Yesterday I wrote about how to read a British militia attestation form and used the example of a young man named James Sword. His story truly embodies what it was like to grow up in poverty during the late Victorian and early Edwardian eras.
The Early Years
James was born July 27 1889 in Bow, London, England - making him the baby of the Sword family. He had four older sisters and one older brother. At the time of his birth the family was struggling financially, and that would only worsen a month later when his father died. Now widowed with five children still in her care, James' mother had no choice but to turn to the Board of Guardians for relief. Within a year the entire family was admitted to the Wandsworth and Clapham Union Workhouse. The duration of the family's stay was brief. By 1901, they had left the workhouse but were still struggling to get by. They were living on Ammiel St in Bow. Their home literally fell down around them, and the neighbouring homes that remained were condemned by the Medical Officer of Health less than a year later. In the first ten years of life, James had experienced abject poverty and the shame of living in the workhouse. Unfortunately, his time in government run institutions was far from over.
Life in an Industrial School
At the age of 6 he was likely placed in an industrial school. In the 1901 census he was living at the St John's Industrial School in Walthamstow, Essex. The Board of Guardians believed that by sending children to industrial schools they were able to break the cycle of poverty. The children would get an education and learn a trade - often times for the boys this entailed preparing them for military service. During his stay at the school he likely contracted small pox (a feature which was later noted in her service files). His case was severe, leaving scars that covered his face and body. Outbreaks of small pox and diseases were incredibly common in industrial schools due to the cramp and often times dirty living quarters that the children were subject to.
Truant School
By the age of 11, James had left the industrial school and was reunited with his mother. In July 1900, he was sent to the North London Truant School for "non compliance with an attendance order". What I found most interesting about his admission record is that it notes that he living with his sister Mary and that his mother's address is unknown. The nature of this school was slightly different than that of the industrial school. The most notable different is that James' family would have had to pay the school for his maintenance. In addition to receiving an education, James would have performed tasks such as wood chopping, gardening, and assisting with chores such as laundry and cooking. I am yet to find a discharge record, but it is more than likely that James was only there for three months. In rare cases, boys would be detained in the school for "up to three years or until they reached 14, whatever was the shorted period".
Military Service (Pre 1914)
After leaving the school he returned to live with his family. Money was still tight but they managed to scrape by. He got a job working as a labourer on Brillingham Rd in Edmonton, where he worked for a man named Mr Wickham. James clearly wanted to do more with his life than that, because on January 12 1906 he enlisted in the militia. Upon completing his training he was placed with the 7th battalion of the Royal Fusiliers. His description was quintessentially Irish - which came from his mother's side of the family. He had red hair and grey eyes with freckles on his cheeks. After 7 months James knew that the military life was for him. He got transferred to the King's Royal Rifle Corp on July 4 1906. On his transfer form it was noted that he was a "smart hardworking man". Not only was he committed and successful in his work, but he also was a good son. Throughout his service he had his pay sent back home to his widowed mother in England. Between 1906 and 1911 he served in India, Malta, and Egypt.
Despite the regimented routine of the military, James found the time to have fun. One of my favourite events that I found his file was on a military conduct form. While sailing between India and Malta, he and several of the other privates decided to pull a prank of sorts. Being young and drunk with no where to go and nothing to do, mischief was inevitable. They kidnapped the chief engineers parrot and allegedly got it drunk. By the time the chief engineer found them, the parrot was mimicking the cursing and slurred speech of James and his friends. For this stunt they each received 168 hours (1 week) of detention, and were fined 5 pounds.
WW1 Service and the 'Lost Generation'
At the dawn of WW1 James was ready to serve his country. He along with the rest of his battalion fought in France. Despite his many years of service, the battle of Ypres was his last. During the battle he sustain a fatal injury. The military sent him back to England giving him one last chance to see his family before he passed away on October 26 1914.
His story is far from unique, but I think it speaks for the entire 'lost generation' of WW1. These men grew up with nothing, in a system that worked more to shame them than help them, yet they still were willing to fight and die for their country. The 'lost generation' were the men of WW1 that never had had the chance to have children of their own. Many of them were boys, barely old enough to be considered an adult. James was 25. He never married and left no known descendants. I discovered his story during my FAN club research and knew that it was one that I had to share.
Revision Date: May 13 2023
Originally Published: February 9 2021
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