He was the last of the family to die.

From David Tattersall:-
"Roger Giles was, I believe, the youngest of a large family (12 children?) and was born in Chard, Somerset. The story goes that he was called "Roger" after perhaps an earlier child who died in infancy. This is my impression and it was often the custom in those days. His father was a soldier in the British army and married a women from Montreal, Canada, whose name was I think Thark (or similar). The only possible explanation is that he met his future bride while serving in the British army in Canada which was then part of the British Empire. She was described as having striking, dark red hair. Purely guesswork, but I think it's fair to assume that coming from Montreal she was of French origin.

My understanding is that "Roger's" father died fairly young (it is further suggested that drink may have been the cause of his premature demise) and my impression was that his wife was left to bring up a large family on her own and that life must have been pretty tough in rural Somerset for the youngest child "Roger". He was a good shot and won medals for shooting. He worked, I think, as a clerk locally - certainly in an office job perhaps a solicitor - before taking the big step to go to London to seek his fortune. He taught himself to write the most wonderful copper script handwriting and obviously set out to "improve" himself. For most of his life he was a Relieving Officer - that is he worked for a philanthropic trust which provided "relief" for the poor and needy. Today he might have been called a Social Worker. But my grandfather told me that he had a casebook of people that he helped in a practical way - not with money but giving them food and clothing, vouchers etc. Eventually, this social work was taken over by the London County Council and "Roger" then became one of many clerks behind a counter who handed out money to help those in need. He hated this work because he knew that many of the men claiming the cash would just spend it - on booze etc and that it would not reach those in real need. He was a tough, but warm and fair-minded person who was certainly not a soft touch. He retired as soon as he could - quite early for those days - and lived the rest of his life at Wallington, Surrey. While he lived with his family in a flat in Maiden Lane, in the heart of London, he used to hand-write in copper plate lettering the menus for the nearby famous Rules restaurant, the oldest in London, which is still going today and which specialises in game dishes and traditional English fare. Because of his work with the poor - which included making arrangements for people to be buried as paupers "of the parish" - V A Giles used to have quite regular dealings with the legal profession. He always said that on his death, we should open his box of papers. Inside there were firm instructions to contact a certain firm of London undertakers who would bury him. With some trepidation, this was done, and this traditional family firm of undertakers was then run by the son. He said that his father had mentioned Mr Giles and they would make arrangements. It was a very formal affair with lovely old fashioned hearse and cars - and I do believe it was conducted either at a special rate or even for free, no doubt "an arrangement" for the pauper burial businesses that was passed to the firm: that was my impression! "Roger" much enjoyed his legal contact and I'm sure regretted the fact that because of his education and circumstances he had not had the opportunity to work in the law proper. He was a well-informed person, always interested in current affairs, a strong Conservative voter, a great fan of Winston Churchill and a fervent newspaper reader. He marvelled and enjoyed new developments and interesting projects - dragging me out into the garden when I was a young lad to look at the first satellite crossing the sky. He would have been thrilled to have seen a man land and walk on the moon.

"Roger" loved to work in his garden and practically lived in his garden shed. He had a special passion for standard roses and would grafter cultivated buds onto wild rose briars to produce his own bushes. He did not serve in the first world war because he failed the medical. He told me that was because he ran round the block many times before he took the test - but I never knew whether he was joking or not, especially as he lived a healthy life, dying after a very short illness, at the age of 80!! I recall seeing a photo of my grandfather pictured standing next to a large bomb which had on it a message in large white lettering: "With love to Hitler from V.A.G." - how he managed this I just don't know but he certainly had no time for the Germans.

My grandfather Victor Alexander Giles (Roger) died on 22 April 1967 aged 80 years at his home 47 Derek Avenue, Wallington, Surrey, where he had lived for many years, leaving his wife Harrie a widow. The house was sold and Harrie came to live with my parents Joy and Arthur in Southport. She did not have particularly good health and fairly shortly afterwards was moved to a nursing home and our local Promenade Hospital, Southport, where she died. I don't recall the exact date just now."

James Tattersall has a full set of 1925 Maundy money coins and a 1p Maundy money coin dated 1927 which belonged to Victor. According to Gill Handley he received them as payment of a debt. James also has a silver spoon in original case which reads: L. Co; 2nd V.B. P.A.S.L.I.; PTE V.A. GILES; Highest Score 168.; RECRUITS; 1905. These items were passed down the family from his daughter Joyce Giles.

From: Library@westminster-abbey.org
Date: Wednesday, 23 April 2025 at 10:34
Subject: - Maundy Money 1925

Dear Mr Tattersall

Although at this period the Abbey was mainly used for Maundy money distributions the service itself and the choice of recipients were dealt with by the Royal Almonry Office at Buckingham Palace not by the Abbey. So I regret we have no details about who received the monies in the 1920s. No names are printed in the service papers. We know from previous enquiries on this subject that the Palace do not keep older records.

So maybe a local Westminster newspaper of the time might note who received monies. These are at the City of Westminster Archives Centre, 10 St Ann’s St, Westminster www.westminster.gov.uk/archives

Monies were normally given out to elderly, less well off residents at that time, rather than people of any age who have given service to their communities as they do today. But if he was not elderly he may have received it if he was in the City of Westminster post at that time, for his service.

Others might have received money for attending the service – up to 4 children of the Royal Almonry (chosen from schools in the area) would normally attend each service and receive it, and perhaps other officials might have received money.

Assistant Keeper of the Muniments
The Library
Westminster Abbey
London SW1P 3PA
www.westminster-abbey.org

From: RoyalArchives@royal.uk
Date: Wednesday, 14 May 2025 at 16:14

Dear Mr Tattersall,

Thank you for your enquiry regarding Maundy Money and your great grandfather, Victor Alexander Giles.

Unfortunately, our records relating to Maundy Money recipients are far from complete and we do not have any information about the people that were given this money in 1925. We have a volume containing a list of the 1927 recipients, but your great grandfather’s name is not listed.

Please find attached the Maundy Money entry from “The Royal Encyclopedia” (Macmillan, 1991), in case it is of interest. A “Times” newspaper article from 11 April 1925 reported the following:
• 60 men and 60 women were awarded Maundy Money at a service in Westminster Abbey on Thursday 9th April.
• They received £1 and a penny for each year of the King’s life (60 years).
• This specially minted money normally consisted of a golden sovereign & silver coins – pennies, twopences, threepences & fourpences - in 2 small bags, one red and one white leather.
• On this occasion, the ‘sovereign’ was a Treasury note, but the silver was of the normal Maundy type.

Other potential source of information for the 1925 list of Maundy Money recipients are: the records of the Royal Mint, which are at The National Archives; or Westminster Abbey’s Library/Archives (as the Maundy Money service was held there). Their email address is library@westminster-abbey.org .

I am sorry we could not be of more assistance with your enquiry on this occasion.

Research Room and Enquiries Assistant
Royal Archives, Windsor Castle, Windsor SL4 1NJ
www.royal.uk