RootsChat.Com
General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: jesika jae on Friday 13 December 13 18:49 GMT (UK)
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Great granddad
My search for my maternal grandfather is frustrating and bewildering. Despite a tremendous amount of information, including his regiment and numbers, I still cannot, even with the help of Rootschat experts (many thanks) determine which of many possibles he is.
So – try for GREAT granddad.
Same name James Kelly
Same address 3 Bells Yard, Westgate, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire at the marriage of his 20 year old son (Jan 1916)
Same occupation miner
Different regiment Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
And at least 20 years older which would surely make it easier – wouldn't it?
I have 14 possible medal card numbers relating to James Kelly, KOYLI or YLI
2 for James P Kelly
2 for J Kelly
and 2 for William J Kelly
They range from Royal Field Artillary to MGC, Rifle Brigade and Labour Corps (older men perhaps?), Royal Engineers (miner – tunnels?) and Training Reserve Battalions.
I have so much but can't go forward.
I am waiting for information from the KOYLI and mining museums one of which may provide the missing link, giving great granddad's birth date (estimate around 1870) or perhaps the name of his wife.
Larkspur (Nottinghamshire) and Cashew (WW1) have helped enormously and I thank them, but that elusive final clue is still to be found.
I really hope someone can find great granddad James Kelly and through him, my grandfather.
Many thanks
jesika
James Kelly 1895-1927 (http://James Kelly 1895-1927)
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Hi
Same address 3 Bells Yard, Westgate, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire at the marriage of his 20 year old son (Jan 1916)
Just a small point - the address on a marriage cert is that of the groom - not necessarily that of his parents
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Many thanks, hadn't considered that, but because of family information and because granddad was between trips "abroad" at the date of his marriage, I doubt he would have had his own home. But I suppose he could have been a lodger at this address.
Hopefully the KOYLI Museum or the Mining Museum will have more details
j
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If grandfather James was born 1896 - he will be on the 1901/1911 censuses. Although his address on his marriage cert was Nottingham - was he actually born there or did he just live there before/after his marriage?
The 1901 has a 5yr old James W Kelly b Notts with a coalminer father James aged 30 b Shropshire & mother Elizabeth 29 b Notts
Has this entry already been eliminated?
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I think this James W was killed in the war.
My grandparents moved to Yorkshire before 1920. I have no idea where granddad was born, his life for me begins when he married grandmother in 1916 and ended 11 years later when he died.
Thank you
j
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Where did you get the info from that James snr served with the KOYLI?
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You should check the address in the 1918-19 electoral roll. Serving soldiers are often listed, and it may give his number. You should also ask the local record office if there was an Absent Voters List for that area.
Ken
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Carole, thank you.
On granddad's marriage certificate it gives his father's name and occupation as "James Kelly, private KOYL Infantry (coal miner).
Granddad himself is "James Kelly, private 1/3rd Batt Sherwood Foresters (Coal miner).
j
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Ken, thank you. I didn't know about this route, presumably through Mansfield Council. Something for Monday, or can this be found on line if you know where to look?
j
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Ken, thanks for the suggestion about the absent voters and electoral roll lists. Sadly, neither remains in Mansfield or Nottinghamshire CC.
j
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Great granddad
My search for my maternal grandfather is frustrating and bewildering. Despite a tremendous amount of information, including his regiment and numbers, I still cannot, even with the help of Rootschat experts (many thanks) determine which of many possibles he is.
So – try for GREAT granddad.
Same name James Kelly
Same address 3 Bells Yard, Westgate, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire at the marriage of his 20 year old son (Jan 1916)
Same occupation miner
Different regiment Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
And at least 20 years older which would surely make it easier – wouldn't it?
I have 14 possible medal card numbers relating to James Kelly, KOYLI or YLI
2 for James P Kelly
2 for J Kelly
and 2 for William J Kelly
They range from Royal Field Artillary to MGC, Rifle Brigade and Labour Corps (older men perhaps?), Royal Engineers (miner – tunnels?) and Training Reserve Battalions.
I have so much but can't go forward.
I am waiting for information from the KOYLI and mining museums one of which may provide the missing link, giving great granddad's birth date (estimate around 1870) or perhaps the name of his wife.
Larkspur (Nottinghamshire) and Cashew (WW1) have helped enormously and I thank them, but that elusive final clue is still to be found.
I really hope someone can find great granddad James Kelly and through him, my grandfather.
Many thanks
jesika
James Kelly 1895-1927 (http://James Kelly 1895-1927)
James seems to have siblings who lived at 3 Bells Yard Mansfield, Nottinghamshire
Catherine Kelly Birth abt 1897
Death 3 Aug 1944 in 20 Watt St, The Meadows Nottingham
m Mar 1916
1/ Isaac Howcroft 1895 – 1916 (KOYLI )
2/ John Thomas Featherstone 1891 – in Mar 1919 of 18 Bells Yard Mansfield, Nottinghamshire
also
Margaret Kelly b abt 1894 m 1929 John William Bellamy
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Thanks to the brilliant work of Jeff who was looking for his wife's grandmother, I now know I had an Aunt Catherine, James Jr's sister.
Jeff searched diligently and found a death record in Nottingham for James Sr who died in 1951, age 76.
James Jr & Catherine still remain "motherless" but the names James & Catherine are used in each generation we are aware of. Was Greatgran a Catherine too?
Once again Jeff has found a possible candidate and we await 2 certificates which may resolve the problem.
Many thanks to Jeff for what he's doing, for contacting me and being patient with my ineptitude and slowness (I blame my bus pass!)
On a side issue, I have discovered several generations of the family of the man I knew as Granddad George, so I have learned SOME lessons! ;D
j
250215
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It is not entirely certain that James Kelly (1875) was the father of James Kelly (1896), my granddad, but circumstances strongly suggest he was.
Ellen Slattery (1874) & James Kelly (1875) grew up on the same street in Whitwick, Leicestershire, would have attended the same school and almost certainly knew each other.
No trace of James Kelly (1896) could be found, but several people in the Leicestershire forum looked for "baby Slattery". Arthur was born May 22 1896 in Ashby de la Zouch Workhouse and subsequently disappeared, not growing up, marrying, dying, appearing in any census.
March 8 1897, Ellen Slattery married James Kelly.
In the 1901 census, they were in Yorkshire with 3 children, 4 year old James, 3 year old Catherine & baby Thomas, 10 months.
The evidence is compelling that Baby Arthur Slattery became James Kelly, my grandfather, and that his name was changed, possibly because Ellen had a young brother, Arthur, and James (gt G) wanted to re-use his own name.
I know that James Kelly lived until 1951, dying in Nottingham, a later daughter shares his grave.
Ellen died 4 years later in Rotherham.
James, my granddad, was 30 when he died, from TB, in Yorkshire.
Now his grave is marked & both his daughters are with him.
I thank all who helped in this difficult and frustrating search.
300416
jj