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Hi All, I'm looking into William Ewart Stanley ROBERTS on behalf of someone else and I need a bit of help interpreting his medal roll.
There are a couple of numbers quoted on the medal card:
Certif. or Dis. A. 358940 and RS2 No 359791
Do either of these numbers help find his military record number?  Although his full name should be helpful, when reduced to William E is it very hard to find his death cert/details (family tale is he died in WWI).
Many thanks, FionaO

Hi All,

During a recent family gathering I heard a tale in connection with a family member and I'm trying to find out if it is true or not.
What I know to be true is that Violet Ivy OAKLEY was killed on 29 Nov 1940 as a result of injuries sustained when one of her sons brought home an unexploded bomb he'd found while out playing.  It then promptly blew up in his mothers hands! (Said child survived but lost half of one hand, part of his stomach and had to live with what he had done.)
Her death is included in the list of civilian casualties during WWII, so all appears to tie up.

Now I have been told there were also twins present when said mother died but I can't find any record of their births and have not previously heard of their deaths. Having looked on FindMyPast I can't see any press reports of this tragedy in the nationals about that date.

So my query is which local newspaper would cover a death in North Road, Streatham, London, November 1940? Or an inquest which would have been held?  And further, where can these papers/fiche be viewed?  And finally, if anybody is able and willing to have a look for me?

Hopeful as ever,
Fionaohyoucouldn'tmakeitup

Here’s hoping someone can help me please.

I have one GRO birth:
Harriet SABEY, 1845 QJ, Huntingdon Union, Vol 14. Mother: FLOWERS

I have two census:
1851 Census*:  Clara H SABEY, dau of Thomas & Ann, aged  6 (1845), born Godmanchester
1861 Census*: Harriet SABEY, dau of Ann, Widow, aged 16 (1845), born Godmanchester
* Same family as other names and dates are consistent.  I also have censuses with George Edward  SMITH from 1871 to 1901, always Clara H or Clara Harriet, always b 1845 Godmanchester.

Then things get conflicting:
I have a couple of baptisms:
Clara Harriet SABY, bapt 25 Apr 1848 dau of Thomas & Ann, Godmanchester, item 6 page 77; DOB noted 23 Mar 1848
Harriet SABEY, bapt 19 Jan 1847 dau of Thomas & Ann, Godmanchester, item 6 page 69.

And then a couple of marriages:
Clara Harriet SABY marr George Edward SMITH, 1869 Godmanchester
Harriet SABEY marr George MILLS, 1873 St Neots Hunt’shire

Ideally I’d only like one of each – I can’t seem to find any images online to check and so was wondering if any Rootster can do a lookup or otherwise as abode and or occupation may help to tell whether there are 2 different peeps or whether the transcriptions were tricky.

Part of my Smith Struggle is trying to find a Great Aunt who from family tales emigrated to New Zealand.  Unfortunately her name was Elsie SMITH and her parents renowned for their flexibility about facts.  I have however, just found out her birth name was actually Elsie Smith SULLIVAN which puts a different slant on things.

So, I was wondering whether she would have needed to have a copy of her birth certificate in order to obtain a passport?  The only known facts are that she was born in Doncaster in Q3 1901 (cert on order); left the UK and lived in NZ;  came back to the UK, prob in 1978 having sold her doll collection to pay the fare, but didn't like it here so went back early to NZ.

If she married, or when she left the UK is not know.

Any ideas?