Forest of Dean FHT Forum - VIMPANY, sons of Whitecroft who fell in WW1, RIP.

VIMPANY, sons of Whitecroft who fell in WW1, RIP. (reply)

gill sandford — Tue, 03 May 2016 12:26:08 +0000

Hi Judith,

It's been quite some time since we have been in contact when you sent me a disc of the Vimpany family - at least 3/4 years. My grandfather was Jesse Fryer.

For the last few years we have been researching my partner's family (Fortey/Forty) which involved searching through many Gloucestershire and other records where I noticed the occasional Vimpany name and have kept a note of each of them, but have no idea where they fit in on the disc you sent - which is probably out of date - but in an effort to keep up to date I have census, Probate and lists of Vimpany people in Wales and England.

If you are interested in any Fryer photographs or the info I have, please contact me at
gillsandford44@btinternet.com.

VIMPANY, searching the newspaper archives. (reply)

Jefff — Wed, 04 Sep 2013 12:51:38 +0000

Hi Judith, welcome back to the forum.
I'm very sorry to say I don't have a copy of the photo article. I did take a "naughty" copy of the scan being displayed on the auction website when the bidding surpassed my limit, that image has now long since disappeared off their database. However I suffered a major disaster with my computer a few weeks back due to a particularly nasty new virus, it corrupted & rendered unreadable all my huge collection of old photos, downloads, my working FH word documents etc etc, basically in a few seconds I lost all the results of 3 years of intensive FH research. I also lost the backup which was on a separate hard-drive, the virus attacked during the once-monthly time that drive was plugged-into and backingup my pc drive, hence both were destroyed !. It seems this particular virus was so "new" that my normally very tight security systems didnt recognise it in time..... I suspect it wasn't a coincidence it struck while I was running my backup.

Anyway, moving on, I'm sure the photo came from a local newspaper, presumably the Lydney Observer or it's partner the Dean Forest Mercury, or perhaps from the weekly Gloucester Journal, the illustrated stablemate of the daily Citizen. As far as I know the Observer/Mercury archives are not held by any of the online websites, their archive is held at Cinderford public library in the Forest.

However the Journal/Citizen is on the British Newspaper Archive site which comes most highly recommended, this prior thread may help
http://www.forest-of-dean.net/index.php/forum
All new members can get a few free downloads from that excellent site. I'm not currently a subscriber but using their free search eventually found the following which MAY be your article, I hope this link works for you too. I searched "Vimpany" using the "southwest" and "1917" filters, also adding "Borderers", the hit is a very large article including a few small photos which cannot be seen without downloading, and mentions "E. Vimpany 442sl" - aka 44251, from the Gloucester Journal of Saturday 15 September 1917.
http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/search/results/1910-01-01/1919-12-31?basicsear...

Re-searching the BNA site for "Vimpany Whitecroft" but without the "1917" filter gives several hits I feel you'll be interested in, eg John Vimpany farmer in Coleford Police courts in 1898; various adverts and news articles re Richard Vimpany garage proprietor thro the early C20th; Amos Vimpany a labourer of Whitecroft summoned for drunkenness on December 10th, 1892; a BMD Notice for Martha Vimpany, 17 yr old daughter of E.Vimpany, 17 October 1885; etc etc.
http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/search/results?county=gloucestershire%2c%20eng...

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I wonder if the photo obituary article is included within this cd-rom, The Laura Morse Scrapbook, I really MUST order my copy asap !!
http://79.170.40.163/forestofdeanhistory.org.uk/LHScdWWIscrapbook.html

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Another newspaper archive we've used a lot recently is the relatively new Welsh site, an excellent resource that is completely free to use and download from. See
http://www.forest-of-dean.net/index.php/forum
Unfortunately this website doesn't cover the Great War period, however searching Vimpany gives a few hits which may interest you, examples are:

"FOREST OF DEAN. STEALING FRUIT, At the petty sessions, Coleford, on Tuesday last, before Sir James Campbell, Bart, Major Davies, Captain Dighton, Messrs C. T. Palmer, J. Trotter, and T. Batten, four lads named James Spencer, Wiiliam Charles, James Morgan, and George Fryer, were charged with stealing fruit belonging to Mr E. Vimpany, farmer, of Yorkley Court, on the 1st ult. The case having bean proved by the prosecutor, who caught them in the act, the bench fined them 10s each. -Reuben Blunt, a collier, was charged with a like offence, on the same day. The prosecutor (Mr Vimpany) proved the case, and added that he suffered very much from defendant and his companions, who made it a practice to poach over his land on Sundays. The Chairman reminded defendant that he had rendered himself liable to six months' imprisonment. Prosecutor did not wish to press the charge, and on this account the bench agreed to let defendant off with a fine of £2 and costs."
Cardiff Times, 11 November 1876
http://welshnewspapers.llgc.org.uk/en/page/view/3387286/ART22/vimpany

"FOREST OF DEAN.
At Coleford Police-court, on Tuesday (Before Sir James Campbell Bart, chairman)..... George James Junior and George Hopkins of Yorkley, were convicted in penalties of 40s each and costs for poaching on lands of Edmund Vimpany, and James was ordered to pay a fine of 20s on a charge of assaulting Mr. Vimpany"
Cardiff Weekly Mail, 12 July 1879
http://welshnewspapers.llgc.org.uk/en/page/view/3418685/ART115/vimpany

I hope this helps and that you find the photo of your brave ancestor.
atb Jeff

VIMPANY, sons of Whitecroft who fell in WW1, RIP. (reply)

Judith Vimpani — Mon, 02 Sep 2013 13:36:43 +0000

Hi, It's been some time since I visited the Forest of Dean site. I am one of the few surviving members of the Vimpany clan. Mr great grandfather changed the ending of our surname making the Melbourne, Australian branch unique.

Your soldier is Isaac Edmund Parsons Vimpany, son of Richard Thornton Vimpany and Emma Jemima Parsons as you have found out.

You wondered why he enlisted in Wales. You can find the family in the 1911 Wales census at East Dean.

I would love to get a copy of the photo you found. REgards Judith

Edmund VIMPANY - Glosters Museum Records (reply)

Jefff — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 14:08:04 +0000

Thanks Slowhands for clarifying Eddie's line.

For future reference and hopefully benefit to other researchers, the normally excellent Glosters Museum website was u/s yesterday, but today it's back online and is easily & freely searched to give just the one Vimpany result, namely:
Vimpany, Edmund - Statement of Service

Surname: Vimpany Initials: EV
First Name: Edmund
Place of Birth: Pillowell Glos
Rank: Private
SERVICE DETAILS
Service Number: 026851
Battalion: Trans
Enlisted: Lydney
Ex-number: 042251
Ex-unit: 6 S WALES BORDE
END OF SERVICE
Reason: Killed in action
Where: FRANCE
Grave: xB0034

So again a little more info on top the the NA records, perhaps showing that it's worth consulting & cross-referencing all the available sources.
see
http://www.glosters.org.uk/soldiersearch/

The Museum is at Gloucester Docks, an interesting visit supporting a worthwhile cause for the cost of a magazine.
http://www.glosters.org.uk/introduction/

A large part of their collection may be searched and viewed online, including for example over sixty newspaper clippings from WW1, mostly named photos of soldiers.
http://www.glosters.org.uk/collectionresults.php?chunk=10&o=0

R.I.P Eddie.

Thornton Richard VIMPANY 1872 -1952 Whitecroft (reply)

slowhands — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 10:29:55 +0000

1841
Amos Vimpany abt 1801 Gloucestershire, England Moreton Valerie, Gloucestershire
Eliza Vimpany abt 1806 Gloucestershire, England Moreton Valerie, Gloucestershire
Edmund Vimpany abt 1830 Gloucestershire, England Moreton Valerie, Gloucestershire
Henery Vimpany abt 1831 Gloucestershire, England Moreton Valerie, Gloucestershire
Daniel Vimpany abt 1833 Moreton Valence, Gloucestershire, England Moreton Valerie, Gloucestershire
Thomas Vimpany abt 1835 Gloucestershire, England Moreton Valerie, Gloucestershire
Eliza Vimpany abt 1837 Gloucestershire, England Moreton Valerie, Gloucestershire
Richard Vimpany abt 1839 Gloucestershire, England Moreton Valerie, Gloucestershire

1851
Amos Timpany abt 1801 Arlingham, Gloucestershire, England Head Newland, Gloucestershire
Eliza Timpany abt 1807 Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, England Wife Newland, Gloucestershire
Edmund Timpany abt 1830 Moreton Valence, Gloucestershire, England Son Newland, Gloucestershire
Daniel Timpany abt 1833 Moreton Valence, Gloucestershire, England Son Newland, Gloucestershire
Thos Timpany abt 1834 Moreton Valence, Gloucestershire, England Son Newland, Gloucestershire
Eliza Timpany abt 1837 Moreton Valence, Gloucestershire, England Daughter Newland, Gloucestershire
Richd Timpany abt 1839 Moreton Valence, Gloucestershire, England Son Newland, Gloucestershire
Edwin Timpany abt 1842 Moreton Valence, Gloucestershire, England Son Newland, Gloucestershire
Mary A Timpany abt 1844 Moreton Valence, Gloucestershire, England Daughter Newland, Gloucestershire
Martha Timpany abt 1848 Moreton Valence, Gloucestershire, England Daughter Newland, Gloucestershire
Henry Whitten abt 1834 Limehouse, Wiltshire, England Son Newland, Gloucestershire

Year: 1853
Month: Oct
Day: 8
Grooms_Surname: VIMPARRY
Grooms_Forenames: Edmund
Grooms_Age: 23
Groom_Condition: Bachelor
Grooms_Occupation: Farmer
Grooms_Residence: Bream
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: Vimparry
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: Amos
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Farmer
Brides_Surname: COOK
Brides_Forenames: Frances Elizabeth
Brides_Age: 18
Brides_Condition: Spinster
Brides_Occupation: [not stated]
Brides_Residence: Whitecroft
Brides_Fathers_Surname: Cook
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: William
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: Farmer
Licence_or_Banns: Licence
Date_of_Banns:
Signature_or_Mark: both sign
Witness_1: Sarah [illegible]
Witness_2: William Wood
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: Henry Poole
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P145 IN 1/20
Page_Number: 149
Parish_Chapel: Parkend

1861
Edmund Vimpany abt 1830 Gloucestershire, England Head West Dean, Gloucestershire
Frances Elizabeth Vimpany abt 1836 West Dean, Gloucestershire, England Wife West Dean, Gloucestershire

1871
Edmund Dimpany 40
Frances E Dimpany 35
Edmund W Dimpany 6
Frances E Dimpany 4
Martha Dimpany 2
Hannah Dimpany 6 Months
John Cook 41

Year: 1872
Month: Sep
Day: 22
Parents_Surname: VIMPANY
Child_Forenames: Thornton Richard
Fathers_Forenames: Edmund
Mothers_Forenames: Frances Elizabeth
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Pillowell
Occupation: Farmer
Officiating_Minister: Jno. Josh Elsworth Vicar
Event: Baptism
Memoranda: Born 16 April 1872
Notes:
Register_Reference: P245 IN 1/12
Page_Number: 27
Parish_Chapel: Parkend

1881
Edmond Vimpany abt 1830 Moreton Valance, Gloucestershire, England Head Newland, Gloucestershire
Frances E. Vimpany abt 1836 West Dean, Gloucestershire, England Wife Newland, Gloucestershire
Edmond W. Vimpany abt 1865 West Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son Newland, Gloucestershire
Frances E. Vimpany abt 1867 West Dean, Gloucestershire, England Daughter Newland, Gloucestershire
Martha Vimpanyabt 1869 West Dean, Gloucestershire, England Daughter Newland, Gloucestershire
Anna Vimpany abt 1871 West Dean, Gloucestershire, England Daughter Newland, Gloucestershire
Thornton K. Vimpany abt 1873 West Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son Newland, Gloucestershire
John C. Vimpany abt 1874 West Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son Newland, Gloucestershire
Amos Vimpany abt 1876 Newland, Gloucestershire, England Son Newland, Gloucestershire

1891
Edmund Vempany abt 1830 Moreton Valence, Gloucestershire, England Head West Dean, Gloucestershire
Francis E Vempany abt 1836 West Dean, Gloucestershire, England Wife West Dean, Gloucestershire
Thornton R Vempany abt 1873 West Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son West Dean, Gloucestershire
John C Vempany abt 1874 West Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son West Dean, Gloucestershire
Amos Vempany abt 1876 West Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son West Dean, Gloucestershire
Hannah Vempany abt 1871 West Dean, Gloucestershire, England Daughter West Dean, Gloucestershire

Year: 1894
Month: Aug
Day: 29
Grooms_Surname: VIMPANY
Grooms_Forenames: Thornton Richard
Grooms_Age: 22
Groom_Condition: Bachelor
Grooms_Occupation: Farmer
Grooms_Residence: Whitecroft
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: Vimpany
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: Edward
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Grocer and farmer
Brides_Surname: PARSONS
Brides_Forenames: Emma Jemima
Brides_Age: 25
Brides_Condition: Spinster
Brides_Occupation: School teacher
Brides_Residence: Holy Trinity
Brides_Fathers_Surname: Parsons
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: Isaac
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: Colliery Proprietor
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns: [not stated]
Signature_or_Mark: Both sign
Witness_1: George Bryant
Witness_2: Hannah Vimpany
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: William Barker Vicar
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P109 IN 1/8
Page_Number: 174
Parish_Chapel: Drybrook

Name: Thornton Vimpany
Birth Date: abt 1872
Date of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep 1952
Age at Death: 80
Registration district: Forest of Dean
Inferred County: Gloucestershire
Volume: 7b
Page: 305

Isaac Edmund Parsons VIMPANY 1896 -1917 Pillowell R I P (reply)

slowhands — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 23:11:46 +0000

At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them

VIMPANY Isaac Edmund Parsons
VIMPANY PARSONS
1896 Forest of Dean Monmouth, Coleford 53 499

1901 Pillowell
Thornton Rd Vimpany abt 1873 West Dean, Gloucestershire, England Head West Dean, Monmouthshire Grocer
Emma J Vimpany abt 1874 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Wife West Dean, Monmouthshire
Frances E Vimpany abt 1896 West Dean, Gloucestershire, England Daughter West Dean, Monmouthshire
Edmund P Vimpany abt 1897 West Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son West Dean, Monmouthshire

1911 Whitecroft Lydney
Thornton R Vimpany 38 Grazier Pillowell
Emma J Vimpany 40 Drybrook
Frances E Vimpany 15 Pillowell
Edmund T P Vimpany 14 Pillowell
T Frederick Vimpany 8 Pillowell
M Ursula Vimpany 2 Whitecroft
Hannah Vimpany 40 Pillowell

Name: Edmund Vimpany
Birth Place: Pillowell, Glos
Death Date: 8 Aug 1917
Death Location: France & Flanders
Enlistment Location: Lydney, Glos
Rank: Private
Regiment: South Wales Borderers
Battalion: 6th Battalion
Number: 42251
Type of Casualty: Killed in action
Theatre of War: Western European Theatre
Comments: Formerly 26851, Gloucestershire Regt

VIMPANY, sons of Whitecroft who fell in WW1, RIP. (reply)

Jefff — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 21:04:10 +0000

Hi Roger, thanks for that. Please see my Update just added, hoped to do so before anyone else contributed, looks like it was (thankfully) "just" the one man.

VIMPANY, sons of Whitecroft who fell in WW1, RIP. (reply)

Roger Griffiths — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 21:01:34 +0000

No problem with South Wales Borderers. If you have the right man and it looks as though you have, he may have been working in Monmouthshire when he volunteered? Although the Army was territorial in WWI, there were lots of anomalies. My grandfathers sisters son and step-son were Staffordshire Regiment. They were killed within weeks of each other in 1915. They are recorded on the Lydney war memorial. Perfectly logical reason for it. Father was a Prudential Assurance manager and got moved around. In 1914 they were living in Staffordshire but in 1915 were back in Lydney.

VIMPANY, sons of Whitecroft who fell in WW1, RIP.

Jefff — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 19:14:07 +0000

While browsing a wellknown auction website I have just seen a WW1 vintage newspaper clipping reporting the death of Private Eddie Vimpany of the Gloucestershire Regiment. The photo shows a very young man in uniform and states he's from Whitecroft near Parkend, but gives no more detail instead referring to other related stories in what is presumably a Forest newspaper. His cap badge looks like the Glosters and not the South Wales Borderers (see below).

I have searched this site's PRs but cannot find a Baptism for this lad who cannot be much over 20 years judging by the photo. I cannot find any clearly related prior threads on this site, or references elsewhere in the site, perhaps as the Vimpany name is a little unusual.

I have found this PR which may be his father, I'm sure the photo is of a much younger man.

Record_ID: 4200
Entry_Number: 793
Year: 1872
Month: Jan
Day: 7
Parents_Surname: VIMPANY
Child_Forenames: Herbert Edward
Fathers_Forenames: Richard
Mothers_Forenames: Ann
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Yorkley Court
Occupation: Farmer
Officiating_Minister: J. F. Gosling
Event: Baptism
Memoranda: Sponsors Edmund Vimpany Richard Vimpany Frances Elizabeth Vimpany
Notes:
Register_Reference: P57 IN 1/3
Page_Number: 100
Parish_Chapel: Bream
Soundex: V515

I cannot find a likely Birth for young Eddie on FreeBMD or GlosBMD.

-------------------------

Searching the CWGC site for Eddie only gave the following Vimpany WW1 Burial despite trying surname variations. Altho Eddie could mean Edmund rather than the more obvious? Edward, the different Regiment suggests this is indeed a different man.

Remembered with Honour, Belgian Battery Corner Cemetery.

In Memory of Private Edmund Vimpany 42251, 6th Bn., South Wales Borderers who died on 8 August 1917 Age 20.
Son of Thornton Richard and Emma Vimpany, of Whitecroft, Lydney, Glos.

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/93114/VIMPANY,%20EDMUND

Here is his Baptism:

Record_ID: 146988
Entry_Number: 504
Year: 1897
Month: Jan
Day: 10
Parents_Surname: VIMPANY
Child_Forenames: Isaac Edmund Parsons
Fathers_Forenames: Thornton Richard
Mothers_Forenames: Emma Gemima
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Pillowell
Occupation: Grocer
Officiating_Minister: J Bond Vicar
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P245 IN 1/12
Page_Number: 63
Parish_Chapel: Parkend
Soundex: V515

This is the nearest possible record I can find from FreeBMD & GlosBMD.

Surname Given Name District Volume Page Transcribers
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Births Dec 1901
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vimpany Ernest Edmund Abergavenny 11a 37 eilie
VIMPANY Ernest Edmund Abergavenny 11a 37 jimbo

Abergavenny is certainly the correct area for the Borderers, as is the Forest too of course, although why is his Army age younger than his real age ?

Perhaps this is indeed "our" Eddie, but if so why the wrong cap badge ?. Perhaps(as is possible) he changed Regiment at some point during the War, his Medal Card would show this but I don't have access to that information.

=====================

I hope someone else can please help honour these brave sons of Whitecroft, thankyou.

R.I.P.

========================================

UPDATE:

Searching the National Archives site gives only one E.Vimpany record, this Medal Card summary suggests the above records do belong to one man, the Regiments and Numbers all match, so altho he'd originally enlisted with the Glosters by the time of his death he was in the Borderers:

Reference:WO 372/20/154240
Description: Medal card of Vimpany, Edmund
Corps Regiment No Rank
Gloucestershire Regiment 26851 Private
South Wales Borderers 42251 Private
Date: 1914-1920

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D6490209

I cannot read the actual Card, doing so should confirm whether & when this Soldier was Killed In Action.