James Kelly 1895-1927

[millymcb]

Do you have medals for both father and son? I can't see if/where you posted the details off the rim of medals (name rank, regt, number etc). Are they for Notts & Derby or Machine Gun Corps?

Do the medals match the marriage info you gave? And is this definitely the right marriage?
On January 5 1916, James KELLY married Nellie RICHARDSON in the Mansfield Registry Office.
He was 20, a miner serving as a Private in the Notts & Derby/Sherwood Foresters Regiment, number 15846

And what about James Snr - do you have his medals too?

Just checking in case there is anything we have missed

Milly

[jesika jae]

Thank you, Milly.

Pte J Kelly, Notts & Derby R 15846 1st and 3rd Battalions  was awarded the 1914-15 Star.
The Victory medal was awarded to Sjt J Kelly, MGC 13010 after his transfer and promotion 21 Feb 1916
We had to replace the missing British War medal.
Verified through his medal card and the limited records at the Notts & Derby Museum, who provided dates of his movements between May 1915 and February 1916. These dates tally with the wedding and the birth of their son and the marriage  witnesses, grandmother's father & sister.
So far there is little knowledge of James snr, but hopefully there will be more information from the KOYLI museum. They have his home address, rank and regiment (as of Jan 5 1916) and former occupation to work from. He would have been older than many of his fellow soldiers, his son was 20 at marriage.  If any details exist, such as his date or place of birth or preferably his wife's name, it should be possible to determine which James Kelly of many is mine.
I only want his date and place of birth and his mother's name, I have no desire to know exactly where he went and what he experienced.
I offer thanks to all who have shown interest and offered help in this frustrating search.
j

[jesika jae]

An update on my search for Granddad Kelly, the "motherless" James Jr.
A very clever researcher was looking for his wife's grandmother and fortunately, they have a lot of family history documented. Jeff discovered that his wife's gran was my granddad's sister! I had an auntie Catherine .
More skillful detective work revealed quite a lot about GREAT granddad, James Sr. Like his son, he  survived WW1, but unlike his short lived child, died age 76 in Nottingham. There is a possibility he remarried at some stage and had a child, Margaret.
We await 2 certificates which may or not, reveal the identity of my great gran.
Many thanks to all who helped before and especially to Jeff for contacting me after his brilliant work
j
250215

[jesika jae]

Granddad James Kelly update

During his brilliant detective work, Jeff in Melbourne, seeking his wife's grandmother, Catherine, found my search for granddad James Kelly.
James & Catherine were siblings, their home addresses at marriage, only 3 months apart, and their father's name & occupation confirm this.
Jeff discovered that James Kelly Sr (gt granddad) had married Ellen Slattery (gt grandmother) in 1897 in Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire. Their children soon followed.
Catherine was born in Mexboro, Yorkshire 1898
Thomas was born in Whitwick, Leicestershire in 1900
Margaret was born in Whitwick in 1908
Winifred Cecelia was born in 1911 in Mansfield Nottinghamshire
Donald Thomas was born in 1914 Mansfield
William was born in 1918 in Mansfield.

According to the 1901 census, when the family was living in Glass Houghton, Yorkshire, James was born in 1897 in Whitwick. This is the earliest reference to him. I can find no record of his birth in any of the websites I am able to access. GRO anticipate up to 6 weeks turn around for confirmation or further frustration!
I think I now know both his parents and his year of birth, 2 years younger than stated on his marriage & death certificates, but still not his date of birth. Perhaps he added a couple of years to go to war, he has the 3 WW1 medals. Or maybe there is another mysterious mystery waiting to unfold.

As ever, my grateful thanks to those who have contributed to my knowledge, especially Jeff.
j
200415

So near and still so far away

[larkspur]

"According to the 1901 census, when the family was living in Glass Houghton, Yorkshire, James was born in 1897 in Whitwick"
His Parents married 1897, could James have been born before this event? His surname would then not be Kelly.

[jesika jae]

Good afternoon, Larkspur. I'd thought of that. My distant family ladies had a tendancy towards brief pregancies. Must have been the mining village air!!! LOL
I cannot find any trace of his birth and strangely I can't find the family in 1911 census either. Ellen would have pregnant with Catherine and I don't think out of country family holidays existed for ordinary people, but gt gt granddad, John was from County Mayo.
I doubt they failed to register him, it was compulsory after 1875 and there was a hefty £2 fine. A young miner wouldn't have had that much spare money.
The mystery continues to confound.
But many thanks for the suggestion.
j

[jesika jae]

One year ago, Granddad Kelly's birth remained a mysterious mystery, indeed until less than one WEEK ago. Australian Jeff had uncovered many family members, but Granddad's birth date eluded us. We knew he was supposed to have been born 1896/7 in Whitwick, Leicestershire if the 1901 census was correct, but there was no record of a birth.
I decided to approach the Leicestershire forum and clever researchers uncovered Arthur Slattery born April, May or June 1896 to Ellen Slattery. Baby Arthur then "disappeared". Ellen had a 7 year old brother Arthur when baby Arthur was born.
James Kelly was the son of James Kelly & Ellen Slattery of Whitwick. Ellen Slattery is an unusual name. James Kelly sadly not!
I have ordered birth certificates for Ellen & baby Arthur in the hope that I shall have at last a date for my Granddad's birth, believing that Arthur Slattery became James Kelly Jr when Ellen & James Sr married March 8 1897.
I still cannot find any record of the family in the 1911 census but know that they were in Mansfield in Nov 1911 when another baby was born.
As ever, I give thanks to all who have helped so much in the search for my Granddad. If I ever have another Granddad, I want one with a very uncommon name which has not been recycled through generations!
jj 090416

[jesika jae]

Solved, the mystery of my elusive granddad, by the Leicestershire forum! (James Kelly 189? 1927)
It is impossible for me to thank individually each person who has contributed to finding James Kelly 1896-1927.
If you read this, you know who you are and that I am deeply indebted to you.
The major breakthrough came when Australian Jeff was searching for his wife's grandmother, Catherine Kelly 1898. She was confirmed as the sister of James Kelly in the 1901 census which also revealed the first mention of a place and approximate birth year for James.
James remained elusive. I accepted that he was almost certainly illegitimate, maybe even born to another family member, “adopted” by James Kelly  (1874) & Ellen Slattery as they were getting married and then known as James Kelly.
Baby Arthur was born to Ellen Slattery, May 22 1896 and Willsy (Leicestershire forum) found his baptism record in Holy Cross RC church, Whitwick, 26 July 1896. She also found baptism records for James & Ellen's  other children, Catherine, born in Mexborough, Francis who I assume died as I have no knowledge of this baby, and Thomas.
The evidence is compelling, the only caveat being the spelling of Ellen's name. In all the records I have found, she is Ellen but in 3 of her children's baptism records she is Helen.
I am unclear about RC baptisms but John Kelly & Ellen Wall were born in County Mayo in 1839 & 1841, marrying in Staffordshire 20 years later which may explain that.
I offer my thanks those who thought sideways & found baby Arthur Slattery & to Willsy who found baptism records.
Many, many thanks to all who have made it possible for me
On May 22 2016, I'll be able, for the first time, to celebrate Granddad Kelly's birthday.
180416

[jesika jae]

I now have the birth certificate of Arthur Slattery who became James Kelly, my grandfather. I suppose it's no real surprise that he was born in the Union Workhouse, Ashby de la Zouch to the unmarried Ellen, but it was still very sad to read about his place of birth. There are a few little details I'd like to search out, but basically I am happy with what I have found, with the support of so many unselfish people who have given freely of their time & knowledge.
Thanks you to you all.
jj 300416