Major J F Woodroffe

[Reiver]

A while ago i posted messages on this board about my relative. Joseph Froude Woodroffe.  He explored 'up the Amazon'  in the period 1900 - 1910 and subsequently wrote a couple of books about his travels.

In 1902 - he was born in 1882 - he had the attached photo taken and gave it to his parents.
The year before in 1901 he was with his parents and siblings living in Broughton, Salford nr Manchester.  He was a Commercial Clerk.   If this is an army uniform can it be identified please?


He died in 1947 and apart from his spell in WWI he was a civilian.  He gained the rank of Corporal.  His death was recorded in the Death notices column of the local paper  where he was referred to as Major Joseph Froude Woodroffe.   Are there any records (Army List?) that would confirm this rank, please?

Regards
Reiver

[Wendi]

Hi Reiver

Loads of replies to your various posts not least of which is

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01bk/

Just wondered

Have you approached The National Archives at Kew?

Wendi 

[Reiver]

Thanks Wendl
I'm sorry if I've caused confusion.   Last week I posted a message about 'Major' Woodroffe but got no response.  I decided perhaps wrongly to start another topic which I've done.

Since that earlier set of posts I have continued to work on the gentleman in question.

I have now managed as you saw to attach a photograph of him taken in 1902 apparently in  an army uniform.   Arfur Mo made the point that there must have been two Woodroffe's 'round about the Amazon'.   My civilian one and the military officer that Arfur Mo noted (Colonel Arthur James Woodroffe), Royal Engineers)

As I said my J F Woodroffe, who was a civilian apart from when he was in WWI, and remained a civilian as far as I was aware, was referred to in the Announccement of his death as a Major.
I wondered if he had been commissioned since and whether that would be in an Army List>
Where is the best place to look to see if the Major title that he was given in 1947 (by his wife?)
was in fact a genuine commission?   It may simply be an honorary title. 

Is the uniform in the attachment a genuine army uniform?  If so, is it possible to identify whose uniform it was?

1902 - when it was taken was before he went  'up the Amazon'  - apparently as a civilian.

Is it possible for a look up 'in an Army List', please?  Or is it soemthing I need to do perhaps through a local library?

Again. sorry for any confusion caused by the split 'thread'

Regards
Reiver

[Wendi]

Hi Reiver

It's always as well to take stock of info as you go along

The photo is army, there seem to be no badges to ID it, but it might be good if you can make it smaller and more clear (a great time to get the grand kids involved!)

In my experience at the time, Major was not a title used lightly - but perhaps a term of endearment?

Army Lists are available, you could make a post specifically for a lookup, and most libraries should have access to them.

You could also check out The Gazette for other references? It is time consuming, but that's research!

If he was a soldier his service record would be at the National Archives.

Wendi 

[Reiver]

Thanks Wendl
I'll follow those suggestions up.

I shall have to see what I can do about sharpening up the image.   One grandchild but doesn't live very close.  His father should be able to help but again lives too far away. 


Again thanks
Reiver

[Wendi]

Never around when you need them are they 

[fordy]

He isn't listed in the Index of the 1918 Army List - if he was an officer, and survived, he would have been.

Unless they mis-spelt his surname & rewversed his initals ;-)


HTH
David Ford

[Reiver]

Thanks Fordy for your input.

From his Medal Card there seemed little doubt that he remained uncommissioned after WWI.
He died in 1947 and his death cetificate recorded his occupation as a civil servant in the Ministry of Works.  Fine.  But then a death notice appeared in the local Twickenham, Middlesex paper which referred to him as Major Joseph Froude Woodroffe.  As it happens I went into the Manchester Central Library this morning to look at the Army List Index for 1946 and 1947.  No J F Woodroffe.  There was a J E Woodroffe so I checked the Army List itself - just in case the index was wrong    but it wasn't.
So he certainly wasn't a Major in the army.

Maybe he was in the Salvation Army though I've no othere evidence to suggest this.

I presume the photograph is much too indistinct to get any information at all as Wendl indicated.
Was the pill box type hat standard head uniform for many regiments / corps?  He was only 19 or 20 years old.

Regards
Reiver

[fordy]

I have asked someone who is very knowledgeable on uniform & headdress in the Army and he is pretty sure that the uniform in your picture isn't Military.

"Look at the sleeves (shoulders) they seem quite theatrical.  No collar badges and has it got plain epaulettes? "

David...