RootsChat.Com

Which is "the best"?

Which would you recommend?

Do they hold all the same records? or do they different from Country and county?

Does anyone hold more Church records than the other?

Which one would you say is better for Military records? or stick with Fold3 or Forces War Records?

My main country of research is England so far, have a few hits in the States as a great-aunt marries an American G.I. after WW2 but I cannot see them without paying even more!

I have been with Ancestry while now, and just wondered if I am missing out on anything, or if I should do alternative months with each... just don't want Ancestry to delete anything on my "off" months.

I know Find My Past now has the 1921 Census, but it is ridiculous priced (for my budget at least), so have brought the single pages I wanted/needed.

Are any of them more geared up for UK Records ?

Thanks Francoso!

I have conflicting information on the medal now.

One was he is wearing, top row L to R,
India General Service medal 1895, Queen's Sudan Medal. Queens South Africa medal and Kings South Africa medal.

Bottom row L to R,
1914 or 1914/15 Star, War medal, Victory medal and the Cape of Good Hope service Medal.
Or maybe the General service medal 1918 but it was thought more to be the Cape of Good Hope service Medal in the end.

But you are saying top row, far left is Meritorious Service Medal, not the India general service medal 1895. I have looked at both and they have a very similar type of hanger. But I think the ribbon here matches the MSM more.

If the Corporal/Acting Sergeant A.F. Cobbold who earned one of these MSM is
the same as I have:

Alfred Cobbold (Middle name not yet known.)
B:7 Apr 1878 Bradfield St George, Suffolk, England
D:6 Feb 1937 Ellesmere, Shropshire, England

He died as a Sergeant Major.

If they are the same man then I am more and more starting to think this photo is Alfred Cobbold and a sister, or a brothers widow due to her wearing medals too, medals that would be too old for any of her sons to have earned. So must come from a husband - which could either be one of Alfred's brothers that fell in WW1 or the brother that died in the Boer War due to her holding the Boer War Christmas Gift Tin, or even this is Alfred sister (as it was said the people in the photo look similar).

I don't think it can his Wife as where would the medals come from?
As I said they are too old to be their sons, and he is wearing his own so she must be a widow or a sister wearing one of her fallen brothers medals.

The brothers widows would have been;

(Frederic "Freddy" Cobbold) - Rosina Cocksedge
B:11 Jul 1884 Rougham, Suffolk, England
D:Dec 1926 Bury St edmunds, Suffolk, England

(William Cobbold) - Alberta Phyllis Willingham
B:31 Jul 1879 Rougham, Suffolk, England
D:Dec 1979 Hendon, Middlesex, England

Arthur and Charles Cobbold doesn't seem to have married.

The brothers full details have already been posted.

Alfred's sister were;

Elizabeth Cobbold (married "Mr Humphreys" no other details)
B:Oct 1873 Bradfield St George, Suffolk, England
D:24 Sep 1937 England

Emma Gill (married Charles Winter B:abt 1861)
B:abt 1867 Rougham, Suffolk, England
D:sep 1932 Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England

Annie Cobbold (married Samuel John Norman B:October 1883)
B:19 Feb 1884 Bradfield St George, Suffolk, England
D:1 Mar 1969 Greenwich, Greater London, England

Lillie Cobbold (married George Alfred Newman B:4 Mar 1873 D:Jul 1950)
B:8 July 1886 Bradfield St George, Suffolk, England
D:15 Dec 1964 The General Hospital, Barnet, Hertfordshire, England


The second photo I posted would be Alfred's parents

William Cobbold
B:abt 1847 Bradfield St George, Suffolk, England
D:Jun 1922 Bury St edmunds, Suffolk, England

Sarah Elizabeth Cobbold (nee Gill)
B:July 1844 Rougham, Suffolk, England
D:Sep 1924 Bury St edmunds, Suffolk, England.

Private C. Cobbold, 2nd King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry on the Bury St Edmunds Memorial is Sergeant Major Alfred Cobbold brother, Charles.

Charles Cobbold
B:22 Nov 1871 Hessett, Suffolk, England
D:6 Feb 1900 Modder River, South Africa

Charles doesn't seem to marry, and he is the only brother the falls in the Boer War, and as the lady has the tin from the Boer war, the widow route doesn't work... so back to her being a sister...


I will see if i can find any more pictures of Alfred and his sister and see if it matches the photo first posted.

Thanks all

After visiting the Cemetery at the weekend, I can confirm that Squ BR is along Bassett Road.

I agree that knowing the names of any who served in these conflicts would be useful - even knowing family names and some dates dates of birth may help.

Details for the man KIA in the Boer War are

Charles Cobbold
B:22 Nov 1871 Hessett, Suffolk, England
D:6 Feb 1900 Modder River, South Africa

Details for the men in WW1 (Charles brothers) are

William Cobbold
B:January 1876 Bradfield St George, Suffolk, England
D:8 May 1915 France & Flanders

Frederic "Freddy" Cobbold
B:January 1881 Bradfield St George, Suffolk, England
D:24 Apr 1915 & Flanders, France

Arthur Cobbold
B:3 Mar 1889 Bradfield St George, Suffolk, England
D:19 August 1916 Balkans

The only surviving brother;
Alfred Cobbold
B:7 Apr 1878 Bradfield St George, Suffolk, England
D:6 Feb 1937 Ellesmere, Shropshire, England

So maybe this first photo is Alfred Cobbold... and a female relative.

Details of parents of all these men (the people in the second photo) are;

William Cobbold
B:abt 1847 Bradfield St George, Suffolk, England
D:Jun 1922 Bury St edmunds, Suffolk, England

Sarah Elizabeth Cobbold (nee Gill)
B:July 1844 Rougham, Suffolk, England
D:Sep 1924 Bury St edmunds, Suffolk, England

If the name is different to the others you gave I can check the medal roll again.

Thanks again John915, the surname would be one you already checked. All details above.
Thank you so much for checking 

Ruskie, Thank you! I was always keeping the Photo, it is my Nans!! But if I could find closer relatives, that may have never seen the photo I would love them to have a copy, physical and digital!!

It is a photo to be proud off, and I am! Even if I do not yet know who they are!!

I do have a very very distant relative that was KIA in the Boer War, he also had 4 bothers that all served in WW1, only one came home.

I have a picture of their parents (attached) and I would think it is different people, and definitely many many years later.

So this could be the sole survivor of the brothers with a sister, or wife.

But again they are very distant relative, something like 3rd or 4th cousin 3 or 4 times removed...
But my grandmother did love to write and keep in touch with lots family so anything is possible.

I just wish I had of listened more when I was younger...

Anyways, will continue to explore this branch on the tree more and see where it leads!

Thanks again all