At some point before 1923, Charles and Emma Jaggs arrived in Great Ellingham to take over at the Chequers Inn. Until then, the Chequers had been run by members of the same family since at least 1871.
Local man Ellis Carter had been landlord of the pub for over 30 years before he ‘called it a day’ in 1908. The pub was then run by Ellis’s daughter and son-in-law, Isabella and Jacob Beales. Indeed, Jacob Beales was landlord for the next 10 years or so.
The Chequers. The board over the doorway refers to the licensee, Jacob Beales.
Assumed to be in the photograph is Jacob Beales (centre) and Isabella.
Courtesy Linda Purdy
Charles Jaggs
By 1923 the landlord of the Chequers is Charles Jaggs. The below postcard suggests that the pub was referred to as the ‘Chequers Hotel’!
Postcard addressed to Emma Jaggs ‘Mrs C Jaggs’
Courtesy Linda Purdy
Norfolk Born
Although he and his wife Emma had been living in London, Charles and Emma were both born in Norfolk. Charles was born in Hoe on the 3rd September, 1864. The 1871 census captures 7 year old Charles with his parents, James and Martha Jaggs, and four siblings living in Hoe. James Jaggs is a farm steward.
Emma Wright Burton was born around 1870 in Aylsham to George and Emma Burton. The 1881 census finds 11 year old Emma with her parents and four siblings in Hungate Street, Aylsham. George Burton is a blacksmith.
Pub Work
Charles gained some experience of pub life when he became a barman at the Eagle Hotel in Hoe. The 1881 census finds 16 year old Charles Jaggs as a barman with the household of landlord George Claxton.
London
In 1893, Charles and Emma married. They were both living in London at the time. Charles worked as a coachman in Balham. Their son George was born the following year.
George was followed by Ethel Maud in 1895. Sadly, Ethel died the same year. However, Emma gave birth to Herbert Charles in 1897.
A few years later, the 1901 census captures Charles and Emma with their 7 year old son, George Edward, living in Streatham. 35 year old Charles is working as a coachman and groom. I do not know the whereabouts of their son, Herbert Charles.
Upper Tooting
Ten years later, the family are in Upper Tooting. Now aged 46, Charles Jaggs is still working as a coachman. 17 year old George is working as an assistant in a china shop. Again, Herbert Charles is not listed with the family when the census was taken.
During WWI, Charles worked at Woolwich Arsenal.
In 1920, Charles and Emma’s eldest son, George, married Rosina (Rose) Violet May Pennett in the parish church of St Stephen in Clapham Park. The marriage entry describes George as a salesman and his father, Charles Jaggs, a ‘sterilizer’.
The 1921 census finds 55 year old Charles Jaggs with his 50 year old wife Emma still living in the same area of London. Charles is now working as a porter at the Church Lane Hospital in Upper Tooting. Likely Charles was working at this hospital at the time of George’s marriage the previous year. The couple have a boarder, 19 year old Grimsby born Lilian Shepherd.
The Chequers
Left landlord Charles Jaggs with unknown man
‘Charles Jaggs’ sign above door
Courtesy Linda Purdy
Around the time the Jaggs arrived in Great Ellingham, the Chequers Inn was owned by Bullard & Son. We can but wonder what prompted Charles and Emma to come back to Norfolk – and, why they chose Great Ellingham.
Nevertheless, their son, George, daughter-in-law Rose and their children, Margaret and Audrey, were regular visitors to the Jaggs household. Indeed, Audrey spent many happy childhood holidays in Great Ellingham.
From left, landlord Charles Jaggs, wife Emma, granddaughter Margaret, son George
Courtesy Linda Purdy
Charles Jaggs, wife Emma, daughter in law Rose, & granddaughter Margaret outside The Chequers. Courtesy Linda Purdy
Death of Emma Jaggs
Sadly, Emma Jaggs died at St Andrew’s Hospital, Thorpe-next-Norwich on the 21st October, 1936, aged 66.
She had been ill for a while. Indeed, an undated letter from Emma to her son George and daughter-in-law Rose, refers to her illness. Emma writes “I am a very poor thing. We went up to the Hospital on Tuesday to go in again but I saw Mr Butler the Bone Specialist and he would not untake [undertake] the operation as it is too dangerous”.
Extracts from undated letter Emma Jaggs to her son & daughter in law, George & Rose Jaggs. Courtesy Linda Purdy
Emma’s death certificate records several conditions attributing to her death – myocardial degeneration, chronic nephritis and artirio sclerosis [arteriosclerosis].
Following his wife’s death, Charles Jaggs continued at The Chequers.
Charles Jaggs Remarries
However early in 1939, Charles Jaggs married Susan E Russell.
The 1939 Register undertaken on the 29th September, 1939, lists Charles and Susan Jaggs at The Chequers.
Centre Charles Jaggs holding granddaughter Audrey, granddaughter Margaret standing and unknown gentleman. Courtesy Linda Purdy
The Great Ellingham Invasion Committee Record of 1942 lists ‘Mr Jaggs 77’ and ‘Mrs Jaggs 70’ in Chequers Lane. I can only assume that the couple were still at The Chequers.
Although Charles and Susan had not been assigned any specific duties for the ‘war effort’, they were willing to do anything they could do to help.
Move from the Chequers
I do not know when Charles Jaggs’ tenure at The Chequers Inn ceased. However at some point, he moved to a cottage ‘by the church’. It is possible that he lived in one of the semi-detached cottages along the Attleborough Road, which backs onto the churchyard.
Charles Jaggs died at The Infirmary, Wicklewood on the 16th July, 1949. He was laid to rest with his first wife, Emma Jaggs, in St James’s Churchyard.
It appears that Susan Jaggs died the following year. The death of Susan E Jaggs was registered in the Ely District in 1950.
Sources:
England & Wales Electoral Registers 1910-1932, Parish of Great Ellingham. Viewed via www.findmypast.co.uk
1942 Great Ellingham Invasion Committee Record. Sue Fay
1871 census RG10/1847/13
1881 census RG11/1979/46, RG11/1930/15
1901 census RG13/476/111
1911 census RG14/2290/105
1921 census RG15/2331, ED36, Sch. 357
1939 England & Wales Register. The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/6590H Ancestry.com. 1939 England and Wales Register [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2018.
GRO Index. https://www.gov.uk/research-family-history. Also viewed GRO Index via FreeBMD website
28 August 1920. Marriage. London, England, Church of England Marriages & Banns. 1754-1938. George Edward Jaggs & Rosina Violet May Pennett. Lambeth, Saint Stephen, Clapham Park: Weir Road 1911-1939. London Metropolitan Archives; London, England, UK; London Church of England Parish Registers; Reference Number: P95/STE1/007. Ancestry.com. London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1938 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.
Great Ellingham. Transcript of Monumental Inscriptions 1499-2008. Recorded by members of the Norfolk Family History Society. Accessed via Norfolk Family History Society’s website
Image of Death Entry for Emma Jaggs 21st October 1936 obtained from GRO.
Many thanks to Linda Purdy