WW1 Medal card

[HOWMUCH]

Hello
When you go on the National Archives website with regards to whether a family member served in the first world war , is it possible to further identify if the medal card is the one you want ?
I am looking to see whether my grandfather served in WW1.
His name was Joseph Burton WILKINSON born and bred in Manchester .
I received 3 results , all stating Joseph B.
Can it be narrowed down further by means of a date of birth etc . prior to ordering the card ?
Many thanks
Eric

[ShaunJ]

There is very little information on the medal cards (incidentally you can view them on Ancestry if you have a sub). If you don't know for sure that he served, my advice would be to save your money.

If I remember rightly the NA medal card downloads come in batches of 6 so you would very probably get all 3 anyway - but if you don't have a regiment or rank or number there would still be nothing to say which of them, if any, is your relative.

Looking at the images, one was a driver in the Royal Field Artillery - that matches a National Roll entry for a JB Wilkinson who lived in Darton Street, Bradford.

The others are a private in the Lancashire Fusiliers and a private in ASC and Tank Corps. No addresses on the back. All three got the British War Medal and the Victory Medal, so all served overseas, but there are no dates of entry into theatre of war.

[cathyaus]

HI Eric

Have you checked the National Roll of the Great War - for Manchester ? This was a publication produced after the War that families or the soldiers themselves paid to get their details in.

I have checked & there are 2 x J Wilkinson's included.
One is with the 7th Leicestershire Regiment living at Ancoats & the other is a Reservist living at Oldham Road, Manchester.
 This at least may be able to help you narrow the choice down.

http://www.spinningtheweb.org.uk/bookbrowse.php?page=408&book=940.467+N1&sub=&theme=home&crumb=&size=800x1190

Cathy

[km1971]

Hi Eric

If neither the JWs found by Cathy match, I don't think you can overlook the rest of the plain Joseph WILKINSONs. He may not have used his middle name. If he was over 21 in 1918 you should try to find him in the electoral roll. Also a newspaper notice when he died might give his regiment. I would also ask around the family to see if anyone has photographs, letters, medals etc.

If he was old enough to enlist in 1914-1915 there is a book 'Manchester City Battalions'  ‘Book of Honour’ published in 1917. There are 400 pages of lists of the early recruits in the Manachester Pals with many group photographs, plus about 500 pages of lists paid for by companies, the corporation etc, listing men who had joined up, whatever the regiment or corps. If you cannot find a copy in your local reference library I believe there is a CD available.

If his service record/pension record is not on Ancestry I think you should concentrate on normal FH methods - like finding where he lived, and therefore where he might have worked. If you live near Manchester Record Office you could start to trawl through WW1 papers looking for lists of recruits, wounded, discharged men etc. And you may have to buy his marriage certificate together with any birth certificates for his children while he was serving.

Ken

[Mr. MIGKY]

Hi Eric, i have some parts of the Manchester and Salford 1918 absent voters list. If you give me his last known address nearest to 1918, if i have that area section. I will look through it for you as it gives a mans name/rank service number and regiment if he is listed on it. Plus i have a copy of the original Manchester Battalions book to. Also can you give details of if married and who to + dob

Migky 



Note* All areas of Manchester & Salford Absent voters list for 1918 to 1922 can be seen for free at Manchester Central library.

[Mr. MIGKY]

This might narrow down the search for him?

1927
Joseph Burton WILKINSON Poster designer ( J.B.W. & co ) Residing @
45 Prince street Ardwick .


Not there 1913.

Found him with his wife Catherine aged 25 and Fredrick age 1. Between late 1910 and early 1911

J.B. Wilikinson born abt 1882 so would be in his early 30's at the out brake of WW1

Does some one want to get his address 1911 please? Then can try and work out where the family  is during the war years?

Migky 

[Mr. MIGKY]

Found them on the 1911 directory @ 70 Barmouth street
Migky 

[Mr. MIGKY]

Still at the 70 barmouth street  1913, but does not show up on the 1918 AVL at that address.
Migky 

[HOWMUCH]

Hello
Thank you all so much for your in depth replies . There is some good information there and further enquiries to be made .
The addresses found by MIGKY are correct and yes he did own and run a printing business . I did not know it was in 1927 as the earliest I found was 1930 . So thanks for that .

I am trying to write up family history research for my grand children and I am ashamed to say that I have found out more about great greats grandparents than my own grandad . I should have asked  but at that time I was more interested in playing out 
I believe he was at 45 Prince Street in 1914 and following years due to two sudden deaths within the family .
He retired around 1946 as a cinema manager of the Kingsway Cinema on Kingsway and died in 1963 .
Many thanks for your replies . I always seem to learn something each time