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James Jefferson from Hampshire to Kent On January 5, 1870 the Jefferson's were living at 15 Camden Street, Gosport, Portsmouth. On this day at 1.15 in the morning, James Jefferson was born. A census return for 1871 shows the young family sharing a house run by an older couple. The occupation entry clearly shows Samuel, Jame's father, to be a Private, Royal Marine. As a young man, James was apprenticed to Messrs. F.H. Browne and Son, organ builders of Canterbury. He practised as a music teacher and a pianoforte tuner at Lady Somerset Road in London's St. Pancras. Music was evidently a major part of his life and he soon became the organist of Kent Town Parish Church, a position he held for twelve years. He was organist and accompanist for a number of smaller societies and organisations and was involved in setting up the celebrations in St. Pancras for the Coronation of King Edward. He was later awarded a silver cup in recognition of this service and was presented with it by King Edward himself. He was initiated into the Freemasons in the St. Pancras Lodge on 20 February, 1895 and subsequently became a member and organist of several other lodges including Worshipful Master of the Lord Warden Lodge from April 1915.. The Freemasons practicsed altruism and Christian faith and judging by his conduct in life these were James Jefferson's reasons for joining as indeed his own father had done. On March 9, 1896 James Jefferson married Minnie Kate Higgs. They were both 26. Minnie Kate's father was Joseph Higgs, a builder. Minnie Kate was living at Beach Street in Deal while James had been living in Kentish Town, London, working as a "Piano Forté Tuner". The couple's third daughter of five, Eva May Jefferson, was born at St. Pancras, Kentish Town on December 13, 1901. His first two daughters were Nora and Dorothy. James' musical work in London came to an end when he moved permanently to Deal, Kent to join his father in running the Beach House Temperance Hotel on the North Front of the town on the junction of Broad Street. When Samuel Robinson moved on to another hotel, James became permanent manager, a position he retained until 1917. The Beach House Hotel was a prominent and striking building in Deal but was unfortunately demolished sometime during the 1940's. An advertisement for the hotel was published in a series of Pain's Walmer and District Directories from around 1906 to 1919 and reads as follows:- This First-class Hotel is situated in the best position in the town, standing in its own ground, immediately facing the Sea, and commanding one of the finest Sea Views on the South Coast. The constant stream of vessels passing through the histroic Downs at such a short distance from the land, is a source of ever-charming interest. Deal is recognised by the Medical Profession to be one of the healthiest towns in England. The Hotel contains fine Bedrooms, spacious Drawing, Coffee, Smoking, Dining and Private Sitting Rooms, the whole of which are Furnished and Fitted in High-class Style. Proprietor J. Jefferson, Tele no.4 CONCERT FOR ORPHANS For two hours a full "house" on Thursday evening enjoyed some of the best music excellently rendered at the Memorial Hall in Union street. The concert was on behalf of the Good Templar Orphanage at Sunbury-on-Thames. Mrs. F.A.Collyer, as Orphanage collector, supported by the Deal Lodge of Good Templars, was responsible for the concert, and Mr. J. Jefferson, assisted by his three daughters, and several other London and provincial artistes, very kindly undertook to provide the programme. With the exception of the Jefferson quartette, all the artistes wore khaki. The programme opened with a duet for violin and piano, a lengthy and intricate piece finely played by Mr. J. Jefferson and Pte. Aldridge. The latter also played several violin solos, all of which were splendidly rendered. Sgt. Shierlaw sang "Nirvana" and "The nameless lassie" with sympathy and taste. Miss. N. Jefferson sang with sincerity and in her usual unaffected way "Angus McDonald", and later, "Soul of Mine", two notable contributions to a fine programme. Pte. Dawson was a great favourite. He has a fine voice of good range and knows how to use it, his renderings of "Maire, my girl" and "Thank God for a garden" not to mention other numbers that he sang, were a source of delight. "The Kerry Dance" provided Miss. D. Jefferson with a number suitable to her vocal powers, and she rendered the item in a very pleasing manner. Later on, she sang, "For all eternity" with sympathy and taste. Lce.-Cpl. Linn splendidly sang "Less than the dust" and "The Young Royalist", the distinctive and sympathetic tones of his fine voice remaining in the memory long after the song had ceased. Miss. E. Jefferson - "the youngest of three" - although only a beginner, gave a praiseworthy rendering of "The Dear Homeland". A diversion was provided by Pte. Montgomery, who sang in character, "The motor bike" and "The railway porter" in a way that highly amused his audience. His genial and elastic features, and his undoubted talent, made his contribution very acceptable. Last on the programme appeared the name of Pte. Roffey, who possessing a well-trained falsetto voice, sang "Mate o' mine" and "Ross of Picardy" in a way that was greatly appreciated. Our report would not be complete did we forget to mention the musicianly services of Mr. Jefferson, who accompanied throughout the evening. He and his artistes fully deserved the thanks accorded them for providing such a happy evening. Rev. Dr. Tisdall commended the object of the concert to the generous support of the audience, and on behalf of the officials of the Orphanage home, Cr. F.A.Collyer thanked the artistes and audience for their support. The reference in this article to "three daughters" clearly predates the birth of the last two, Marjorie and Kathleen Ellen. The "Jefferson quartette" appellation clearly stuck as well since it turns up again in a letter from Eva May Jefferson in 1919. Sent from the Royal Navy Mining Depot at the Shakespeare Colliery in Dover where Eva had been an office worker, the letter was addressed to a female colleague and displays some of the character and humour of the Jefferson family. It reads: Miss Jeffries, Enclosed is the sum of 1-18-9d representing the magnanimous award of the Admiralty for services rendered or otherwise during week ending 11.7.19., which we trust will in some way assist you in defraying expenses on your return journey as we understand you're a/c at Cox's has been overdrawn. Submitted that the "Wren" engaged provisionally shall be discharged although greatly appreciated during her term of office. Considerable progress has been made in the redecoration of your boudoir since our last report, but regret to state we are unable to obtain curtains casement no.5 to complete this scheme. The dark room adjacent thereto is approved and recalcitrant women typists are to be incarcerated therein and visited hourly for chastisement. Submitted that 3 and a half inch T Girders have been fitted to the chair which was recently overweighted, and that its safe carrying load is now certified as 3 tons, which we hope will be sufficient to support increased weight obtained during the hymeneal period. The Commissioner of Police notify that all persons entering the area of the Processional route comport themselves as sober minded citizens, and refrain from unseemly mirth and ribald practical jokes; also to be aware of tripping over projecting rails thereby sustaining abrasions in unknown portions of the anatomy. It is also requested that decollete costumes should not be worn on this occasion as ticklers are liable to annoy one in spite of prohibition. We remain the undisguised, very sympathetic, "Quartette". Soon after this Kathleen Ellen Jefferson was born in Deal on May 18, 1911. She was followed by a boy, Ron. Another past-time evidently enjoyed by James Jefferson was angling. A small bronze medal records the Deal Festival of 1914, and James Jefferson's catch of 18 lbs and 11ozs. An earlier cartoon of 1907 drawn by Herbert Owens shows James Jefferson hauling up an old frying pan and a weight on the end of his fishing line. From these source documents, it is clear to see that the Jefferson family enjoyed a full and active social life. Soon, however, tragedy was to strike. James had been ill for some months, probably from exhaustion. He refused to rest and continued to throw himself into work. During the course of one job retuning a piano, a piano wire snapped, sprang back and struck him in the right eye. Despite some initial hopes that his sight could be saved, James was left blind. This probably hastened the very dramatic decline in his health that followed and very soon after, on 31 August, 1919, James Jefferson died. He was aged just 49. The coroner recorded his cause of death as "Paralysis and Exhaustion". The funeral was very well attended with a lengthy piece published in the pages of the Deal, Walmer and Sandwich Times. In it is a speech given by the Reverend Prosser who knew James Jefferson himself. He had this to say:- "I know it would be averse to his wishes that we should testify our respect and our great affection for him as a devoted and consecrated man in the service of Our Lord Jesus Christ. He has been the organist of this church for several years, and I desire to testify that he was beloved by us all. I know he was highly respected and esteemed in our town at large. We all knew him as a gentle, tender, kindly man, ever ready to render helpful service. Having known him personally and intimately, I may say that during my acquaintance with him I never heard him speak and unkindly word concerning anyone. I knew him as a kind and loving husband, as an affectionate and fond father, as a true and trustworthy friend. He was one of the sons of song, we may say he was one of God's gentlemen. Our loss as a church and people, and indeed our loss as a town, owing to his translation and departure is a great loss. His memory will live long in our minds, and 'to live in hearts we leave is not to die'”. A few years later, Eva May Jefferson travelled to Australia in 1926 with her sister, Dolly, the latter having been disowned by the family following the birth of an illegitimate child. Eva eventually moved there permanently having worked for the Royal Navy at Dover, as well as for the BBC at Bush House in London. Eva had been a prolific traveller. She made return visits to England a number of times as well as visiting countries as diverse as Alaska and Japan. A long letter survives of her Alaskan trip and provides a lively insight into both her character and outlook. Dolly married out there and raised a family of her own. Samuel Robinson Jefferson, James’ father, outlived his son by six years. His wife, Sarah Ellen had died around 1904. On 20th June, 1908, Samuel, then 63, married Millicent Eliza Tumber, aged 31. They went on to have five sons and two daughters. Samuel died aged 74 on 3rd February, 1925 at Guy’s Hospital, London. |
The marriage of James Jefferson and Minnie Kate Higgs in 1896
The Beach House Hotel in Deal, Kent, approx. 1910
Site of the Beach House Hotel in Deal, Kent in 2009
Kathleen Ellen Jefferson (right) in Deal, Kent during the 1930's |
