WW1 Starred Occupations

[snoopysue]

Does anybody know what occupations were exempt from service in WW1?

I have a lot of relatives that worked in the metals industry in the Black Country that I can't find service records for. I know a lot were destroyed, but there are very few records for the men of the right age. Having wondered about this, I suddenly realised that a lot of them were moulders, puddlers, founders, casters etc and started thinking along the lines of reserved occupations as I know my grandfather had a reserved occupation in WW2.
I also know that some of the family worked in Salters in West Bromwich - would a company like this have made other products during the war, and if so what would they have been?

From what I can find out conscription was brought in in about 1916, and therefore the list of starred (or reserved) occupations would probably date from this time. I've tried googling but with little result. Hope someone can help!
Thanks
Snoopysue

[apowell]

Hi,

This is a very good question and I'm not 100% sure but I think it was up to the Authorities to decide if a person was in a ' Reserved Occupation' but from my family research occupations that could fit were miners, munition workers and foundery workers. I did find a couple of family members who were miners and Foundery workers who enlisted in 1914 and served for a time until being recalled back to the mines or factories. In one person's service records there is a copy of a letter dated 1917 from the soldier's factory requesting the release of the soldier complaining of the lack of skilled workers.

I think during the Second World War the Goverment introduced a better and clearer system of exemptions for reserved occupations.

There may have been other reasons why your relatives didn't serve such as disability or illness and people who worked in the miners and founderies may have been more prone to illness/disabilities from working in such horrible conditions.

Hope this helps.

Regards
Adrian

[snoopysue]

Thanks Adrian
Sort of helps - I'm just going to have to accept that I'll never know why I can't find service records for my ancestors!

[apowell]

Hi,

Yes I understand what you're saying and it can be very frustrating attempting to track down relatives and given that 60% of the service records were destroyed during the Blitz makes it more difficult.

This is a long shot but if any of your relatives were married or had children during the war years 1914-1918 it sometimes gives the Regiment and service number on the cetificates. There was a 1918 Absent Voters List which also listed persons who were in the army and some of these are available to view online and I imagine the others are kept at local Archive offices. The problem is this involves spending monies and you may not find out anymore information but that's the problem with family research.

Absent Voters List
An Act of Parliament of 6 February 1918 allowed service men to register so that they could vote in their home constituency. Men had to apply to be put on the absent voters list. A deadline of 18 August 1918 was set and a list compiled from applications up to this date was published on 15 October 1918. A second opportunity to register was offered and a deadline was set at 18 February 1919. The list resulting from applications received during this second wave was published on 15 April 1919. The absent voters lists were prepared by the local Electoral Register and they were published twice a year, as were the general electoral registers. This pattern continued for a little while after the end of the First World War. There are fewer instances of absent voters the further we get from the end of the conflict: this was because of the simple fact that the men were coming home.

I've only found a few relative's service records so I understand how frustrating it can get.

What are the names and any details you have of relatives you've been looking for ? Maybe we can have another serach for you because you never know.

Anyone else with any suggestions that may help

Regards
Adrian

[snoopysue]

Hi Adrian

I've heard of these Absent Voters lists, but couldn't find out if the ones for Staffordshire still exist, as this is where most of my lot lived. I heard somewhere that a lot were destroyed after the war (can't remember where I got this info).

The main name I'm looking for is my Great grandfather John Jeavons, born 1877 in West Bromwich. He lived at 6 Trinity Road Row, which seems to have changed names twice, first to Ten House Row, and then to Garden Terrace.
At the time of the first world war he was living at 8 Garden Terrace with his wife Mary Ann Jones. They had six children: John, William Arthur, Alice, Betsy, Alfred and May. May, my grandmother, was born in 1914 - presumably to early for regiment to be mentioned.
Family history says that he served in Mesopotamia possibly in the Royal Engineers. He contracted malaria there, which was an indirrect cause of death in 1928 (the family thourght he had malaria again, but he had pneumonia). I have found a possible medal card, but without more info I've been unable to confirm that it was his.

Sue

[Antie Em]

Hi Adrian

I've heard of these Absent Voters lists, but couldn't find out if the ones for Staffordshire still exist, as this is where most of my lot lived. I heard somewhere that a lot were destroyed after the war (can't remember where I got this info).

The main name I'm looking for is my Great grandfather John Jeavons, born 1877 in West Bromwich. He lived at 6 Trinity Road Row, which seems to have changed names twice, first to Ten House Row, and then to Garden Terrace.
At the time of the first world war he was living at 8 Garden Terrace with his wife Mary Ann Jones. They had six children: John, William Arthur, Alice, Betsy, Alfred and May. May, my grandmother, was born in 1914 - presumably to early for regiment to be mentioned.
Family history says that he served in Mesopotamia possibly in the Royal Engineers. He contracted malaria there, which was an indirrect cause of death in 1928 (the family thourght he had malaria again, but he had pneumonia). I have found a possible medal card, but without more info I've been unable to confirm that it was his.

Sue

You might have had the information on absent voters from Sandwell Archives, I have asked for them there and they don't hold them. I don't know if you might have more luck at Staffordshire Archives. Linell might know

[snoopysue]

You might have had the information on absent voters from Sandwell Archives, I have asked for them there and they don't hold them. I don't know if you might have more luck at Staffordshire Archives. Linell might know

That sounds about right!

[apowell]

Hi Sue,

I've checked the MIC and I think I've found the possible match you mentioned:
Name: John Jeavons
Reg: RE
Reg No: Spr 200757 & WR/552835

The above chap received the British & Victory medals which inform us he served overseas from 1916 onwards and was transfered to the Waterways & Railways troops indicated by the prefix WR. This is interesting because the Waterways & Railways troops were used alot in the Mesopotamia campaign due to the extended supply lines and the need for water and supplies however the Waterways & Railways troops also served in France etc.

Given that your chap was born and living in West Bromwich it maybe an idea to write to West Bromwich Library because they hold an honour book for all persons who served in the war from West Bromwich. I visited relatives in West Brom a few months ago and popped into the library and enquired for help and they gave me this honour book to check. The book included names, Regiments & Regimental numbers of all West Bromwich men who joined up. If you find a John Jeavons listed who served with the RE with the same Regimental Number this could help prove that this is your relative or at least exclude him.

I'm sure they would check for free and it should only take them a few minutes.

Regards
Adrian

[snoopysue]

Thanks Adrian

The info on the Honors Book is great. I'll certainly look into getting them to check it for me! I have a lot of relatives from West Bromwich, so I think at some point I'll have to make a list, and go visit the library!

[beardie]

the jeavons listed in the west brom book

[apowell]

Hi,

Nice one beardie and many thanks for the missing jigsaw piece.

Sue we can now confirm that this John Jeavons was indeed a West Bromwich man and he matches the Medal Index Card of of your suspected relative and the family information you have regarding John serving with the RE fits really well. I'm also thinking the Waterways & Railways troops transfer is also a good indicator because they were used alot in the Mesopotamia Campaign.The family information regarding Malaria is also another good indicator because Malaria among other diseases's were rife during the Mesopotamia Campaign.

Unless there was another John Jeavons from West Bromwich who served with the RE then this must be your relative and given the family history you have I'm very confident you've cracked it

That's a really useful piece of reference you have Beardie and I hope you don't mind checking a couple of names for me in the future

Regards
Adrian

[apowell]

Hi Beardie,

I'm wondering if you are aware of anyother books kept by local towns within the Black Country for servicemen of the First World War because I'm really interested in family members who were from the Tipton and Dudley areas.

Regards
Adrian

[snoopysue]

the jeavons listed in the west brom book

Thanks Beardie - that's great info. It confirms the family story, about the Royal Engineers. I'd only heard that from my great uncle, and neither him or my grandmother liked their father very much. I've always wondered if his experiences in WW1 had something to do with that.

Henry Jeavons could be one of my lot too, I have a Henry who's a cousin of John born in 1880 - bit of research to be done there.

Thanks to Adrian as well, your back ground knowledge helps to fit the pieces of the puzzle together!

[Antie Em]

Isn't it great when a plan comes together - this is a brilliant site

[snoopysue]

Found Henry on medal cards, he was also a member of the Durham Light Infantry and then the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment.
Why would a West Bromwich man be in two northern regiments?

Yes Auntie Em it is
Never been on a site where people are so helpful, and the amount of knowledge is amazing - thanks everyone!