George and Helen Robertson, Melksham

[Patrizia]

Does anyone on here have in their family tree this family or better still have members of their family that lived in the area of Church Walk, Melksham that may recall this family in the early 1900, they appear in the 1901 census. They had by this time 3 grown up children, Robert, George and John Oglivie aged 18, 14 and 11.  By the 1911 census Helen was widow I know her husband George died in 1908. I am trying to establish if George junior was my grandfather he was born in Glasgow in 1887 and his father George was a railway engine fitter. I have found the birth which matches this couple in Scotland but by 1911 on the England census George is living at home working as a joiner.  However this must either be an error or he is not my grandfather who joined the Army in 1908 until 1917.  However a researcher who I found by official sources ( after my 18 months of failed attemps of false lines) suggests that this is my grandfather but how can he be if he was in the Army in 1911?  His Army records were burnt. Could the entry in the 1911 England census be an error?  The returns were completed by the son John Oglivie who was an engineer draughtsman so no chance of him not understanding the requirements of the census return.  I am totally confused any help appreciated please.       

[chempat]

Why does the researcher believe this is the family?

Have you found the family in 1881?

Could you grandfather have left the army by 1911, and then rejoined in 1914?

No-one on here will be able to recall this family in the 1900's, unfortunately.

[chempat]

Were they in Bexley in 1891?

And in Burntisland in 1881?

[Patrizia]

Chempat yes that is correct.  I know it was a long shot but I had hoped I may have found someone a decendent from a family that lived in Melksham in this period that may have recalled their grandparents make reference to this family so I could clarify if this George Robertson was in fact living in Melksham in 1911 like this researcher suggests. Although I had already dismissed this family in 2013 along with many previous and latter false leads on so many lines that in desperation I asked for official help. I do not like to dismiss a more experienced persons theory as certain parts do appear as though they could be correct up to 1911.  However as I have only two original documents one being my grandparents marriage certificate and the other an army form B 2079 which gives details of his service number date 6.11.1908 and place of enlistment the reason for discharge and time served 8 yrs and 338 days with the colours (which must have meant he served in the regular army as lines are drawn through Army Reserve and there is no mention of Territorial Army which began 1908. If I base my conclusions on this alone then if he was in the regular army and even if home on leave on the date of the census return then surely the person completing the form would have written military or army on the returns and not joiner.  Even joiner did does not tie in with the info on his marriage certificate when steel grinder is listed as employment as he married my Nan Dec 1917 one month after leaving the Army.  This is really difficult because I would like to think that after years of searching I had eventually found him due to the 1911 census returns I feel this is yet again incorrect and I need to start all over again but I have exhausted everything I can think of.
         

[rosie99]

However as I have only two original documents one being my grandparents marriage certificate

Maybe we would be better looking back from what you can prove.  What information does the marriage certificate give.  Do the army records give age / place of birth

[Patrizia]

Here is a link to one of many of my previos postings in the lanarkshire message board http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=681587.0

[rosie99]

George senr (1908)  Robert (1909) and John Ogilvie (1946) are all buried at Melksham. 

Where and when did Helen die. 

[glenclare]

I think this is Hellen's death

http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?r=188723794:4818&d=bmd_1414456093&scan=1

[Regorian]

Early 20th Century is not ancient history as far as family history research goes. Have you considered joining Wiltshire FHS and asking there. Melksham was not a large town, still isn't actually. The population would cover surrounding area and I doubt there was much migration to the cities. So, on the one hand there are likely to be many families from the past still there or around. Against that is that few people will be interested in family history. Worth trying though.