Grandparents

According to the 1861 census, Vincent’s paternal grandparents were Thomas and Hannah Jacks. It seems more likely that they were his great grandparents. In the 1871 census, his father, Samuel, was recorded as the grandson of Thomas and Hannah. Thomas was born about 1808 in Oswestry and Hannah in Diddlesbury, Shropshire. In 1861 they lived in Lower Broad St, Ludlow. Thomas was a road man and Hannah a charwoman. They had 7 children, Thomas, born about 1835 and a road man, Elizabeth, born about 1837 and a day nurse, William, born about 1841 and a general labourer, Richard, born about 1844 and a road man, Eliza, born about 1849, Anne, born about 1851, and Samuel, born about 1858. It seems likely that Elizabeth was in fact Samuel’s mother. They were still at the same address in 1871. Thomas was a labourer, Richard also a labourer, Eliza possibly a dressmaker, and Samuel, now 13, described as Thomas’ grandson, a scholar.

Anne Jacks later married William Morris and was the mother of another man on the memorial, William Thomas Morris.

The maternal grandparents were Henry and Martha Griffiths. Henry was born about 1827 in Beguildy, Radnorshire, and Martha about 1831 in Shrewsbury. Henry was a stonemason but in 1881 he also kept a beer house. They lived at the Builders Arms in Beguildy. They had at least 7 children, Elizabeth, born about 1851, Mary, born about 1853, Maria, born about 1855, Catherine (Vincent’s mother), born about 1860, Louisa, born about 1869, Alice, born about 1870, and Beatrice, born about 1873.

Parents

Samuel Henry Jacks was born in 1856 in Ludlow. He was baptised in Ludlow on 19 November 1856 and his mother is given as Elizabeth Jacks. In 1881, aged 23, he was a grocer’s assistant, living in a boarding house at 67 Castle St, Ludlow. Catherine Griffiths was born about 1860 in Llanfair Waterdine, Shropshire. In 1881 she lived with her parents and was described as a domestic servant.

By 1891 Samuel and Catherine lived at 68 Burton Rd with 2 of Samuel’s nieces. Samuel was now a grocer. In 1901 and 1911 they lived at 82 Burton Rd. They had 3 children. The oldest, Louisa Eliza, was born in 1887 and baptised at St Stephen’s church, Chorlton-on-Medlock, on 16 February 1887. She died a few months later. Elsie Helena was born about 1893. She married James Castledine at Christ Church on 11 January 1922. The third child was Vincent.

Samuel died on 5 September 1921 at the High Elms Nursing Home, Victoria Park. He left £1199 18s 6d to Catherine.

Catherine remained at 82 Burton Rd until her death on 27 March 1933. Probate was granted to Elsie Helena Castledine. She left £1953 18s 5d.

A point of interest is that on the 1901 census, living with the family was William T Morris, described as Samuel’s nephew and a grocer’s assistant. From other information it seems that the three Morris brothers all moved from Ludlow to work with Samuel Jacks (see William Thomas Morris).

Vincent

Vincent was born in West Didsbury in 1898 and was baptised at Christ Church on 21 September 1898. He enrolled at Burton Rd School on 18 January 1904, one week after it opened. He left just before his 14th birthday. He later served as a private in A Company, 7th Battalion, the South Lancashire Regiment, service number 50595. He died on 20 September 1917, aged 19. He is buried at the Oxford Road Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium, grave reference II. A. 4. His name also appears on the memorial at Cavendish Road School.