Genealogy Chat

Sophie has already sent me the photograph and his buttons and cap badge have been touched up by someone using yellow paint ? or ink of some sort, making it impossible to identify his regiment.

Oo thanks Mummy Bear...Ill have a lil gander now... x

Sophie

I'm still thinking about this ...

I've been back on TNA for his medal index card which the info we know - driver in artillery

there are now 7 William Watkins and another 7 with middle initial

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/search-results.asp?searchtype=browserefine&query=first_name%3dwilliam%7clast_name%3dwatkins%7ccorpname%3dartillery%7cscope%3ddriver&catid=10&pagenumber=1&querytype=1&mediaarray=*

and 12 William H Davies
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/search-results.asp?searchtype=browserefine&query=first_name%3dwilliam%20h%7clast_name%3ddavies%7ccorpname%3dartillery%7cscope%3ddriver&catid=10&pagenumber=1&querytype=1&mediaarray=*

MB

Margaret

Ive checked Ancestry but with no key fact about which grandad he was or when and where he was born....its harder to find.....

Plus the photo taken is outside.....

Sophie, have you checked out the WW1 Pensions on Ancestry?

Was the photo taken in a studio, if so is there a name or date on the back?

M. Steer

Not that i know of; i dont reli know much about them, neither do my living rellies...

But the info you've given does make sense; trolling thru old war pics of the internet...it does look like he would have been in sumthing to do with the RHA or RFA...plus he has that riding crop so he must have rode horses rite?......lol

Soph x

Sophie

I've just heard back from a friend of mine who's in the Artillery and he says
"That's a WW1 Driver from the RHA or RFA, the spurs are right"

RHA = Royal Horse Artillery
RFA = Royal Field Artillery

He did comment that unfortunately the picture had been 'coloured' as they did in those days and the yellow paint over the cap badge has obscured it some what, but he's sure it's Artillery either RHA or RFA.

So that narrows down the search.

Do you know if either of the William's had any experience of horses - as they would be a significant part of their job?

MB

Sophie

I have a very clever mate who has helped me and people on here before with regiments and uniforms. If you like, you can pm me with a photo and I will get him to have a look?

Regards

Shirley

Maybe you right Mb; well...ill just ahve to do some more digging around.....thank you for your help anywaz; much appreciated.

Thanks x

Sophie

I think your only hope is that someone can pin point the regiment and then its elimination.

Did you take Colin up on his offer?

Do you have any other photos of either man which you could compare?
MB

Well on Census's and birth records i dont think William Watkins had a middle name. and i agree that both of them would ahve been at the upper age.....and its definetly WW1.

x

Sophie

There are 343 William Watkins on the TNA Medal Index Cards.

Do you know if he had a middle or other names?

There are only 17 William Henry Davies listed in the Medal Index Cards

Just bear in mind that both these men (assuming William D was born around the same time as William W) would have been at the upper end of the age range for service in WW1 - William D would have been aged 45ish in 1914.

One other thing - did they both servive WW1?

Yes sorry I just changed it because i didnt want to confuse people....their names are Watkins..

Sori x

...

MB

No, this is The Watkins side in 1901

Williams Occupation was Stoker at Gasworks (woteva that is)

Name: William Watkinson
Age in 1901: 32
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1869
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Sarah J
Gender: Male
Where born: Clifford, Herefordshire, England

Civil Parish: Hay
Ecclesiastical parish: Hay St Mary
Town: Hay
County/Island: Breconshire
Country: Wales

Street address: View Image
Condition as to marriage: View Image
Education: View Image
Employment status: View Image
Occupation: View Image

Registration district: Hay
Sub-registration district: Hay
ED, institution, or vessel: 2
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 109
Household Members: Name Age
Ausel Brooks 9
George Brooks 13
Thomas Brooks 11
Edgar Watkins 3
Gertrude Watkins 1
Rose Watkins 5
Sarah J Watkins 31
William Watkins 32

Sophie

is this William & Sarah Watkins in the 1901 Census

Name: William Watkins
Age in 1901: 36
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1865
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Sarah J
Gender: Male
Where born: Hereford, Herefordshire, England

Civil Parish: Tredegar
Ecclesiastical parish: Tredegar St George
Town: Tredegar
County/Island: Monmouthshire
Country: Wales

Street address: View Image
Condition as to marriage: View Image
Education: View Image
Employment status: View Image
Occupation: View Image

Registration district: Bedwellty
Sub-registration district: Tredegar
ED, institution, or vessel: 5
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 102
Household Members: Name Age
George H Watkins 1 month
Phoebe Watkins 4
Sarah J Watkins 37
William Watkins 36
William J Watkins 6

Source Citation: Class: RG13; Piece: 4937; Folio: 83; Page: 17.

Well My Gran said it could be either grandad.....

William Watkins b. 1868 Clifford, hereford area married Sarah Brooks 1896 Pontypridd, Wales

or

William Henry Davies...details unknown

Wil D had a son callled William Henry Davies and Wil W had a daughter called Gertrude Watkins that married in 1916 in Pontypridd....both fathers were put down as Colliers...

Thats all i know...not reli much to go on...and it would be im possible to get a medal card without the right name...plus both names have well known surnames..so theres likely to be loads........sigh

Sophie

The cap badge isn't that clear - however, from what he's wearing he's involved in horses, he's wearing jodhpurs, spurs, riding crop - so possibly the Artillery or Cavalry.

Do you know your grandmothers name and or her parents – perhaps if you post the names and dates/details you know – people on these boards love a challenge – you never know they may be able to narrow it down for you.
But without a name it’s going to be near on impossible to identify him.

MB

Is there a cap badge visible...if so identifying would be fairly straightforward, I will have a look at it if you want..Col

Have you tried National Archives site for medal records cards? If you search for his name this will give you details if he served in WW1.You can order record card for £3.50.
Or if interested in current issue of 'Family tree Magazine' Feb 2008 issue,page 42 there is article on British Army and an offer of a poster of Regimental Cap badges of the British Army (pre 1920).Size A3.Cost £1.50 plus postage.Go to www.familyhistorybookshop.co.uk