Genealogy Chat

how i can go about finding info about my grt uncles. My grandfather Proctor(er) died in France in 1917 i have all his details, but found out from a little write up in local paper his two brothers were serving in the army as well, Samual a Corporal in the RFC and William in the Manchester regiment and according to a nice man at Manchester archives the battalion he was in was one of the first so he had to be living and working in Manchester to be in it.All three brothers were b in S-O-T. havn't a clew if they were married or not and don't no were to start. Have all three medal cards but they don't tell me anything. I have no chance of going to Kew and searching for myself, but do believe they both survived. Gill

Have you looked on the CWGC website? ... www.cwgc.org.uk (from memory). Christine

Yes thanks Christine i have , that's why iam pretty sure they both came through the war, found my grandads name on there but not his brothers. Want to find a marridge for them, but because i don't know who they married or were don't no were to start. Gill

Do you have their dates of birth? Is it possible they were married before the war, in which case you might find the weddings on Freebmd, if they married. After about 1910ish, you have to go through the GRO indexes which is time-consuming, especially as you don't have spouses' names or an idea of whereabouts they may have married. The bad news about Kew is that WW1 records were badly damaged during WW2 and are known as the 'burnt records'. Only a third survive, so you have a 1 in 3 chance of your relatives' records being among them. nell

Yes i have dates of birth Samual 1/1/1882 and William 10/10 1884 but can't see how this helps if i don't know who they married, sorry my head is in abit of a spin with this. It's one of those things that is on my mind all the time trying to find a way of finding out. Thanks for your reply Helen

Have you checked the electoral roll or the family announcement sections of the local newspaper? Pippa

It helps because given their ages, they would have been working before they got involved in the war. So you might find they returned to the same trade afterwards. Plus, with a rough idea of age you could use that as a checking point should you find any likely marriages/deaths for them. What are they doing on 1901 census, and where are they? Is this Samuel: Samuel Proctor 19 Lanc Manchester Lancashire Astley Coal Miner Hewer and William: William Proctor 16 Lancs Manchr Manchester Manchester Wood Carver nell

Thank's Pippa, The electral roll i need an address first don't i. but the family annoucments think i will try, because i don't know the years it will be a long search, lol

Yes Helen i see that now, put it down to to many hours on the puter today.lol

Hi Helen, i have on 1901 Samual boarding with a family in Fenton named Sellers aged 20. William aged 16 visiting members of his mothers family named Hope in Burntwood Staffs. They are both coal minners.

These are Samuel Proctor marriages 1901-1910: Name Year Quarter Record Type District County View Record PROCTOR, John Samuel 1909 December Marriages Congleton Cheshire Staffordshire View Record Proctor, Samuel 1902 March Marriages Glanford Brigg Lincolnshire View Record PROCTOR, Samuel 1902 September Marriages Stockport Cheshire Lancashire View Record Proctor, Samuel 1903 September Marriages Horncastle Lincolnshire View Record PROCTOR, Samuel 1907 September Marriages Stourbridge Shropshire Staffordshire Warwickshire West Midlands Worcestershire View Record PROCTOR, Samuel 1909 June Marriages Wirral (1837-1974) Cheshire View Record PROCTOR, Samuel 1909 March Marriages Blackburn Lancashire View Record PROCTOR, Samuel Arthur 1902 June Marriages Leek Staffordshire View Record PROCTOR, Samuel Smith 1910 March Marriages Holbeach Lincolnshire William being a more common name, there are 72 marriages in the same period!

Thanks Helen, think the only way is to send for a cert a week till i find him.lol Just wish i had some thing more to go on. There is an elderly relitive she is the dil of there sister don't know if she will remember anything, she's about 95 but very bright. My cousin knows her more than me, might have a word with her. Gill