Duncan Taylor with two lives.

[Karytay]

This is getting more confusing by the minute 
I was told that Duncan was the oldest of six children. This is by his niece. He signed up on the 16/4/1918
Then came James b about 1899, Saltcoats I have a picture of him in uniform standing with his mother. My aunt told me he had been married and she thinks he had a daughter. I have requested his army records. Still waiting for them.
Then Archibald b 1901 Saltcoats which is correct I have his birth certificate. My grandfather.
Then Margaret maybe? have no dates for her she married a Gerald Bunt Stayed in Durban.
Then Campbell maybe? have no dates for him or any iaother info.
Then Robert Percy Howden b. 25 March 1922 Germistion South Africa, d. 21 Oct 1944 Killed in action in Italy WWII This man there is something not quite right with his details either, that's another story.

Thanks annep5892, Yes Mary did not like South Africa and packed up hr children and when back to Scotland. This was told to me by my aunt. So if this is them I am even more confused! because now Duncan is the younger with this info.
Or are there more children that what I was told?

Yes James in the WWI and Archie in WWII still waiting for army records to come.

[anne_p]

In the traditional naming pattern, the 1st son is named for his father's father.
( the father of John Campbell Taylor was called Duncan Taylor)

John C Taylor did name his 1st son Duncan, but the child died in 1899.
As per tradition the name was reused.
It is not given in memory of the child who died, but for the original reason.... named after John C Taylor's father.


I presume that even although Mary did not like SA and returned home in 1905, she must have gone back to SA at some point to if she is the mother of the other children.

I was looking at John C Taylor on census records and it looks like he was the eldest son in his own family.
He too had younger brothers named Archibald and Duncan. Did either of them end up in SA?

[loobylooayr]

Apologies I did not mean to confuse by suggesting that Duncan was named after his brother

So what I'm suggesting is could Duncan have been maybe 1 year younger born circa 1899 and named after his recently deceased brother?

I just phrased it awkwardly. I meant named after his brother was deceased  
As I said it was common practice to reuse a grandparents name after a child died.

It would be best to check the 1902 birth out on ScotlandsPeople. If young Duncan aged 15 did sign up in 1918 he may well have kept the same birthday- 30th NOVEMBER- but altered the year to make himself 4 years older

Looby

[Karytay]

Yes Mary did return later and stayed for good. She died in Durban about 1952 nor sure.

John Campbell's brothers did not come to South Africa. Archibald died in Glasgow and he was married to  Janet Draper b. 1880

Duncan Taylor have no info on him.
Just thinking could it be possible that the army records be that of John's brother Duncan and the info on the records is all wrong. Being the youngest he stayed with his brother.?

looby it could very well be, maybe that is what happened. I just got a thought now, I always thought that James was the oldest. Growing up that's what I heard. But then sometime ago my aunt told me that Duncan that died in the war was the oldest. I am now wondering if she has mixed everything up. Her mind is not like it use to be, very forgetful and confused.

[josey]

It would be best to check the 1902 birth out on ScotlandsPeople. If young Duncan aged 15 did sign up in 1918 he may well have kept the same birthday- 30th NOVEMBER- but altered the year to make himself 4 years older

And he appears to have 'stolen' the identity of his deceased older brother with the same name, so that any birth could be checked up on if he looked younger than his supposed age [which he probably did]....

Josey

[loobylooayr]

The first Duncan has date of birth 28th April 1898.
The second Duncan (from army records) has date of birth 30th November 1898.

I think he knocked a few years off to enlist.

I have a gg-uncle who emigrated to Australia pre WW1- enlisted using a made up name as his forename and his mother's maiden name as his surname, added 2 years to his age, gave his mother as next of kin with her maiden name and correct street address but in a different town! And he was in his 20s. Don't know why the subtefuge?? But apparently it happened quite often.
So he fought for 2 years as John McLean (his real name was Andrew Harvey) and was only found out after he was injured in 1918 towards the end of the war.
If I was you I'd definitely check out the 1902 Duncan's birthday on SP
Looby

[anne_p]

It doesn't surprise me that your aunt thought Duncan was the eldest child.
At the time of his death in 1918, his eldest surviving brother  James, could only have been about 20-21yrs old.
If this was my family, without documentation, I think that I would have made the same assumption.

If the man named Duncan Taylor who died in France 1918 was the son of John Campbell Taylor and Mary Stevely, it means that he was underage when he enlisted and was only about 16 or 17yrs old when he died.

John Campbell Taylor had a brother called Duncan,  born circa 1880 and more than 20yrs older than his nephew of the same name.
I don't think they could be confused with each other
He was still in Saltcoats at 1901 aged 21yrs, living with his aunt Janet Campbell.

 1881 Hamilton St, Saltcoats   

Marion Taylor   36 Sailors wife
John C Taylor   6 **
Archie Taylor   3
Duncan Taylor   1

1891 38 Hamilton St, Saltcoats
Janet Campbell   37 Head
Mary Taylor   21 Niece
John Taylor   16 Nephew *
Archibald Taylor   13 Nephew
Duncan Taylor   11 Nephew *

1901: 38 Hamilton St, Saltcaots
Jannet Campbell   49
Duncan Taylor   21 * Engine Fitter

[josey]

Couldn't resist so I've blown some SP credits!

Duncan Taylor born 08:40 on 29 Nov 1902, Union Street Saltcoats registered 2 Dec by father John Campbell Taylor dynamite worker. Marriage stated to be 14 Jul 1897, so a day out on both dates 

[Karytay]

josey I was just thinking about the exact samething except he did not give the exact date, if they checked they would of found that he died years before. so as looby said he changed it a bit.
Now both his brothers James and Archie joined the army to fight in the first world war.
Archibald was also to young to join and once I get his army records I will know if he gave the wrong dates. So if he did it, what was going to stop the younger brother form doing it.

And about Scotlands people I cannot lookup on the site for I do not have a credit card. I tried my debt card but it did not work.

Thanks josey, a day out does that make any difference? They did stay in Union Street No.1