Completely Baffled

[Su]

I discovered yesterday from Ancestry WW1 Pensions, that my grt grt grandfather's grandson Tom Bradley Yarwood joined the Royal Artillery in 1890 age 19 under the name of Thomas McClean.
On the Short Service form his regiment no. was 77552.  His place of birth was Lymm, and his occupation Groom.
Written over the top of Thomas McClean is Tom Bradley Yarwood.
On the Discharge paper dated Nov.1916 he has the same regiment no. 77552.  He is down as Tom Bradley Yarwood age 46 born Lymm occ Groom.
On both forms he is a gunner in the Royal Artillery.
Tom Bradley Yarwood was born in Dunham Massey, registration dist. Altrincham.
On the 1891 census he is again Thomas McClean age 20 born Lymm.  He is at the Cambridge Barracks, Portsea, Portsmouth. Gunner in the Royal Artillery.
On the 1901 he is Thomas McClean living in Waterloo, Crosby with wife Sarah (born London) and 2 mth old son Frederick.  He is age 30 Gunner in the Royal Artillery born Altrincham Cheshire.
I found a marriage for Tom Bradley Yarwood to a Sarah Reed  in 1899 Woolwich Kent. I could find no marriage for a Thomas McClean.
I found the birth of a Frederick Wm Yarwood in 1901 registered in West Derby (which includes Crosby).
It is obviously one in the same person, so why does he call himself Thomas McClean?
His mother Ann Yarwood was a widow in 1881 and died shortly thereafter without re-marrying.
His brothers all remained Yarwoods until death.

Can anyone throw any light on why he should chop and change his name please?

I'm baffled.  I was already researching him to try to find out where the Bradley came from in his name, before I came upon this mystery.

Kind regards
Su

[Rian]

It seems to me that he uses the Yarwood name only when forced to, on legal documents, but Mclean by preference.

Could it be that he discovered his biological father was not his mother's husband, and he wanted to be recognised as his real father's child? Possibly he didn't get on with Mr Yarwood senior.
Can you find a connection between a Mr McLean and Mrs Yarwood?

Another thought is that he had a sponsor /benefactor who he wanted to recognise by using his name— a sort of honorary adoption?

Can't think of anything else.
Good luck, Rian.

[Lynn H]

Hi Su, Sorry to interupt your thread but i have a
Mary Yarwood b. Aug 5 1792 in Seven Oaks, Greater Budsworth, Dau of William Yarwood & Jane (Jenny) Howard. William Yarwood was Christened in Pickmere, Greater Budsworth Jun 30 1765 the son of John & Elizabeth Yarwood. If you get some time can you please let me know if there is any connection.

                       Again Sorry to interupt.

                               Lynn.

[Paul Caswell]

Written over the top of Thomas McClean is Tom Bradley Yarwood.

Could it be that he enlisted under a false name and eventually got caught? Perhaps if you posed that part of the question on one of the WW pages you may get some better ideas.

Paul

[Su]

Could it be that he discovered his biological father was not his mother's husband, and he wanted to be recognised as his real father's child? Possibly he didn't get on with Mr Yarwood senior.
Can you find a connection between a Mr McLean and Mrs Yarwood?

Ooh! Rian a bit of scandal    I suppose it could be, but I wouldn't like to think so.  Ann had 8 children, all presumably by William, her husband.  I don't like to think of her as a floozy    However I will bear it in mind and look for a McClean nearby.  I have noticed that a lot of McCleans come from the Woolwich, Kent area, and that is where Tom met his wife Sarah.  So whether he was in that area when he was 19 and enlisted, and maybe was lodging with some McCleans I don't know (the thought only just came to me, as these things do).

Paul...you could be right...but why enlist under a false name, that's the baffling bit 

The Yarwoods always seem to have been a pretty close family, from what I can gather from my reasearch..perhaps Tom Bradley Yarwood was a Black Sheep for some reason.

Lynn,
I will PM you.

Kind regards and thanks for your input.  Any further help will be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards
Su

[Paul Caswell]

... but why enlist under a false name, that's the baffling bit 

I am sure there have been as many reasons as this has happened. Maybe he didn't want someone to know how to find him.

The unusual part is the fact that his old name was crossed out and a different name put in. I expect it would be some kind of offence to give false information on enlistment. I would hope only a few reasons would result in just a crossing out. I am sure the astonishingly knowledgeable RootsChat WW experts would be able to come up with some ideas.

Paul

[Arranroots]

Hi Su

There is only one MCCLEAN in Lymm in 1871 - a 14 year old called Ellen.

I wonder if your family took in a child born out of wedlock?

(just a thought!)

kind regards, Arranroots 

[Su]

Ooooh! Arranroots how very interesting. 
Although she is not mentioned on the 1881 living with the Yarwoods.  It gets more mysterious.
I will take a look at the census and see if there is anybody I know nearby.
As Tom Bradley Yarwood's Auntie and family lived in Lymm, there could be a connection with the McClean name there.
Thanks very much for the information.

love
Su

[Arranroots]

I followed Ellen through the censuses until I lost her in 1901.

She is a servant in 1871/ 81/ 91 and unmarried.

I have to stop tonight now - hope this isn't a wild goose chase!!

The babies of the YARWOOD family are quite nicely spaced, including Tom, so there is less reason to believe my hare-brained scheme!! 

Good luck Oats!