grandfather's roots

[tawny owl]

Okay, so we are together on Jesse, as for the first part of your suggestion, I went to Farnham Parish Record Office 2 weeks ago while on holiday, deliberately planned,  and searched the Frensham Baptisms, no Charles baptised. Also I visited the National Archives at Kew and did the same, I also tried the Army Records, no joy.
I seem to have a Grandfather with proof of his life from 1905 to 1922. He wasn't born and he didn't die. He married twice, his 2 wives died and he had 1 son from each of them. He served just over 3 years in the Royal Engineers from 1905 to 1908, he was then a platelayer on the Military Railway at Lydd, he then joined Kent Police in 1911. He was re called to the colours in 1914 to 1918 after which he returned to the Police which he left in 1922. His second son was born in 1921.
Am I searching for something I will never find? His birth and his parents.
My Father, his first son, Edward Charles b. 1910 and on 1911 census, was 8 when his Mother died, did not get on with new Step Mother, left home at 15, lived in and worked in local pub, joined the Army at 18. On all records I have that I know to be correct, he is never anything other than Charles.
Tawny Owl

[suzard]

I still think it is worth investigating Nicholas Charles J

I had difficulty in finding my Gran's 2nd husband

he was known as /married twice as and his death reg showed his name as Frederick

I had a stroke of luck in finding an old wallet at my father's which contained "Fred's" marriage certs, death certs and Birth cert

His full names were George Sidney Frederick -  the only documentation with  his full name was his birth cert  - he had many siblings and every one of them used their 2nd or 3rd forename

Suz

[suzard]

..also - have you tried finding the birth/baptism of the other children

1911 Richard Jesse West 23  b frensham is a gardener/groom to an army captain

then there is matilda - who we think was Fanny matilda in one census - but possibly her full name was Esther Fanny Matilda

Suz

[tawny owl]

Just thought I would look on Ancestry for Nicholas Charles and saw:-
1901 Census 'Charles West b. abt. 1882 Frensham Surrey
residing in Frensham age 19  with Eliza his Mother' surely this must be him, with his age at 19, to my mind correct, and not the 17 that is written on the return. I know that dates cannot be relied on, but I have always felt that I had to correct person if only the 1901 census showed his age as 19.
Tawny Owl

[suzard]

[quote author=tawny owl link=topic=413173.msg2801888#msg2801888 date=1255942622. I know that dates cannot be relied on, but I have always felt that I had to correct person if only the 1901 census showed his age as 19.
Tawny Owl

I don't quite understand what you mean?

Suz

[Captain Pancake]

Hi,
Just to really put a spanner in the works, could I ask how I would be able to trace / hunt "Dorothy" the sister of the said Charles.  After getting married to a South African soldier they then went to live in SA.

Being a domestic helper I very much doubt she had enough money for the passage, I am thinking along the lines of the SA army putting something on for the famlies??
He was stationed at Borden Camp.

It seems half of that "West" family are mysteries