Edgar James left school at 13 and worked as a gardener for 5/- a week. He joined the marines at 16, adding two years to his age to get in, on 29th April 1896, serving in the West Indies for 3? years. He served in WW1, including the Dardanelles, and when he was demobbed in 1919 joined the Coastguard at Leigh-on-Sea then, from 1921 onwards, Cadgwith and Ruan Minor (both very near Coverack). Bobbie and Bill attended school in Cadgwith.

From 1923 he worked in the Falmouth Shipyard as a fitter's mate and on retirement was made a life member of the TGWU. Also a member of Falmouth Allotments Society, active in the RAOB and king of the One and All club. He smoked a pipe, waxed his moustache and had a watch and Albert chain. More details are in newspaper reports for his diamond wedding, and obtuary notices 1 and 2 (PE holds copies as D19a,b,c)

He met Charlotte Lydia May Clements in Salisbury or Gosport. Her mother had died when she was 11 so she went from Egham to London for work in service. Her father may have been in Coldstream Guards. Born Egham 10th June?? Worked in service and four years younger than EJD. She had siblings that included Bernard (Royal Marine died Gosport), Edith (moved to Ealing) She was keen on needlework (it was claimed her mother sewed for Queen Victoria but died when Charlote was 11) and, later on, Guinness warmed up with a poker.

EJD and CLM started living at Coastguard Cottages in Cadgwith (here is the hut where he worked as a lookout) then 12 Coastguard Cottages Falmouth about 1921. It faced the seafront at the start of the road going round to Castle Drive. Cissie, Beatrice and Alice probably also have lived there. RJM was born there (see rjm biog). When Beatrice died they moved to 4 Bayview Crescent, also facing the seafront, in the same line of houses - photo (but see note under rjm biog).

When Ciss married Doug she moved to Green Lane Farm in Penryn. When the war made their area dangerous, EJD, CLM and Rae moved to a cottage on the side of this farmhouse. Jill joined them when she was 5. When bombing eased, they moved back to Falmouth, to I Central Cottages, Castle Drive. Bill's wife lived in number 2 and that is where Helen was born.

1 Central Cottages, had gas lighting, a single gas ring and no indoor sanitation, but a small front garden with wallfowers and lilly of the valley. They celebrated their diamond anniversary there. He died the year after, aged 88, and she died a year after that.

Very active in allotments, he was also elected King of the Olds Folks Club for the Carnival. It is also suggested a Joe Soley was around Gosport late 1950s and/or ealry 60's with a connection to "Hand's youngest sister's daughter" but have not checked.

Postcard sent 12/5/1953 to Rae D133