A website to members of the resistance movements in the Channel Islands is being prepared. I am currently helping with the research on Joseph Gillingham, who is a brother of Elsie. This is what I have found so far:
Birth registration of Joseph John Gillingham recorded as 12th September 1901 at St. Sampson. Father Joseph John Gillingham. Mother Mary Jane. nee Le Moun.
1881 census
John Gillingham living with parents and three siblings at 20 Vaubert Road, St. Peter Port. Mother Ellen was born in St. Peter Port
1891 census
Jack Gillingham, born circa 1874 in St. Peter Port and a stone breaker, with widowed father Job Gillingham, born circa 1849 in Cornwall and a stone journeyman, his scholar siblings Henry (14) and Albert (11), both born in St. Peter Port and grandmother Hannah Napoleon, aged 69 and born in Wiltshire.
1901 census
Joseph and Jane Gillingham living at Nocq Road, St. Sampson. Joseph born circa 1875 and Jane born circa 1879. Joseph a stone cracker. Joseph born in St. Peter Port. Jane born in France, but a naturalised citizen. Daughter Elsie born in St. Sampson aged six months, so would have been born in late 1900,
1911 census
Joseph Gillingham, aged 9, and his father Joseph Gillingham, aged 38 and a general labourer born in St. Peter Port, were lodgers of Thomas Legg and his wife Louise margaret, both aged 69, at Le Bouet, Guernsey.
Joseph John Gillingham, born in St. Sampson on Guernsey circa 1901 on the regimental roll of the Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment. Service npo. 5486845. Transferred to the Hampshire Regiment on 4th April 1927. Trade on enlistment: labourer.
Trees on Ancestry show Job was born in Truro in 1853. His parents were George Gillingham, born 1808 in Somerset) and Hannah Griffin (born 1821 in Wiltshire). He had five siblings - Eiza (born 1854, Alverstoke, Hants), James (born 1856 in Catherington, Hampshire), Amy Louisa (born 1858 in Vale, Guernsey), William (born 1859 in Vale, Guernsey) and Mary Ann (born 1862 in Vale). .In 1861 Job (aged 9) was living with his partents in Vale Hill, Vale. .In 1871 census the family was living at 4 New Road, St. Peter Port. Job married Ellen James (born 1843, place not known) but date not known. Job and Ellen had four sons - John, Arthur (born 1878), Henry (born 1878) and Albert (born 1881). We have to remember that trees often contain errors, which are repeated as information is exchanged. Genealogists should always double-check, before accepting tree information as gospel.
There are four more trees held by Ancestry, but these are private and for information requests have to be made to the owners
In the 1881 census Hannah is shown as Hannah Napoleon, married and a mariner's wife, but "mariner's wife" has a line through it. Had George recently died? Address 50 Cornet Street, St. Peter Port.
Via Google you can find a number of references to Joseph's incarceration.
On 4th June 1944, Joseph Gillingham was deported to Naumberg prison, south of Leipzig in Germany, for publishing a clandestine newspaper. On his release date, 2nd February 1945, he was given permission to say goodbye to his brother-in-law, Ernie Legg, who also was deported for the same offence. After that, he was never seen again. He was oficially declared dead in 1947. My search continues
I have passed on your rquest from 2012 to the producer of the website, a Cambridge researcher. You may hear from her directly.
Brian
