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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: cb1964 on Monday 21 July 08 17:18 BST (UK)
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Hi Rootschatters
I have posted a few requests on various regional, county and military boards on here in an attempt to find information on my grandfather. This is my last attempt and I will post all I know.
My grandfather, William James Selwood was born, I believe on 29 April 1887. This date was obtained from his railway pension records. He joined the Gloucestershire Regiment, again I believe between August and December 1906. This date was deduced from his regimental number which was 8279. By May 1914 he had left the army and was working for the Great Western Railway at Holt Junction, Wiltshire. At the outbreak of the Great War he was called back into the army as a reservist. His medal card indicates he went to war with the Gloucestershire Regiment on 13 August 1914. He was awarded the Victory, British and 1914 Star medals. He served as a Private with the 'Glosters' and was then transferred to the Suffolk Regiment where he served as a Corporal with a new regimental number, which was 25378. At the end of the war he was transferred back to the reserves. On 14 September 1918 he married Violet Lily Sharpe at Horfield Parish Church in Bristol. His age is shown as 29, which means he was born c.1889. He is shown as being on active service as a Corporal in the Suffolk Regiment. His father's details are shown as being: William James Selwood (deceased), Petty Officer R.N. My grandfather re-joined the railway after he left the army and worked until he retired and was pensioned on 3 May 1952. His death certificate shows he died on 18 December 1959, aged 72, which means he was born c.1887.
I have tried to locate him on the 1891 & 1901 censuses, without success. I have also tried to find his birth registration using the GRO index and on FreeBMD, again without success. His army records, which I hoped would show next of kin and an address are not held at the Army Personnel Centre and I have not been able to locate them at Kew, which leaves to to think his were one of those destroyed in the Second World War. Having spoken to a railway pensions expert, he would have had to produce proof of his age to claim his pension. I have also tried to find his father's naval records, yet again without success.
I really am at a loss with this one and would appreciate any help at all. ??? So , over to you lot ;D
Regards
CB1964
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Piece: RG12/770 Place: Eastbourne -Sussex Enumeration District: 4
Civil Parish: Willingdon Ecclesiastical Parish: Willingdon
Folio: 56 Page: 6 Schedule: 37
Address: Station House
SELLWOOD Stephen W H Head M M 30 Railway Stationmaster (Em'ee) Surrey - Clapham
SELLWOOD Emma J Wife M F 32 Sussex - East Dean
SELLWOOD Herbert W G Son - M 6 Sussex - Brighton
SELLWOOD Olive C Dau - F 5 Sussex - Brighton
SELLWOOD Frank E Son - M 6m Sussex - Willingdon
Page: 57/7 SELLWOOD Rose A Niece - F 6 Kent - Greenwich
SELLWOOD William J Nephew - M 5 Kent - Greenwich
PIPER Thomas Lodger S M 18 Railway Porter (Em'ee) Sussex - Hailsham
I found this in the 1891 Census, William J Sellwood born Greenwich living with his uncle and aunt. Struck because of Greenwich and the Royal Navy connection of his father. Is it a possible?
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The above entry already found on one of the other threads about William James Selwood:
www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,316232.15.html
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Page: 57/7 SELLWOOD Rose A Niece - F 6 Kent - Greenwich
Birth:
Rose Alice SELLWOOD Dec 1884 Greenwich 1d 1089
Anna
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Hi all
In my first post I only recorded the facts. His children, my mother and my uncle believe he lived in Gloucester at some point, hence why he joined the Gloucestershire Regiment. I suppose he could nave come from as far afield as Greenwich, but unfortunately it doesn't fit the facts or rumour.
It's just odd that his birth certificate or his father's naval records don't exist. I would have hoped to have found both of them on one of the census returns.
Thanks anyway.
Regards
CB1964
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William John Sel_lwood March 1886 Greenwich 1d Page 1119?
Looks like Sellwood, but unsure of page number, they've transcribed it as 11 4 9
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Hi Cat
Well I think you've confirmed the Greenwich William is not mine. He was definitely William James. Apparently his wife used to call him Jimmy!
Regards
CB1964
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Apologies, duplicate message.
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Hi
I have just joined this site this evening to try and get more info on various aspects of my family.
I have a William Henry Selwood in my tree, born 1887 in Gloucestershire.
His parents were not those you mention, 'my' William was illegitimate and his mother was Sarah Jane Selwood (b. abt 1868 Hillesley, Hawkesbury, Gloucestershire).
Are you 100% sure you now have the correct William Selwood? If not, perhaps this one may be who you are looking for?
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CB1964,
Perhaps there was a notice in the local newspaper when he got married. Have you tried to find one?
Did his obit contain any clues? Do the funeral home or cemetery have any info on file?
What about the church marriage and baptismal records for the area in which you think he was born? Have you been able to trawl through those?
Regards,
Josephine
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You say he married in 1918, do you have the marriage certificate and what does it say about his father.
Perhaps trying to find his father in earlier census might help link him to a particular area.
Margaret
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Have you traced all other living descendants? Often different lines of the family retain very different levels of verbal family history.
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The naval connection would have made Greenwich a good possibility.
Is it not possible that your great-grandfather was posted to a naval base abroad and hence your grandfather was born abroad?
Abroad may have been somewhere as close as Ireland. Bantry Bay in west Cork was once home to the Royal Navy's Atlantic Fleet, a base being at Castletownbere I believe.
Have you tried consulting the Navy Lists to find out more about William James senior?
Judging by the data in the IGI, the surname SELWOOD is concentrated in Wiltshire.
Justin
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Who were the witnesses to the 1918 marriage?
And what address does it give for the couple?
Carol
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Possible record of the father:
1901 census HMS Highflyer William Sellwood 31, married, Wellington, Somerset.
Just about old enough to be William's father and an easy spelling mistyake on the surname.
Rog
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This might sound a bit daft but have you tried looking at this from a different angle. It might not help you with your grandfather unless he was the informant on his father's death certificate.
My grandfather, William James Selwood was born, I believe on 29 April 1887 .......
On 14 September 1918 he married Violet Lily Sharpe at Horfield Parish Church in Bristol. His age is shown as 29, which means he was born c.1889. ....
His father's details are shown as being: William James Selwood (deceased), Petty Officer R.N.
His father was dead by 1918 William James Selwood (deceased), Petty Officer R.N.
So would looking for his father's death help you find some other clues? He must have been atleast 20 when your grandfather was born. This death looks a possibility particularly as I think Devonport could fit in with his naval connection.
William J Sellwood
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1867
Jan-Feb-Mar 1916 Devonport Devon Vol: 5b Page: 482
Age at Death: 49
Laurina
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Good find!
Devonport was a naval base.
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Len Barnett's website has some background information about Royal Navy records:
http://www.barnettresearch.freeserve.co.uk/index.htm
There are also links to other sites. He's a researcher (I'm not affiliated in any way and have not used his services) but the articles on his site are free.
Regards,
Josephine