James Bridge
a Father and a Son
by Peter Cottis
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My great grandfather, James Bridge, was born well before the beginning of the last century and was working as a gamekeeper in Canewdon in the 1880s.
His son, also James Bridge, was born in 1879.
James junior stayed for a time in the Chequers at Canewdon with his uncle and aunt Mr and Mrs Codlin.
(see copies opposite of gamekeeper licences for 1889 and 1894 and an extract from the 1891 census with enlargements showing those living at the Chequers. Click any image to further magnify)
James Bridge jnr was then about 11 years old and is shown on the census as being at school - he was a "scholar" in fact.
James eventually also became a gamekeeper and moved from the area.
When WW1 broke out he was in Herefordshire and was then 36 years old, married and with 3 children.
James enlisted in the army in June 1916. He survived the war and his complicated story has been well researched, see the article James Bridge - WW1 Service.
Contact with James during WW1 was sporadic. He sent a Xmas card from Italy in 1918 just after the armistice was signed, see the article James Bridge - Xmas Card.
Links: James Bridge - a Father and a Son / James Bridge - WW1 Service / James Bridge - Xmas Card