Author Topic: Pension records from Fold3 platform of Ancestry.com  (Read 437 times)

Offline Colleen Johnson

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Pension records from Fold3 platform of Ancestry.com
« on: Friday 03 September 21 04:59 BST (UK) »
We recently found a record of our grandfather's war pension card, year 1926, through the Fold3 platform.  He had been in the Reserves of the Welsh Regiment during World War 1. He was applying I think for a pension based on a disability.  The disability was stated as "Locomotor Ataxia".  After googling it, we were taken aback with its connection to late stage syphilis.  Does anyone know if "Locomotor Ataxia" was definitely a term interchangeable with tertiary stage syphilis? Or would it be a term for a disability that had lots of causes?

Also the card was stamped OK.  Does that mean he was awarded a pension? There seems to be a lot of shorthand notes on the card.  Does anyone know if there is a guide anywhere to the shorthand written on these cards?  By the way, within a year of the card being stamped "OK" my grandfather died aged in his 40s.  My father was only 6.
Thanks

Offline Tickettyboo

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Re: Pension records from Fold3 platform of Ancestry.com
« Reply #1 on: Saturday 04 September 21 13:25 BST (UK) »
Welcome to Rootschat Colleen :-)

Can't answer the question about the connection to syphillis, from what I can see on the web it may have been caused by that but there are other conditions that could have caused it.

To the best of my knowledge a disability pension application would need to be based on a disability that was directly attributable to his service.
I'm not at all sure the Army would have counted syphillis, or complications of it,  in that category?

If you can give a name and serial number, those who have access to the pension index cards may be able to look and perhaps shed some light on the notes on the card.

Have you also tried the UK, British Army World War 1 Pension Records database on Ancestry? IF there is one for him that may have more details.
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/1114/

Plus there may be more than one index card, in my limited experience there often is, its worth a look just in case.

Boo

Offline Colleen Johnson

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Re: Pension records from Fold3 platform of Ancestry.com
« Reply #2 on: Sunday 05 September 21 06:13 BST (UK) »
Thank you Boo.  I think he was rejected earlier, in 1920 as I found another card from that year that was clearly stamped "Rejected" but the one I was writing about in this forum was dated 1926. I have since discovered that the 1926 record is a ledger.  It was recorded on the ledger in 1926 that the condition was not a result of his service, so the "OK" stamp on the 1926 ledger must have some other purpose.
I will go on Ancestry (of which Fold3 is a platform) and see if there is more information on the terms used on these ledgers.
Thanks for your reply.

Offline Crumblie

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Re: Pension records from Fold3 platform of Ancestry.com
« Reply #3 on: Sunday 05 September 21 09:50 BST (UK) »
Venereal disease was, and probably still is, classed as a self-inflicted injury. I may be wrong but I believe it was a disciplinary offence as well.


Offline KGarrad

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Re: Pension records from Fold3 platform of Ancestry.com
« Reply #4 on: Sunday 05 September 21 10:23 BST (UK) »
I will go on Ancestry (of which Fold3 is a platform) and see if there is more information on the terms used on these ledgers.
Thanks for your reply.

Fold3, although owned and operated by Ancestry, requires a separate subscription.
Fold3 cannot be reached from Ancestry without that subscription.
Garrad (Suffolk, Essex, Somerset), Crocker (Somerset), Vanstone (Devon, Jersey), Sims (Wiltshire), Bridger (Kent)

Offline Tickettyboo

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Re: Pension records from Fold3 platform of Ancestry.com
« Reply #5 on: Sunday 05 September 21 13:51 BST (UK) »
Thank you Boo.  I think he was rejected earlier, in 1920 as I found another card from that year that was clearly stamped "Rejected" but the one I was writing about in this forum was dated 1926. I have since discovered that the 1926 record is a ledger.  It was recorded on the ledger in 1926 that the condition was not a result of his service, so the "OK" stamp on the 1926 ledger must have some other purpose.
I will go on Ancestry (of which Fold3 is a platform) and see if there is more information on the terms used on these ledgers.
Thanks for your reply.

We aren't permitted to post a full copyright image, but if you can snip out 'just' the shorthand notes that are puzzling you even if it takes a couple of images to do that, you can attach them in here and someone may be able to shed some light on it.

In the meantime, this page may help:
https://www.westernfrontassociation.com/world-war-i-articles/great-war-pension-record-cards-and-ledgers-deeper-understanding/

Boo