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Topics - AndreaWil

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Armed Forces / Peter Alan Weston Stevens - Military Career?
« on: Tuesday 02 July 19 11:54 BST (UK)  »
Hi All,

I have another thread on my Gran's cousin over on the beginners board with some background / additional information here:
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=814989.0

In summary, I can't find nay record of Peter from his birth until his death was announced in the 1951 Probate Calendar.

His death was reported as occurring in Tripolitania, Tripoli, Libya so I wonder whether he might have been there in a military capacity.  I can't find any records of him in military service on any of my searches in Ancestry or Findmypast so I'm not having much luck.

Someone has helpfully suggested that I apply to MoD for any service records but without a death certificate I can't start this process.  I'm hoping that the probate records might suffice but would this mean, given that I don't know which area he might have served in, applying separately to Army, Navy etc?

Does anyone have any other suggestions about how I might go about finding out whether he was in Libya with the military?  I'm quite baffled.

Thanks,
Andrea

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Family History Beginners Board / Peter Alan Weston Stevens - At a loss
« on: Saturday 29 June 19 11:08 BST (UK)  »
Hello everyone,

I'm still relatively new to family history so would very much appreciate some help tracing my Gran's  cousin Peter Alan Weston Stevens.  I don't seem to be able to find any trace of him at all from the day he was born until his death.

What I know so far is:
Born - 2nd Dec 1922 in Hammersmith (18 Hilary Road to be exact which just looks like a private residence)
His mother was Henrietta Stevens (b. 1898 in Godstone, Surrey) who listed herself as a Children's Companion on his birth certificate;
Henrietta was not and never was as far as we know married;
There is no father listed and the few family stories we have about him to suggest he was illegitimate but that his father had money;
Shortly after his birth Henrietta moved to Clapham Junction as she registered his birth from 75 Maysoule Road in 11th Jan 1923.  I've checked the electoral rolls for this address in the years preceding and following this and can't find any trace of her or of any relatives;
I lose both mother and son until Henrietta's death in Croydon on 7th April 1937;
She was at this time a domestic housekeeper at 27 Upfield in Croydon but again I haven't been successful finding them on the ER;
Her death was registered by her eldest sister - Alice Lintott of Midhurst, Sussex - but there is no record of her child living with her or any other siblings in the Godstone / Surrey area;
The next record we have for Peter is a probate notice in 1951 stating that he had died 'on or after 3rd Dec 1948 in a place unknown' but had been based in Tripoli, Tripolitania, North Africa;
There's also a handwritten Andrew's Index Card with similar information on 9th May 1951.

I really am stumped and feel I must be missing something very obvious as a beginner but I have looked for him on the 1939 census by name, I've searched by birthday in case he changed his name, I've checked the residences of known relatives, can't seem to find on leaving the country at all and haven't found any service or school records for him.

I'm assuming the middle name 'Weston' might have something to do with his father so I've searched on that too.

Also, I can't find any actual record of his death. He doesn't appear on the GRO and I've searched deaths abroad and haven't found him.  Is it possible that someone can not have a formal death certificate even if this is granted sometime after an assumed death?

I'm sure this is user error but I'm not sure where to go next. 

My Gran and great uncle are still alive and it would be nice to find out what happened to their mysterious cousin.

Andrea  :)

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