Brenda Mcmahon has submitted the following :-
James was born at Clifton upon Ure near Bedale in Yorkshire on 4th July 1880. He was the second son and youngest son of Thomas (general labourer) and Sarah Todd. His siblings were Robert, Sarah, Elizabeth, Ellen, Hannah and Martha. His parents predeceased James. His father died 1891 whilst his mother died 1907.
He worked as a gardener at Oak Hill near Wetherby.
He married Agnes Montgomery McKeag at Stockton on 20th November 1906. They had a son, Cyril. By 1911 the family were living with the McKeag family at Thorpe Thewles.
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer 16/09/1910 reads:-
Mr Tullett Raby Castle Gardens can highly recommend James Vayro as head gardener, 15 years experience, 3 and a half as head aged 31 years, married.
The Chester-le-Street Chronicle 16/06/1916 reports the Rural Tribunal meeting :-
Mr John White, shipowner, The Cedars, Low Fell, applied for exemption for James Vayro, 35 his gardener. He had only another man as a labourer. He had an acre and a half of land under cultivation, three vineries and other glass houses. Everything grown was used in his own household. He would rather be without wounded soldiers who might ruin the whole place. The appeal failed.
James enlisted into the army at Gateshead. He was reported as presumed dead on 9 April 1917 aged 35 years.
The Newcastle Journal 07/02/1918 reads –
Private James Vayro, The Cedars Lodge Low Fell missing since April 9th is now presumed killed on that date.
Medals :-British War Medal, Victory Medal
James Vayro is remembered at Low Fell on L61.05 and at Thornton Watlass near Masham Yorkshire
