Contributed by Gina Denham of Essex

Monuments for UK Veterans of the American Civil War Association is a UK-based organisation co-founded by Gina Denham and Darren Rawlings. They identify and memorialise American Civil War veterans interred in graves in the United Kingdom.  However because their ethos is inclusion, they could not overlook the life of a veteran, who served in another conflict, after discovering his pension files. His name was Varies Amiel Davies. His life was hard to explore. He was well-travelled having lived in various boroughs of north and south London, far from the land of his birth.

Varies was apparently born in New Orleans, Louisiana on 23 February 1864. By 1890 he was living in Chicago, and was listed in the city’s business directory as a “grainer” living at 169 19^th Street. Four years later he was living in Cook County, Chicago. He married Lillie Ward on 3 October 1894.  Two years after their marriage he was employed as a waiter and living at 3218 Armour Avenue.

In April 1898 the United States declared war on Spain, and Americans of all colours rallied to Lady Liberty’s call. On 28 June 1898 Varies enlisted in the 8^th Illinois (Colored) Troops. He served as a Sergeant in Company F.  When the regiment left for Cuba African-American soldiers in the volunteer army viewed their mission as ‘sacred’.

The 8th Illinois never saw battle, never took part in the Army’s effort to conquer yellow fever and never made heroic headlines for their efforts in Cuba. The troops’ military task was hardly glorious: They were charged with rehabilitating the area where they disembarked, and which had seen three years of constant war. In that time, the island of Cuba had lost more than 20 percent of its population. The 8th Illinois’ tenure on the Caribbean island — which letters from the veterans themselves indicate was both terrible and mundane — proved a turning point for Chicago’s African-American community and helped lay the groundwork for black political empowerment and community organization.

This 8^th Illinois unit served in Cuba from August 1898 to May 1899, and Varies was discharged on 3 April 1899. Varies arrived in England in 1902 and it seems he married again in Brentford, Middlesex in 1903. His wife’s name is not clear. However a son was an outcome of the marriage who died in Canterbury, Kent in 1988.

By 1916 Varies was living at 53 Delverton Road, Walworth, South London, and described his profession as “Artist, Business”. Four years later according to the 1921 census he was living in Hammersmith with Mabel Davis who was born in Chester, and stated she was his lodger. He gave his employment as an actor, employed by Oscar Asche. He was working at the His Majesty’s Theatre, Haymarket,  London.

Asche’s greatest achievement was Chu Chin Chow which he wrote, produced, directed and appeared in. During its record-breaking run of 2,238 performances he also produced its greatest rival The Maid of the Mountains at Daly’s Theatre in 1917.

In 1929 Varies was living at 42 Brooksby Street, Islington, North London. At the time of his death on 8 December 1933 he was living at 14 William Street, St Pancras.  Varies was interred at Hendon Cemetery several days later on 13 December. He was buried in Section F8 of the cemetery, interment number 39221. The end of his life, remembered by few, but the government he once served, through the United States Consulate, arranged his burial.