Thanks Claire, I'll investigate the Derby Milita records too.
Regarding Wadsley Jack, I have a description of the book written in a letter from his daughter Ellen to the sheffield telegraph in 1940, she writes - "it was written at the request of Sir W Lang, for a special object, which was to get the Telegraph read more widly in the country districts, which were that time the stronghold of the Independant. so my father made his hero a travelling cutler, pushing his "barrah" through the districts, and on his way meeting with humerous adventures in each village, which caused the people to buy the supplement on friday in order to see what Jack was going to do in their village the next week. It achieved it's purpose, and became so popular with the working classes that my father had it published in book form"
The book is written in old yorkshire dialect and so is very difficult to follow, I don't have a copy but I have seen one and tried with great difficulty to read a bit of it. It is thought to be based on his own life experiences, he lived an interesting and colourfull life and travelled quite a bit. It was written in 1881.
Going on this description, I think it would be unlikely to contain reference to his father, but who knows and it cerainly would be a chalenge to find out.
Thanks again for all your help Claire.
Dave
