Person:Edmund Dexter (1)

Edmund Edwards Jones was born in 1860 in the parish of St Luke's Old Street in Middlesex, on the northern edge of the City of London. He was the son of an umbrella maker named Ann Edwards Jones, formerly Folley, and her husband Mark Jones, a watch glass maker. Edmund appears in the 1861 census living at 4 Seward Street in the parish of St Luke's Old Street.

In 1869, Edmund's mother remarried, with her second husband being Charles William Dexter. No trace has been found of Mark Jones' death, and Ann remarried in her maiden name and claimed to be a spinster. Following Ann's second marriage, Edmund took his stepfather's surname, becoming Edmund Edwards Dexter for the rest of his life. He appears in the 1871 census living with his mother and stepfather at 11 Lizard Street in St Luke's Old Street. Edmund's stepfather died in 1874, aged 39.

In 1880, Edmund enlisted in the British Army. At the time he was described as being 5'5¼" tall with hazel eyes and brown hair, and various tattoos on both forearms. Prior to joining the army he had been working as a seaman. In the army he served as a private in both the Northamptonshire and Lancashire Regiments, and he was posted to India for five years between 1881 and 1886.

In 1887, aged 27, Edmund married Sarah Marshall. They married in the Luton area, which is where she had been brought up. Sarah already had a daughter from before their marriage, to whom Edmund acted as stepfather. The 1891 census finds Edmund and Sarah living at 21 Occupation Road in Luton, with Edmund described as a straw hat blocker, although his army service records indicate that he was not finally discharged from the army until the following year. Edmund's mother Ann was living with the family. In the mid 1890s they left Luton and moved back to the London area, living at various addresses in the south-eastern suburbs of London around Greenwich, Woolwich and Bexleyheath. In the 1901 census the family was living at 88 East Street in Charlton, in the borough of Greenwich, and Edmund was working as a furnace man. Between 1888 and 1910 Edmund and Sarah had twelve children together, although the youngest two both died as babies.

In 1910 the family returned to Luton. Their youngest daughter, Florence Stellabelle Dexter, was born in the Dartford district (which covered Bexleyheath) in the first half of 1910, but she died in Luton towards the end of that year. The 1911 census finds Edmund, Sarah and their children living at 5 Warwick Road in Luton. Edmund was working as an iron worker in a factory making water meters.

During the First World War, Edmund's son Edmund Charles was killed in action. He was one of the crew of the HMS Invincible, which was sunk at the Battle of Jutland in the North Sea on 31st May 1916.

Edmund died in Luton in 1931, aged 71. Sarah outlived him by seven years.

1. ↑ Births index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   b. Edmund Edwards JONES, June Quarter 1860, St Luke Registration District, Volume 1b, page 531, mother's maiden name Folley

2. ↑ England. 1861 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG9; Piece 200; Folio 127; Page 47, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: 4 Seward Street, St Luke, Middlesex
   Mark Jones, head, married, male, 41 [1829/30], Watch Glass Maker, b. Middlesex
   Ann Jones, wife, married, female, 34 [1836/7], Umbrella Maker, b. Middlesex
   Edmund E. Jones, son, male, 1 [1859/60], b. Middlesex

3. ↑ England. England and Wales. 1871 Census Schedules. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG10; Piece 401; Folio 100; Page 64, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: 11 Lizard Street, St Luke, Middlesex
   Charles W. Dexter, head, married, male, 35 [1835/6], Cricket Leg Guard Maker, b. St John's Wood, Middlesex
   Ann Dexter, wife, married, female, 35 [1835/6], Umbrella Maker, b. Mile End Rd, Middlesex
   Edmond Dexter, son, male, 12 [1858/9], Umbrella Frame Maker, b. St Luke, Middlesex

4.   British Army Service Records 1760-1915 (Findmypast).

   Summary of information:
   Edmond Dexter, born in the parish of St Lukes in or near the town of London in the County of Middlesex, enlisted 20 Jun 1880 at London, aged 20y4m, occupation seaman, height 5'5¼", hazel eyes, brown hair, 'nose inclines to left side', tattoos on both forearms (cross flags, lion & flag, thistle, crown, cross cannons). Habits temperate, Conduct Good. Served in both Northamptonshire and Lancashire Regiments as a Private. Served in East India 1881-1886. Next of kin: Mother Ann. Discharged 16 Jun 1892, aged 32y4m, intended place of residence 25 Milward Street, Woolwich.

5. ↑ England. 1891 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG12; Piece 1272; Folio 81; Page 31, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: 21 Occupation Road, Luton, Bedfordshire
   Four rooms occupied
   Edmund Dexter, head, married, male, 30 [1860/1], Straw Hat Blocker, b. Old St S. Luke's, London
   Sarah Dexter, wife, married, female, 25 [1865/6], Straw Hat Machinist, employed, b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Esther Dexter, daughter, female, 5 [1885/6], Scholar, employed, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Edith Dexter, daughter, female, 3 [1887/8], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Edmund Dexter, son, male, 1 [1889/90], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Ann Dexter, mother, widow, female, 61 [1829/30], Living on her own means, b. Bow, London

6. ↑ England. England. 1901 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG13; Piece 562; Folio 73; Page 27, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: 88 East Street, Charlton, Greenwich, London
   Five or more rooms occupied
   Ernest Dexter, head, married, male, 42 [1858/9], Furnace Man, worker, b. St Lukes, London
   Sarah Dexter, wife, married, female, 37 [1863/4], b. Layton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Edith Dexter, daughter, female, 13 [1887/8], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Edmund Dexter, son, male, 11 [1889/90], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Mabel Dexter, daughter, female, 6 [1894/5], b. Woolwich, London
   Christine Dexter, daughter, female, 3 [1897/8], b. Woolwich, London
   Stanley Dexter, son, male, 1 [1899/1900], b. Charlton, London

7. ↑ England. 1911 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom: The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.))
   Class RG14; Piece 9010; Schedule 173, 2 Apr 1911.

   Address: 5 Warwick Road, Luton, Bedfordshire
   Four rooms occupied
   Edmund Dexter, head, male, 45 [1865/6], married 24 years, 13 children born alive, 11 still living, Labourer Iron Work - Water Meter Maker, worker, b. London
   Sarah Dexter, wife, female, 45 [1865/6], working at home, b. Luton
   Edith Dexter, daughter, female, 23 [1887/8], single, Cardboard Box Maker, worker, b. Luton
   Christina Dexter, daughter, female, 16 [1894/5], single, Servant, b. Woolwich
   George Dexter, son, male, 15 [1895/6], single, Foundry Labourer - Water Meters, worker, b. Woolwich
   Stanley Dexter, son, male, 13 [1897/8], single, b. Woolwich
   Jack Dexter, son, male, 11 [1899/1900], single, b. Woolwich
   Reginal Dexter, son, male, 8 [1902/3], single, b. Woolwich
   Annie Dexter, daughter, female, 6 [1904/5], single, b. Woolwich
   Frank Dexter, son, male, 4 [1906/7], b. Woolwich

8. ↑ Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   d. Edmund Edwards DEXTER, December Quarter 1931, Luton Registration District, Volume 3b, page 414, aged 71 [1859/60]

9.   London Electoral Registers
   1898: Dexter, Edmund Edward - 34 Pendrell street, Plumstead
   1900: Dexter, Edmond Edwards - 88 East street, Charlton
   1901: Dexter, Edmond Edwards - 88 East street, Charlton
   1902: Dexter, Edmund Edwards - 88 East street, Charlton
   1905: Dexter, Edmund Edward - 11 Albatross street, Plumstead
   1906: Dexter, Edmond Edwards - 19 Victoria Terrace, Flaxton road, Plumstead
   1907: Dexter, Edmond Edwards - 19 Victoria Terrace, Flaxton road, Plumstead
   1908: Dexter, Edmund Edwards - 19 Victoria Terrace, Flaxton road, Plumstead