Friday 14 October 2016

The Marriage of Reuben Milner and Sarah Myers - Leeds May 22nd 1875

I came across this marriage certificate the other day in my family history files


At the time (May 2002) I was looking for the marriage of my great grandmothers twin sister Sarah Ann Myers who was born in Alderney Channel Islands on 16th April 1857. I was unsure about whether or not it was the correct marriage but my late mother did give me some encouragement, stating the name "Milner rang a bell".

Well after lashing out a few quid for a copy of the certificate, it was apparent straightaway that it was not my late mothers great aunt Sal - in fact it had nothing at all to my ancestors. Complete strangers.! But it was a lesson learned the hard way - I am a lot more circumspect nowadays when I order any form of certificate.

In the years following I did learn from the UK Census that my ancestor Sarah Ann Myers did marry a James Burnett who was born in Scotland in 1829 and so was 28 years older than Sarah Ann. And I still have not located a marriage certificate!

100 years ago - Herbert William "Billie" Thomas of Spring Hill Sheffield died 7th October 1916

The Yorkshire Telegraph and Star dated 19th October 1916 carried this small notice in its Births, Marriages and Deaths column.


I posted an article to the site about Billie a few years ago but it struck me that I did not know how John and Gertrude received the news that their only son was killed in action. Did they receive a telegram similar to this


or did they receive the news by post - the Army Form B 104 - 82


Either way the terrible news would have been delivered to them on the doorstep of 37 Spring Hill a hundred years ago this coming week - it certainly makes you think 




Tuesday 11 October 2016

William Clegg (1898 - 1989) - World War 1 (Rawmarsh Rotherham)

I received this mail from the son of William Clegg who served in the First World War

" I am writing to see if you can help me with a specific enquiry regarding my fathers service in WW1.

I have my Clegg family history dating back from the mid 1700s. Early all of whom were associated with the the mining industry in and around Sheffield. My grandfather, Charles Clegg b 1869 in Handsworth d 1969, was married to Kate (nee Olivent) b1871 d 1937.

They had six children plus one adopted and lived in Handsworth. census records show they moved from there in 1901 and in 1911 they show up in Rawmarsh. At that time my grandfathers occupation changed from Colliery Banks-man to Insurance Superintendent.

My father, William, b 1898 d 1989 is recorded in 1911 as a scholar in Rawmarsh. The only information that I have about my fathers army service in WW1 is that he was a Batman and delivered messages from his Officer to the trenches. My sister and I have a recollection of a large framed, glass fronted black and white photo of him in army uniform. This disappeared some years ago together with any knowledge of his regiment or brigade. The recollection of this have a plain background suggests it was probably a studio photograph and it would have been unlikely for it be commissioned.

I have tried almost every search engine and history site including those local regimental sites without any luck so far. I'm waiting for a copy of a marriage certificate, my parents were married in 1920 in the hope that he may have still been serving then and it include service details.

Any information or suggestions you are able to make would be very much appreciated.

Thank you and kind regards

This is the family in the 1911 Census living on Rawmarsh Hill Rotherham


If anyone can help in answering the questions raised we would be delighted to hear about it.