RootsChat.Com

Hi my wife's four/five times great grandfather was born in Frant in about 1827. Is it possible that there are any records from that time that could verify this?

There is an Army Pension record for Edmund Mellor bc.1888 Darlington who enlisted on 2/9/1914 in 10th K.R.R.C. which is clearly your man as refers to wife Gertrude Harrold (married Register Office, Aston 17/1/1909), plus the 3 children he had at that time.   However, the record goes on to state he was discharged on 20/10/1914 due to 'defective eyesight' which would suggest that he didn't take part in the war after all.

Did he therefore re-enlist later into the Worcester Regiment or is that medal record for another Edmund Mellor?   

So, both army record plus 1911 census state he was born in Darlington.

There are some confusing trees on Ancestry (in that some contradict each other) regarding him the main consensus being he was the John Edmund Williams birth June.1888 West Bromwich, Staffs.

1891 census showing:

William Mellor  bc.1863     Cannock, Staffs.
Emma Mellor   bc.1864     Monmouthshire
Jessica Mellor   bc.1888    Burton on Trent
John E. Mellor   bc.1888    Darlaston
Emma Mellor    bc.1890

In 1894 William Mellor married an Annie Bosson Sept.1894 Stoke upon Trent.

It would appear that William and 'first' wife Emma were not actually married but as the 3 children shown in 1891 were all registered as Williams one would assume Emma's maiden name was Williams.

So, one could argue that 'Darlaston' was misheard when he enlisted and recorded as Darlington BUT since Edmund himself filled out 1911 census form and entered 'Darlington' that doesn't pan out.

I think you definitely need to get a copy of his 1909 marriage certificate to confirm if his father was indeed the William referred to above.   None of the trees I looked at seemed to have any real 'proof' and don't know if their recorded findings are pure conjecture or not.  I, personally, wouldn't want to go down this 'route' without some further evidence, the marriage certificate being the first port of call.

Annette

Hi Annette,

I have got a copy of the wedding certificate for Edmund and Gertrude and Edmund's father is called William, which would tie in with the census record for 1891 where he is called John E. Williams. In the 1901 census I have not been able to locate either an Edmund or  a John. E. Williams as of yet.

Why Darlington is mentioned in both his attestation papers and the 1911 census I can only guess at.

According to my grandmother's birth certificate and my great-grandmother's death certificate (she died a couple of weeks after giving birth to my grandmother) he was a private in the 1st battalion Worcestershire Regiment but after that he disappears into the stratosphere unless he changed his name back to Williams, which is quite possible after what has been discovered so far.

Many thanks

Adam

Quote from: adnams74 on Sunday 04 September 16 21:23 BST (UK)

............................... It is suggested that he was from Darlington, but it is possible that he was from Staffordshire..............................................

Now that's interesting, there is a Edmund Mellor born 1889 married to a Gertrude on the last census, he is shown as being born in Darlington but they are living in Oldbury Staffordshire in 1911.

Frank.

Yes I assume that is my great grandfather from all of my research but quite why his army records say he was was Darlington is a total mystery.

you don't say were Alfred alexander stone was born

He was born in Tipton, Staffordshire.

My other great-grandfather was George Langford of Burton upon Trent who was born approx 1893. I cannot locate him on the 1911 census but as he was between 21 and 25 during the period of the first world war I can only assume that he may have been conscripted and served during that period but am having difficulty finding him. Another great-grandfather Alfred Alexander Stone was born in 1884 and would also have been the correct age to serve during the first world war but again I have not been able to find anything of either of these people. Any help would be fantastic.

Adam Stone