Memorial Plaque
R. G. VIGARS
25TH KGS LIVPL RT
8 OCT. 1918
Connection with Effingham
He was born at Effingham Junction. Neither of his parents was Surrey-born. His father was a railway signalman at Effingham Junction station for several decades.
Genealogy
His father Alfred was born on Christmas Day, 1859 at Lamerton, Devon [GRO Ref: Tavistock 5b 364, 1860 (Q1)] and was baptised there on January 15th 1860 [Lamerton Parish Register].
His mother Eliza (née) Wiltshire was born on March 21st 1859 at Eastcott in Urchfont Parish, Wiltshire [GRO Ref: Devizes 5a 98, 1859 (Q1)] and was baptised there on June 5th 1859 [IGI: Batch C150712].
By 1881 Alfred had moved to Andover, Hampshire and was working as a railway porter:
1881 Census
Millfield Cottage, Charlton Road, Andover, Hampshire : PRO Ref: RG11 Piece 1263 Folio 31 Page 6
Thomas Smart : head : mar : 60 : railway porter : Andover, Hampshire
with his family and this lodger:
Alfred Vigars : lodger : unm : 21 : railway porter : Lamerton, Devon
The following year Alfred and Eliza married [GRO Ref: Andover 2c 361, 1882 (Q2)]. By 1891 they had produced four children and were living at Effingham Junction, where Alfred was now a signalman for the L.G.W. Railway:
1891 Census
Effingham (Junction Station), East Horsley, Surrey : PRO Ref: RG12 Piece 558 Folio 55 Page 10
Alfred Vigars : head : mar : 31 : railway signalman : Lamerton, Devon
Eliza Vigars : wife : mar : 31 : — : Eastcott, Wiltshire
Ellen J. Vigars : dau : unm : 8 : — : Rowde, Wiltshire
William H. Vigars : son : unm : 6 : — : Andover, Hampshire
Ethel M. Vigars : dau : unm : 4 : — : Effingham, Surrey
Edith M. Vigars : dau : unm : 1 : — : Effingham, Surrey
Reginald, their fifth child, was born at Effingham Junction in 1899 [GRO Ref: Guildford 2a 84, 1899 (Q3)]. Here he is with his parents in the 1901 Census:
1901 Census
Railway Cottages, Effingham Junction, East Horsley : PRO Ref: RG13 Piece 601 Folio 54 Page 10
Alfred Vigars : head : mar : 41 : railway signalman : Lamerton, Devonshire
Eliza Vigars : wife : mar : 41 : — : Eastcott, Wiltshire
William H. Vigars : son : unm : 16 : carter on farm : Andover, Hampshire
Ethel May Vigars : dau : unm : 13 : — : East Horsley, Surrey
Edith Minnie Vigars : dau : unm : 11 : — : East Horsley, Surrey
Alfred Ernest Vigars : son : unm : 8 : — : East Horsley, Surrey
Reginald Geo. Vigars : son : unm : 1 : — : East Horsley, Surrey
George Blanchard : boarder : unm : 18 : railway porter : Godalming, Hants [in error – Surrey]
and in the 1911 Census:
1911 Census
Effingham Junction, East Horsley : PRO Ref: RG14 Piece 3065 Schedule 45
Alfred Vigars : head : mar : 51 : signalman rly. co. : Lamerton, Devonshire
Eliza Vigars : wife : mar : 51 : — : Eastcott, Wiltshire
William Henry Vigars : son : unm : 26 : farm labourer : Andover, Hampshire
Reginald George Vigars : son : unm : 11 : school : East Horsley, Surrey
Florence Lilly Vigars : dau : unm : 8 : — : East Horsley, Surrey
In the War he served as a Private in the 25th Bn., King’s Liverpool Regiment with Service Number 108219. He was killed in action on October 8th 1918.
His father Alfred died in East Horsley aged “74” in 1934 [GRO Ref: Surrey S.W. 2a 422, 1934 (Q2)] and Eliza died in Raynes Park aged “86” on December 28th 1945 [GRO Ref: Surrey Mid.E. 2a 247, 1946 (Q1)].
Military Records
1. Service Record – not found
2. Commonwealth War Graves Commission Record
Name
Rank
Regiment
Age
Date of Death
Service No.
Grave/Memorial Ref.
Cemetery
VIGARS, R. G.
Private
The King’s (Liverpool Regiment), 25th Bn.
not stated [but was about 19]
08/10/1918
108219
XXXI. B. 25.
CABARET-ROUGE BRITISH CEMETERY, SOUCHEZ
3. “Soldiers Died in the Great War” Record
This adds only that Reginald enlisted at Guildford.
4. Medal Record
