Genealogy Forum UK

Is it possible to find someones service records without knowing what regiment they were in?

My grandad served in WW1 , My Mom (his only child) said he never really spoke about it. All I know is he lied about his age to join up and my mom seems to remember he was a gunner?

With a common name like William Lloyd have I got a hope?

Hi,

It's never a lost cause but it does looks a tall order with the little information you've posted.

The first step is can you post anymore details about William eg. age, place of birth and parents names etc which may help us in the search.

Sadly only 40% of the service and pension records survived the Blitz during the 2nd World War so it's possible Williams' records were destroyed anyway.

Post all the information on William and we'll have a go at finding out what information if any we can.

Nothing ventured nothing gained

Regards
Adrian

As Adrian says it is sometimes possible to fit together scraps of info providing they haven't actually been destroyed
eg.
The service records sometimes have addresses of next of kin which can be matched to the 1911 census

My great uncles actually has his wife's maiden name,date of marriage, birth of children on it which made it easier in his case

Keep adding facts that you know and hopefully other facts will lead from them and so on.

Good luck

Maths girl

Thanks all

His name was William Lloyd, he was born 12th June 1899 in Cowper St Birmingham although the family home was 159 Green Lane Walsall. I can only assume his family must have been visiting someone and he decided to be born. His parents were the dreaded John and Mary (nee Tranter). I have been told he joined up locally so possibly the Staffs regiment and we think an infantryman.

Family story has it he didn't tell his mom he had enlisted and she came home one day and found him sitting in uniform at the table

So is this them in 1891
1901 153, Green Lane, Walsall
LLOYD, John Head Married M 37 1864 Iron Caster Willenhall Staffordshire
LLOYD, Mary Wife Married F 34 1867 Coalbrookdale Salop
LLOYD, John Son Single M 11 1890 Willenhall Staffordshire
LLOYD, Joseph Son M 3 1898 Birmingham Warwickshire
LLOYD, William Son M 1 1900 Birmingham Warwickshire
LLOYD, Elizabeth Daughter F 9 1892 Birmingham Warwickshire
LLOYD, Ada Daughter F 7 1894 Birmingham Warwickshire
LLOYD, Louisa Daughter F 5 1896 Birmingham Warwickshire


1911 131 Moat Road Walsall
LLOYD, Mary Head Widow F 45 1866 Charwoman Shropshire
LLOYD, John Son Single M 21 1890 Iron Moulder Willenhall Staffs
LLOYD, Joseph Son M 13 1898 Straw Band Twister Birmingham Warwick
LLOYD, William Son M 11 1900 School Birmingham Warwick
LLOYD, Thomas Son M 9 1902 School Walsall Staffs
LLOYD, Annie Daughter F 7 1904 School Smethwick
LLOYD, Elsie Daughter F 5 1906 School Walsall Staffs
LLOYD, Arthur Leonard Son M 1 1910 Walsall Staffs

Yes maths girl that's them. I have a lot of info on them just thought it would be nice to get something on my grandad, he died before I was born.

I see from the 1911 Joseph was born in Birmingham too. now I'm confused

William birth cert says

12th june 1899 12 court 8 Cowper St UD

William father John Lloyd Iron caster mother Mary Lloyd formerly Tranter informant Mary Lloyd mother 159 Green Lane Walsall
registered 24th July

kiansmom wrote:
I see from the 1911 Joseph was born in Birmingham too. now I'm confused

William birth cert says

12th june 1899 12 court 8 Cowper St UD

William father John Lloyd Iron caster mother Mary Lloyd formerly Tranter informant Mary Lloyd mother 159 Green Lane Walsall
registered 24th July

Did she go back to her mother's house for the births? -- the long delay between birth and registration could indicate that she stayed away for a while to recouperate.

Maths girl wrote:1911 131 Moat Road Walsall
LLOYD, Mary Head Widow F 45 1866 Charwoman Shropshire
LLOYD, John Son Single M 21 1890 Iron Moulder Willenhall Staffs
LLOYD, Joseph Son M 13 1898 Straw Band Twister Birmingham Warwick
LLOYD, William Son M 11 1900 School Birmingham Warwick
LLOYD, Thomas Son M 9 1902 School Walsall Staffs
LLOYD, Annie Daughter F 7 1904 School Smethwick
LLOYD, Elsie Daughter F 5 1906 School Walsall Staffs
LLOYD, Arthur Leonard Son M 1 1910 Walsall Staffs

Just went back to original for this and she stated and then crossed out that the marriage lasted 24 years and she had 11 children all living -- am I miscounting or is there one not accounted for on these two census

1891 29, Clarks Lane, Willenhall
LLOYD, John Head Married M 27 1864 Iron Castor Willenhall Staffordshire
LLOYD, Mary Wife Married F 24 1867 Madeley Shropshire
LLOYD, John H Son M 1 1890 Willenhall Staffordshire

That doesn't help

John and Mary married July 1886

John Lloyd died april 1907 aged just 43 from influenza enteritis exhaustion so they would have been married 21 years

Thomas born 1902 is a new one for me, that makes 10 of them.

I think her mother had died well before the children as she vanishes of census

kiansmom wrote:John and Mary married July 1886

John Lloyd died april 1907 aged just 43 from influenza enteritis exhaustion so they would have been married 21 years

Thomas born 1902 is a new one for me, that makes 10 of them.

It sounds as though she was giving the number of years since she was married.

There is a break in the two year birth cycle in 1908 whether that accounts for the eleventh child ? or was there another one born between wedding and John who just always went visiting on census night? -- she could have misunderstood and meant 11 born and 10 alive or --- one of those mysteries that may never be solved!

kiansmom wrote:I think her mother had died well before the children as she vanishes of census

It wasn't necessarily her mother she went to visit -- have you tried to find the address given as birth place on a census to see who was living there?

I didn't think of that, I can't work out who she would be visiting. will go and see if I can find out who was there

Do these names ring any bells?

1901 8, 12, House Court, Cowper Street, Birmingham (Original 8 St Court 12)
NANGLE, Henry Head Married M 37 1864 Brass Burnisher Birmingham Warwickshire
NANGLE, Esther Wife Married F 35 1866 Birmingham Warwickshire
NANGLE, Annie Daughter Single F 17 1884 Ivory Button Turner Birmingham Warwickshire
NANGLE, Lillian Daughter Single F 15 1886 Lacquerer Brass Birmingham Warwickshire
NANGLE, John Son M 13 1888 Birmingham Warwickshire
NANGLE, Agnes Daughter F 11 1890 Birmingham Warwickshire
NANGLE, Henry Son M 9 1892 Birmingham Warwickshire
NANGLE, Margaret Daughter F 6 1895 Birmingham Warwickshire
NANGLE, Rose Daughter F 5 1896 Birmingham Warwickshire
NANGLE, Winniefred Daughter F 3 1898 Birmingham Warwickshire
NANGLE, Norah Daughter F 1 1900 Birmingham Warwickshire

1891 12 Court 8 House, Cowper Street, Birmingham
BOOTY, Eliza Head Widow F 49 1842 Nurse Shropshire
BOOTY, William Son Single M 23 1868 Carridge Lamp Maker Wolverhampton Staffordshire
BOOTY, Jane Daughter Single F 20 1871 Dressmaker London
BOOTY, Thomas Son M 12 1879 Jeweller Birmingham
WELLS, Sarah Boarder Single F 42 1849 Jewellers Burnisher Birmingham

What about these -- was the fact Eliza a nurse anything to do with it??

wow you are Quick!

unfortunately none of the names mean anything to me. Mary was the illigimate daughter of Elizabeth Tranter born in Shropshire. Elizabeth moved to Willenhall and married Joseph Henry Rock in 1878. 1881 census has them together as a family Mary is listed as Rock. Then of course by the next census Mary had married John.

Hmm Eliza could be the connection as she was born Shropshire too. You opened up a whole new chapter here. Thank you for your help