"completed" "thankyou" William COOKE ( B.1872 Handsworth)

[expat66]

Don't know whether anyone can help me with this one.... I have a William COOKE born 1872 according to the 1881census ( living at 32 Devonshire St, B'ham) and possibly 1891 census(living in Norton St,B'ham... working as a tinsmith)

In 1901 he is living with his sister Harriet COOKE and her husband Ernest GREAVES in Coralie St, Birmingham. His occupation as listed below is soldier K R rifles
...there is a slight problem with the age.. this differs to that on the 1881 census.

William COOKE occupation

Coralis ST. 1901 census.jpg (8.96 KiB) Viewed 1907 times

His parents were Thomas Henry COOKE(1838-1899) and Martha BASSETT(1844-?) and he had 3 sisters .....Sarah Ann COOKE (HINDLEY.. after she married in 1886), Mary A and Harriet COOKE (GREAVES.. after her marriage in 1897)

Is there any way I can find out more?... I haven't been able to 'pin' him down after 1901... so many William COOKES!... I was wondering if anyone knows if I can get any more info. on his military service?

Thanks
Expat

[MarkCDodd]

Send me a personal messag with your e-mail address and I will send you his service record with the King's Royal Rifle Corp.

He signed up on the 25 May 1891 and was finally discharged on the 24 May 1903 (That is his 12 years standard service. That is what you signed up for in those days).

He was then placed in the reserves from the 5th August 1903 to the 4th August 1907.

He was a Bugler with the 2nd Regiment.

He was in South Africe 99 to 01 and looks like he was awarded 5 or 6 clasps. (Indicating the Campaigns he was involved in).

His mother is listed as Next Of Kin and living at 10 Knightdown Terrace, Caralie(?) Street, Birmingham.

He has a tattoo of a "Female Figure" on his right forearm.

His record is marked as "Exemplorary"

It is the only one Ihave ever seen that has absolutely no reprimands or penalties listed.

[expat66]

Thankyou MarkCDodd,
This information was wonderful... what I had thought was a complete dead end has turned up one of the most interesting characters in our tree!
Incidentally the address in Coralie St. was where my mum was born...it was the family home right up until the late 1960s when the whole area was redeveloped.
Still wondering where you got all this information?... I have another person in my tree also in the army in 1902 and haven't been able to find out much on him anywhere?
... will dig out what I have on this other chap and post.
Thanks again
Expat

[sparkstopper]

Does this help:

1911 Census: 158 Queens Rd. Aston, B'ham
William COOKE hd. 39 Tinsmith b.B'ham.
Elsie Clara COOKE wife 32 marr: 7yrs. b. B'ham.
Elsie Helena COOKE dau.6 b.B'ham
Jessie Evelyn COOKE dau 3 b.B'ham.
Bertha Priscilla COOKE dau 11mths b.B'ham.

[sparkstopper]

Norton St. & Devonshire St. are connected at
a 'T' junction....and the other Street is possibly
Carlisle St. (very near to other two).

[expat66]

Does this help:

1911 Census: 158 Queens Rd. Aston, B'ham
William COOKE hd. 39 Tinsmith b.B'ham.
Elsie Clara COOKE wife 32 marr: 7yrs. b. B'ham.
Elsie Helena COOKE dau.6 b.B'ham
Jessie Evelyn COOKE dau 3 b.B'ham.
Bertha Priscilla COOKE dau 11mths b.B'ham.

Thanks sparkstopper
Curious that my nan never mentioned that she had an uncle or female cousins...exciting to think that there are potentially more relatives out there!
Expat