Reginald George Vigars
Memorial Plaque
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R. G. VIGARS 25TH KGS LIVPL RT 8 OCT. 1918 |
Connection with Effingham
He was born at Effingham Junction. Neither of his parents was Surrey-born. His father was a railway signalman at Effingham Junction station for several decades.
Genealogy
His father Alfred was born on Christmas Day, 1859 at Lamerton, Devon [GRO Ref: Tavistock 5b 364, 1860 (Q1)] and was baptised there on January 15th 1860 [Lamerton Parish Register].
His mother Eliza (née) Wiltshire was born on March 21st 1859 at Eastcott in Urchfont Parish, Wiltshire [GRO Ref: Devizes 5a 98, 1859 (Q1)] and was baptised there on June 5th 1859 [IGI: Batch C150712].
By 1881 Alfred had moved to Andover, Hampshire and was working as a railway porter:
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1881 Census Millfield Cottage, Charlton Road, Andover, Hampshire : PRO Ref: RG11 Piece 1263 Folio 31 Page 6
Thomas Smart : head : mar : 60 : railway porter : Andover, Hampshire with his family and this lodger: Alfred Vigars : lodger : unm : 21 : railway porter : Lamerton, Devon |
The following year Alfred and Eliza married [GRO Ref: Andover 2c 361, 1882 (Q2)]. By 1891 they had produced four children and were living at Effingham Junction, where Alfred was now a signalman for the L.G.W. Railway:
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1891 Census Effingham (Junction Station), East Horsley, Surrey : PRO Ref: RG12 Piece 558 Folio 55 Page 10
Alfred Vigars : head : mar : 31 : railway signalman : Lamerton, Devon Eliza Vigars : wife : mar : 31 : --- : Eastcott, Wiltshire Ellen J. Vigars : dau : unm : 8 : --- : Rowde, Wiltshire William H. Vigars : son : unm : 6 : --- : Andover, Hampshire Ethel M. Vigars : dau : unm : 4 : --- : Effingham, Surrey Edith M. Vigars : dau : unm : 1 : --- : Effingham, Surrey |
Reginald, their fifth child, was born at Effingham Junction in 1899 [GRO Ref: Guildford 2a 84, 1899 (Q3)]. Here he is with his parents in the 1901 Census:
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1901 Census Railway Cottages, Effingham Junction, East Horsley : PRO Ref: RG13 Piece 601 Folio 54 Page 10
Alfred Vigars : head : mar : 41 : railway signalman : Lamerton, Devonshire Eliza Vigars : wife : mar : 41 : --- : Eastcott, Wiltshire William H. Vigars : son : unm : 16 : carter on farm : Andover, Hampshire Ethel May Vigars : dau : unm : 13 : --- : East Horsley, Surrey Edith Minnie Vigars : dau : unm : 11 : --- : East Horsley, Surrey Alfred Ernest Vigars : son : unm : 8 : --- : East Horsley, Surrey Reginald Geo. Vigars : son : unm : 1 : --- : East Horsley, Surrey George Blanchard : boarder : unm : 18 : railway porter : Godalming, Hants [in error - Surrey] |
and in the 1911 Census:
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1911 Census Effingham Junction, East Horsley : PRO Ref: RG14 RD33 SD3 ED8 SN45
Alfred Vigars : head : mar : 51 : signalman rly. co. : Lamerton, Devonshire Eliza Vigars : wife : mar : 51 : --- : Eastcott, Wiltshire William Henry Vigars : son : unm : 26 : farm labourer : Andover, Hampshire Reginald George Vigars : son : unm : 11 : school : East Horsley, Surrey Florence Lilly Vigars : dau : unm : 8 : --- : East Horsley, Surrey |
In the War he served as a Private in the 25th Bn., King's Liverpool Regiment with Service Number 108219. He was killed in action on October 8th 1918.
His father Alfred died in East Horsley aged "74" in 1934 [GRO Ref: Surrey S.W. 2a 422, 1934 (Q2)] and Eliza died in Raynes Park aged "86" on December 28th 1945 [GRO Ref: Surrey Mid.E. 2a 247, 1946 (Q1)].
Military Records
1. Service Record - not found
2. Commonwealth War Graves Commission Record
| Name | VIGARS, R. G. |
| Rank | Private |
| Regiment & Unit | The King's (Liverpool Regiment), 25th Bn. |
| Age | not stated [but was about 19] |
| Date of Death | 08/10/1918 |
| Service No. | 108219 |
| Grave/Memorial Ref. | XXXI. B. 25. |
| Cemetery | CABARET-ROUGE BRITISH CEMETERY, SOUCHEZ |
3. "Soldiers Died in the Great War" Record
This adds only that Reginald enlisted at Guildford.
4. Medal Record
