Joseph GALLAGHER on his marriage certificate to Elizabeth Mably in Reading in 1919 stated he was single, an air mechanic in the Royal Flying Corps and aged 31. His father was James, a journeyman carpenter.
His Royal Flying Corps record contains scant details but states his date of birth was the 7 May (or very possibly "Mar") 1887. Royal Flying Corps personnel details were lost in a fire.
He disappeared from the family soon after marriage - though the couple had a daughter.
For years I have been trying to find out what happened to him. There were some rumours that he went to Canada. We do not know his nationality or where he was born. I can't even find a birth or census record with James as his father.
But I have just found a 1930 census record for a Joseph GALLAGHER aged 43 with wife Laura aged 32 and their children in Grote Street, Buffalo, New York - who seems to be the right age - though Laura's does not make sense when you see the ages they reckon they were when they got married - 21 and 22 ( - unless they both had married other people!). I can't find a marriage record for them. That might have given the name and occupation of his father.
What makes me interested in the family in New York is that their children were born in Canada according to the 1930 census. And Joseph's occupation is a mechanic on aeroplanes.
I know this is a long shot but I am wondering whether anyone else has researched this family. And can help me find any other details which might confirm the connection - or otherwise - with the Joseph Gallagher I am looking for.
Yes - if this Joseph and Laura did marry, that would make him a bigamist.
Many thanks