Family History Research

The St James Priory Family History Group has been carrying out research into the history behind the names on the monuments in the Church.

Last update – 07/08/2017

One of the monuments is the St James Parish War Memorial to the fallen of World War 1. It includes both navy and army names.

War MemorialFor a full list of the names and information, where known, please click on the the Army & Navy links below:

Summary of Research into the St James Parish War Memorial

Dropbox links

War Memorial Army Names Update August 2017 

War Memorial Navy Names updated August 2017

Volunteers have also been researching the other memorials in the Church which date from the late sixteenth century to the early twentieth century. To see further details of these monuments and the people they commemorate, please click on the Wall Memorials link below:

St James Wall Memorials Update August 2017

Please note all photographs are copyright Julian Lea-Jones. Please ask if you would like permission to reproduce them, there are also more detailed ones available.

The memorials were created by a range of artists and craftsmen – sculptors, stone masons and glass artists. For more information  please click on this link:

Glass Artists and Craftsmen

Further information can be found on those who died in the war from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), see www.cwgc.com. For births, marriages and deaths (BMD) information can be found at www.freebmd.org.uk. Subscription services such as Ancestry give access to a wealth of information, see www.ancestry.co.uk. Bristol Archives (BRO) is an excellent resource with a wide range of national and Bristol-related information, see www.bristol.gov.uk/page/records-and-archivesfor details of their services including opening hours.

St Peter’s Church

The St Peter’s Parish War Memorial was re-erected here after the Church was bombed during the Bristol Blitz.
St Peters War Memorial Research Summary

For a Full List of Names click on this link:

St Peters Files – Full list of names updated August 17

We need your help:

We have been carefully researching the history of the people commemorated on the Church’s memorials but there is much we have yet to find out. In some cases we have not been able to positively identify the person concerned. If you have information on any of the people commemorated please get in touch and help us develop our records. Our aim is to provide information not only for present-day relatives and visitors to the Church but also those taking part in St James Priory’s work with local schools.

If you have any information on the individuals commemorated on the memorials or have any questions about the information gathered to date please contact:

John Jotcham

We are able to forward individual records.

St James Priory Wall Memorial Research

We would like to thank everyone who has helped with the research

John Bryant (BARAS)
Andrew Butcher
Molly Carpenter
Stephen Clare (Holywell Glass)
Jo Cox (Keystone HBC)
Garvan Donnelly
Mr & Mrs Evans
Rob Harding
Fred Harriss
Sylvia Hooper
Jo Hurst
Reg Jackson
John Jotcham
Julian Lea-Jones
Diane Lea-Jones
Bob Lawrence
Michael Manson
David Miller
Elizabeth Newcomb
Ann Osmond
Pam Pummell
David Read
Steve Shepherd
David Squires
John Thorpe (Keystone HBC)
Karin Walton (BMAG)

 

The Priory would also like to thank the following for their help:

  • The volunteers at the B & AFHS Research Room
  • Staff at the Bristol Archives (BRO) and the Bristol Reference Library.
  • Staff at the Somerset Heritage Centre
  • Staff at The Soldiers of Gloucester Museum