Edgar Jesty

Story:
Edgar Jesty was born at Fonthill Gifford in Wiltshire in 1885. He was the son of John Jesse Jesty, a road surveyor & sanitary inspector and Sarah Ann Titt. He attended Shaftesbury Grammar School from May 1898 to July 1902 and appears in the 1901 Census as a boarder there. He became a farmer and lived at The Farm, Nottington, Broadwey, Dorset. He enlisted as a Trooper in the Dorset (Queen’s Own) Yeomanry (Service No. 571) and was awarded the 1915 Star, Victory and British War medals. He died at Gallipoli on 21st August 1915 and his name appears on the Helles Memorial in Turkey. He is remembered on the Broadwey War Memorial in the churchyard of St. Nicholas’ Church and on the Dorset Queens Own Yeomanry memorial in St. Mary's Church, Sherborne.

As a former pupil his name was recorded on the Shaftesbury Grammar School memorial in Shaftesbury School. Throughout the war a hand-written list was compiled of Shaftesbury Grammar School old boys serving in the armed forces. An asterix can be seen next to Edgar’s name, indicating that he had died. The board is now at Gold Hill Museum.

Printed Sources:
Shaftesbury Grammar School Magazine, November 1919