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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: Mrsuperal on Sunday 27 April 14 14:49 BST (UK)
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We strongly believe the Unknown Marine buried in Padstow is Grandfather. He come originally from Stoke-on-Trent 1976 we are continually hitting brick walls before his Military record from 1895. He was in the Royal Marine Light Infantry. Does anybody out there have a possible lead, did anyone's ancestors marry a Whitmore with a connection to Stoke. We are trying to get the last resting place correctly named and we are trying to connect wit any living relatives who would like to know more.
http://padstowmuseum.webplus.net/CWGC%20evidence%20corrected.pdf
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Hello & welcome
That's a terrific piece of detective work.
You say you are hitting brick walls, perhaps you can tell us what exactly it is you need to know as you already know when & where he was born & who he married.
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Was this Acting L/cpl William Whitmore No. PO/8115(RMRB851)PO? Born 21/5/1876 Stoke on Trent?
If so he was attached to the SS Anna Sofie which was torpedoed and sunk 4 miles west of Trevose Head on the 23/7/1918 with one life lost. His naval record shows him killed on that date and the body never recovered. It shows is wife as Margaret Whitmore of 560 Shoffield Rd. Shipbridge nr. Chesterfield.
Hope this helps
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I've found 4 William Whitmore marriages but I have no way of knowing if any are the right one;-
Margaret Dixon Mar 1897 BarrowF 8e 1139
Margaret Bessie Cooke Mar 1904 Eastry 2a 1409
Margaret Smith Dec 1909 Leigh 8e 316
Margaret Lowe Dec 1915 Rochford 4a 2097
As a Royal Marine I suppose he could have married anywhere but Eastry is very close to Deal, which was a RM base I believe.
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If you click on the link you will see the poster has all of this & more.
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Hi Mrsuperal,
;D Welcome to RootsChat ;D
...what an amazing story! You haven't mentioned it, but are exhumation and DNA testing being considered? If so then it is a bit like Richard III; as William had no male descendants then you would have to try and track down living descendants of William's direct maternal line.
I see from the 1904 marriage cert which has been uploaded online that William named his father as William Henry WHITMORE, a joiner jouneyman. How far have you followed this and do you know anything about his sister or mother?
Debra :)
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I am new to Rootschat and would like to thank everyone who has responded. We have considerable information from 1895 onward for William Whitmore and a very comprehensive background for his wife but are struggling to get indisputable evidence for William Whitmore before the above date. We have searched most of the available websites so recommendations to pay more subscriptions is unhelpful!
Isobel and Alan
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Next to his photo is this:
WILLIAM WHITMORE was born at
Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire on the
21st May 1876. His parents, William and
Elizabeth, had one other child, a daughter
who they named after the mother.
& from Dundee this:
I see from the 1904 marriage cert which has been uploaded online that William named his father as William Henry WHITMORE, a joiner journeyman
Is the family on the census?
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Thank you so much everyone who is trying to help, we have the following information which can be seen on Ancestry.com.
William Whitmore, Name used by him, No accurate source confirmation
DOB given by him on joining Military 21 May 1876 No accurate source confirmation
DOD 23 July 1918, The person who called himself William Whitmore, see above died on the date given.
Wife Margaret Bessie Cook, Full history found, age on Marriage certificate in correct.
We have full confidence in all records that we have found after 1895. It is prior to that date we need.
We believe that there was an Aunt Liz who lived in Doncaster 1907-1911 or longer but we cannot trace her from the information we have.
Search - William Whitmore 1876+/-2 years, died 25 July 1918, Anna Sophie will find about four independent family trees, his history can be found in Google, doing the same search
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Hi
Welcome to rootschat
Have you discounted William Whitmore who in 1881 was age 6 born Stoke and was living with his mother Mary A Whitmore age 40 bn Stoke (Married) and siblings Mark 11 and Eliza 8.
RG11/2728 f108 p45 - 4 Johnson Square, Stoke
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X3VB-N4P
ADDED In 1871 Mary A has a husband William age 32 bn Hanley
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/V5RP-DGS
Rosie
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I think you've got something there Rosie:
This looks like them in 1871;
RG10; Piece: 2871; Folio: 40; Page: 33
Father William Journeyman joiner.
Brother Mark was a soldier.
He married 1898 but died 1904.
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Thanks again. I have already walked that route but cannot prove it's correct. I have the birth certificate of the William you have found, he is born on the 21 May 1975, exactly one year early than we had from his Military record, it gives his name as William Henry and his father as William. I have the Marriage certificate what seems to be William and Mary but this is for William Fredrick and Mary Ann Cotton Smith.
The last census WRW & MACSW are together is 1871, 1898 & 1891 WRW is in the Army and after that I don't know. 1901 MACSW is in hospital & a widow. In 1918 we have a cutting from an unknown paper citing his parents as William an Elizabeth Whitmore of 68 Boothan Road, Stoke-on-Trent, The next of kin on his enlistment is given as Mrs Whitmore, 63 Boothen Road, Stoke-on-Trent. Is the Mary route a red herring, did WRW marry the Elizabeth after Mary's death in 1907. Mark Whitmore son of WRW & MACSW has a son Wilfred Guy in Wellingborough in 1910 which is where Our William lived in 1911. I have learned to be very sceptical about all information as there are many errors and also many untruths. I only gave some basic info in this enquiry in the hopes that something can be positively confirmed or alternative ideas thrown up. Thank you all. I shall keep hoping for a breakthrough. Isabel and Alan
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how many from the certs you have state William as being a joiner?
Edit:
Not sure where your getting some of this from but Wilfred Guy Whitmore is the son of Josiah Whitmore.
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A bit more info on the family of William & Mary Whitmore.
There were 3 other sons; Levi b.1860;Alfred b.1861 & Josiah b. 1880 ( I think he is the father of Wilfred as he's 29 in 1911 ).
In 1881 Mary is listed as married & head, no William,Levi or Alfred.
Also in 1881 William ( father ),Levi & Alfred are in Whittington Military Barracks Lichfield as part of the Staffs. Militia.
Mark Whitmore married in 1898 Wolstanton.
There's a death registered there for Mark Whitmore in 1904 aged 33 giving him the right birth date.
It's worth noting that in 1891 Mary was living in Welch St. S-on-T.
Welch St. is off Boothen Rd.
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0z2n/
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I have the birth certificate of the William you have found, he is born on the 21 May 1975, exactly one year early than we had from his Military record, it gives his name as William Henry and his father as William. I have the Marriage certificate what seems to be William and Mary but this is for William Fredrick and Mary Ann Cotton Smith.
Does the birth certificate say his mother is Mary Ann Cotton Smith
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The re-dedication of the grave to the unknown marine at Padstow to William Whitmore will take place at 14:00 on 11 Aug 2015.
His Parents were William Frederick Whitmore and Mary Ann Cotton Smith
His DOB 21st May 1875 not 1976 as believed
Siblings Levi, Alfred, Julia, Lucy, Eliza, Mark, Josiah
William and Josiah had children in the same house in Wellingborough in the same year.
They both gave the same home address on there Military records
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Forgive me if I'm doing this all wrong but first time on this site! ::)
Was v excited to read news of a William Whitmore being found. Pretty sure not related as my dad (Gilbert William) and his dad (William) cam from the Gloucester area...Dad was born 1921 so I guess his dad was late 19th c, but William v much a family name. Having lost my dad 3 years ago I'm the last of the Whitmores in that line as by brother died aged 22.
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Hi I am also pretty new to Roots Magic.
Currently I cannot find a connection to your family.
Keep searching, We may find a link.
Alan
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Hi Lizziewhit
Welcome to Roots chat.
This is such a great place to find so much help. There are literally so many folk just waiting for you to ask questions and help with your research.
Its great to read your excitement at having found this thread and the touching connection you make to your family and you being currently the last survivor of that name in your line.
I would recommend you go back to the start of this board and create your own enquiry / post. Tell us what you know about your research and throw it open for some help. I am sure you will be amazed at what is unraveled for you. You could focus on a specific area if you know where you want folks to help you look, by posting under a specific country, county or area. Or for a general inquiry as I say this board is great.
When you have posted I think 3 times you can send personal messages to other chatters but if you do do that and those messages contain information pertinent to your post we loose track. The other thing to be aware of is the living persons rule - we do not research living persons nor do we put living persons info on posts - too risky!!
Good hunting and don't be afraid to ask any questions even what may appear to you to be daft questions - we all do that between each other all the time.
NDRFT