John Henry Thomas Gast was born on 17 October 1880 in Marylebone, Middlesex (now Greater London), the son of Thomas Hunt Gast (1863-1923) and Mary Jane Gast née Beels (1849-1905). His birth was registered in the 4th quarter of 1880 in the Marylebone Registration District. On 7 November 1880 he was baptised at St Thomas's Church, Portman Square, Westminster, Middlesex (now Greater London), where his date of birth was confirmed in the baptismal register, that his family lived at 6 Barrett Street, Westminster and that his father was an upholsterer.
He was shown as John Gast, aged 6 months, in the April 1881 census, living at 6 Barrett Street, Westminster, with his parents, his widowed paternal grandmother, Frances Gast, aged 60 years and an upholstress, together with six sisters: Phoebe Frances Gast (b.1867); Minnie Mary Gast (1869-1953); Harriet Maria Gast (1871-1939); Ellen Lizzie Gast (b.1872); Hannah Louisa Gast (b.1874) and Emeline Maud Gast (1878-1944). All six sisters were recorded as scholars whilst his father was shown as an upholsterer.
When the 1891 census was undertaken he was again shown as John Gast, aged 10 years and a scholar, residing in three rooms at 9 Fitzroy Square, St Pancras, London, with his parents and two sisters: Ellen Lizzie Gast, who was a housemaid and Emerline Maud Gast, who was also a scholar. His father was described as a carpet cutter.
In November 1898 he was appointed as a Postman in West London and on 22 May 1899 he was placed on a pay scale of 19 shillings to £1-15s-0d per week.
He was described as aged 20 years and postman in the 1901 census, boarding at the home of Tom and Alice Bedford at “Star Stables”, Lambs Conduit Street, Holborn, London.
On 24 September 1910 he married Minnie Elizabeth Millross (1884-1973) at All Souls’ Church, Harlesden, Middlesex (now Greater London), where in the marriage register he was shown as aged 29 years, a bachelor and a postman residing at 91 Warwick Avenue, Paddington, London, whilst his wife was described as aged 26 years and a spinster, living at 26 Minet Avenue, Harlesden, the daughter of Alexander Millross, a plasterer.
When he completed his 1911 census return form he showed himself as John Henry Thomas Gast, aged 30 years and a postman living in four rooms at 34 Walterton Road, Paddington with his wife and his widowed father whom he described as a carpet cutter at a carpet warehouse.
When he enlisted on 4 December 1915 they were living at 175 Ashmore Road, Maida Hill and he joined the Postal Section, London Depot of the Royal Engineers, service number 144122. He was posted to the Egyptian Expeditionary Force from 19 September 1917 until 18 June 1918 when he was returned to England and was discharged on 24 August 1918 as no longer fit for service.
On 21 November 1918 he was awarded a pension from the General Post Office of £26-4s-10d per annum and a single allowance of £73-9s-6d.
He died, aged 38 years, on 22 March 1919, in the London County Asylum, Uxbridge Road, Hanwell, Middlesex (now Greater London) and is buried in Plot 1 C, Grave 15189 at Paddington Old Cemetery, Willesden Lane, London, NW6 7SD. Administration of his estate was granted to his widow on 5 May 1919, who by then was living at 10 Denholme Road, Maida Hill and his effects amounted to £243-13s-7d. He was posthumously awarded the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
He is shown as 'GAST, J.H.T.' on the Western Postal District war memorial in Mount Pleasant, London, WC2. He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website, on the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War website and on the A Street Near You website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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