mother's maiden name Gamble

1919 marriage Blofield
David J Jenkins
Mabel N Gamble (should middle initial b ‘M’  )

This looks to be Mabel with her family on 1901 census

1901 Sandy Lane, Little Plumstead
GAMBLE, John Head Married M 39 1862 Railway Platelayer Gt Plumstead Norfolk
GAMBLE, Adelaide Ann Wife Married F 39 1862 Lt Plumstead Norfolk
GAMBLE, Adelaide Ostor Daughter Single F 10 1891 Gt PlumsteadNorfolk
GAMBLE, Fanny Daughter Single F 8 1893 Gt PlumsteadNorfolk
GAMBLE, Mabel May Daughter Single F 6 1895 Gt Plumstead Norfolk

your grandfather John David Jenkins (David Jack J) proving more difficult from the marriage certificate you say he was 24 years at marriage 1919 so a birth date around 1895 - I can't seem to find him with his father of the same name on 1901c 

Found these John Jenkins with father John Jenkins but John jnr. date of birth is way out compared to his age of 24 on marriage cert in 1919
so probably not him  see added info. below


1901 Colchester
JENKINS, John Single M 20 1881 Private Infantry Militia Leyton Essex

1891 2, Avenue Road, Leyton
JENKINS, John Head Married M 42 1849 Tin Plate Worker Hackney London
JENKINS, Maria Wife Married F 40 1851 Worcester
JENKINS, John Son M 12 1879 Scholar Leyton Essex
JENKINS, Thomas Son M 6 1885 Scholar Leyton Essex
JENKINS, Amy Daughter F 2 1889 Leyton Essex
JENKINS, Harry Son M 0 (6M) 1891 Leyton Essex


**ADDED**
Have discounted the above as there's a birth entry for
John THOMAS Jenkins 1879 W Ham (this covers Leyton Parish)

What occupation given for father on marriage certificate for David J J ?

[Ladyhawk]

Annabel

I can see no obvious John David/David John/Jack Jenkins born around 1895 living in the Colchester or Norfolk area in 1901 with a father of the same name I could have overlooked something

This is all I've found for a John David Jenkins born 1897 father John mother Eliza Ann  - don't know if this will help any - Eliza & family living in Derbyshire 1901 

1901 Egg Buckland Devonshire
JENKINS, John Head Married M 38 1863 3rd R W Fusiliers Mold Denbighshire N Wales

1901 Nelson Street, Newbold And Dunston, Derbyshire
JENKINS, Eliza A Wife Married F 28 1873  Mold Wales (married to John above)
JENKINS, Thomas Son M 9 1892  MoldWales
JENKINS, Mary Ann Daughter F 6 1895 Mold Wales
JENKINS, John D Son M 4 1897 Mold Wales
JENKINS, Edward Son M 2 1899 Newbold Moor Derbyshire
JENKINS, Arthur Son M 0 (7 MOS) 1901 Newbold Moor Derbyshire
LITTLER, George A Boarder Single M 17 1884 Coal Miner Liverpool Everton

Birth entry
John David Jenkins
Jun qtr. 1896 Holywell (covers Mold)

1891 Pentre Hill, Pentre, Mold
JENKINS, John Head Widower M 58 1833 Coal Miner Mold
JENKINS, John Son Single M 30 1861 Coal Miner Mold
JENKINS, David Son Single M 23 1868 Coal Miner Mold
JENKINS, Martha Daughter Single F 14 1877 Scholar Mold
ROBERTS, Richard Visitor Single M 4 1887 Scholar Wakefield

Marriage entry
Jun qtr. 1891 Holywell
John Jenkins name on same page
Eliza Ann Norman

Hopefully someone else may be able to come up with something

[a1emslie]

Dear All,
Firstly, thank you so much for your suggestions!
Ronnie, I guess I just wondered whether he might have come back to Colchester because he had started there( I don't know where he enlisted).Wishful thinking .So Colchester Barracks almost a red-herring for me I suppose.

Trevor, I have had a go at the siblings with no results that have been helpful, but perhaps when 1911C comes on to Ancestry this year, I will have another go.
The street in Colchester is St John's Street.In 1925 the family lived at 45.The Jenkins' Cafe I think, was at 42.Again this may be another red-herring for me, but it just seems a bit of a co-incidence, and as I'm clutching at straws anyway, why not have a go at another!
I just wonder if one of my aunts decided to come back to an area she knew after either my grand-parents died, or the Felixstowe Cafe area was redeveloped.I know that both the girls helped out in Felixstowe.One married and may have had a child with a hearing or sight problem.Attached photo is of one of my aunts ?Daisy and her husband.

Hi Ladyhawk.Yes, you are spot on for the Census, and I can trace the Gambles back a fair way, thank goodness.I don't know what happened to Mabel May though, as my mother said that she ran off.......anyway that's another conundrum!I never met any of my grand-parents, and all 4 have complicated stories!

I had thought that my father's parents might have been living in Blofield at the time of his birth 1919.Recently , I have wondered whether Mabel May (grm) simply returned to her mother's for the birth.

Occupation of grf:
Jan 1919 driver RASC.His father "gentleman!' Both same name (grf and grgrf) and listed David Jack.
Dec 1919 John Frederick Jenkins' birth cert-informant mother, lists father's name as John David--commercial traveller in fancy goods.Late Driver RASC.
Aug 1925 Mabel May Jenkins' birth cert--informant mother, lists father's name as
John David--Draper (master).In fact I hadn't registered this last fact, so it's good to realise that.

I have spent some time looking at a cdrom of Kelly's for 25/26 norfolk/suffolk/essex, but haven't found them yet.....back to the Drapers now!

I do not know when the family moved to Felixstowe and I think that I shall have to go to the Records Office one day/week just to get another point on the timeline.
My grf and my aunts were alive in the '70s.

Thank you all so much for your suggestions.
Annabel.
PS I see you have posted again whilst I have been typing.Thanks for your hard work!I will explore what you have come up with further and I will apply for the other aunt's b cert, just to know her initials, in case there is an unusual name there  !

[a1emslie]

Here's the photo as described above.
Annabel.

[t mo]

hi annabel
i can remember a cafe in st johns st close to what was the playhouse cinema obviously this is a lot later than your rellies time but still may have been the one ! , i should have asked where the cafe was in felixstowe as well seeing as that,s where i live now,i get over excited when col comes up and if i had a brain i,d be dangerous  , also can you scan the pic bigger only i can,t make out what the folk look like and if i enlarge it  it blurs out
best wishes
trevor

[a1emslie]

Hi Trevor,
The Felixstowe Jenkins' Cafe was near the sea and had a higher row of large houses a bit above it!!
Unfortunately, I cannot enlarge the photo without it blurring at this end
Somewhere, I have another photo, and I will try to post that one today if I can find it
Until then,thanks again,
Annabel.