Great Grandfather died in WW1 im starting to think not

[DavyTee68]

One is the fact that he was 52 in 1915 and in a reserved occupation as a miner. I have seen other records of men in their 40's who were refused entry due to age at that time. So I doubt a 52 year old would have been snapped up at the very beginning of the war.

I think this is important. I doubt very much if he would be accepted at that age, at that stage of the war unless he had already been in the army. Also, if the 1911 says that his wife is a widow, and that is true, he can't possibly have fought in WW1.

I wonder if he had left the family and the story was told to the children to cover it up?

I think that may be the case Groom. I'm gonna search Durham Prison records when the Records office reopens after Christmas just in case he was there.
I asked my father years ago would he like to do his family history and he said " you dont wanna go there, far too many Black Sheep".

[DavyTee68]

I couldn't see a remarriage either.  That might be because one or other is still married to someone else.

I tend to agree that the WW1 story is just what the children were told.  William has left her and they are told he died in WW1.

My Grandfather was 8 in 1911 though and Martha Widowed then allegedly so where did he think he was for four years before the war 

[DavyTee68]

Is there an Ancestry/FindMyPast search for Bigamists 
Actually now I remember his Father John Morland Turner did the same thing he had a mistress and disappeared from the 1901 Census

[isobelw]

Has the 1906 Lanchester death definitely been checked? I know the report says a certificate was  checked but was not for him, but there are no further details given. Not impossible that the child born in 1907 wasn't his.
Isobel

[JenB]

Has the 1906 Lanchester death definitely been checked? I know the report says a certificate was  checked but was not for him, but there are no further details given. Not impossible that the child born in 1907 wasn't his.

Yes, what were the exact details on the death certificate?

[DavyTee68]

23rd Jan 1906 William Turner 42 year old Assurance Agent Tanfield Lanchester

I'll have to order John George Turner Birth cert I suppose to see father was

[jonw65]

There are some electoral registers, but they are arranged by streets not by people's names.

The ones in question were arranged by surnames. At least those few in the early 1900s that I had time to look at.
Last appearance of William Turner as per 1901 census was the 1902 electoral register
Electoral Polling District Hamsterley
Parish or Township Medomsley
William Turner at 117 Hamsterley Colliery

If anyone wants to attempt to pin him down afterwards they are on findmypast.

[JenB]

I messaged RC military expert MaxD about this thread and asked for his opinion on it from a military viewpoint. This is what he says (He gave me permission to quote from his Personal Message)

Folk have covered all the bases I would look at.  The genealogist didn't scour all the W Turners on the CWGC site so I had a look extending the search criteria to the whole war and age at death to 40-55 (allowing for some dissembling about his age).  Zilch.  The most likely explanation is the one the OP gives in his very first post, a story to cover up something else.  Nothing else come to mind from the military angle I'm afraid.

[DavyTee68]

I messaged RC military expert MaxD about this thread and asked for his opinion on it from a military viewpoint. This is what he says (He gave me permission to quote from his Personal Message)

Folk have covered all the bases I would look at.  The genealogist didn't scour all the W Turners on the CWGC site so I had a look extending the search criteria to the whole war and age at death to 40-55 (allowing for some dissembling about his age).  Zilch.  The most likely explanation is the one the OP gives in his very first post, a story to cover up something else.  Nothing else come to mind from the military angle I'm afraid.

Excellent Thanks for that Jen