Strange, Jim

Gender: Male

Brian Ballinger recorded three verses of The Golden Vanity from Jim Strange at the Earl Grey pub in Quenington on 16 November 1957. Jim Strange had been the landlord of the pub but at that time he was just living there aged about 80 and unmarried.

James Thomas Strange was baptised on 31 July 1872 in Cheltenham, the son of Thomas Strange, a groom of Regent Place, Cheltenham, who was born in Thame, Oxfordshire and his wife, Ann, who was born in Quenington. In 1871 Thomas and Ann were living in a cottage in Lypiat Street, Christ Church, Cheltenham. By 1862 they were living at 8, Regent Place, Cheltenham where Thomas died and was buried on 6 September 1877. His wife, Ann, continued to live in Regent Place with James and his sister, Eliza Ann Strange, where Ann was innkeeper at the Regent Ale Stores. She also had four lodgers. Ann Strange died and was buried in Quenington on 9 April 1882. James Strange possibly then went to work as a footman living at Lane Hurst, Albourne, West Sussex in the household of Sir Daniel A. Lange and was there around 1891.

James Thomas Strange served in the army in World War I and was transferred to Class Z Army Reserve on demobilization on 17 January 1917 when his address was given as Quenington near Fairford. At age 46 on 10 July 1918 James Thomas Strange of Quenington born in 1872 reenlisted in the army for the Irish theatre with regimental number 54119. He gave his next of kin as Sarah Ann Archer of Quenington. He was with 13^th Bn Somerset Light infantry then D Company 1^st (G) Bn Worcestershire Regt.. When given a medical examination in Dublin on 20 December 1918 he was 5ft 4½ inches, weighing 114 pounds with dark brown hair, fresh complexion and brown eyes. He had a tattoo mark on his left forearm and his heart was ‘somewhat irritated and neurasthenic’, not to be placed in a medical category higher than B1 at any time during his service. He was compulsorily and permanently transferred to 1^st Res. Bn Garrison Worcester Regt. 5.12.18 with regimental number 69373, then discharged on demobilization on 31 March 1920. James Thomas Strange of The Earl Grey, Quenington, died and was buried in Quenington on 18 December 1960.

James Thomas Strange’ next of kin, Sarah Ann Archer

Sarah Ann Archer was the daughter of Richard Archer and Amelia Archer formerly Moss, born about 1863. Her mother was the daughter of William Moss, also a landlord of the Earl Grey Inn in Quenington.

Notes by Carol Davies July 2015