William Jesse Reginald Maggs

known as 'Reginald' 

Reginald Maggs' Parents

Reginald Maggs was the eldest son of Jesse Maggs and Eliza (née Oram).

Jesse Maggs

Jesse Maggs grew up in Twerton, the son of a woodworker, with 5 siblings. In 1871, the family lived in Twerton High Street, but by 1881 (when Jesse was 17) had moved to 12 Ladymead, an address in Walcot Street near the centre of Bath. Jesse’s father (William) died in 1882, leaving Jesse's widowed mother Martha as head of the household.

In 1891, Jesse was listed as a hairdresser, with his eldest brother working as an iron moulder (probably at nearby Stothert & Pitt) and other siblings as a shorthand writer (possibly at the Pitman Press) and a Post Office official, respectively.

Jesse Maggs was mentioned in the newspaper in October 1891 as the victim of theft, when he had a pair of clippers stolen from his shop at 4 Upper Borough Walls. The villain of the piece was called George Barber! The article also mentions that Jesse had just left a shop in Claverton Street.

Eliza Oram

Reginald’s mother, Eliza Oram, was born in Edington, Wiltshire, in a part of the village known as Tinhead. She was there in 1871, aged 4, with her family headed by her father who was an agricultural labourer. Ten years later, Eliza was a few miles away in Poulshot, near Devizes, as servant to the family of a dairyman on a large farm. By 1891, she had moved to Bath and was domestic servant to a lodging house keeper at 16 Edward Street.

16 Edward Street, home to Reginald's mother in 1891

The Maggs Family

Jesse & Eliza married in 1892 at St Michael’s church in Broad Street.

Upper Borough Walls, where Reginald spent the early years of his life at number 4 (black shopfront). Parish border markings for St. Michael's Parish (St.M.P.) and St Peter & St. Paul's (Abbey) Parish (St.P.P.P.) are visible on the right at first floor level.

Reginald was born on 29th March 1893. He took the Christian names of his paternal grandfather (William) and father (Jesse), but was known by his third given name ‘Reginald’.

Five further children were born to the family during their time in Upper Borough Walls. Two of these died in infancy and they were therefore a family of six (plus a ‘general servant’) – as captured in the 1901 census – when the family lived briefly in Milsom Street. On the same census sheet (seemingly at the same address, 38 Milsom Street) is the famous Victorian photographer Graystone Bird, then aged 39 and living with his wife & mother-in-law!

15 Claude Avenue

In 1907 the family moved again to 84 Holloway. This was the ‘old’ face of Holloway, prior to its complete redevelopment in the 1960s/70s. Number 84 would have been a few doors below what is now called Paradise House, an upmarket B&B, but some of the housing in Holloway in general was anything but upmarket prior to its demolition.

Holloway, where the Maggs family lived in one of the houses towards the right-hand side of this photograph.

An enigmatic photo resides with the descendants of Richard Maggs (Reginald's younger brother) and has been provided to us by Malcolm Curran, Richard's son. It shows the Maggs family group and features Constance (who is unmistakeable from comparisons with other family photographs) bottom left, in spectacles . She appears to be circa age 10; given that she was born in 1897, this would place the photo in circa 1907. Richard, her younger brother, is bottom right and appears to be 6 or 7 years old, which fits. Seated between them is Reginald's mother, Eliza. Behind these three are two men in uniform. Back left is an older man. A comparison with a later photo of father Jesse (shown near the bottom of this page)  make it highly likely that this is him, based on the moustache and the shape of his face. The plain army uniform is topped off with a cap bearing the badge of what appears to be the West Kent Regiment. Back right is a younger man with a Somerset Light Infantry cap badge. Comparisons with the portrait photo at the top of this page would indicated that it is not Reginald, which mean it is likely Leonard, who would have been age 12 in 1907. Leonard went on to suffer from a condition called exophthalmic goitre, which mean his appearance is somewhat changed in other, later, family photographs, but this does appear to be him. The enigma here is why Jesse and Leonard (if it is them) would appear in army uniform in circa 1907. Why is the older man wearing the West Kents badge? And why would Reginald not be in the photograph? Perhaps he is the photographer?  

After 1909 the family lived at 9 Dorchester Street, where father Jesse ran a hairdresser & tobacconist shop, with Reginald (aged 18) listed as a ‘tobacconist’s assistant’ in the 1911 census. It is in fact Reginald who completed the 1911 census form for the family, so we have a sample of his handwriting! 

Father Jesse was again a victim of theft in 1909 when a Mr Charles Self stole a pipe from his Dorchester Street shop. And we know that Reginald worked in his father's tobacconist shop prior to the war and during the early months of the war itself.

Information supplied by Reginald Maggs' nephew, Malcolm Curran, reveals that Reginald had a sweetheart by the name of Mabel Russ, who was a seamstress at Colmer's in Union Street, as well as being a Sunday School teacher at St Michael, Broad Street and who lived in Bathwick.

The 1911 census form completed by Reginald on behalf of his father

Reginald Maggs in WW1

1st Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry

Reginald is in this photo, but it is hard to pick him out
[Photo supplied by Reginald's nephew Malcolm Curran]


Reginald Maggs is standing, third from the left
[Photo supplied by Reginald's nephew Malcolm Curran]


Reginald Maggs is fifth from the left in the middle row
[Photo supplied by Reginald's nephew Malcolm Curran]


Reginald is standing in front of the tent opening
[Photo supplied by Reginald's nephew Malcolm Curran]

Middlesex Regiment

The Lewis Gun
[Photo: allworldwars.com]

2nd Battalion, the Lancashire Fusiliers

Reginald Maggs' serial number of 47244 could be used to corroborate his date of joining this regiment, which was in 12th Brigade / 4th Division.

The unit diary for 2nd Battalion the Lancashire Fusiliers is available from the National Archive and we have a copy on record. Please get in touch if you would like more details than are shown here.

Having joined 2nd Lancs in September 1917, we know that Reginald would have been with them through the following engagements, some of which rank among the worst battles of the war, in terms of human loss and of the conditions in which the men had to survive:

• The Battle of Polygon Wood
• The Battle of Broodseinde
• The Battle of Poelcapelle
• The Battle of Passchendaele

1918

On 1st January 1918, Reginald was commended for his 'good work and devotion to duty' by Major-General Torquhil Mathison, who commended 4th Division.

The beginning of 1918 saw Reginald’s battalion in ‘Monchy sector’ (Monchy-le-Preux), alternating between front line duty and reserve work.

On 11th January, the Battalion was relieved in the front line by the 1st Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry – Reginald may well have recognised some Bathonian faces – which was part of 11th Brigade (also in 4th Division). At this point 2nd Battalion Lancs Fusiliers moved back to Arras for a few days’ training.

2nd Bn Lancs Fusiliers were in action again at Wilderness Camp from 16th January until 5th February, going through reserve and support functions and headquartering somewhere called Fosse Farm. They relieved the 1st Bn, King’s Own Royal Lancashire Regiment (K.O.R.L.R) in the front line in ‘Brown Line’ on 23rd January, before they themselves were relieved on 27th.

They were again in the front line from 1st-5th February and on 6th moved via Arras to Bernaville (W of Arras). They remained at Bernaville for the remainder of February and until 11th March, mainly engaged in training. Battalion church parades, a field day, work at a shooting range and a boxing competition are all mentioned as battalion activities during this time away from the front line. The battalion remained in Bernaville until 11th April when they moved to Baudimont Barracks, Arras. They remained in billets in Arras until 18th, then relieved 1st Battalion the Scots Guards (Guards Division) at Stirling Camp.

Reginald’s battalion was in the line from March 19th in reserve and support functions. Then, on 28th March, while in Brigade support at Lemontr(?) there was significant fighting. From the War Diary of 2nd Battalion, Lancs Fusiliers:

28th March 1918

Enemy bombardment commenced. Very heavy. Three separate barrages on Front, Support & Reserve lines and on the open between. Continued till 7am when enemy launched a big attack. Front line held out till practically wiped out. ‘A’ company, in close support to front line battalion, was completely wiped out after a tremendous fight. The Battalion stopped the enemy from advancing beyond the front and close support trenches. ‘D’ company suffered fairly heavily, ‘B’ & ‘C’ company lightly. Battle continued till the middle of the day. Enemy stopped in our support line after suffering heavy casualties. Our casualties were:

Killed: 2 officers, 16 other ranks

Wounded: 2 officers, 87 other ranks

Missing: 1 officer, 120 other ranks

The scale of losses also gave rise to this entry on 29th March:

Battalion absorbed the remains of the Essex Regiment into their strength and became front line battalion.

They were relieved on 31st by the 1st K.O.R.L.R.

April 1st saw 2nd Lancs Fusiliers in support to the 1st K.O.R.L.R., who they relieved on 2nd April. They held the front line in an ‘unchanged situation’ until relieved by 7th & 8th Battalions of the Canadian Infantry.

On 8th April, the Battalion withdrew from the line to billets at Simencourt for ‘cleaning up and reorganising’, then on 21st were taken 40 miles north by bus to Busnes, where they slept in bivouacs by the side of the road on arrival, before taking billets the following day.

On 16th, the Battalion moved to where Reginald’s war ended, namely at Riez du Vinage, where they relieved the 1st Bn the Hampshire Regiment and remained in trenches until 24th. On 18th April they were instrumental in repelling a German attack (before breakfast!) in what is known as the ‘Battle of Bethune’ (part of the 'Battle of the Lys'):

1am: Enemy artillery began bombarding back areas and roads through Robecq and Riez du Vinage.

3am: Enemy bombardment very heavy.

3.45am: Enemy bombardment intense. SOS sent up by 1st King’s Own (Royal Lancashire Regiment) on our right. Battalion HQ in telephone communication with centre & left companies. Battalion HQ sent up SOS in response to call from companies. Artillery put down barrage on SOS lines. Learnt later from prisoner that they were caught by this barrage and attack stopped on Bn front. Companies reported OK 4am.

4.25am: Enemy shelling slackened

5.0am: Enemy shelling ceased.   

7.0am: ‘B’ company report that enemy attack their right Lewis gun post and was driven off leaving about 20 dead.In touch with 1st King’s Own. Centre company observed movement in front of their line and sent a patrol who returned with prisoner.

7.30am: Situation unchanged and quiet. Remainder of daylight was quiet.

8.15am: Small enemy attack on the Bn on our left and the King’s Own counter-attacked and recaptured Riez du Vinage which they had lost in the morning.

Casualties: 4 other ranks wounded. 6 prisoners of war.

Things were relatively quiet in the ensuing days, but 23rd April saw another deadly encounter:

3am: ‘D’ company and one platoon of ‘A’ company under Lt N.D. Evans assemble to attack.

4.30am: Zero hour. Artillery barrage opened. Objective is road Q20b 7.0 – Q27a 0.8.

7.30am: Objective reported reached. Eventually turns out attacking troops lost direction and left a gap between La Pierre - Au Bierre and Riez du Vinage. [??] try to conform to this and several officer casualties from sniping. Enemy artillery bombarded new line all day and enemy sniping very active. Line withdrawn after dark.

Casualties: 2 officers killed, 3 officers wounded. 1 officer missing wounded. 48 other ranks killed, 120 OR wounded, 58 OR missing. Prisoners of war: 40 and 2 light machine guns.

Reginald Maggs' Death

From the Bath Chronicle & Weekly Gazette, 18th May 1918:

De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour states that Reginald Maggs was killed while at a rest billet on 29th April. His burial at Gonnehem fits with where his unit was at this time.

The unit’s war diary includes facsimiles of the following messages:

From General Horne, commanding 1st Army:

“Please accept and convey to units which have fought to-day my admiration of the skill and determination displayed by Commanders, Staffs and all ranks. A very heavy attack pushed home by vastly superior numbers has been repulsed with heavy loss to the Germans. The troops have shown a splendid spirit and may well feel proud of their achievement.”

From the Military Secretary:

“The Commander in Chief sends his congratulations to Major-General Matheson and all ranks of the 4th Division on the successful operations carried out by them on the 14th/15th and 17th inst, and on the way in which they have succeeded in advancing their line.”

Extract from The Times dated 25th April 1918:

“ESPECIALLY GALLANT 4th”

“The Commander in Chief has requested the Army Commander to convey his congratulations to all ranks of the 4th Division.

“(The 4th Div was mentioned in the official tribute by Sir Douglas Haig which appeared in The Times yesterday for “Especially Gallant” service on March 28th and the operations of April 14th/15th and 18th were also referred to. “I doubt if any division”  wrote our special correspondent on 23rd inst “has killed more Germans than 4th”)”.

Reginald Maggs was 25 when he died. According to De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour:

Burial

Gonnehem cemetery [Source :www.cwgc.org]

Decoration

Reginald Maggs' medal card does not survive, but he would have been awarded the British War Medal 1914-18 and the Allied Victory Medal posthumously.

Reginald Maggs' nephew, Malcolm Curran, had also sent us a photograph of the 'Death Penny' sent to Reginald's family; these were issued to the kin of all men killed in active service in the war. 

Commemoration

South Twerton School Memorial

Bath War Memorial

See separate page for details of the Bath War Memorial. Reginald Maggs' inscription:

St. Michael's Church Memorial (now St. Michael & St. Paul, Broad Street)

St James Church Memorial

Reginald Maggs is also commemorated on a brass plaque that was originally displayed in St James Church, Bath. This church stood where Marks & Spencer is now at the top of Southgate Street, but was bombed in 1942 and burned out as a result. The plaque was rescued and is now on display in St Barnabas Church, Southdown, where it is on view in the porch. More details on this memorial can be seen here.

The St James Church memorial, now displayed in the entrance porch of St Barnabas Church, Southdown. 'Reg Maggs' appears in small letters in the second of the four small columns at the bottom.  

Argyle Congregational Church Memorial

Reginald Maggs is also commemorated on two memorials in what is now Argyle United Reformed Church on Argyle Street in Bath. The first is the church's main WW1 memorlal:

Reginald Maggs' inscription:

The second memorial in Argyle URC church is a personal one to Reginald Maggs:

Family Grave at St. James's Cemetery

Reginald Maggs is commemorated on the Maggs' family grave in Bath. That is not to say that his remains were returned to England for burial, but the gravestone in St James's Cemetery on the Lower Bristol Road bears a dedication to him.

If you wish to find the grave, it is just to the south-west of the chapels, across the roadway from the large obelisk memorial.

Further Information

After the war: 

Lancs Fusiliers Bereaved Fathers Reunion

2nd Lancs Fusiliers Bereaved Fathers, Autumn 1918
[Photo supplied by Malcolm Curran, nephew of Reginald Maggs]

Jesse died a short time later, in February 1919. It is said in the family that he was heartbroken over the loss of his son and never recovered.

Reginald's father, Jesse Maggs
[Photo supplied by Malcolm Curran, Reginald's nephew]

Bathwick School Old Boys Reunion

An interesting article appeared in the Bath Weekly Chronicle & Gazette on 1st November 1919, describing the reunion of Bathwick School old boys who had returned from the war. The first part of the report details the ‘proud record’ of the ex-pupils during the war and the many distinctions, commissions and decorations that they had to show for their efforts. Mention was also made of the how early the lads had joined up and that several wore the ‘Mons ribbon’ (the 1914 Star, awarded only to soldiers who entered a theatre of war – usually France – before 23rd November 1914). 

But those who had fallen were also remembered and Reginald Maggs was singled out for a mention in this regard:

“But there were some who had not come back: the old boys who had served their country with the best they could give; their own lives. In speaking of them he could do no better than quote the words of Rupert Brooke:

If I should die, think only this of me,

That there’s some corner of a foreign field

That is for ever England!

“These lines the Rector followed by reading the verses written by Mr. Henry Chappell about the death of one of their old boys: Reginald Maggs.”

Henry Chappell, as seen on the frontispiece of 'The Day and other Poems'

After a long search, the poem written by Chappell in memory of Reginald Maggs has been found (thanks to the staff of Bath Record Office and their in-depth knowledge of the more obscure parts of the city's archive) and can be reproduced here:

 FOOTSTEPS 

Dead son of mine, when first two tiny feet
With step uneven traced a league-long yard,
Then in my heart your throne was set complete,
And love about you mounted royal guard.

For you I tireless wrought, adventured, planned,
Nor dreamed that I was building on the sand

Then eager steps a hundred times a day
Raced up the stair and down and in and out,
Luring me on to join the boyish play;
Making me one in prank and merry bout.

Day was a garden lit by sunny beams'
And night another day of happy dreams.

With ev'ry passing year my burdens fell,
For you, my son and friend, took up the load.
Love came to you, and all the world went well,
And life stretched out before, a shining road.

I saw the promise fair of youth unfold
And all my harvest ripening to gold.

Then came the call, the parting and the pain,
When hands alone had voice to say goodbye.
Now death has trampled down the golden grain,
And all my palaces in ruins lie.

O costly bays that sacrifice have won!
The throne is empty, I have lost my son.

England's the glory is, and mine the loss,
You were mine own; to England one son more
Of legions who for her have borne the cross
And laid it down on weary hearts and sore.

I take my cross, and if my head be bowed,
The parent mourns, the patriot is proud.

Dead son of mine, it may be that you know,
Grieve for my grief, and sorrow for my tears,
So for your sake the tide shall inly flow;
I lift my head and face the empty years.

Day with its memories of bitter-sweet,
Night with its echoes of a soldier's feet.

Henry Chappell

Living relatives

On Remembrance Day 2016, it was wonderful to receive an e-mail from Malcolm Curran, who is Reginald Maggs' nephew, the son of Reginald's youngest brother Richard. A few e-mails later, and Malcolm soon supplied numerous photographs and items by post, which are now reproduced in the biography above. They have provided fantastic additional insight and helped to piece together more details of this much-commemorated man who, through his work in an everyday tobacconists' shop and involvement in numerous churches etc., must have been known to many in Bath. 

Around the same time, Malcolm's sister (Reginald's niece) Shelagh Padfield (who still lives in Bath) was kind enough to call in to the school and spend time talking to the Head, Mr Goucher as well as supplying further information about Reginald. We are extremely grateful for these contributions.

It would be great to hear from any other living relatives of Reginald Maggs. Three of his siblings survived into adulthood, as far as we know, and so there may be living descendants of:

• Leonard Valentine Maggs: There is a slight anomaly here, in that Reginald's brother Leonard Gladstone Maggs is registered as having died in infancy in 1894. Another 'Leonard Gladstone Maggs' is however registered on the Bath death register as having died in 1922, aged 27. This ties in with the correct age for the sibling registered at birth as 'Leonard Valentine Maggs'. Leonard suffered exophthalmic goitre and died young in 1922 without issue.
• Constance Lily Maggs: We know that she married and took the married name Hobson.
• Richard Graham Maggs: The most likely source of living descendants as records show that he married and had several children. Two of these (Malcolm Curran and Shelagh Padfield) have been in touch with us and they have older brothers Reginald, Richard and Stafford Maggs.

Please get in touch!

Acknowledgement