Alan Edward Elton in Montreal b1877

[FionaRC]

Hello,

I am looking for an Alan Edward Elton, born: 17 Feb 1877, Montreal. His father was William Mills Elton and was an insurance agent. I don't have any other info about William other than by 1920 he was deceased.

Alan was in the Boer War and then stayed in South Africa- I have a pretty good idea of his movements  from then until he died in SA in 1929- but can't find any record of either Alan or William in Montreal, or anywhere else before around 1900.

The info I do have comes from his record while he was in the SA police and his marriage certificate to my great grandmother from 1920.

If anyone can find any record of him in Montreal, that would be really helpful.

Fiona

[Milliepede]

Have you any idea who his mother was?

I can see him on a passenger list to the UK in 1920 with a Jane Elton but he should be on a passenger list from Canada if he went to S Africa

[FionaRC]

Unfortunately I have no idea who his mother was.

Can I ask what passenger list you found him on? I haven't come across a Jane Elton yet. I have him on a passenger list between South Africa and the UK iin 1920 (during this trip he married my great grandmother and then returned to South Africa alone a few weeks later). But haven't managed to find him on any passenger lists to or from Canada.

[eileenwilson]

His Boer War service record would seem  to be available so am wondering if you have them -- not seeing a reference to William unless it's on the marriage record in 1920. 

Interestingly, there was a William Elton, an actor, who appeared in various plays including being in Montreal in 1881 (from newspapers.com).

[FionaRC]

I have some info on his time in the boar war (everything i can find). We have his medal, I know what regiment he was in etc. What I can’t find is when and where he signed up.

After the boar war he served in the SA police in Durban and we have managed to find his records from there, and he lists his next of kin as WM Elton in Montreal.

On the marriage certificate to my great grandmother in 1920 (a marriage that nobody in my family was aware had happened until we found the record!) He states his fathers name as William Mills Elton (deceased), and his occupation as an insurance agent. Which unfortunately rules out William Elton the performer, which is a shame!

[*Sandra*]

Occupation rules out William Elton in the Montreal directories for 1875/76.  Occupation was shoe maker.  R 177 Panet. Montreal

[eileenwilson]

After the boar war he served in the SA police in Durban and we have managed to find his records from there, and he lists his next of kin as WM Elton in Montreal.

What's the date on the document where he names Wm Elton in Montreal as next of kin?

[eileenwilson]

From Wikipedia, this suggests he would have joined his regiment in Johannesburg:

The Imperial Light Horse was raised by the British in Johannesburg on 21 September 1899 for service in the Second Boer War. Its initial strength was 444 officers and men. It was informally known as the "Reformers Regiment" as many of its officers served on the Reform Committee, or more commonly the Uitlander Regiment by the Transvaal Government and the Boer Commandos.[1][2]

[bbart]

A very tiny bit more info:
His service number when he first enlisted was 2859.  It is also attached to a second service number of 39399.
The 39399 has him mistranscribed as surname "Etton".  The index for his reenlistment (at Green Point, which is by Cape Town) in Dec 1901, (had been discharged from 2859), says he was Canadian, a planter, and NOK was his brother, D. Etton, residing Montreal.  Sadly no address, just GPO Montreal.

So possibly the Wm Elton, his first NOK, was his father?