old soldiers letter to the prime minister.

[blossom]

dont know if this is the right place to post this but here goes.
I bought a book at a boot sale and inside found a soldiers release book ,name george simmonds lived in birmingham.also a copy of a letter dated 1968 to the prime minister describing how his wifes uncle had served in the war and couldnt get any help with the funeral when he died.He lists his wages and stopages where he served in the war and made mention of the imigrants .Also included is a standard letter from downing street and a certificate from birmingham civil defence servises in appreciation to his wife.i would like to return these to the family if they would like thembut dont know where to start.Any help appreciated.

[Velma Dinkley]

Hi Blossom,

I'm going to move this over to the Research Qs & As board, where (hopefully) our keen researchers will be able to help you track the family down.

Velma

[Somerset Sal]

If you have an Ancestry sub you could send messages to people researching the Simmonds name to see if you get any response. I've had a quick look, but I'm not sure whether it's George Simmonds who died in 1968, or whether he was the author of the letter...

I have a similar quandary: I have a letter and photograph sent to my grandmother by her sweetheart, who was killed in WW1. I've tried looking for his descendants, to see if anyone would like to have these things, but have not yet found them. It'd seem so wrong to just throw them away...

Good luck!

[blossom]

Hi velma thanks.

[David Beard]

Blossom
If you have his regiment and or his regimental number it would perhaps be posible to find more information on him,

David

[margaretmarch]

If you have an Ancestry sub you could send messages to people researching the Simmonds name to see if you get any response. I've had a quick look, but I'm not sure whether it's George Simmonds who died in 1968, or whether he was the author of the letter...

I have a similar quandary: I have a letter and photograph sent to my grandmother by her sweetheart, who was killed in WW1. I've tried looking for his descendants, to see if anyone would like to have these things, but have not yet found them. It'd seem so wrong to just throw them away...

Good luck!

If you post up the soldiers name perhaps we could help find his family - we'd need to find his siblings and their descendants.
Margaret

[Uncle John]

If you post up the soldiers name perhaps we could help find his family - we'd need to find his siblings and their descendants.
Margaret

Just like Heir Hunters!

[Christine in Herts]

It's the kind of project this forum seems to enjoy!

Christine

[Somerset Sal]

I think I did post his details sometime last year: someone very kindly found his family in the censuses, but there's no trace of any living relatives... but just in case: he was Victor Gladstone Taylor, and he died on 25th March 1918 at age 19. He's remembered on the Arras Memorial. He was the son of Henry Loader Taylor and Sarah Jane Taylor of 63 Lillie Rd. Fulham London. I think I also posted about him on the WWI forum, but nobody recognised the name.

Belinda

[Christine in Herts]

It looks like he did have some siblings:
Leslie Loader TAYLOR b 1896-7 Fulham (1896q2; probable service record and death record on Ancestry)
Eileen Eleanor May TAYLOR b 1903-4 Fulham (1904q1)

Sarah Jane's maiden name may have been TEMPLEMAN, and she was one of seven children still living in 1911, having been born in Luton in 1868-9.

Christine

[Christine in Herts]

"Leslie Loader TAYLOR" is a distinctive name when in full. There's a 1973 reference to someone of that name in the London Gazette (Gazette Issue 45945 published on the 3 April 1973. Page 73 of 86).

There's a marriage for an Eileen E M A TAYLOR in 1932 in Willesden - but that means she's acquired an extra middle name.
There's a marriage on IoW for Eileen E M TAYLOR, but it's in 2001, which would be very unusual.
Ancestry has another couple of marriages 1916-2005, but I can't get at them to see if either is likely.

Christine

[Christine in Herts]

Googling only brings up the previous thread - which shows you already have the siblings, and the detail of L L Taylor's death registration.

Ancestry may have some phone-book info which could give clues?

Christine

[Somerset Sal]

Thank you for finding Victor's siblings and I can look them up on Ancestry. I confess I'm a bit daunted by the thought of writing to people with such a common surname and getting the wrong people...

I'll probably concentrate on the Loader Taylor name and hope that's continued for another generation or two... If I ever find the right people I'll let you know! Thanks for your help.

Belinda

[Christine in Herts]

You might find something on L L Taylor in a solicitor's year book?

Maybe an obit, which might give you more info?

Christine