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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: Pricey4848 on Monday 05 April 21 19:13 BST (UK)
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Trying to locate service records for Captain James Arthur Parkes born around 1854 Manchester.
1881 Scotland Census shows him as "Sergeant 26th Regt" living in Lanarkshire with wife Margaret and family.
In 1891 Scotland Census he is living in Hamilton Barracks and is " Quarter Master Army"
In 1891 he is living in Manchester and occupation is Army Officer Infantry ? Captain? under name Jas Arthur Parkes.
1911 in Manchester he is a retired Army Officer.
He died in Manchester in 1917 and his Headstone says Captain Jason Arthur Parkes.
Any help appreciated.
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https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/2017/09/james-arthur-parkes-from-chorlton.html
Sandra
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https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/2017/09/james-arthur-parkes-from-chorlton.html
Sandra
Thanks Sandra......im struggling to locate any service records at all given he had served it appears for 20 plus years
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A couple of promotions from The Gazette:
1887 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/25771/page/7301 (bottom of column 1)
1892 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/26268/page/1514 (third from bottom, column 1)
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Ancestry has things like this listed but available on fold 3 - is this him ?
James Arthur Parkes - Birth Date 14 May 1853
Military Year 1902 - Regiment Durham L I
Rank Quarter Master.
James Arthur Parkes - Birth Date 14 May 1853
Military Year 1915 - Regiment Durham L I
Rank Quarter Master.
James Arthur Parkes - Birth Date 14 May 1853
Military Year 1916 - Regiment: Durham L I
Rank Quarter Master.
Sandra
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See https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/british-army-officers-1913/ if you think he was an officer. I've tried both WO25 and WO76 and haven't found him. Now I have failed to find a man who I know was an officer in these series, so there are gaps.
Another route is to search the Army List for relevant years - many are online as books - and again this is officers only.
If he was Other Ranks, then see https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/british-army-soldiers-up-to-1913/
Seeing the Gazette notices, I wonder if Hon Lt counted as an officer for the purposes of record keeping? I think this would point me to the Army List from his (hon) promotion, but to the OR records for previous service. There's an off-chance the Cameronians museum in Hamilton could help you, or even the Durham LI museum; on the whole museums don't have records of individual officers or men, unless they came to prominence for a specific reason.
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This is from the October 1916 Army List - "non-effective officers" section:
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See https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/british-army-officers-1913/ if you think he was an officer. I've tried both WO25 and WO76 and haven't found him. Now I have failed to find a man who I know was an officer in these series, so there are gaps.
Another route is to search the Army List for relevant years - many are online as books - and again this is officers only.
If he was Other Ranks, then see https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/british-army-soldiers-up-to-1913/
Seeing the Gazette notices, I wonder if Hon Lt counted as an officer for the purposes of record keeping? I think this would point me to the Army List from his (hon) promotion, but to the OR records for previous service. There's an off-chance the Cameronians museum in Hamilton could help you, or even the Durham LI museum; on the whole museums don't have records of individual officers or men, unless they came to prominence for a specific reason.
Thanks - Ill try that route too
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Ancestry has things like this listed but available on fold 3 - is this him ?
James Arthur Parkes - Birth Date 14 May 1853
Military Year 1902 - Regiment Durham L I
Rank Quarter Master.
James Arthur Parkes - Birth Date 14 May 1853
Military Year 1915 - Regiment Durham L I
Rank Quarter Master.
James Arthur Parkes - Birth Date 14 May 1853
Military Year 1916 - Regiment: Durham L I
Rank Quarter Master.
Sandra
Yes thats our man...ill try fold too now
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This is from the June 1901 Army List: "Non-Effective Officers, Quartermasters with honorary rank of Captain".
The column headings are date of birth; date of first commission; regiment from which retired and date of retirement; and date of honorary rank.
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There's a photograph at Durham Record Office:
Ref: D/DLI 2/4/358
Group photograph of officers of the 3rd Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry, at Deerbolt Camp, Barnard Castle, 1896
Standing: Captain Paske, Lieutenant E.C.Sowerby, Captain Jolley, Lieutenant and Quartermaster Parkes,
http://www.durhamrecordoffice.org.uk/article/11111?SearchType=Param&CatRef=D%2FDLI+2&ImagesOnly=Y&Display=50&Page=189&ItemID=165097
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There's a photograph at Durham Record Office:
Ref: D/DLI 2/4/358
Group photograph of officers of the 3rd Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry, at Deerbolt Camp, Barnard Castle, 1896
Standing: Captain Paske, Lieutenant E.C.Sowerby, Captain Jolley, Lieutenant and Quartermaster Parkes,
http://www.durhamrecordoffice.org.uk/article/11111?SearchType=Param&CatRef=D%2FDLI+2&ImagesOnly=Y&Display=50&Page=189&ItemID=165097
thanks Ill order the photo
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https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/2017/09/james-arthur-parkes-from-chorlton.html
Sandra
Thanks Sandra......im struggling to locate any service records at all given he had served it appears for 20 plus years
If he reengaged during WW1, even for limited service, then his military record would have become active again and he would have accrued further ‘pensionable service’. Along with all other WW1 records his service file would then have been stored in a large warehouse in Arnside Road, London Docks. In an incendiary bombing raid by the Luftwaffe 5/6th of the stored records were completely destroyed and the remaining 1/6th damaged by smoke and water from fire hoses. These latter are known as the burnt records and it’s rather a lottery as to whose records might have survived in that portion. If you cannot find his military record through online channels then that is probably what happened to them.