Tracing vanished ancestor

[sancti]

Where was your grandmother living from birth until Patrick enlisted?

Strange that he put Mrs Conroy as guardian on his enlistment papers if she refused to look after the baby

[mulberry-rose]

Unfortunately I don’t know where she was living. 

Given that Patrick was in Ayr at enlistment, he likely wasn’t living at Bedlington Bank Top anymore.

I think he has Ellen Conroy as guardian as he assumed she was looking after the baby and was not aware that she’d refused to take her in. He used to send Ellen money to take care of her, but this money she kept for herself instead of telling him that the baby had been given up. The neighbour only took the baby in because her sons insisted. 

[sancti]

Only his 2 step-children Ellen and James Docherty are named on his military service papers, dated 10 July 1916.

He was still in the UK between enlisting on 17 August 1914 to being posted 11 May 1915.

[Neale1961]

Strange that he put Mrs Conroy as guardian on his enlistment papers if she refused to look after the baby

Mrs Conroy is recorded on his enlistment papers as HIS next of kin (guardian). This does not necessarily mean that she was his step-children's guardian (although apparently she was).
Both of his parents were dead by this stage, so he recorded as next of kin Ellen Rooney and his brother and sister.

[sancti]

Why would he need a guardian when he was 37 years old at the time?

[sancti]

Looking at the original record, he has put his younger brother and married sister as his next-of-kin.

It looks like (Guardian) Mrs Rooney was added later as the writing is different

[Neale1961]

Why would he need a guardian when he was 37 years old at the time?

She is recorded as next of kin, and noted as guardian rather than a parent or spouse. Simply, information that the military required.

[Neale1961]

Looking at the original record, he has put his younger brother and married sister as his next-of-kin.

It looks like (Guardian) Mrs Rooney was added later as the writing is different

Or perhaps the other way round. His sister and brother have been added on later in a different hand.

Added - Agree, the hand that wrote the children's name also wrote Mrs. Rooney's name and address. Brother and sister names and address are in a different hand.
Comparison of writing elsewhere makes me think on attestation Brother and sister were recorded as NOK. At a later date (1916?) names of children and Mrs. Rooney were added.

[sancti]

Mrs Rooney is out-with the brackets for Next-of-kin


What is a guardian in the military?
A guardian acts "in loco parentis"; that is, he or she acts in your absence, providing care, discipline and education for your family members. A guardian also has the power to authorize medical care, incluidng emergency surgery. The guardian must fully understand and agree to fulfill his or her responsiblities.


Mrs Rooney is acting as guardian for his children