John Joseph Evans was born on the 8 December 1887 in Paddington, London, the third of the four children of John Joseph Evans (1850-1913) and Harriet Evans née Darby - but sometimes spelt as Derby (1853-1943). On 8 December 1889 he was jointly baptised with his brother George Henry Evans (b.1889) at St Mary's Church, Paddington Green. The baptismal register confirms his date of birth and it also shows the family living at 22 Crompton Street, Paddington and that their father was a porter.
The 1891 census shows him aged 3 years and confirms he was still residing in one room at 22 Crompton Street with his parents and three siblings: Bernard James Evans (1882-1959), Beatrice Annie Evans (1884-1951) and George Henry Evans. His father's occupation was listed as a draper's packer.
On the 16 June 1891 he was enrolled in the Campbell Street School, Maida Vale, London. On the 1 July 1897 he was admitted to the nearby St. Mark’s School and the family by this time had moved to 130 Portman Buildings, Lisson Grove, Marylebone.
In the 1901 census he was shown as aged 13 years and still living in three rooms at 130 Portman Buildings, Marylebone, with his parents and three siblings. His father was described as a packer at the Army & Navy Stores, his brother Bernard as a postman and his sister Beatrice as a waitress.
In May 1907 he was appointed as an Assistant Postman in South-West London and promoted to Postman in 29 February 1908 in West London. The 1911 census shows him as aged 23 years and confirms that he was a postman still living in 3 rooms at 130 Portman Buildings, Marylebone, with his parents and his younger brother George. His father's occupation was again given as a general store's drapery packer and his brother was a tailor's clerk.
On the 24 March 1913 he married Elsie Eliza Hobbs (1890-1960) at St Thomas Parish Church, Camden Town, London, where the marriage register confirms that he was still a postman and that they both gave their addresses as 25 Stratford Place, Camden Town. Our picture image is a photograph taken at their wedding. (Stratford Place was subsequently renamed to Stortford Place, London, N1).
He joined the Royal Field Artillery, service number L/27084, as a Gunner and entered France on the 26 November 1915. He was attached to their 153rd Brigade, B Battery, when he died of wounds, aged 29 years, on the 26 January 1917 at the No.1 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station and was buried in Plot 3, Row A, Grave 96 in the Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, Bailleul, Nord, Pas-de-Calais, France.
Probate records show that administration (with a will) was granted to his widow on 28 April 1917 and confirm that his home address had been at 183 Ashmore Road, Maida Hill, London. His effects totalled £155-1s-2d. On 1 March 1917 the Post Office paid his widow a gratuity of £100-1s-2d in recognition of his service in the Post Office. His army effects were sent to his widow in two parts: £1-1s-6d was sent to her 12 April 1917 and £3-9s-6d on 8 June 1917. She was sent his £7-0s-0d war gratuity on 24 December 1919. He was posthumously awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
He is shown as 'EVANS, J.J.' on the Western Postal District war memorial in Mount Pleasant, London, WC1. He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website, on the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War website, on the A Street Near You website, on the London War Memorial website and on page 118 in the Post Office Fellowship of Remembrance Memorial Book 1914-1920.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan
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