Genealogy Forum UK

Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone can check the military service records 1760-1913 for:

Thomas Powell, born 1879, Tipton, Staffordshire, South Staffs Regt.

It's possible this chap was my Great, Great Uncle given his date, place of birth and his profession of Brickmaker also fits. On his Military documents his next of kin's address is given Pheonix Street, West Bromwich which was also where he lived on the 1911 census. However for the life of me I can not work out the name of his next of kin given on his Military documents.

What is causing me doubt is that he appears on the 1901 census living with his mother and also the above Thomas was serving in South Africa around that time.

If anyone could work out his next of kin that would be fantastic.

I'm glad to be back online because I've been without a computer for a few months

Regards
Adrian

I think it says (Father) Tobie Powell -- or possibly Jobie

Hi Maths girl,

Many thanks for your input and i didn't notice the father part on the document which puts a spanner in the works because my relative's father was also called Thomas.

I'm wondering if we could match this Thomas and his father Tobie/Jobie on the census returns for the West Bromwich area.

It's very odd because the Thomas mentioned was also living in the same street as my relative but the first and surname name isn't that unusual.

Regards
Adrian

I can't see a Tobie or Jobie under any spelling in 1891 or 1901 anywhere local.

Jimmy wrote:I can't see a Tobie or Jobie under any spelling in 1891 or 1901 anywhere local.

Just wondering whether that was a shortened version of Tobias or even a nickname derived from Thomas

Hi,

Many thanks for your help.

I've also looked at the census returns and I found a few Thomas Powells living in the West Bromwich area but their fathers names just don't match.

The writing on the military documents is very poor and I can only make out the surname Powell which is a real pain.

Regards
Adrian

apowell wrote:Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone can check the military service records 1760-1913 for:

Thomas Powell, born 1879, Tipton, Staffordshire, South Staffs Regt.

It's possible this chap was my Great, Great Uncle given his date, place of birth and his profession of Brickmaker also fits. On his Military documents his next of kin's address is given Pheonix Street, West Bromwich which was also where he lived on the 1911 census. However for the life of me I can not work out the name of his next of kin given on his Military documents.

What is causing me doubt is that he appears on the 1901 census living with his mother and also the above Thomas was serving in South Africa around that time.

If anyone could work out his next of kin that would be fantastic.

I'm glad to be back online because I've been without a computer for a few months

Regards
Adrian

What was the date that next of Kin was put.

Hi Jimmy,

I'm afraid I can find no date given on the next of kin but most likely when he signed up in 1897:?

I've a copy of Thomas's marriage certificate dated 21st June 1902 and his address is given 16, Pheonix Street, West Bromwich, profession given Brickmaker. This is very close to the information on the military documents but interesting the Thomas on the military documents signs his own name and my Thomas writes an x on his marriage certificate.

Thomas's address on the military document is 39 Pheonix Street in 1897 ?

I'm thinking that this may not be my chap but I would love to solve the mystery of who he was.

Regards
Adrian

Hi,

I'm pretty sure this isn't my chap because re-looking at the documents he was discharged in 1903 and my chap married in 1902 and no mention of serving in the army.

Regards
Adrian

Sometimes if they are in the reserves they are employed elsewhere and do not mention they are still in the Army.

However, this bloke was still in South Africa when your Thomas was married.

There is a Turfford family living at 39 Phoenix Street in 1901.

There is one of my cousins, John Ford, and his family living there in 1891.