Thread: William John Laker

Help can anyone do a look up for me for the above my grandfather William John Laker, looking for death index year 1920 19th September Godstone/Caterham Surrey.. Buried at St. Marys on the Hill Caterham Surrey.



Commonwealth Grave No. B.264

Bedfordshire Regiment 1St. Battalion Private 23961



I've been unable so far to find a death index.......

Hi Dottie

This is it I think -

Death William J Laker age 49 Godstone 2a 231 3rd quarter 1920

Gillian

Hi Gillian, you are an absolute angel - thank you so much.........now one step on.........

A bit easier than most of your searches Dottie!

Best wishes

Gillian

Hi Gillian, yes it was rather easier than some of my other Look ups, have ordered cert. today so hopefully I can move now on my Laker sideI'll let you know how I fare once I recieve the death cert.



thanks once again Gillian



dottie

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Hi Gillian, received the death certificate today for my grandfather.. doesn't really give me any more information than I had before, still trying to find correct Birth Certificate.. was disappointed......

Williams father was also named William John Laker, have gone back through the census and found a few likely, but nothing concrete... wish I knew how to obtain the correct Birth Certificate...... I wonder if William was born in Sussex and not Surrey, as quite a few Lakers originated from there, maybe not Surrey after all....





I thought this Death Certificate would be the same as mums which showed the date and area of birth.... But alas no.....



Registration District Godstone 19th September 1920 80, Commonwealth Road, Caterham... aged 49 years Occupation as above. informant wife Elizabeth Ann .



I have the marriage certificate for William and Elizabeth Registration District Godstone - Caterham - 29th May 1898..



Found a couple of children of that marriage.....



My Dad George Edward Laker was also born at 80 Commonwealth Road 1913 - 1983 also......



Edith Annie 1908 - 1993 Caterham - Harriett Rose 1906 Caterham - Elizabeth Fanny 1899 - 1948 Caterham - Beatrice Alice 1909 - 1986 Caterham..



Any suggestions Gillian......

Hi Dottie - sorry the death certificate didn't help - probably too early for a lot of detail.

I'm fairly sure there is no birth registered for a William John Laker around the right time. Perhaps his parents weren't married and he was born under a different name?

Do you have his father's occupation on the marriage certificate?

Gillian

I thought William J Laker leather cutter, mother Sophia - born (c 1856) & living in Surrey Lambeth has to be a candidate for the father.

Gillian

Hi Gillian, Looking at marriage certificate now of grandfather William John Laker to Elizabeth Green, he was 27 years old when he married.. in 1898 May. His father is listed as William John Laker great grandfather (deceased) Seaman..........



Methinks I'll have to do a lot more digging yet, going to check out the above information



I do know he was a founder member of the Salvation Army in Caterham, and have contacted their Head Office, who conducted a search for me, but found nothing, so have contacted the local Corp, and asked them if they can find anything.. I do have a page taken from one of the Bourne Books of Caterham, and he is mentioned as being a bandmaster, so there has to be record somewhere out there.... and he actually married at Bethany Hall Croydon Road Caterham Valley, (the Citadel).



I'll get back to you Gillian as soon as I can find anything.......



thanks once again.....



dottie

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Hi Dottie - interesting!

OK forget the leather cutter! I found a record of a William Laker aged 20 born Sussex Shoreham on 1861 census crew lists - private RMLI - area Navy at Sea in Foreign Parts & Colonies - vessel HMI Orion - a possibility for WJL senior? There is a record for him (seamen's services) on the National Archives site which can be downloaded for £3-50.

Problem there are several William Lakers born around that time in Sussex.

I'll take a look at the Bourne Society records when I'm next at the Society of Genealogists library.

Gillian