Completely Baffled

[Su]

I also noticed Ellen McLean (not McClean) was on the 1861 census in Lymm with her Father John and Mother Emma, so I doubt she belonged to Ann Yarwood...still thanks for looking for me.

I am wondering if Paul is right, and Tom B.Y. didn't want to be found by his family for some reason, so joined the Royal Artillery under an alias.  Perhaps they asked to see his birth certificate, so he had to come clean (McClean pardon the pun  ).

I wonder if there is anybody out there in Yarwood land who knows of a skeleton in the cupboard?

It now seems obvious that he had a big falling out with his family for some reason.  As his Dad died in 1880 when he was only 9, I am wondering if it was his older brother Geo.Henry who was 13 years older.

At last some sort of a mystery in which to get my teeth into 

Su

[trish251]

Given his age - would he have needed his parent's permission to join? Could he have changed his name to avoid any such issues.

I had a great uncle who changed his name when he enlisted in WWI. Our family has never found out why   

Trish

[Su]

Hi Trish
It could have been his age.  I shall have to go on the Forces board to ask how old they had to be.

But that doesn't answer the question, why did he still call himself McClean on the 1901 census when he was 30, yet use his own name when he married and called all his children Yarwood?

I had a great uncle who changed his name when he enlisted in WWI. Our family has never found out why     

Trish

  ... I'm glad I'm not the only one then 

My friend has just told me she had the same problem with her great grandfather.

Did they form a club do you think?  The aka Club?

love
Su

[trish251]

Did they form a club do you think?  The aka Club?

love
Su

    

My man was obviously a thinker - when he joined the army he gave his sister who was a nun as his next of kin - only had to give her religious name - so no concerns about a different surname.

Our family story was that he killed someone in a fight & hence the name change, but we can find no record of that either
    

Trish

[jinks]

Maybe Thomas changed his name from Yarwood to McClean
because of a scandal within the Yarwood family.

He could safely use his real name Yarwood in Kent because
people would probably not know of a scandal up North.

He seems to have reverted back to McClean when he returns
North

Jinks