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World War Two / Re: Royal West African Frontier Force
« on: Yesterday at 13:30 »
Thanks. That gives an overview, but doesn't answer my questions.
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2
World War Two / Royal West African Frontier Force
« on: Yesterday at 10:10 »
My father was conscripted into the RAMC in 1940 and served throughout WW2 as a nursing orderly. I have now found out that in 1946 he went to Sierra Leone as part of the Royal West African Frontier Force. I cannot find out very much about this. I am wondering whether my father would have been sent, or whether he would have volunteered for this as it was after the end of hostilities.
Can anyone point me in the right direction please?
Can anyone point me in the right direction please?
3
The Lighter Side / Re: Tracing the Family Doctor from your childhood? A different NHS in the 1940s!
« on: Tuesday 02 April 24 14:36 BST (UK) »
Dr James McDowall. He was a sole practitioner working out of his study at home. It was one of those Edwardian houses with a square hall and we all sat in there waiting to be called into the inner sanctum.
As per his name, he was a Scot and could be dour with it. When one of our neighbours went to see him with concerns about falling hair, his response was to say "What are you worrying about? You can get a wig on the National Health!"
Despite that, he could be very kind. He came out on Christmas morning when I had measles as a three year old, and he took me to hospital wrapped in a blanket in the back of his car when I had appendicitis as a nine year old, and visited without being asked to when he knew I was out of hospital the following week.
When I looked him up on Ancestry some time ago, I was surprised to find that he graduated only twenty or so years before I knew him, so would have been, from where I am now, still a relatively young man, although he seemed old and serious to me.
As per his name, he was a Scot and could be dour with it. When one of our neighbours went to see him with concerns about falling hair, his response was to say "What are you worrying about? You can get a wig on the National Health!"
Despite that, he could be very kind. He came out on Christmas morning when I had measles as a three year old, and he took me to hospital wrapped in a blanket in the back of his car when I had appendicitis as a nine year old, and visited without being asked to when he knew I was out of hospital the following week.
When I looked him up on Ancestry some time ago, I was surprised to find that he graduated only twenty or so years before I knew him, so would have been, from where I am now, still a relatively young man, although he seemed old and serious to me.
4
The Lighter Side / Re: Marrying your dead wife’s sister
« on: Monday 19 February 24 12:39 GMT (UK) »
I've got a situation where one woman married two brothers, but tidily the first one had actually died. This was fudged on the 1911, where the second husband recorded that they had been married somewhat longer than they actually had to ensure that the children of the first marriage (who were of course legitimate) looked legitimate on paper!
My late mother also said that there was someone in the family who married his deceased wife's sister before it was legal and had to go to Australia as a result, but I haven't found him yet.
I suspect it was very common and no-one really cared.
My late mother also said that there was someone in the family who married his deceased wife's sister before it was legal and had to go to Australia as a result, but I haven't found him yet.
I suspect it was very common and no-one really cared.
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Family History Beginners Board / Re: the shame of unmarried pregancy
« on: Tuesday 12 December 23 22:19 GMT (UK) »
See the old Welsh custom of bundling.
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World War One / Re: In which battle was my grandfather injured?
« on: Friday 20 October 23 12:15 BST (UK) »
Thank you @Andy J22 for posting how to get access to war diaries.
I have now managed to download the relevant one and find out how my uncle died. Many, many thanks.
I have now managed to download the relevant one and find out how my uncle died. Many, many thanks.
7
Ancestral Family Tree DNA Testing / Re: DNA results crack a mystery
« on: Sunday 03 September 23 10:46 BST (UK) »
Interesting.
I was bullied throughout my school days because of my surname, only to find from my DNA results that I should have had a completely different and much more innocuous name.
I was bullied throughout my school days because of my surname, only to find from my DNA results that I should have had a completely different and much more innocuous name.
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The Common Room / Re: Wife owned house: clue to relationship or business arrangement?
« on: Friday 25 August 23 15:51 BST (UK) »
My mother's grandfather died in 1945, just before my father came out of the army at the end of WWII. Great grandad left my mother a legacy of £500, with which she bought a house. After Dad came home, they moved, but that house, and all subsequent houses were in my mother's sole name, even though she never worked again and my Dad paid all the outgoings.
Mother always told me that property was put in the wife's name 'to protect her', this being of course at a time when a woman alone could not get a mortgage.
Mother always told me that property was put in the wife's name 'to protect her', this being of course at a time when a woman alone could not get a mortgage.
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The Common Room / Re: Baptised under one name but registered under another
« on: Friday 18 August 23 12:32 BST (UK) »
My grandmother was known as Fanny throughout her life. She is just plain Fanny on her birth, marriage and death certificates, but she was baptised as Frances Elizabeth!