Find Ancestors

Thanks mary will do that .

Also google William Frank Durn and there is info on him in the london Gazette regarding his work.

Maryb.

Possibly William Frank's medal records:

British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920

Name: William F Durn
Regiment or Corps: 8th London Regiment, 8th London Regiment
Regimental Number: S/35268, 376927

Lauren, you mentioned you'd found a possible William Frank Durn with his parents. This is him in 1911 with his wife:

DURN, William Frank Head M 34 1877 Postman Glos Wotton U Edge
DURN, Gertrude Letiita Wife Married F 25 1886 Glos Cheltenham
DURN, Dorothy Gladys Daughter F 0 (8 MONTHS) 1911 Glos Cheltenham
WESTMANCOTE, William Frank Boarder Single M 29 1882 Postman Glos Cheltenham
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Registration District: Cheltenham
Sub District: Cheltenham
Enumeration District: 9
Parish: Cheltenham

Address: 41 Courtenay St Cheltenham County: Gloucestershire

(The original census form confirms that they'd been married one full year and Dorothy Gladys was the only child born at that time).
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This 1901 census corresponds to the information you found, and ties in with the 1911:

DURN, Frederick Head Married M 47 1854 Coachman (Domestic) Wotton Under Edge Gloucestershire
DURN, Elizabeth Wife Married F 48 1853 Truxton Hampshire
DURN, Frederick T Son Single M 26 1875 Town Postman Wotton Under Edge Gloucestershire
DURN, William F Son Single M 24 1877 Town Postman Wotton Under Edge Gloucestershire
DURN, Kate Daughter Single F 21 1880 Wotton Under Edge Gloucestershire
DURN, Cyril Son Single M 15 1886 Printer Machinist Wotton Under Edge Gloucestershire
DURN, Harold Son Single M 10 1891 Cheltenham Gloucestershire

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Registration District: Cheltenham
Civil Parish: Cheltenham

Address: 15, Naunton Crescent, Cheltenham County: Gloucestershire
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It seems highly likely that the William in the 1901 and the 1911 are the same person, especially as it's not a very common surname. BUT, the only way to be absolutely 100% sure is to buy a copy of his marriage certificate.

Margee has posted above the details of his 1909 marriage to Gertrude and one of my earlier posts give a link to GRO where you can order certificates from.

Edwin's army records are on Ancestry - many pages but hardly anything on them, unfortunately.

British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920
about Edwin Stanley Merrett
Name: Edwin Stanley Merrett
Regimental Number: 103199
Regiment Name: Machine Gun Corps
Number of images: 20

They do confirm a son Donald born on 6th March, 1915

and a daughter Tresta/ Trista? born 18th January, 1917.:

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Births Mar 1917
Merrett Trista E K James Kings N. 6d 41

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Dea x

I think i have found william frank durn in the recoerds but not sure if he is the right one .
William frank durn lived with his father fredrick, his mother elizabeth, his brother thomas , and his sister elizabeth R . and they lived in wotton under edge, who do i know or where do i check to see if thats all correct , as still getting into a right muddle :-S :-S :-S :-D

Thank you thank you thank you for all the info, going to have a good read now and show my partner . :-D

Great grandparents' marriage:

Marriages Sep 1909 (>99%)
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DURN William Frank Cheltenham 6a 896
NORMAN Gertrude Lititia Cheltenham 6a 896

Lauren, you'll find that people will throw a lot of information at you, just take your time to read through it - and keep asking!

Have to go now, but does this look like it could be grandad's death?

England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2005

Name: Donald Edwin E Merrett
Birth Date: 6 Mar 1915
Date of Registration: Mar 2001
Age at Death: 86
Registration district: Cheltenham
Inferred County: Gloucestershire
Register number: B60D
District and Subdistrict: 4791B
Entry number: 135

The more recent death records give the actual birth date (or that which was given to the registrar) so is useful.

His paternal grandfather's birth? Mother's maiden name is Norman:

Births Sep 1916 (>99%)
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Durn Keith Norman Cheltenham 6a 715

And his paternal grandparents' marriage:

Marriages Sep 1939 (>99%)
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Durn Keith Fisher Cheltenham 6a 1783
Fisher Marjorie A Durn Cheltenham 6a 1783

Lauren, at the very top of the Find Ancestors board there is a thread called "Absolute Basics for Beginners" - there's some good tips in there.

I'll post that 1915 birth in a format from another site - it might be easier to follow:

England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915

Name: Donald E E Merrett
Mother's Maiden Name: James
Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1915
Registration district: Aston
Inferred County: Warwickshire
Volume: 6d
Page: 1053

The volume and page numbers are what you need for ordering copy certificates.

Order certificates from GRO http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/

What is james aston 6d mean ?

Following the 1915 birth, this could be the marriage of the parents:

Surname First name(s) Spouse District Vol Page
Marriages Dec 1914
James Edith M Merrett Gloucester 6a 718
Merrett Edwin S James Gloucester 6a 718

It's just a case of starting with the facts you know. Most of us use FreeBMD to search for records.

That could be them , i have tried but its like the blind leading the blind :-D

This could be his maternal grandparent's marriage:

Surname First name(s) Spouse District Vol Page
Marriages Jun 1936
Davies Edith D Merrett Wheatenhurst 6a 1071
Merrett Donald E E Davies Wheatenhurst 6a 1071

and possibly Donald's birth:

Surname First name(s) Mother District Vol Page
Births Jun 1915
Merrett Donald E E James Aston 6d 1053

from that, you can see the mother's maiden name was James. (It helps that Merrett's a fairly unusual surname - if they were called Smith and Jones we'd be stuffed!)

Hi Lauren, depending on when the events happened, then the best starting point is to look for records of the births of children, get the mother's maiden name (if the record is after 1911) and then find the corresponding marriages and work back.

You'll need to buy some copy birth and marriage certificates along the way ....

after telling my partner about this place he wants to trace his family , but like me has not got a clue, his is a bit more difficult as he has no dates and just a few names as does not have any contact with family. on his fathers side he has trevor durn is his father , keith and marjory durn Maiden name fisher,as his grand parents and this is as far back as he knows , no dates or any thing .

On his mothers side he has maureen merrett as his mother and donald and dessie Merrett maiden name Davis as his grand parents again no dates,
They all lived around the tewkesbury/ cheltenham/ gloucester area .

Again any help would be brilliant and greatly received :-D