RootsChat.Com

Not going to be much help BUT as far as I can see that book was for American servicemen who served AND Died IN Britain, so him returning to USA maybe a red herring ?

Not often I post lately but do keep an eye on the forum.

Like others I have many photos from other family I don’t feel I have the right to openly put them on the internet, plus many certificates , another reason I made my tree private people don’t tend to contact you if the info is just there, now don’t get me wrong if someone contacts me and has a genuine connection I will give them all the info and records I can.

I have often spent at least half an hour replying to an enquiry from someone asking me about a person and often don’t even receive an acknowledgement, so you just know if your tree was “out there” you would never hear from that person, on the other hand I have had and still do have contact with some for many years.

So we all have our reasons none are right or wrong, just an aside as I said I rarely post nowadays but keep up to date with subjects that at of interest, but I notice how many of our long time posters are “gone” and have only noticed when looking through old threads deceased on their profiles, would it not be possible to have separate part of the forum remembering those people? We seem to have a part for everything else and those very people contributed so much to the forum in the past 😉

Went to Soldiers of the First world war.
Walter, Hawkes,b 1893
Walter, James,b. 1891
.

Thanks for that, seen those one is Walter David, the Other Walter James
thanks anyway

Well here we are over 3 years after i wrote the first post, Thanks to Lisa & Karen who tried to help when i first wrote, sadly despite following your advice nothing has come to light and no answers.

Due to ill health etc etc been a while since i have posted.

A slight update to my first post and hopefully those in the know maybe know of new records?

Another letter has since been found, nothing that cracks the case but he mentioned he was now married for a 2nd time, as above no idea of a first or where, it is possible he went to Canada 6 August 1909 aboard The Victorian Liverpool to Montreal arrived 12 Aug 1909 but that is only guesswork as it is the only record i have found that comes close. Sadly it only Gives the name as Mr & Mrs Hawkes.


Pretty sure he did go about that date as in the letter he asked about a niece and did she have any family, so obviously none before he left

A slightly sad part about his letter, he was writing to my Grandmother about the death of her husband (his brother) and also asking how another brother was and that brother had also died about the same time, i assume a letter was sent back with that news?

Above i also mentioned a missing sister Lucy Hawkes, and due to probate records i now know she married, it was only because an Aunt with an unusual name had died and left her the estate it appeared, so shows those brick walls can be broken down, so i still live in hope Walter can be found.

Walter is the only one of 6 siblings i am missing, i mentioned above that one of them was pretty high up in the post office, i now know this was another brother Albert Edwin and have found the family living in the Royal Mews, so guess that's pretty high 

Walter was born 20th May 1886, again i have him in the 1891 Census he is living with parents and brothers at 10 Colvin street,

the same address that is on mother Lucys death certificate in 1895


1901 census aged 14 telegraph messanger living at 39, Carthew Road, Hammersmith, sadly that is the final trace apart from letters, many thanks even if it is only taking time to read my waffling

To put another twist on it, i have in the past paid barnardo's, some was found and some not,
i looked at it that they are still in the business if caring for kids so the ££'s were at least being well spent,
i just thought of it that way to justify the cost, although i am pretty sure i paid £15 initial search and then ABOUT £45.

You also have to remember that they have to go through these files ie not just copy them,
as they have to protect any other kids/people that maybe mentioned so other names have to be censored,
so the papers have to be carefully scrutinised, I suppose if it was one of your grandparents it maybe easier to make the call, i assume it was one of your grandparents siblings?
MAYBE it could hold a snippet of info' that relates to them, and again only my own view i was just glad the info' was there.

one of my uncles was in the norwood home and we recently got his file well a few sheets of papers lol,
but it was so interesting, ie when he entered and left, trouble he got into
also it gave info about his fathers income and why he was placed in there, as i say i can't tell you how important the info is to you or the family, but in my case i sent the ££s and forgot about it and didn't think would it be worth it, otherwise you maybe disappointed with what you receive