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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: Shanna342 on Saturday 14 February 15 10:28 GMT (UK)
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I'm researching my great uncle Donald John Stevens and would appreciate any help or advice.
I have a copy of his wedding certificate which states that on 19 Dec 1918 he was married to Dorothy Annie Pack in Winchester. The stated age at the time of marriage is 27 and he was a soldier cadet. The stated name of his father is Abraham Alfred Stevens (Jeweller) and a witness at the wedding is Esther E Stevens (presumably Donald's mother?)
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His death gives a clue to his birth!
December qtr 1982
Exeter district vol 21, page 1136
Stevens, Donald John
Date of Birth: 15th December 1891
Can't see the birth on FreeBMD (which covers England & Wales)?
Was he Scottish?
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Nothing jumping off the census either.
A possible marriage;
Mar 1889
Cox Florence Shoreditch 1c 212
Cox James Shoreditch 1c 212
Parke Esther Eliza Shoreditch 1c 212
Stevens Abraham Alywin Shoreditch 1c 212
Details:
Marriage 2/2/1889 St. Marks.
Abraham Alywin Stevens/ batchelor / 23 / watchmaker / father Abraham Stevens / watchmaker.
Esther Eliza Parke / spinster / 21 / father Edmund Parke / engraver.
Wit:
Abraham Stevens
Catherine Mason ? Stevens.
Not a jeweller but much the same.
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Hi
Abraham Alywin Stevens, b1868, Islington London, d8May 1940, Congresbury Somersetshire
Esther E Stevens, b1870, Clerkenwell London
Marriage
Abraham Alywin Stevens & Esther Eliza Parke
2 Feb 1889, Shoreditch
Ernest A Stevens, b1890, Barnsley Yorkshire
Donald Stevens, b1891, Peterborough
Ethel L Stevens, b1894, Peterborough
Frank Charles Stevens, b1895, Peterborough
Kevin
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Hi
1911 census has him as Donald Stenens, in military.
Kevin
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Free BMD have his birth march qtr 1892 Peterboro'(spans the borders of 4 counties)
Donald Stevens.
Tinam
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1891 has the family in Peterborough
Abraham A Stevens 23 b. Islington
Esther Stevens 21 b. Clerkenwell.
Ernest A Stevens 1 Barnsley
Louise Parke 19 sister-in-law
Mar 1892
Stevens Donald Peterbro' 3b 235
Looks like he was in the 4th. Batt. Rifle Brigade.
Must be this chap;
Medal roll:
Sgt. Donald Stevens 3270 4th. Rifle Brigade. Transferred to 12th.
British War & Victory Medals.
15 Star.
Entered theatre 20/12/14 ( France )
Commissioned 23/3/1919.
So Officer Cadet at marriage.
Info:
4th Batt. WW1
04.08.1914 Stationed at Dagshai, India and embarked for Engalnd from Bombay in October arriving at Devonport, Plymouth 18.11.1914. They then moved to Magdalen Hill, Winchester to join the 80th Brigade of the 27th Division.
21.12.1914 Mobilised for war and landed at LeHavre and engaged in various actions on the Western Front including;
During 1915
Action at St. Eloi (Ypres area), Battle of St. Julien, Battle of Frezenberg, Battle of Bellewaarde.
25.11.1915 The Division was ordered to moved to Salonika and engaged in various actions against the Bulgarian Army including;
During 1916
The capture of Karajakois, The capture of Yenikoi, The battle of Tumbitza Farm.
During 1917
The capture of Homondos, The capture of the Roche Noir Salient, The passage of the Vardar river and pursuit to the Strumica valley.
30.09.1918 Ended the War in Macedonia, Rabrovo N.W. of Lake Doiran.
12th. Batt.
2th (Service) Battalion, The Rifle Brigade was raised at Winchester in September 1914 as part of Kitchener's Second New Army and joined 60th Brigade, 20th (Light) Division. After initail training in the Winchester area they moved to Blackdown, then in February 1915 to Witley and to Larkhill in April for final training. They proceeded to France on the 22nd of July 1915, landing at Boulogne, the division concentrating in the Saint-Omer area. They moved to the Fleurbaix area for trench familiarisation. In 1916 they were in action at the The Battle of Mount Sorrel, in which the Division, along with the Canadians, recaptured the heights. They were in action on the Somme in The Battle of Delville Wood, The Battle of Guillemont, The Battle of Flers-Courcelette, The Battle of Morval and The Battle of Le Transloy. In 1917 they were in action during The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line, The Battle of Langemarck, The Battle of the Menin Road Ridge, The Battle of Polygon Wood and The Cambrai Operations. In 1918 they fought in The Battle of St Quentin, The actions at the Somme crossings and The Battle of Rosieres engaging in heavy fighting in each battle, on the 20th of April they were withdrawn to the area south west of Amiensand received many new drafts of men during the summer. They returned to action at The Battle of the Selle and fought in The Battle of Valenciennes, The Battle of the Sambr and the passage of the Grand Honelle. At the Armitice the Division was in the area between Bavay and Maubeuge and later that month the units moved to the Toutencourt-Marieux area. Demobilistion of the Division began in January 1919 and was complete by the end of May.
He must have transferred here before the 4th. was posted to Salonika.
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1901 (as transcribed)-
Abraham A Stevers 33 b. Peterborough Foreman (watchmaker)
Esther E Stevers 31 b. Clerkenwell, London
Ernest A Stevers son 11 b. Barnsley, Yorkshire
Donald Stevers son 9 b. b. Peterborough
Frank C Stevers son 5 b. b. Peterborough
Frank Hearsey boarder 17
Emily Watts servant 14
Ettie Louisa Stevens dau 7 b.Peterborough
RG13 Piece 2399 Folio 21 Page 34, 48 Wolseley Road, Bristol
JJ
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Many thanks for all your posts guys. All very useful info especially the military.
Abraham Stevens and Esther Eliza Stevens ties in with the marriage certificate. I don't understand why his middle name is referred to as Alywin when it is documented as Alfred at his son's wedding in 1918.
I am pretty sure he served in the army in WW1 according to family anecdotes and this is verified on his wedding certificate. A Donald John Stevens died in the March quarter of 1982 in Exeter and his birth is recorded on 15 Dec 1891. This fits with him being 27 on his wedding day 19 Dec 1918. However there is a military naval record of a Donald Stevens born in Peterborough on 15 Dec 1891 who served on the HMS Impregnable. This seems to be too much of coincidence.
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according to his marriage he said he was a soldier Cadet therefore in the Army not the Navy.
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Hi JJ error sent to Anx regarding Stevers surname.
Good find
Tinam
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Free BMD have Abraham Aylwin Stevens march qtr 1868 Islington 1b 390
Tinam