Tag Archives: names

Who Are You?

A few years ago I sorted through all the family photographs and put them in family folders. There were lots of people I knew – aunt and uncles, family members, family friends and lots of people who were totally unknown to me.  Some of the photographs, mainly from my mum’s time in the war had a short sentiment followed by a single name, others bore no wording.  Why should mum right on the reverse who they were – she knew them!

My dad also had photographs, not so many, but they also had either a few words or nothing.

In a moment of frustration of trying to find out who these people were Who Are You? was born.

Taken by C. Wilkinson

The pictures were scanned and then put into an online photo album with as much information about the picture as I could find on the reverse or deduce from the image.  I was loaned pictures, begged pictures, scanned them all and indexed them – cross referencing them if I knew they were from one place but the photograph was taken elsewhere.

All in all there are pictures of unknown and known people from the British Isles, Canada, America, Ukrkaine, Africa and a section of WW1 & 2.

Just to give you an idea as to some of the pictures – there is a family photograph in the Morley section of a couple and a small child written on the reverse is ‘ Aunt Mary ‘ but, who was Aunt Mary ? Is she the lady or is she the child ? Other images from the Morley section include members of the Donkersley  Worrel, Kershaw families  – most of the Morley photographs were handed to me as one group, so therefore I have kept them together and linked to other sections, but a photograph of a young man taken by Chas. A. Saylon, photographer, S. E. cor. Sixth & Penn Sts, Reading, PA. ( or South East corner of Sixth & Penn Streets). Who is this young man ? Was he visiting family or did he live in Pennsylvania ?

This section of my site Wakefield Family History Sharing has not been available for a while, but is now available and shortly with have the addition of extra pages with a connection to Victorian and Edwardian photographers.

Wakefield Family History Sharing

Who Are You?

War Resistance in the West Riding of Yorkshire

One of my distant cousins and her family were involved during WW1 in conspiracy after conspiracy, conscientiousness objectors and more……….but that is a different story.

Last week I attended a local family history talk by Cyril Pearce about pockets of resistance within the West Riding – wonderful as I have an interest in WW1 and in ‘conchies’.

Always one for learning some new snippet or piece of information, nobody knows everything, even though some think they do, I listened with interest.  Although, most of the talk was based around the Huddersfield areas, the information fitted in with other places in different counties.

My information has been gathered from around the Derby area, based on my family, but this opened my eyes to the people who were involved and how they were accepted and treated within their communities.  One of my questions at the end of the talk, based on a copy of an Attestation Paper was ‘did all concientious objectors have an army service number’, to my surprise the answer was yes, as they were called up and therefore were allocated a number.  Many refused to sign and had to follow the consequences of this by either doing non-combatant work i.e. being in a reserved profession, by being in an ambulance corps., or doing aid work of sorts.  The Friends Ambulance Corps is one of these groups (Quakers).  But, saying that, many still refused to do any work that would help the nation at this time, even being in a reserved occupation was too much, and they would have been sent to varioius prisons including Wakefield and Dartmoor.

For the first two years of the war over 3,000,000 volunteered (up to 1916 there had been no conscription) but due to such heavy losses it was decided to bring in conscription.  At first it was only single men had the call, then as time went on and 1918 came, married men and men up to 50 were also included. So, after the passing of various Military Service Acts the No-Conscription Fellowship mounted a campaign against the punishment of objectors and in total about 16,000 men refused to fight.  A  large number of these men were pacifists who believed that killing another human being was wrong, either for religious or conscientious reasons.  The No-Conscription Fellowship had support from many public figures of the time  including : Bertrand Russell, Arthur McManus, Alfred Mason to name a few.

The areas of objectors in the West Riding seemed to be mainly from the woollen areas which seemed to be mainly non-conformist, the mining areas, mainly the traditional church seemed to be lightly affected.  You would think that the mining areas would have the same feelings as there were many Socialist and Labour groups involved with the organisation of objector groups.

Over 120 Huddersfield men appeared before a tribunal for their beliefs, one conscientious objector was Arthur Gardiner.  He was a gifted talker and when attending the tribunal likened himself to German workers who he felt he had more in common with than the men in Westminster – he lost his appeal, was sent to France, leaving the station to waving supporters.  One would think that a C.O. would not blend well back into a community after so many families had lost fathers, brothers and sons, but no, Arthur went on to become Mayor of Huddersfield.

What did I learn from Cyril’s talk, well that the C.O’s had various degrees of how much or how little they would do, or how much they would disrupt the every day goings on ‘at home’. I knew  there were many National groups who were organising anti-war feelings, but I did not realise how many small, local groups including Friends Meetings and Sunday Schools were involved.  Also, I knew there were the ambulance and first aid non combatants but I found out that many went to France to dig trenches, give aid and hand out tea.

Further reading

http://reporter.leeds.ac.uk/472/s5.htm

http://reporter.leeds.ac.uk/472/hudders.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bradford/sense_of_place/remembrance_huddersfield_co.shtml

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWWncf.htm

History in a Wardrobe

What a wonderful way to learn about capsules of time – through a wardrobe, or should I say what is kept in a wardrobe.  But Lucy Adlington has a unique, informative and enjoyable way of bringing history alive through her History Wardrobe talks.

A friend of mine has known Lucy for many years, becoming friends by attending  one of Lucy’s talks and asking questions afterwards.  Talk, does not seem the right word as the events are more than that – more like a walk through a period of time with the audience being a friend or someone to have a conversation and a joke with.

I met Lucy earlier this year when my friend suggested I go to one of her events – that didn’t go to plan as the traffic was terrible and I arrived a little late. Lucy had started and  was all decked out (ouch!) in her finery as a first class passenger on the Titanic with her ‘husband’.

The changing of costumes during a day onboard the Titanic was wonderful, interspersed with jovial banter from the pair and was a delight – just like being party to their private jokes.  Then sadly the news of the iceberg reached the passengers and we follow the couple as they tell what happened to them – I won’t give away who their characters are as that would give away the ending!!

I next saw History Wardrobe when Lucy was in Agatha Christie mode during the 1920’s onwards and with the help of Merry wore some wonderful and original costumes from morning attire, day wear to an evening dress that would not be out of place on the red carpet today.  The duo worked off each other with quips and remarks flying fast and furious.

But seriously, the costumes together with snippets of Agatha’s novels went down a treat.  As with most of Lucy’s talks there are extra costumes on mannikins and memorabilia from the  period.

My latest show was ‘A woman of a certain age’, about Jane Austen and women in various times of there life in Jane’s  novels – the girl, the spinster, the married woman, the dowager, the widow and the ‘lady of a certain age’.  The costume worn by Lucy was simple but very striking.  Lucy de-constructed the dress, which in some places was held together with pins.  Hats were worn, flouncy capes worn, sections of Jane’s novels were read as examples of the times in a woman’s   life. An enjoyable time was had by all and many in the audience have been to more than one talk.

So, who is this lady that travels the country doing what women like doing – dressing up and talking?  Lucy is a graduate of both Cambridge and York Universities with degrees in English and Medieval Studies.

Cocktail anyone?

She has run workshops, given presentations and with her hands-on approach  is always in demand.  As well as all this Lucy is an accomplished author of childrens and young adult books.

A full diary of events can be found on the History Wardrobe website, so where ever you are in the country you will be able to see an event……………BUT !!!  keep it a secret, as I want to be able to get a seat!!!

Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery – Who is resting in peace

Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery nr Poperinge has a very special place in my heart, not only does my great uncle rest there but Nellie Spindler from my home town also calls Lijssenthoek ‘home’.  But recently while doing a bit of research I came across another man whose final resting place is also Lijssenthoek – Conrad Hugh Dinwiddy.

I think his name sounded similar to a place we used to stay on our way up to Lhangbryde when I was a child, so what do you do, or should I say ‘I do’ but find out a little about him………you know the thing, who were his parents, where did he live and what did he do before joining the forces and who survived him.     Here goes….

While waiting for a website to open I thought I’d try Wikipedia – lots of info there, not always correct but is somewhere to start and to my surprise there was not an established page for Conrad, there is an opening if any one wishes to start a page for him.

Here we go !  Conrad was born early in 1881 to Thomas Dinwiddy and his wife Eliza Charlotte nee Rooke (b. 1845 Marylebone).  In the census shortly after Conrad’s birth Thomas was aged 37 and was working as an Architect and Surveyor (b 1844 Bristol).  The family lived at 12 Croom’s Hill, Greenwich (now the London Fan Museum)– the road was home to other professionals and retired servicemen incl. William Rivers Retd., RN; Gay Shute, Surgeon; Thomas Creed(?), General Practioner MRCSE St Andrews Uni.; others include Stationers, Annuitants.

Thomas Dinwiddy is noted for having designed the main administration block (Grove Park Workhouse) of what was Grove Park Hospital. The plans were approved in 1897 and the foundation stone put in place 2 years later.  The plans were presented at the Paris International Exhibition in 1900 and won a Diploma of Merit. One of the local roads is named after Thomas.  In the early 1990’s the site was sold for housing development but Thomas’s administration block and a some of the original workhouse buildings survived.  The site had not been listed by the local authorities.  One of the buildings designed by Thomas did manage to get a listed status – Laurie Grove Baths including : swimming baths, slipper baths and launderies were designed in the mid 1890’s commissioned by the Vestry Board of St Paul’s Deptford under the Public Baths and Wash-houses Act of 1846.  The building is of Jacobean style and still has many of its original features.  A few other buildings by Thomas were Greenwich Board of Works Offices and Roans Girl’s College, Greenwich.

Ten years later, 1891, Conrad was hard to find on the census but eventually by just putting his year of birth +/- 2 and Greenwich as his place of birth he is found. He is at a school with some of his brothers in Walmer, Kent.

Another ten years on in 1901 the family are at The Manor House (?), Croom’s Hill – Eliza with her children, Conrad by now is classed as a student, and four servants but no Thomas.  Thomas was in fact staying at the Adelphi Hotel, Ranelagh Place, Liverpool with people from all walks of life incl. George Herbert Lindsay of Edinburgh a Distiller; Daniel Shurmann a Merchant  born in Russia.  That solved that problem, so now forward a few years.

On 27 September 1909, Conrad’s elder brother Malcolm, Capt., Royal West Kent Regt., who had served in Singapore, married  married Miss Laura de Satge, dau. of the late Mr Ocar de Satge, late member of the Upper House of Queensland.  The wedding took place in Folkstone and Conrad was the Best Man with various cousins from both sides being bridesmaids.  Guests included Lords and Knights of the realm and serving regimental Officers

The 1911 census finds that Conrad is now a newly married man.  He had married Winifred O Pochin in the Autumn of the previous year.  Conrad worked as a Surveyor employing a number of people and they lived at 76 Warwick Gardens, Kensington, a nine roomed house, with a number of servants and was a member of the RICS, which held a portrait of him.

Conrad served in the military and various entries in The London Gazette have him serving in various ranks incl. Temp Captain.  But it is The Medal Rolls Index Cards that tell a better story.

Conrad initially served in the RFA as 157860.  Later serving in the RGA as a 2/Lt., and now has no service number as Officers were not issued with a number at this time.  He is later in the 13/Siege Bty, RGA as an A/Major, then Major, with a medal entitlement of The Victory Medal and The British Medal.

Conrad was the inventor of the ‘Dinwiddy’ Range-finder for detecting enemy aircraft – this was adopted by the War Office. He was also a Councillor for the Borough of Kensington and a known mountaineer.

C H was one of five children and had three brothers in the services.

Conrad Died of Wounds received on 27 September 1917 aged 35, leaving Winifred and a young son, Hugh P Dinwiddy born in 1912.

Conrads brothers – Major Malcolm J Dinwiddy, as we have already said he married in 1909.  He served in  the Royal West Kents  and applied for his service medals in June of 1920.  He died on 19 November 1925 aged 46 and had at least one child. Probate was granted to Laura Emily Dinwiddy, widow or Fairview, Osborne Road, South Farnborough.

Donald Dinwiddy, married Ella May Jones in 1909.   He died on 19 February 1937.  Probate was granted to Ella Mary Dinwiddy of Red Cottage, 54a Parliament St, London

Harry L Dinwiddy. Harry Lurwyche Dunwiddy  married Ethel Maud MacArthur in 1903 and by 1911 they were living at 13 Pond Road, Blackheath with their son Thomas Lurwyche and a number of servants – Harry working as a solicitor.  He was living at Little Paddock, White Beam Way, Tadworth when he died on 21 April 1950.  Probate was granted to Thomas Lutwyche Dinwiddy, solicitor on 8 June of that year.

Conrad also had a sister – Dora, she married Stanton Freeland Card, a Royal Navy Instructor, in 1902 and by 1911 they were living with their three children and a few servants at Parkhurst, Westcombe Park Road, London.  Stanton of 24 Crown Lane Gardens, Streatham died at Putney General Hospital on 6 October 1940 with probate granted in Llandudno on 2 July to Westminster Bank Ltd.  Dora of Lawrence Road, Hove died on 24 March 1945 with Probate being granted in Llandudno on 20 December of the same year to Harry Lutwyche Dinwiddy, Solicitor.

Sources :

Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. Issue 29 Mar 1909, page 5

Ancestry.com.

Freebmd

The Fan Museum

Heritage-explorer.co.uk

Archiseek

Lost Hospitals of London

Flight Global

Tedbah Siddle ??

I started my family history nearly 30 years ago.  I had no grandparents and only one parent.  After my Scottish grandfathers death that side of the family seemed to drift off a little – as families do when the hub goes away.  That has, I am very pleased to say been rectified.

But, back locally, my grandmothers maiden name was Agnes Siddle and she married Ernest Wilkinson.  My aunt was born in 1907 before grannies marriage to Ernest.  I remember asking her as a child ‘why does daddy have a different name to you?’  I was told that grandma married twice – a plausible answer and as a youngster it shut me up.  Oh, aunty, if you knew what I knew now!!!!

While looking though Ancestry for any trace of my great uncles military service – 4 of my grandma’s brothers fought in the Great War, with 3 coming home again to their family, I kept coming across this young man – Tedbah Siddle.  Who is he ? And does he link into my Siddle line?  Tedbah can sometimes be found with the spelling, Tedbak and Tedbor.

Anyway, who is he?

Well, I know he has a service record, so I’ll come back to that later but starting with the census, 1911 as I know he served in WW1 and that’s the nearest census to that milestone in his life.

The 1911 census has Tedbah aged 28, being born in Heckmondwike, a worsted spinner, living with his mother and 4 siblings at Walker St, Littletown, Liversedge.  Tedban’s mother was either very formal or chose to be a rebel as she wrote in red and her entry reads:- Mrs Siddle, head, aged 50, married 29 years, 10 children with 8 surviving to the census, works at home and was born in Gildersome.  But she signed Mrs E A Siddle – a small clue there.

Tedbor Siddle, according to Freebmd was registered in Dewsbury in the September Quarter of 1881 and this was confirmed by looking at the GRO Indexes.

Back to the census – I thought Tedbor or the variations in his name would be the stumbling block in this trail.  I searched the census for all the ways his name had been found – Tedbor, Tecbak and Tedbah and still none of his family could be found.  A search for his mother would be very long and hard as all I had found in the 1911 census was her as Mrs E A Siddle.  A sibling, that would be the way to go, try and find one of Tedbor’s siblings who was a similar age and hopefully pick up the man himself.

One of Tedbor’s siblings, Amanda was born in 1892, therefore she should be in the 1901 census.  Amanda Siddle born 1892 +/- 5 years found nothing.  So in for the long haul – a search for an Amanda born around 1892 in Yorkshire that could take time.  But, not as hard as I thought just around 460 entries and I quickly started at the last page and worked back, came to the s’s and there she was Amanda Siddal and I thought Tedbor would be the stumbling block.  So 1901 who were this family and were was Tedbor.   Well, Mrs Siddal was there and her name was Emma, she was aged 40 and a cloth weaver born in Gildersome.  Tedbor was there now entered as Ted aged 18 and a woollen twister.  There was a Jane aged 16 and a worsted spinner.  Alonzo aged 13 also a worsted spinner.  Robert aged 7 ; Ada 5 ; Norah 3 and Amanda aged 9 – no idea why she is out of age order.  But where is Mr Siddal as Emma states she was married.  Back another 10 years to find out as he must have been around within the last 3 years at least – well according to the ages of the children !

What I find in the 1891 census, I did not expect.  We have Emma A Siddal, giving her status as mother, aged 30 and still a cloth weaver.  We have Clara E Haigh, daughter aged 11 a scholar born in Dewsbury. There is, what looks like, Delert Siddal (our

Carol Sklinar 2010

Carol Sklinar 2010

Tedbor) aged 8. Jane A is there aged 6, along with Alonzo C aged 3 and Olive C aged 1.  But, as the head of the household is one Joseph Crawshaw aged 40 a warp dresser born in Dewsbury.

Tedbah Siddle was in a marriage entry for the December Quarter of 1911 in North Bierley to Gertrude Wooller the exact date being 11 December 1911.

Back to the service record, where I initially found Tedbah – There are four entries for Tedbah with the first being dated 1905 when he is Attesting for the Militia or Reserve Div.,   He  joined the 3rd West Riding Regt., no. 14948.  He was single and aged 22 years 6 months and a millhand – all this we know from census and birth entries.  He said that he had served/ was a currently serving with the Volunteers 1st Bn W R Regt., and that he had purchased his discharge.  Further paperwork goes on to bring him more to life – he was 5′ 3″ tall, weighing 113lbs, with a fresh complexion, brown eyes and hair and worshipped within the Church of England and had no distinguishing marks. The Army Recruiting Office wrote to the local police to enquire about Tedbah, the reply came back that they knew him to be of good character.  A reference from Joseph Armitage, Manager stated that he had know Tedbah for over 12 years and last saw him 3-4 days ago (from date of signing Jan 13 1905) – Joseph commented that Tedbah was sober, honest and respectable.  Tedbah attending various training sessions.

In 1913 he re-enlisted after notice, by now he was a married man, his writing had become a more confident hand.  He was part of the B.E.F and rose through the ranks becoming a  Company Sgt., Major.  He ceased to be a CSM when he was transferred to the Heavy Branch – M.G.C and now his army number changes to  7870644.  He was wounded  and a letter from Mrs G Siddle of 4 New Brighton, Oakenshaw, Bradford dated July 14th 1921 asks  if she could be supplied with the following information.

“Is 14948/7807

644 Sgt T Siddle MGC yet demobilised or is he yet serving in the H M Forces.  He has been in India for the last two years (or there abouts) and is at present in this district, and is reported to be on six months leave prior to been transferred to South Africa.  I was given to understand that in July 1919 he had re-enlsited for a period of four years.  I am his lawful wife and am curious to get correct information on the matter and herby appeal to you for such. Thanking you in antisipation for an early reply.  I am Sirs, yours truly, Mrs G Siddle”

A reference in his army records gives the answer to Mrs Siddles question.  A margin note for Tedbak said that he was placed on the married establishment list, in view of the fact that he is separated from his wife by mutual consent.  There was a type written reference to this by his Commanding Officer, basically saying that as he had entered a status of married on the Attestation that had stood as there had been no update to this saying he was now separated.  The regarding his marital status would be altered and that ‘the soldier’ would proceed to Deolali enroute to the UK.

Note – Deolali – a town in India where the Deolali transit camp was based.  It was known for being an unpleasant environment and boredom and many soldiers with psychological problems pass through its portals – hence the terms ‘gone doolally’ and ‘doolally tap’ – terms for someone who  has ‘lost their mind’ possibly due to the stresses of war.  In Urdu the word tap meals a malarial fever.

One part of his service records was an award for the D.C.M. and he should be presented with such in accordance with the Northern Command Authority.  His citation reads “For conspicuous gallantry and resource at Ypres on the 20.3.1915 when he held on to a position with his section, although the trench was destroyed by the enemy;s shell fire, throughout the day until relief arrived.  During the defence of his post he managed to take back a report to his company, from whic

h he was cut off, under heavy shell fire, and then returned to his section. He was wounded during the day. “ This report answers an earlier entry in his records.

Further information gives information that Mrs Siddle was requesting that her husband acknowledge that he is the father of at least one child, a child that will come into the world very soon. He acknowledge two children, Gladys Irene born 15 April 1912 and Mabel born 12 October 1916 (Mabel is the unborn child referred to)

I’ve done a potted history of Tedbor and his siblings, found out his mother’s name and eventually his father’s.  But I still don’t know where his name comes from – is it a family name ? A search of Freebmd only lists one Tedbor and the Army Records, as we already know, shows up Tedbah, while the GRO gives a zero result.  I am no nearer to know where nor why he was given that name………………May be someone reading this knows !

Addendum – Cleckheaton Advertiser and Spen Valley Times Page 2 July 1st 1915 has an interview with Tedbah about his exploits – he was in line for a V.C. but received the D.C.M. instead.

Titles as first names

When searching through volumes of parish registers – yes,  in the days when you actually could look through the registers, I remember coming across many titles as christian names.  My initial thought, as a beginner in family history, was wow! Someone of note in my tree.  Yes, that feeling lasted only a few short weeks until I realised that many parents gave their children such names as Squire, Baron, Duke and Earl.  The girls were also given titles as their first name for example, Lady and Princess.  A search of  one of the census found one young lady was named ‘Lady May Mafeking Pretoria Barnes Smith’.  What had been happening around the time of her birth to warrant her names?

Before we learn a little more about Lady May, I looked in the 1901 census for Squire Ramsden and within a small area there are 5 men with that name ranging in ages from late 50’s to teens.

Leading up to the time of Lady May’s birth, Britain and her forces were fighting in South Africa.  Mafeking was one of the most famous British actions in the Second Boar War (Oct. 1899- May 1900), most of us have heard of the Relief of Mafeking.  Pretoria, the city surrendered to the British in June of 1900 – all this was happening at the time that little Lady May was getting ready to come into the world.

Well, who is Lady May ?  Firstly, as in my previous post, her name has been mis-transcribed – What’s new ?  In the 1901 census Lady May can be found on the index as ‘Lady May Magekins’ aged 10 months (being registered in the June Qtr of 1900) and her parents are James Barnes and his wife Annie.  James and his wife also fell fowl of a mis-transcription – there names should be James Barnes Smith and Annie Barnes Smith.

James, born and living in Hull was a bird dealer, while his wife was born in Cardiff.  The family in 1901 was as follows :-

James Barnes Smith 59
Annie Barnes Smith 35
Alice Barnes Smith 15
James Barnes Smith 12
Annie Matilda B Smith 11
Elizabeth Barnes Smith 8
Christmas John B Smith 5
Clarisa Barnes Smith 2
Lady May Magekins 10 Months
Pretons Barner Magekins

As you can see Lady May has been transcribed over two lines and totally wrong and with her name being rather wrong the second part of her name, has given the impression of a separate person- that is until you look at the actual document.

To follow Lady May in the 1911 census I came up with nothing, but that did not dishearten me aswell, it could end up as anything in the transcription.  After trying to find her brother Christmas in the 1911 and other siblings I tried Freebmd for a death and sadly found that she had died aged 3 years old and the transcribers have cross referenced her with both Barnes and Smith :-

BARNES Lady May M P S 3 Hull 9d 167
Smith-Barnes Lady M M P 3 Hull 9d 157

It makes me wonder how many other people relatives have been wrongly transcribed  giving them no chance of being found.  I know the number will be huge and would be fascinated to learn of the unusual or funny ways these names have been transcribed and placed in the on-line indexes  –  Let me know and I’ll post them here.

Note: The Second Boar War brought Baden-Powell to the fore and Winston Churchill was taken prisoner and held in Pretoria but escaped.

Sources – Wikipedia, Ancestry, FreeBMD

Why can’t I find him in the 1891 census ?

Well, if you are just starting out on your family search and you are looking for a relative, there is a chance you will look, look again and then think what a stupid hobby and take up topiary – as the hedges will grow faster than your tree is.

I was foolishly going off on a tangent and looking for Queen Victoria in the 1901 census, then thought better of it as she had died in January, so off to search 1891.

I had looked for H M Victoria, Queen and Victoria born in 1819 but to no avail, desperation drove me to search for THE in the Christian name box, lots of entries and some were very surprising including, The Leadbeater who when you look at the original census form is Thos Leadbeater.

Then I thought I’d try HER and see what that brings up! Well, it brought up 70 hits and the one that made me laugh and feel very sorry for the beginner in family history looking for their relative.  So, I’m looking for HM Queen Victoria among these 70 hits and I find this – Her Vest Black Van. Now, is this a name, no! It is a wonderful example of someone who has looked at a census document and written what they think they see.  One question to ask, and an important question is, does this person have knowledge of British surnames? Another important question is, do they have a knowledge of British places?  In this case, I think the former is certainly a NO!  But, they have a knowledge of English words, hence the transcription.  It’s like the old quiz show ‘say what you see’.

Who is Her Vest Black Van, well she turns out to be a her after all, but a he! He is Herbert Blackburn the 7-month-old son of John and Mary Blackburn and living in Bolton. He was one of 8 children aged between 20 years old and 7 months.  John worked as a printer compositor to feed his family and some of his children worked in the cotton mills.

The moral of this story is don’t just search for the obvious.

Another moral is to think out of the box.

If all else fails put your relative on the back burner, he is not going anywhere, and follow another side of the tree.  Then, go back refreshed and full of enthusiasm, open your mind to searching wider i.e. searching by first name and year of birth with either a county or town – it will take you longer but all the spelling variations turn up.  This would not help in the case of Her Vest Black Van, but you would certainly have had a chuckle along the way.

Absent Voters List 1914-18 War – update

A while ago I mentioned the the Absent Voters Lists as being a valuable source when looking for a WW1 soldiers army number, but I thought I would just update this and add to the information I told you about.

Carol Sklinar 2010

So here goes – In the General Election of 1918 all those not at ‘home’, those who were away from their place of residence were classed as Absent Voters.  The reasons you were away could be for example, working, visiting family or serving your country in WW1.  The information for someone serving his King and Country usually included the following :- The man’s name, service and regiment along with rank and service number and his home address.  I say this information is usually included but in Morley his name and HM in a column are the only information you are getting, but it is still worth knowing he served.

It was an Act of Parliament passed on 6th February 1918 that allowed service men to register  and obtain their vote ‘at home’.  The first lists were published on 15th October 1918 and again on 15th April 1919 and the details were provided by the voters.  Men aged 21 and over could supply information about their vote, so for us family historians, a young man under the age of 21 but still serving his country could not vote.

Also, something to be remembered – a soldier’s number was not his for his service.  A soldier changed his service number for many reasons including changing regiment.  You will find many service records or CWGC information with the words ‘formerly’, very kindly giving a previous service number.  If you search for a serviceman by just his number you may find many men who were issued that number.  For example a search of the SWDTGW for 2497 comes back with 100 men issued that number.  It was not until 1920 that a unique number was issued to service men.

Something else to bare in mind is that during WW1 Officers were not given service numbers but by WW2 numbers were issued and again they were unique.

This wonderful source of information for Wakefield, has been transcribed and can be found here, the information has also been put on to a cd and is useful for those not wishing to use the internet and is available here along with many other useful tools for family historians.

When looking for AVL’s you may like to try your local history library, local archives or pose a question on a local messageboard – it may save you time.  Please note:- there is a chance they may not have survived in your area, so be prepared to use other sources to find the service number of your man i.e newspapers.  Years ago a service number was a must for you to take your research further, now with the internet and some very useful websites a service record, if it has survived can be found by inputting varying degrees of information i.e. name and town if that is all you know, but don’t forget to allow for transcription errors and a search could get longer if a name and town, in all the spelling variations, brings up nothing – you may have to resort to just a town, a little long winded but does eventually pick up all the wonderful spelling variations that transcribers try to put in our way.

Many family historians are a dogged bunch and are not easily put off by a name or town spelt in a way that bares no resemblance to what it actually should be.  I think sometimes it is just ‘lets pick a few letters, jumble them up and that will do’.

A selection of Absent Voters Lists online

Wakefield click here – search by constituency

Leeds click here – search by surname

Accrington click here – search by name or constituency

Grimsby & Cleethorpes click here – search by name

Woodchurch click here – complete list

1911 census – a family history snippet

Charles Waldo Lionel Churchill has been my last entry and while trying to find his parents on the 1911 I came across this gem.

The enumerator who collected Charles Churchill’s sheet was not too pleased due to his crossing out.

Charles and his wife, Emily were aged 69 and 68 respectively but Charles had put them both on the same line, The second line he had put that Emily had a room at Lambeth and he had a room at Westminster.  The enumerator had filled in that both were married and had been for 46 years, they had had 7 children and lost 2.

The third line, normally for a third person stated that on April 2th (yes looks like th) slept at Hackney and had no occupation, but later the enumerator completes an entry for waiter.

The fourth line stated they have one room.

The enumerator also completed the entry for one being from Westminster and the other from Lambeth.  The icing on the cake or the enumerator was fed up, was that he put Emily’s age in the male column.

For the signature Emily signed and where the postal address should have been is Charles’ name with the address of 26 Trelawney Road, Hackney being squashed in below.

Ten years previous (1901) the couple at living on Queen’s Road, Hackney where Charles aged 57 is a Porter Officer.

1891 has the couple still in Hackney but now 76 Richmond Road and Charles is a Refreshment Room Attendent and the couple have one son, Charles aged 24 living with them – he is a Carman.

1881 Charles and his family are living at 100 Great Suffolk Street, Southwark – Charles is a waiter and his children are as follows – Charles 14 a soap packer ; Louise 11 scholar, William 8 scholar; Margaret 6 scholar – still a few children missing but someone else will have to find them.  I just thought you might have been interested in the fact that not every one is perfect and not everyone can fill in forms -nothing changes, does it ? Except now many of the forms are on line.

Source  1911 census: Class: RG14; Piece: 1140

Charles Waldo Lionel Churchill

Charles Waldo Lionel Churchill was born on 16 May 1883, the son of Lt. Col. Charles Morant Churchill, JP (b 19 May 1842) and his wife Ellen Harriette Augusta Meade-Waldo (b 4 Nov 1856).

In the census of 1891 the family are living at Everton Grange, Milford, the family being : Charles Morant Churchill aged 48, Lt Col. Retired Pay, HMS, JP Dorset born in Dorset; Ellen Harriet A Churchill aged 34  born in Cork, Ireland ; Charles Waldo Lionel Churchill aged 7 born in Maidstone ; Frances C E Churchill aged 10 also born in Maidstone + Edmund Wm (?) Waldo father in law aged 61 late 1st Life Guards, JP Kent born in Dawlish, Devon ; Cicely E M Waldo mother in law aged 38 born in Derbyshire ; Margaret A M Waldo sister in law aged 9 born  in Rushall, Kent; Katherine A M Waldo sister in law born in Barmore Castle, Beal aged 7 and finally 10 servants – Daniel M Davis 29 Albert Henry Gregory 19 Charlotte Jane Brown 23 Annie Phillips 26 Mary Jane Fossey 26 Kate E Carpenter 26 Annie Saneroft 17 Emily Peters 16 Annie Palr  Htkins 49 Emma Pearson 38 all being born in Hampshire, London or Dorset.

2012 C Sklinar

Charles joined the 3rd Battn., Hampshire Regt., in June of 1900.  He had been with M.I. in South Africa from December 1901 with the rank of 2nd Lieut and was attached to the 28th Mounted Infantry.

On 31st March 1902 The Damant’s Horse, part of Lt. Col. Cookson’s column were along the Brak Spruit and came in contact with a convoy of burghers and followed in to Boschbult farm.  The superior Boer forces attacked the column who managed to entrench before nightfall and the Boers retired at nightfall.  Charles was wounded during the day and died of his wounds on 2nd April at Klerksdorp.  His final resting place in South Africa has not been determined, but some websites say that he rests in Wimbourne.  His memorial is however, on the wall of Wimborne Minster.

Officers died – South Africa 1899 – 1902