granddad's dad James Kelly

[jesika jae]

Ken, thanks for the suggestion about the absent voters and electoral roll lists. Sadly, neither remains in Mansfield or Nottinghamshire CC.
j

[Darleith]

Great granddad
My search for my maternal grandfather is frustrating and bewildering. Despite a tremendous amount of information, including his regiment and numbers, I still cannot, even with the help of Rootschat experts (many thanks) determine which of many possibles he is.
So – try for GREAT granddad.
Same name James Kelly
Same address 3 Bells Yard, Westgate, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire at the marriage of his 20 year old son (Jan 1916)
Same occupation miner
Different regiment Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
And at least 20 years older which would surely make it easier – wouldn't it?
I have 14 possible medal card numbers relating to James Kelly, KOYLI or YLI
2 for James P Kelly
2 for J Kelly
and 2 for William J Kelly

They range from Royal Field Artillary to MGC, Rifle Brigade and Labour Corps (older men perhaps?), Royal Engineers (miner – tunnels?) and Training Reserve Battalions.

I have so much but can't go forward.

I am waiting for information from the KOYLI and mining museums one of which may provide the missing link, giving great granddad's birth date (estimate around 1870) or perhaps the name of his wife.

Larkspur (Nottinghamshire) and Cashew (WW1) have helped enormously and  I thank them, but that elusive final clue is still to be found.

I really hope someone can find great granddad James Kelly and through him, my grandfather.
Many thanks
jesika

James Kelly 1895-1927

James seems to have siblings who lived at 3 Bells Yard Mansfield, Nottinghamshire

Catherine Kelly Birth abt 1897
Death 3 Aug 1944 in 20 Watt St, The Meadows Nottingham
m Mar 1916
1/ Isaac Howcroft 1895 – 1916 (KOYLI )
2/ John Thomas Featherstone 1891 – in Mar 1919 of 18 Bells Yard Mansfield, Nottinghamshire
also
Margaret Kelly b abt 1894 m 1929  John William Bellamy

[jesika jae]

Thanks to the brilliant work of Jeff who was looking for his wife's grandmother, I now know I had an Aunt Catherine, James Jr's sister.
Jeff searched diligently and found a death record in Nottingham for James Sr who died in 1951, age 76.
James Jr & Catherine still remain "motherless" but the names James & Catherine are used in each generation we are aware of. Was Greatgran a Catherine too?
Once again Jeff has found a possible candidate and we await 2 certificates which may resolve the problem.
Many thanks to Jeff for what he's doing, for contacting me and being patient with my ineptitude and slowness (I blame my bus pass!)
On a side issue, I have discovered several generations of the family of the man I knew as Granddad George, so I have learned SOME lessons! 
j
250215

[jesika jae]

It is not entirely certain that James Kelly (1875) was the father of James Kelly (1896), my granddad, but circumstances strongly suggest he was.
Ellen Slattery (1874) & James Kelly (1875) grew up on the same street in Whitwick, Leicestershire, would have attended the same school and almost certainly knew each other.
No trace of James Kelly (1896) could be found, but several people in the Leicestershire forum looked for "baby Slattery". Arthur was born May 22 1896 in Ashby de la Zouch Workhouse and subsequently disappeared, not growing up, marrying, dying, appearing in any census.
March 8 1897, Ellen Slattery married James Kelly.
In the 1901 census, they were in Yorkshire with 3 children, 4 year old James, 3 year old Catherine & baby Thomas, 10 months.
The evidence is compelling that Baby Arthur Slattery became James Kelly, my grandfather, and that his name was changed, possibly because Ellen had a young brother, Arthur, and James (gt G) wanted to re-use his own name.
I know that James Kelly lived until 1951, dying in Nottingham, a later daughter shares his grave.
Ellen died 4 years later in Rotherham.
James, my granddad, was 30 when he died, from TB, in Yorkshire.
Now his grave is marked & both his daughters are with him.
I thank all who helped in this difficult and frustrating search.
300416
jj