Unconfigured Ad Widget

Collapse

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Army record of Thomas Wilson

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Army record of Thomas Wilson

    I have been trying to find my grandfathers WW1 records held by the National Archives. I know that he was born around 1890 in Hull, but don't have the slightest idea of what regiment he was in. I do know that he joined as a despatch rider, would he have been put down as driver or a private. I am fairly certain that he wouldn't have been a sapper. My main question is, how can I narrow the possibilities down on such a common name, so that I hopefully select the right person.

    MTIA

  • #2
    Ancestry have these records on their site and have filmed the backs as well. Occasionally these have addresses on, so it's worth checking.

    Ultimately, they will have the burnt soldiers' records for the entire alphabet (WO 363). These are so called because they were involved in a fire, so many do not survive, but they are far easier to search than the microfilms at Kew.

    I don't know what other people's experience is, but frankly the medal cards often tell you no more than that a man called Thomas Wilson got certain medals and the medall roll itself gives no more information.
    Phoenix - with charred feathers
    Researching Skillings from Norfolk, Sworn from Salisbury and Adams in Malborough, Devon.

    Comment


    • #3
      Lorraine, what Phoenix means is the Medal Index Cards are all online on ancestry now, including the backs, but the actual service records for surnames near the end of the alphabet aren't on ancestry yet, but if you wait till they go online there should be some Thomas Wilsons to look through. But a lot of the service records were destroyed and will never be available. There are also the "pension records" on ancestry to search.

      If there is any certificate that he is mentioned on from WW1 such as a child's birth certificate or his marriage certificate then it would be worth looking at it to see if it gives his army number.

      Can't remember if we've already tried this, but if you know the address where he was living during WW1 then you can look to see if he is listed in the "Absent Voters Roll" and it should give his army number if so.
      KiteRunner

      Every five years or so I look back on my life and I have a good... laugh"
      (Indigo Girls, "Watershed")

      Comment


      • #4
        I have noticed that Thomas does not appear with the rest of the family on the 1911 census, so I am wondering where he was then. Do you think this is relevant? By this time, he would have been 21, it it possible that he was already in the army or was he elsewhere?

        Comment


        • #5
          Don't know but it might be worth checking that address on the wartime electoral rolls. Were his family in Nottinghamshire in 1911, I can't remember now?
          KiteRunner

          Every five years or so I look back on my life and I have a good... laugh"
          (Indigo Girls, "Watershed")

          Comment


          • #6
            I have looked in the 1911 census at likely entries for Thomas and drawn two blanks, so it does look at if my theory could be right. Question is, how do I check?

            Comment


            • #7
              Where were the family living in 1911, Lorraine?
              KiteRunner

              Every five years or so I look back on my life and I have a good... laugh"
              (Indigo Girls, "Watershed")

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by KiteRunner View Post
                Don't know but it might be worth checking that address on the wartime electoral rolls. Were his family in Nottinghamshire in 1911, I can't remember now?
                No Kiterunner, you have got the two families mixed up, the Wilson's were living in Hull, all but Thomas and Ruth (who wasn't born until a year later). In case its relevant, the address is 110 Lee Street.

                Comment


                • #9
                  I don't think the Hull Absent Voters Roll from WW1 is online (only a few towns are online so far) so you would need someone to look it up at the record office which serves Hull.
                  KiteRunner

                  Every five years or so I look back on my life and I have a good... laugh"
                  (Indigo Girls, "Watershed")

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I wonder if it might be helpful to look up the Hull Pals, a huge number of men joined the Pals Battalions at the start of the Great War....

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Ancestry now have the "pension" records in year of birth order, so not too bad to search. Look a few years either side,though, in case he lied about his age to get in. Then you also have to look at all of those where Ancestry don't give a year of birth. When the "service" records for the W surnames are on Ancestry, they may be easier to search as they seem to give more detail in the index - place of birth, address etc.
                      The National Archives, Kew – Research Service Offered
                      Contact me via PM on Family Tree Forum or via my personal website - www.militaryandfamilyresearch.co.uk

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Looking at your other thread, in October 1919 when he got married, Thomas was a Grocer living at 48 Portland Villas, Creswell, Derbyshire, so perhaps you should look at the electoral roll and Absent Voters Roll for Creswell, Derbyshire and see if he is listed there during WW1 at all.
                        KiteRunner

                        Every five years or so I look back on my life and I have a good... laugh"
                        (Indigo Girls, "Watershed")

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by KiteRunner View Post
                          Looking at your other thread, in October 1919 when he got married, Thomas was a Grocer living at 48 Portland Villas, Creswell, Derbyshire, so perhaps you should look at the electoral roll and Absent Voters Roll for Creswell, Derbyshire and see if he is listed there during WW1 at all.
                          I take it that I'd have to go to Kew for that, or would I find it somewhere else?

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            No, it would be at the local record office or library for Creswell (Matlock, maybe?)

                            Though I'm a bit confused because I've been looking through various directories on the internet and can't see any mention of Portland Villas, Creswell (Creswell is usually listed under Elmton). You would think if there was a number 48 then there would be lots of people with Portland Villas in their address!
                            KiteRunner

                            Every five years or so I look back on my life and I have a good... laugh"
                            (Indigo Girls, "Watershed")

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Could it be 4B rather than 48?

                              Comment


                              • #16
                                I don't know because the image has gone!
                                KiteRunner

                                Every five years or so I look back on my life and I have a good... laugh"
                                (Indigo Girls, "Watershed")

                                Comment


                                • #17
                                  Originally posted by KiteRunner View Post
                                  I don't know because the image has gone!
                                  I will try and get a portion of it back for you to read Kiterunner.

                                  Comment


                                  • #18
                                    Here we are, I'd say its definitely number 48. Could it be that there was a little complex in those days called No. 48?



                                    I see there is a Portland Avenue in the area in which most of the houses don't look that old, so they could have pulled the entire area down and developed it. What do you think of that theory?
                                    Last edited by LorraineJ; 15-05-09, 13:07.

                                    Comment


                                    • #19
                                      It definitely says 48 and it certainly looks like Portland Villas Creswell. Strange.
                                      KiteRunner

                                      Every five years or so I look back on my life and I have a good... laugh"
                                      (Indigo Girls, "Watershed")

                                      Comment

                                      Working...
                                      X