RootsChat.Com

Like many people, I have ancestors with workhouse connections, including one old lady who died in the workhouse infirmary in 1909. There's no other evidence to show that she was a workhouse resident, so I'm curious to know whether she necessarily was one, or whether she might just have been admitted to the infirmary when she became ill. Many thanks for any answers people might have.

A quick question - my g.g.g.father joined the South Wales Borderers in 1879, when he was 17, and gave his age as 18, is this because under-18s weren't allowed to enlist?

Does anyone know of a standard way to record occupations on a paper family tree? Do they go before or after the death date? What if someone changed his (or her) occupation?

This is a humble request for advice from a novice in the wonderful world of military genealogy.

I want to know whether a man was a soldier or not. I know his name (George Hoose), approximate date of birth (abt 1859) and birthpace (Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire), but haven't found any record of him after the 1871 census, nor do I have any idea what regiment he may have joined.

So why do I think he might have been a soldier? Well, his brother John married a lady called Annie Goodman, who already had a small son - my great-grandfather. He was born Herbert William Goodman, but always thereafter known as William Herbert Hoose.

Now William Herbert/Herbert William married twice, in 1905 and 1916, and both marriage certificates identify his father as the deceased GEORGE HOOSE! In 1905, WH gave 'Labourer' as George's occupation - but in 1916 'Private Soldier'.

Of course I realise that this George might have been a complete fiction, attractive thought it is to imagine the young soldier perhaps dying in combat, leaving his sweetheart to bear their child in shame, yet eventually to be comforted by his brother.

But I can't help thinking that finding records of any military career could solve the question, or at least make it far more probable that George is my great-great-grandfather. The problem is, I have read that it is very difficult to trace military ancestors without knowing their regiment.

So - do I have any hope?