Blackmore Area Local History

James Roast

War Memorial: Place and inscription
Blackmore War Memorial: Pte. J. Roast Essex.
Church Window: James Roast
War Memorial Tablet inside All Saints Church, Doddinghurst
Ongar & District War Memorial Hospital Roll of Honour (Blackmore & Doddinghurst) [ERO A10815]

Rank:
Private

Regiment:
Essex Regiment 13^th Battalion. Service No: 23706 [CWGC]

Service Details:
Born: Norton Mandeville, Lived: Kelvedon Common, Enlisted: Epping [Essex Regiment Museum]
Medal card: Victory/British K/2/102 B9 p. 450 [Ancestry.com]

Personal and family information:
Son of James and Sarah Ann Roast, of Blackmore House Cottages, Hook End.  [CWGC]
Son of James & Sarah Ann Roast, Blackmore House Cottages, Kelvedon Common, Brentwood, Essex  [source: Essex Regiment Museum database]

Birth registered Q4 1891 Ongar. [Ancestry.com]

James Roast was baptised on 20^th December 1891 at All Saints Church, Norton Mandeville. His parents were James, a groom, and Sarah Ann.  The family lived at Norton Mandeville [ERO 267/1/7].

1881 Census. No Roast in Blackmore. 
1891 Census. James and Sarah Ann living at Norton Mandeville
1901 Census.
Blackmore House, Coachman House
James Roast.  Head.  Married.  [Age] 42.  Gardener Domestic.  [Born] Writtle
Sarah Ann Roast.  Wife.  Married.  [Age] 40.  [Born] Norton Mandeville
Sidney R Roast.  Son.  [Age] 17.  Gardener Domestic.  [Born] Norton Mandeville
Edith Roast.  Dau.  [Age] 12.  [Born] Norton Mandeville
James Roast.  Son.  [Age] 9.  [Born] Norton Mandeville
Thomas Roast.  Son.  [Age] 6.  [Born] Norton Mandeville
Lily Roast.  Dau.  [Age] 4.  [Born] Norton Mandeville
Arthur Roast.  Son.  [Age] 1.  [Born] Blackmore

Kelly’s Directory 1908 lists a J Roast (father) as gardener to Captain Pigott.


1911 Census.
Forest Hall, Ongar, Essex.
James Roast (age 19) is a Groom domestic at the home of Stephen H. King.

Date of Death:
28^th April 1917

Age:
26

Where died:
Wounded 7/1916. Killed in action. France. 
Buried: Not known [Essex Regiment Museum database]

Place of Burial or Commemoration:
Arras Memorial, France. Bay 7  [CWGC]

List of Sources:
Ancestry.com,  Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), Essex Record Office, Essex Regiment Museum, Ron West: who has researched those commemorated on the Doddinghurst War Memorial.