David WILLIAMS - Blackburn Northern - COMPLETED

[peterd]

This is the only match i can find in lancs for david / blackburn c 1890


1952 WILLIAMS David 62 Blackburn East Blackburn BE/34/66


are you sure your info correct could he of just vanished after the war poss with post traumatic stress and the family made the story up as a cover ?

[Jill_O_E]

I'm not sure any of the info is correct - until I found the hand written note about David Williams and various other mbrs of the family in recent months I just assumed he died young from Lord knows what. Until yesterday I didn't even know that my grandmother had that many sisters - I am the youngest member of the family and none of the men who served during either war were given to discussing the nasty stuff about war.

I am very certain the family wouldn't have hidden it or made up a story about it - My father suffered from war related trauma from the 6 years he spent overseas, there was never a reason to cover something up.

While I'm not sure if he died following the war from wounds, I do believe he died shortly after the war ended. I will continue to go through family records to try and see if I can figure out some of the names as well - one of them was nicknamed Jack and I thought that would be the eldest son John.

I have sent an email to the CWGC to see if they have any record of him.

I'm wondering if it could have been the older brother that died after the war - not sure, I'll keep poking around.

Thanks for your interest.

[peterd]

I'm not sure any of the info is correct - until I found the hand written note about David Williams and various other mbrs of the family in recent months I just assumed he died young from Lord knows what. Until yesterday I didn't even know that my grandmother had that many sisters - I am the youngest member of the family and none of the men who served during either war were given to discussing the nasty stuff about war.

I am very certain the family wouldn't have hidden it or made up a story about it - My father suffered from war related trauma from the 6 years he spent overseas, there was never a reason to cover something up.

While I'm not sure if he died following the war from wounds, I do believe he died shortly after the war ended. I will continue to go through family records to try and see if I can figure out some of the names as well - one of them was nicknamed Jack and I thought that would be the eldest son John.

I have sent an email to the CWGC to see if they have any record of him.

Thanks for your interest.

is there any medals for david in the family it might have a service no on ?

also was he witness at any of his siblings marriages ?

[Jill_O_E]

There's nothing - the Williams family all but my Grandmother stayed in England - so if there were medals, they would have stayed there.

I think I have led everyone astray... I just rechecked the Honour Roll and found a John WILLIAMS:

Wilkinson, William
Williams, George
Williams, John
Williams, William
Willings, William

I'm going to change gears here and guess that my Uncle's memory was not accurate and had David listed as dying when it was John or "Jack" - at least that's where I'm going to start.

Thanks for forcing me to come at this from another angle.

[Jill_O_E]

In the UKBMD there is a John WILLIAMS listed age 26 dying in 1918 - which has him born in 1892 close to what the census says. I have no idea if this is him.

[peterd]

ive searched here

http://www.lancashirebmd.org.uk/deaths.php

and here

http://www.lan-opc.org.uk/indexp.html

[peterd]

Lancashire Death indexes for the years: 1918
WILLIAMS John 26 Blackburn Northern Blackburn BN/63/26

[Jill_O_E]

Unfortunately, it's not the correct John - I went back to yesterday's post with the 1911 census:

1911; 149 Dukes Brow. Blackburn

John Williams 57 Head Machine Strap Maker born Manchester Married 33 years - children 9/8/1
Annie Williams 58 Wife Housekeeper born Retford, Notts
John Williams 29 Son Stone Mason born Blackburn, Lancs Married 5 years - children 2/1/1
Maude Williams 24 Dau Single Weaver born Blackburn
David Williams 21 Son Single Blacksmiths Striker born Blackburn
Olive Williams 17 Dau Weaver born Blackburn
Joseph Williams 4 Grandson born Blackburn

John is already 29 here so is too old for the one in the indexes.

Time for me to regroup...

[mallosa]

Births Mar 1883
WILLIAMS John Blackburn 8e 437

Births Mar 1887
WILLIAMS Maud Blackburn 8e 385

Births Mar 1890
Williams David Blackburn 8e 344

Births Mar 1894
Williams Olive Blackburn 8e 364

[mallosa]

Deaths Mar 1911
Williams John 27 Blackburn 8e 310

[Jill_O_E]

I can't find this Mar 1911 death of John WILLIAMS in the BMD for Blackburn - where did you find this?

I've been all over the place tonight trying to resolve this.

Is it possible that in the BMD they got the age wrong? In the BMD for 1919 it shows a John WILLIAMS death at age 26 - but he would have been 36.

Also, I am really beginning to think that it is John I'm looking for in terms of a death during/after the war as opposed to David. John Williams is on the Blackburn Honour Roll - so I have emailed the Community History group in Blackburn an email to see if they can help me out.

I'm about to go blind sifting through all of these records... wait until I get busy with my paternal Grandfather's family at least they didn't have 9 children like the WILLIAMS!!! By the way there was another child Henry Isaac who died in between census and I stumbled upon him today

Thanks for your help/patience everyone

[Jill_O_E]

Heard back from the Community History folks in Blackburn - the John Williams on the Honour Roll is not my John Williams - wrong age and wrong address.

Sigh

[mallosa]

Found that death on FreeBMD...

Death John Williams

I put in 1901 - 1921
District: Blackburn
County: All Counties

http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl

[Jill_O_E]

Same place that I'm looking then - but the age in the BMD says 26 - he would have been 36... type

On a brighter note - I've found the passenger list for my grandparents who emigated to Canada... you would think it would be harder to find people who moved around alot... instead of sitting in one place. I think I should have the subject of this discussion switched to John WILLIAMS vice David. I think PeterD was right about the 1952 reference to the death of a David COOPER - I think that might actually be my David - but now I'm trying to figure out John - if I thought they had made a typo I would order the death certificate just to see.

I have a question about death certificates - do they have next of kin on them, or more useful information for searching?

[peterd]

This is the only match i can find in lancs for david / blackburn c 1890


1952 WILLIAMS David 62 Blackburn East Blackburn BE/34/66


are you sure your info correct could he of just vanished after the war poss with post traumatic stress and the family made the story up as a cover ?

this death cert would have a address and informant (poss next of kin) but some time not