Getting started with my research - advice please!

[MatthewJ]

Good evening,

I'm hoping to research a WWI soldier about whom I know relatively little. However, I've had a small breakthrough recently and I think I may now be on to something. I've read several threads now in this section of the forum and used some of the websites that people have suggested and I think I may have found a record, but I'd like some advice and/or help now.

Here's a little background information: My great grandfather apparently spoke of his brother Ted who died in the Great War. My great grandfather's surname was Jones and he grew up in the East End of London, so I was expecting to find an Edward Jones from there. On the 1901 census Ted is listed as Edward Jones aged 5. However, it seems that Ted was from his mother's first marriage and therefore wasn't really a Jones, he was born Edward Savery. Now assuming that this was his real name that he used in adulthood, I can only find two matches on the websites that I have looked at. One of which is from Clapton Park, London. He was also apparently married to an Ada Jane Savery, this I knew nothing about, but it is certainly possible as Edward died long before any of my living relatives were born. Here is the record that I found:

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=828745

and I have also seen that this is online:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?Edoc_Id=5230051&queryType=1&resultcount=1

The date of death on the first record and the location of the memorial appear to suggest that he died in the third battle of Ypres. I've searched on Ancestry in the medal index cards for the regiment and service number, but it has returned someone with a completely different name and the record is stamped 1914-1916; were the numbers recycled?

I'm still researching this branch of the family quite frantically, I am planning to look into this marriage to see if this is the right Edward (ie father's name on marriage certificate etc). In the meantime, can anyone offer any advice about other records that I may be able to find online. Also how can I confirm that this is my man? Are there any extant records of WWI soldiers that would include, for example, his date of birth? Or are the marriage and address all that I have to go on?

Thanks in advance,

Matthew

[claire31]

Hi,

If you have access to Ancestry, they also have a set of records which was called I think Pension Records - it may have changed , but look what else they have.  I found a huge bulk of info about a memeber of my family on their whcih include his address, next of kin, physical description and any misdemeanors.  It tells you how many pages there are, but I pressed back too many times, and info just kept turning up.  Only worked for 1 of them, there was nothing for the other one so you have to be lucky.  They are records which were fire damaged so I think it all depends on dates etc etc.

Good luck.

Claire

[MatthewJ]

Hi Claire,

Thank you for your reply. I have looked at the pension records, but I couldn't find any matches. Am I right in thinking that they still add to the WWI records on Ancestry? I'm sure that I read that in another thread, and also a couple of the WWI databases on ancestry currently have 'Updated' written in red next to them. So hopefully it'll appear on there one day, if it's not been lost. Thanks for the tip about going backwards though, I'll remember that one.

Matthew

[silvery]

If he was 5 in 1901 and died in WW1 there was little time to get married. 

There is no record (as yet -in freebmd years 1913 to 1918) of an Edward married to an Ada Jane.  Was Ada's maiden name supposed to be Savery ?

[MatthewJ]

Hi Silvery,

I thought that too about his age, but if you look at the CWGC record it says that the person was aged 21 on the date of death, which was the 12/10/1917, and that he was married to Ada Jane. So regardless of whether or not this is him, this person would have been about 5 in 1901 and managed to get married before his death.

I couldn't find a marriage record there either, and I have no idea about her maiden name. However, I saw that there was a marriage in the September quarter of 1920 in Hackney of an Ada J. Savery and somebody with the surname chatting. I know that's not much to go on, but she could have been remarried later on. It's the only likely Ada J. that I could see at a glance and it's in the right area.

Matthew

[MatthewJ]

I've just found the marriage:

Q1 1917:

Edward Savery marries Ada J. Bell in Hackney 1b 565

[claire31]

I think they are still updating them.  Quite a few were burnt though so I think it all depends where they were stored.  I am sure someone will be able to tell you the percentages but I'm afraid I can't.  You just have to keep persevering and good luck!!

Claire

[mmm45]

Hi
About 30% survived the bombing by Luftwaffe and surname "s" arent online yet should be by end of year...You may be lucky.just a case of waiting unless you can visit Kew.
If you can get access to local papers etc on microfiche there may be mention of him and also someone may have researched his local war memorial that he appears on.

Ady

[mmm45]

The medal card you found belongs to this lad:
Edward Savery 7962 Pte 7th Lincolnshire Regiment
Born Hackney,Enlisted Stratford Essex,Resident Clapton Middlesex.
KIA 12/10/17

source:Soldiers Died In Great War database.

His MIC is not online yet either but you could get it from NA For £3.50.He has a 4 digit number so is possibly a Territorial Soldier or pre war regular.The MIC MAY give extra info but not personal details etc

Ady