Western Road School Sheffield War Memorial - Help needed

[Ann Baker]

Hi groom

I have. Sorry bit of hectic weekend and playing catch up at the mo. Will email you shortly 

Best Wishes

Ann

[groom]

That's okay, just wanted to check I hadn't sent it to some unsuspecting person! No rush.

[Jomot]

I've only just seen this post - count me in too.  PM sent with my email 

[Ann Baker]

Thanks to everyone who is helping with this. A daunting task but it will really mean a lot to the Crookes community who are pretty excited that you are giving up your time to do this for them, A lot are quite elderly and don't do that 'tinternet thing' and the fact that people are willing to do this for them has just blown them away.

Best Wishes

Ann

[groom]

I'm enjoying it, Ann, and am glad I can help. It was quite a relief in a way, that out of the first batch you sent, I could only find one who died in the war.

[MaxD]

Ann, your point about the present day community prompts another thought.  Where we find a service record for someone, it may be there is a relation who would like to know more about their relative's service and who doesn't do the "internet thing".  I for one would be happy to share my findings further although I can see for you to act as a conduit for that may be too much.

maxD

[groom]

Good idea, Max.

Out of the first batch Ann sent me, there were some that I couldn't find at all after 1911 - no military records, although I know a lot were destroyed, no obvious war deaths, no sign in the 1939 and no later marriages or deaths. It does worry me a bit they may have died in WW1 and I've missed them.

[groom]

Just wondering as I can't find war service records for quite a few of these, would they be exempt from war service if they worked in the steel factories in Sheffield?  For instance I've just found one who was working as a Layer On For File Hardener in 1911 and married 18 May 1918 occupation File scourer, so he doesn't seem to have been in the army.

[MaxD]

Groom - Re both your posts.  The thought that their occupations/skills may have exempted them had occurred to me also - don't know the answer though.

As far as perhaps missing a death in action is concerned, I am quite sure that the good folks of Crookes will be nothing but content that those of us looking have done it to the best of our ability - and anyway I doubt that you will have missed any.  You only have to look at the pleas on Rootschat for info about all sorts of folk to see that people do seem to vanish off the face of the earth quite easily

maxD