Census &/or register look-up

[Cramond Brig]

Thomas Swarbrick enlisted in 1914 age 35 but there is no record of Thomas Swarbreck enlisting anywhere in the Army, either in National Archive or MoD records - so the 35 year old Thomas does seem more likely

Alistair

[jds1949]

Thanks for all the replies - I think that we have two separate people here. The one I posted originally is:

Medal Index Card:
Swarbrick Thomas, 2/Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, Private, 1308

Victory Medal
British Medal
1914 Star

Date of entry: 11th September 1914
Killed in action: 21st January 1917

Information from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
T. Swarbrick, private, 1308, 2nd Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, who died on Sunday 21st January 1917.
He was buried at Peronne Communal Cemetery Extension, Ste Radegonde, Somme, France.

The Times, Friday, Feb 23, 1917; pg. 2; Issue 41410; col E
     Deaths
ROLL OF HONOUR
Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders
Swarbrick 1308 T [Linlithgow]

“Soldiers Who Died in the Great War” gives the additional information that Thomas Swarbrick was born in Newbridge, Midlothian, lived at Linlithgow and enlisted at Stirling. Killed in Action. The low service number and the early date of entry would both seem to suggest that this man was a regular soldier before the outbreak of war.


Then there is another Thomas on whom I have this:

Extract from WO 364/4047
Thomas Swarbrick 6375 Private 8th Regiment Black Watch
[This man is not in the medal rolls as he only served for some 12 days; however – see below]

Attestation dated 29th October 1914
Age 35 years 185 days
Trade coal miner
Married – wife Mary [Pollock married 2nd June 1899 at Kirkliston.
Children – Agnes b. 5th May 1900; James b. 13th July 1903 baptised in Glasgow
Born Midlothian, Scotland
Height 5 ft 6 in
Weight 125 lbs
Complexion Fresh
Eyes Blue
Hair Red
Church of England

Medical inspection at Edinburgh
Discharged as medically unfit – 11th November 1914
Cause – defective vision – LE v = 6/9 RE v = 6/24 “Quite unfit”

Thomas Swarbrick was born in 1879 at Ratho in Midlothian, the son of James and Mary Ann [Alles] Swarbrick. In 1901 he was living at Kirkliston, West Lothian, with his wife and working as a slate miner. The following records would seem to be for the same man. Presumably having been discharged by one regiment he waited three days - walked round the corner and joined up elsewhere!

Medal Index Card:
Swarbrick Thomas, Royal Scots, Private, 350634
                               Labour Corps            562320

Victory medal
British medal

Information extracted from Pension Record [Ancestry]
Edinburgh

Born 1879
Birth place: Ratho, Midlothian
Examined 14th November 1914
Enlisted 14th November 1914
Declared age: 35 years
Trade: Stone miner
Height: 5 feet 6 ¼ inches
Weight: 142 lbs
Chest 38 inches
Expansion: 3 ½ inches
Physical development: good

Joined on enlistment: 9th [Reserve] Battalion Highlanders Royal Scots Regimental number: 2629 [350634 crossed through]
Transferred to Yorkshires 244701

Became non-effective by Eastern Command Labour Centre 362320

Hospital admissions:
Craiglith 2/04/15 – 8/04/15 – [illegible] acute attack
Military Hospital Tralee 31/01/17 – 5/02/17 Scabies – mild
3rd Scottish General 3/01/18 – 23/02/18 34 PHO Reported sick in France, complaining of aching pains in back and legs and with shivering. Treatment [illegible word] Sod. Sal. & Bromide

Invaliding disability: Nyalgia [crossed through] NIL
Date of origin: 1917
Discharged: 21st March 1919
Medical Board dated 20th November 1919 – No disability, heart and lungs normal, all other systems normal

Edinburgh 23rd January 1920 Medical Board
Complains of pains in the shins
Heart and lungs show no abnormality. There is no pain or creaking in any of the joints connected with the arm. Lower limbs movement free. No tenderness of shins. Slight creaking in both knee joints. The board can find no [illegible] disability.


I will now go and print off all of your answers and see if I can untangle these two men!

Thanks again to all for the new information

jds1949

[jds1949]

Dear Monica and Alistair,

I have been trying to untangle this – several thoughts:

Swarbrick/Swarbreck – Swarbrick is the most common, but Swarbreck is a recognised variation of the surname, I have examples of families switching from one to the other and back again.

Thomas who was born in 1879 in Ratho, the son of James and Ann must be my second Thomas – the one who enlisted twice. He was with his wife Mary [Pollock] in 1901 at Kirkliston. His records give his occupation – miner- and wife – Mary – birthplace and birthdate – all match.

So he cannot be the Thomas killed in action on the 21st January 1917.

As I originally posted I think this Thomas must have been in the army before the war started – he has the 1914 Star and a low regimental number. I suspect that he is Monica’s Thomas aged 8 in 1901. However, Alistair, that would not fit with the ages that you have for the Argyll & Sutherland man. – So, is there a third Thomas Swarbrick lurking out there? 

It is maddening that two sets of records seem to have survived for one Thomas and none for the second – one for each would have been much better!

Not sure where we go from here - I suspect that the two men are related there is clearly a Peebles and a Ratho connection. My data on the second Thomas, son of James, has a connection back to Ireland and, although I don't have the connection yet, I suspect that the trail then goes to Lancashire, which is where all Swarbricks originally come from.

If you have any fresh thoughts I'd be delighted to hear them.

jds1949

[ev]

hi all  

no idea if this is a help or not but scotlandspeople has a thomas swarbrick
death 1917 born c1894
in the minor records section for service returns

ev

[jds1949]

Thanks Ev,

that would seem to match with the 8 year old Thomas in 1901 being the man who was KIA in January 1917, except for the ages recorded by Alistair.

jds1949

[MonicaL]

I know Alastair is so enthusiastic on getting the records he is collecting right that he will be pleased to make corrections as required on his data  Not sure where the age 38 may have crept in to his records but I am sure he can give the background to that.

That's a good records check Ev 

Jds, to go back to your original query  having established which of the two Thomases you are after, what sort of information in particular are you looking for him. Are you trying to go back or establish his movements and events in his life after the 1901 census?

Monica

[jds1949]

Dear Monica

I'm actually trying to do two things at once. I'm building a database of all Swarbricks who served in WW1 and I'm also continuing to build my database on all Swarbrick families. My main problem is that whilst I can access English material fairly easily I am totally lost when it comes to Scottish records. This hasn't previously been a problem, most Swarbricks stayed in Lancashire, or went to Canada or Australia. This is the first lot that I have found in Scotland and, I suspect based on what I have so far, it's all one big extended family.

So, in answer to your question - I'd like anything that I can get on Thomas - especially if I can connect him back to the other Thomas in some way. This is what I currently have on Thomas #2

His father James would seem not to have been in Scotland at the time of the 1851 census - so he presumably arrived at some point in the 1850s.

1861 census entry
Peebles
Rosetta Lodge
James Swarbrick 24 Labourer b. Ireland
Mary A Swarbrick 20
George 1

1871 ensus entry
Midlothian
Ratho
James Swarbrick 34 Farm labourer b. Ireland
Mary Ann Swarbrick 30
James Swarbrick 6
Alexander Swarbrick 3

1881 census entry [698-A dist 3 page 22]
Ratho Edinburgh Scotland
Village                  
James Swarbrick Head Married 44 Quarryman b. Ireland   
Mary Ann Swarbrick Wife Married 38 b. Peebles   
James Swarbrick Son Single 16 Quarryman b. Peebles   
Alexander Swarbrick Son Single 12 Scholar b. Ratho   
Jessie Swarbrick Daughter Single 9 Scholar b. Ratho   
Elizabeth Swarbrick Daughter Single 6 Scholar b. Ratho   
Mary Ann Swarbrick Daughter Single 4 b. Ratho   
Thomas Swarbrick Son Single 2 b. Ratho   *
Sarah Sophia Swarbrick Daughter Single 1 b. Ratho   

*this is the #2 Thomas

1891 census entry
Ratho, Midlothian
Village South Side
James Swarbrick head married 54 Quarryman b. Ireland
Mary Ann Swarbrick 48
Alexander Swarbrick 22
Jessie Swarbrick 19
Mary Ann Swarbrick 14
Thomas Swarbrick 12 Message boy b. Ratho
Sarah Swarbrick 11

1901 census entry
Kirkliston, West Lothian
Westeaton Row
Thomas Swarbrick head married 22 Slate miner b. Ratho, Midlothian
Mary Swarbrick 22

Any further contributions gratefully received,

jds1949

[jds1949]

Monica,

I forgot - I also have one further entry for this family:

Swarbrick Henry, R. Highlanders, Private, 2163
                           Royal Engineers, Sapper, 137558
                                                          To 2 Reserves, 14th January 1919
Theatre of war: France
Date of entry therein: 3rd May 1915

Additional Information from WO 363 S2918

Service reckoned from 13th August 1915
Next of kin: Mrs Jeanie Swarbrick Randolph Street, Cowdenbeath Fifeshire
Employed as a miner by Tochgill [Possibly Lochgelly?] Coal Company Cowdenbeath

Posted as sapper in 179 Company
Mustered as tunneller’s mate with extra pay of 1/- per day from 14/8/15
Attached to 254 Tunnelling Company in August 1916

Went AWOL from 1/1/15 until 3/1/15 – admonished
Committed a civil offence [stealing] in the field 3/9/16 – 60 days field punishment no.1

There are two possible candidates for this man, the most likely being the Henry Swarbrick born in 1891 in Hamilton, the son of William and Mary [Kirk] Swarbrick. In 1901 he was living with his parents at 5, Whitehall Road, Hamilton. He was still at school; his father was working as a coal miner.

The other possibility is the Henry Swarbrick born in 1888 also in Hamilton, the son of Henry and Grace [Pennel] Swarbrick. In 1901 this Henry was apprenticed to a tailor whilst his father, who had been a coal dealer, would appear to have died.

The two Henrys were 1st cousins.

It's old age and all the excitement!

jds1949

[Cramond Brig]

I have just accessed the 1917 death registration for the only Thomas Swarbrick to die that year and his age is given as 23.

Not sure if that helps

Alistair