My Grandfather does appear to be the same Francis William Dalton as that is the name on his birth certificate along with his father as Charles Dalton (waterside labourer) and his mother Elizabeth (formerly Wright) Dalton.
I also clearly remember my Grandafather talking about how he and siblings spent time in a workhouse when he was younger which Shilrley mentions in another post.
He joined the royal fusiliers in 1922 and spent almost 24 years in that regiment serving the colours and another 7 years as a reserve after being discharged in 1945
He married my grandmother Margaret Mary (formerly Woplin) Geere who had gained her divorce from her previous husband Fredrick Geere that same year.
They had no children but my mother was the product of my nans previous marriage although my mother Emily never saw her Father Fredrick after about 1938 and always referred to my Grandad "Frank" as her dad.
He was a genuinely lovely gentle man with a huge amount patience and kindness, I miss him still to this day.
I do believe that my grandfather only met up with his siblings on only one other occasion after he joined the army and I believe my mother had a photo of that meeting.
I am not sure if Shirley is still around as these posts were made in 2004 and she was 73 then but I do hope so as it could fill in some more blanks for her search.
