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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Lancashire => England => Lancashire Lookup Requests => Topic started by: Hogan on Thursday 05 July 12 18:02 BST (UK)
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Hi All
This letter was printed in the Scottie Press, a local community newspaper for the area around Scotland Road in Liverpool.
The text along with the letter reads.
This hand written letter, along with a printed Christmas Card, was sent from St Sylvester's School in 1915 to a Pte Furlong who was serving in the RAMC . Pte Furlong was thought to be serving in the trenches at the time. The letter is signed by a pupil Edward Cunningham. It is not known by the Scottie Press whether the two were known personally to each other, or whether the practice of sending such morale boosting items was a government sponsored initiative. We are also keen to trace the fate of Edward Cunningham, born circa 1900.
Do you think we could find the soldier. Looks like J Furlong to me?
I put this on the Great War forum and one lady says it is a J for sure as she was taught old writing at school and thats how they wrote a J.
They also only found one Man serving in RAMC as J Furlong
Medal card of Furlong, John J
Royal Army Medical Corps 2919 Private
Now the boy who wrote the card was called Edward Cunningham. Im not on Ancestry at the moment so please would someone have a look for him, born around 1900? Not sure if we could find him as their are bound to be more than one.
Cheers
Ant
(http://img805.imageshack.us/img805/298/ww1letter.jpg) (http://img805.imageshack.us/i/ww1letter.jpg/)
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Hi
I have a friend whose ancestor went to St Sylvesters school and she has a beautiful letter written by him to his parents at Christmas. It thanked them for being loving and caring parents and for ensuring he was fed & clothed etc etc.
Apparently, the teachers wrote the letters but the children had to copy them as a handwriting test.
Her ancestor was about 11/12yrs old so Edward Cunningham may be a similar age but it depends what age group standard 6 and 7 was
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There were not as many Edward Cunninghams as you may think. The letter was written in 1915 so a birthyear of around 1900 would be a bit early
A possible candidate could be one born 1905 showing on the free 1911 index but 1911 lookups are not allowed on RC
EDIT - confirmed via pm that this is the right Edward
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There is a WW1 service record for a John Furlong age 48 at enlistment - address looks like 27 Everton Crescent but discharge address in 1917 was 34 Hornsey Rd Anfield. His Reg number was 1805
Likeliest given his address - James Furlong b 1885 Liverpool enlisted 1904 in 2/7th Kings Liverpool
24 Great Mersey St Reg number 15999 died 27.9.1918 as per www.cwgc.org
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THANK YOU
So much info.
Pal on the great war forum has given me this.
In 1911. John Furlong age 21yrs Pawnbroker's Assistant of 28 Louis St, off Scotland Road.
Medal Card John J Furlong 2919 R.A.M.C.
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Standard V was 10/11 year olds so Standard 6 would have been 11/12 year olds.
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Edward Hugo Cunningham born 5 December 1904 was christened at St Sylvester's RC church on 11 Dec 1904. Parents John Patrick Cunningham and Ann Bradley
The priest has added the information that edward married Dorothea Maria McGuiness on 12 Feb 1936 at St Frances Salles (I think it's Salles)
Maybe there are children of this marriage who would love to see their father's letter.
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Thank you all. This is brilliant.
Yes it would be great to find any family so they could see the letter.
I have info on John Furlong. I believe we have him in Hopwood street in 1911. Right by the school.
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There's a death in 1974 in Liverpool North for an Edward Hugh Cunningham with the same date of birth. I would imagine Hugo was the latinized form of Hugh. He seems to have remained in the area.
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Thanks again for the info.
Great War Forum just found that John J Furlong 2919 R.A.M.C. lived in Essex according to his service papers.
Uh Oh.
Maybe he was a soldier he was just writing too?
But they found this
61797 Patrick Joseph Furlong RAMC (91st Field Ambulance) who went to France 23/11/1915.
He was a 26 year old distillery assistant who lived at 14 Furlong St, off Hopwood Street.
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This is incredible.
I have just looked up the children born to Edward & Dorothea Cunningham and find that I know members of this family
Their daughter sang at my wedding
One of their sons married my friend in 1967 - I was at their wedding
I am sending you a pm
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Incredible Carole just Amazing.
How wonderful would it be to let his family see the card he wrote as a boy.
Thank you all for the info on Edward.
3 Possibles for the soldier. I have contacted Scottie Press asking who gave in the card. If we can see it then it may have more info on. Plus it may have come from one of the soldiers relatives?
The story will be going on the wartime website and a big thank you will be added to Rootschat and The Great war Forum for the help.
I just think it is so wonderful that the card is bringing a story alive.
Cheers
Ant
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Great War Forum just found that John J Furlong 2919 R.A.M.C. lived in Essex according to his service papers.
Uh Oh.
Maybe he was a soldier he was just writing too?
But they found this
61797 Patrick Joseph Furlong RAMC (91st Field Ambulance) who went to France 23/11/1915.
He was a 26 year old distillery assistant who lived at 14 Furlong St, off Hopwood Street.
Medal Card
Patrick J Furlong Pte RAMC 61797
VM, BM & 15*
Theatre of War (1) France Date 23/11/15
1911 Patrick with his family occ as above here he is with parents & siblings on 1901/1891c
1901 RG13; Piece: 3409; Folio: 35; Page: 62
14 Furlong St Liverpool
John 50 Ireland Distillery Labourer, Ellen 46 Ireland
Bridget M 18 Cheshire Seamstress PATRICK 14 Liverpool, Walter 8 Liverpool
1891 RG12; Piece: 2902; Folio: 128; Page: 35
14 Furlong Street
John 41 Lab. in sugar Hs, Ellen 38,
Bridget M, Richard 6, PATRICK 4, Ann Higgins 28 Ireland niece, plus boarder
1881 76 Eldon Place
John Furlong boarder 30 Wexford Ireland La. Railway
possible death of father
John Furlong age 74 burial date 4 Jul 1929 Ford Cemetery
1911 John Furlong age 21yrs Pawnbroker's Assistant of 28 Louis St, off Scotland Road.
John on censuses with parents 1901/1891
1901 RG13; Piece: 3484; Folio: 24; Page: 40
7 Hodson Pl
John Furlong 36 Sawyer, Mary A 32
Teresa 13, JOHN 11, James 8, Margaret 9mths
All born Liverpool
1891 RG12; Piece: 2952; Folio: 27; Page: 48
10 Elias Street
John 30 Circular Sawyer, Mary 26,
Teresa 4, JOHN 1
Plus boarder Joseph McCullock 26
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Thank you Lady.
Great info.
Ant
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I have now made contact with one of Edward Cunningham's grandsons who will contact one of Edward's sons about this letter.
Will let you know outcome
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Gonna start calling you Constable Carole.
Brilliant , just Brilliant.
How wonderful will it be if his family get to see the card.
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Just came across this and am wondering if the soldier is my relative - John Furlong!