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Lewis Jones - a biography - the First World War & Wedding


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In 1910, at 16, Lewis joined the Silver Studio at 1 Haalem Road (a corner house, now Augustine Road), Hammersmith in London, to become a designer of furnishing and dress fabrics. At this time Rex Silver had already taken over the management of the Studios. The blue plaque at 84 Brook Green Road W6 is on Rex Silver's home address.

In December 1914 Lewis Jones enlisted, age 20. He joined the 16th London Regiment, The Queen's Westminster Rifles, in which he stayed for all the war. He did his training in the London parks and on Salisbury Plain. The Regiment did intensive training in 1915 at Saffron Walden and were then sent to Ireland at the time of the Easter 1916 Rebellion. The Regiment went to France in October 1916 and saw action in the front line trenches near Vimy Ridge. They were then sent to Greece where they did an unopposed assault landing at Salonica, and then marched to fight the Bulgars where heavy casualties occurred.

Lewis Jones at Safron Walden, 1915
Lewis Jones at Saffron Walden, 1915

The regiment then went to Kantara in Egypt to oppose the Turkish army. Here Lewis Jones was wounded in the head by a sniper. Nomadic Arabs found him, dressed his wounds and told him that he had shot and killed the sniper who had wounded him. During the time he was with the Arabs his parents received a 'Missing believed killed' telegram. He travelled with the Arabs until they were able to make contact with the British troops. On his return to the army he was sent to a military hospital, but he feared the chaotic conditions there so he simply walked out and rejoined his unit. He was in the front line in Palestine in December 1917, and in April 1918 was with the British force that crossed the Jordan to attack enemy positions under heavy fire and at bayonet point. In June 1918 the Regiment returned to the Western Front in France. On 28th-29th September 1918 the Regiment took heavy casualties and Lewis said that the first to be killed was the medical officer. The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment had also taken heavy casualties, and as senior NCO Acting Sergeant Lewis Jones led all that remained of both companies. He was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry in the action at Seaforth Farm near Messines, Northwest of Lille. The Regiment was in the rear until mid October and then back into the front line until the end of the war. Lewis travelled to Calais and then back to England for demobilisation at Crystal Palace in March 1919.

A thorough description of Lewis Jones' war years is in the WW1 addendum to this biography.

After four years of war Lewis returned to Silver Studio almost immediately and once more began producing a wide range of designs for printed textiles, carpets, wallpapers and woven fabrics.

On 9th August 1919 Lewis Jones married Annie Frances Carpenter at Christ's Church, Watford. Lewis Jones is named as Louis on his marriage certificate. Lewis and Annie were always known to family and friends as Jack and Nance, and they initially lived in his parent's home at 22 Lowestoft Road, Watford.

The family does not know when Lewis (Louis/Jack) met Annie Frances (Nance). Annie was born at 92 Trafalgar Street, Walworth in London on 16th May 1896. She was the youngest daughter of John Henry Carpenter and Hannah Jane (nee Harris). After the death of her father in 1900 her mother remarried, twice, and moved first to Bushey and then Watford. In 1913 Annie was living in Brighton Road, Watford, which is near Lowestoft Road where Lewis lived. Annie worked on armaments and munitions during the First World War. When she was packing parachute flares (star-shells) one of them exploded on her work bench. Fortunately Annie was not injured, but was so badly shocked that she was excused further munitions work. Lewis had introduced Annie to his family by then and she always said she spent more time with his family than in her own home. Annie had very little formal education and Lewis' mother, Susan Selina Jones, encouraged her to learn. On a photograph of Lewis' mother she wrote "My dear Mum", which perhaps is an indication of her affection.

Lewis Jones and his wife Annie Frances Carpenter c1919.
Lewis Jones and wife Annie Frances Jones
(nee Carpenter). c1919

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