Thread: WWI - Assumption that Ancestor Took Part..

Morgana · 04-03-2008, 09:42 AM

Morning All,
Now I've no idea where to look next. I've found my Fathers' Gt.Uncle in the 1891 census born c.1886 St.Pancras London. Not a problem. However, he's completely disappeared in the 1901 census, then I thought of looking on the War Graves website, maybe he served in WWI as did his younger brother. NOTHING! Also cannot find a death record between 1891 and 1901. Completely stumped with this one. Can anyone offer any advice please? There is no-one left alive in the family I can ask!!

Many thanks

M
x

slizzy · 04-03-2008, 12:05 PM

Hi Morgana,

Can you give us more details please? If you post all you know........his full name, his parents' names if known, etc, someone will be able to do look-ups for you. It's possible he's on the census and has been mistranscribed.

Morgana · 04-03-2008, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slizzy

Hi Morgana,

Can you give us more details please? If you post all you know........his full name, his parents' names if known, etc, someone will be able to do look-ups for you. It's possible he's on the census and has been mistranscribed.

Good Grief slizzy, you're everywhere

Thank you, OK then - Name: Francis Hancock - was born c.1886 at St.Pancras, Middlesex (age 5 on the 1891 census) 1st child of Francis (age 26) and Orpha (nee Batstone - age 30) and lived at Portman Buildings, Lisson Grove London. This is ABSOLUTELY the correct family.

Thank you,

M
x

slizzy · 04-03-2008, 08:52 PM

Hi Morgana,

This looks like him. Obviously it should have been transcribed GRAYS INN ROAD which is in St Pancras.

Name: Francis John Robert Hancock Age: 15 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1886 Relation: Inmate Gender: Male Where born: Grays Qun Road W C

Civil Parish: Southwark St Saviour Ecclesiastical parish: St Saviour County/Island: London Country: England
Registration district: St Saviour Southwark Sub-registration district: St Saviour, Southwark ED, institution, or vessel: Boys Home Neighbors: View others on page

Francis John Robert ties in with his birth record.

Births Dec 1885 Hancock Francis John R Pancras 1b51

Morgana · 05-03-2008, 09:22 AM

Morning slizzy and all.

MANY thanks for this info - It does appear to be the correct one, and without going into too much detail, I did some more 'digging' online after receiving it and managed to resolve a family legend that's been doing the rounds for more than 70 years!!! I am though, concerned that I cannot find his brother Charles Henry 5 yrs his junior that was supposedly in the same home. He isn't on any of the 6 pages for that census record, and I cannot find him elsewhere - knowing other happenings in the family, ya would have thought that the 3rd of 4 children would have been with the first born, Francis. I've even tried different spelling of his name to no avail.

EDIT: I've just looked at the census again, and realised that the whole 6 pages for the home don't have any inmates under the age of 11/12 years, so am wondering whether A)They didn't house younger inmates or B)If the DID have younger inmates whether they were on a different record totally?

Thanks,

M
x

slizzy · 05-03-2008, 07:16 PM

Hi Morgana,

Could this be Charles do you think? This Charles' birth place is recorded as not known, it appears he's in an orphanage.

1901 England Census
about Charles Hancock

Name: Charles Hancock Age: 10 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1891 Gender: Male Where born: N

Civil Parish: Ramsgate Ecclesiastical parish: St George County/Island: Kent Country: England

Registration district: Thanet Sub-registration district: Ramsgate ED, institution, or vessel: 1 Neighbors: View others on page Household schedule number: 14

Morgana · 05-03-2008, 07:31 PM

Hello Slizzy,
Oh I've got ahead leaps n bounds this afternoon!! Since discovered that again, I'm 99.99% certain I've got the RIGHT one, I've found that (and I do know the area very well) a few miles from the boys home that Francis John was in there was another home, (now part of West Middlesex Hospital) called Percy House in Isleworth. They have an inmate named Charles William Hancock, correct age. What's gutting though, is that their parents were STILL ALIVE and on the 1901 census they were living in Cambridge (their Father originally came from Cambs)with their YOUNGEST Child. Why would they dump their eldest and 3rd child in homes? Hard to understand...

M
x

Quote:

Originally Posted by slizzy

Hi Morgana,

Could this be Charles do you think? This Charles' birth place is recorded as not known, it appears he's in an orphanage.

1901 England Census
about Charles Hancock

Name: Charles Hancock Age: 10 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1891 Gender: Male Where born: N

Civil Parish: Ramsgate Ecclesiastical parish: St George County/Island: Kent Country: England

Registration district: Thanet Sub-registration district: Ramsgate ED, institution, or vessel: 1 Neighbors: View others on page Household schedule number: 14

slizzy · 05-03-2008, 07:48 PM

Hi Morgana,

I'm so please to hear of your progress.

I do agree with you of course.....that it's hard to understand why two children would be neglected by living parents' and it's particularly difficult when the parents' kept the youngest with them. Unless the elder two were taken from them! Whatever, you'll probably never know the truth and we have to remember times were much harder back then.

Have you knowledge of Francis and James after 1901? I ask ,as a lot of children living in orphanages were sent to Canada, maybe this was Francis and Charles' fate.

Hope your research continues to be successful

Best of luck

Morgana · 05-03-2008, 08:08 PM

Have I knowledge of Francis & Charles (not James) after 1901? Oh yes slizzy. Charles it looks very like - and this was pure LUCK, that he very probably stayed on at Percy House and became a member of staff. I found images of staff during 1916 when the place was being used as a War hospital, and comparing the image with one I have on this PC, it would need a lot to persued both me & Pete that it wasn' the same person. Anyway, He was married by 1916, and in 1917 my Father was born. His profession was a house painter. Francis, I'm not sure about. I'll keep looking however!! My other BIG find today was, a generation earlier - Francis & Charles' uncle - Charles William - the last I've found of him is on HMS Ganges in Harwich Essex - probably as a 'teacher' he was down as Ordnance Store Corps-Royal Marines Light Infantry. I spoke to an Historian with this info and he suggested highly likely he stayed on and became a teacher.

M
XX

Quote:

Originally Posted by slizzy

Hi Morgana,

I'm so please to hear of your progress.

I do agree with you of course.....that it's hard to understand why two children would be neglected by living parents' and it's particularly difficult when the parents' kept the youngest with them. Unless the elder two were taken from them! Whatever, you'll probably never know the truth and we have to remember times were much harder back then.

Have you knowledge of Francis and James after 1901? I ask ,as a lot of children living in orphanages were sent to Canada, maybe this was Francis and Charles' fate.

Hope your research continues to be successful

Best of luck

slizzy · 05-03-2008, 08:26 PM

Excuse the typo Morgana........ (James). Your research today sounds to have been very productive ....... well done. Despite being admitted to an orphange, Charles seems to have grown into a responsible adult, and that's lovely to hear, his experience probably made him a stronger person.

This hobby of ours can be very rewarding, interesting, but also upsetting. I do however find it compelling, and though I too have unearthed sadness I've also discovered some nice facts. I used to dwell on the upsetting stuff, but no longer do as there's nothing which can change history.

Wishing you more productive research

04-03-2008, 09:42 AM	#1 (permalink)
Morgana Regular Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 35	WWI - Assumption that Ancestor Took Part.. Morning All, Now I've no idea where to look next. I've found my Fathers' Gt.Uncle in the 1891 census born c.1886 St.Pancras London. Not a problem. However, he's completely disappeared in the 1901 census, then I thought of looking on the War Graves website, maybe he served in WWI as did his younger brother. NOTHING! Also cannot find a death record between 1891 and 1901. Completely stumped with this one. Can anyone offer any advice please? There is no-one left alive in the family I can ask!! Many thanks M x Last edited by Morgana; 04-03-2008 at 09:43 AM. Reason: Spelling!!
Morgana Regular Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 35

04-03-2008, 12:05 PM	#2 (permalink)
slizzy Ancestry Aid Staff Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 14,458 Total Awards: 5	Re: WWI - Assumption that Ancestor Took Part.. Hi Morgana, Can you give us more details please? If you post all you know........his full name, his parents' names if known, etc, someone will be able to do look-ups for you. It's possible he's on the census and has been mistranscribed.

04-03-2008, 08:52 PM	#4 (permalink)
slizzy Ancestry Aid Staff Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 14,458 Total Awards: 5	Re: WWI - Assumption that Ancestor Took Part.. Hi Morgana, This looks like him. Obviously it should have been transcribed GRAYS INN ROAD which is in St Pancras. Name: Francis John Robert Hancock Age: 15 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1886 Relation: Inmate Gender: Male Where born: Grays Qun Road W C Civil Parish: Southwark St Saviour Ecclesiastical parish: St Saviour County/Island: London Country: England Registration district: St Saviour Southwark Sub-registration district: St Saviour, Southwark ED, institution, or vessel: Boys Home Neighbors: View others on page Francis John Robert ties in with his birth record. Births Dec 1885 Hancock Francis John R Pancras 1b51 Last edited by slizzy; 04-03-2008 at 08:56 PM.

05-03-2008, 09:22 AM	#5 (permalink)
Morgana Regular Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 35	Re: WWI - Assumption that Ancestor Took Part.. Morning slizzy and all. MANY thanks for this info - It does appear to be the correct one, and without going into too much detail, I did some more 'digging' online after receiving it and managed to resolve a family legend that's been doing the rounds for more than 70 years!!! I am though, concerned that I cannot find his brother Charles Henry 5 yrs his junior that was supposedly in the same home. He isn't on any of the 6 pages for that census record, and I cannot find him elsewhere - knowing other happenings in the family, ya would have thought that the 3rd of 4 children would have been with the first born, Francis. I've even tried different spelling of his name to no avail. EDIT: I've just looked at the census again, and realised that the whole 6 pages for the home don't have any inmates under the age of 11/12 years, so am wondering whether A)They didn't house younger inmates or B)If the DID have younger inmates whether they were on a different record totally? Thanks, M x Last edited by Morgana; 05-03-2008 at 09:31 AM. Reason: Additional info
Morgana Regular Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 35

05-03-2008, 07:16 PM	#6 (permalink)
slizzy Ancestry Aid Staff Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 14,458 Total Awards: 5	Re: WWI - Assumption that Ancestor Took Part.. Hi Morgana, Could this be Charles do you think? This Charles' birth place is recorded as not known, it appears he's in an orphanage. 1901 England Census about Charles Hancock Name: Charles Hancock Age: 10 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1891 Gender: Male Where born: N Civil Parish: Ramsgate Ecclesiastical parish: St George County/Island: Kent Country: England Registration district: Thanet Sub-registration district: Ramsgate ED, institution, or vessel: 1 Neighbors: View others on page Household schedule number: 14

05-03-2008, 07:48 PM	#8 (permalink)
slizzy Ancestry Aid Staff Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 14,458 Total Awards: 5	Re: WWI - Assumption that Ancestor Took Part.. Hi Morgana, I'm so please to hear of your progress. I do agree with you of course.....that it's hard to understand why two children would be neglected by living parents' and it's particularly difficult when the parents' kept the youngest with them. Unless the elder two were taken from them! Whatever, you'll probably never know the truth and we have to remember times were much harder back then. Have you knowledge of Francis and James after 1901? I ask ,as a lot of children living in orphanages were sent to Canada, maybe this was Francis and Charles' fate. Hope your research continues to be successful Best of luck

05-03-2008, 08:26 PM	#10 (permalink)
slizzy Ancestry Aid Staff Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 14,458 Total Awards: 5	Re: WWI - Assumption that Ancestor Took Part.. Excuse the typo Morgana........ (James). Your research today sounds to have been very productive ....... well done. Despite being admitted to an orphange, Charles seems to have grown into a responsible adult, and that's lovely to hear, his experience probably made him a stronger person. This hobby of ours can be very rewarding, interesting, but also upsetting. I do however find it compelling, and though I too have unearthed sadness I've also discovered some nice facts. I used to dwell on the upsetting stuff, but no longer do as there's nothing which can change history. Wishing you more productive research