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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Hampshire & Isle of Wight => Topic started by: Jackie37 on Wednesday 03 October 18 15:01 BST (UK)
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Hi, can anyone help me please. I am looking for any details prior to marriage on Reginald Howard Collins (1892+- to 1952). TIA
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Welcome to Rootschat.
What do you already know - whom did he marry (when & where), do you have him in any censuses (and if so what birthplace is recorded for him), have you found him in the 1939 Register, where did he live out his married life?
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Is he the one who died 8 April 1952, widow was Daisy, lived at Atlast Tower Hill, Dummer, nr Basingstoke?
Age at death: 59.
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Yes that’s him. He was my husband’s grandfather. We have all info from his marriage onwards - it’s anything prior to the marriage that we’re looking for please.
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Understood - but you haven't provided the information you do know (even of the marriage date, place etc) in order to put the person in context for the benefit of those who want to help you.
If the marriage is the first sighting of him, that is critical information and provides the starting point for taking things further back in time. The marriage certificate itself (if in England) should yield vital information such as his residence at the time, father's name and occupation, and the identity of at least two witnesses.
The 1939 Register (if he was in England at that time) should give you his exact birthdate.
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Hi, sorry am at work so don't have access to actual date of marriage. The certificate as I recall has no father listed so am assuming he was born out of wedlock. He married Daisy New. I think I shall have to look at my papers when I get home for the dates. I was hoping someone may have him in their family as a brother or cousin as I realise that without a father listed I am at a dead end.
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Don't declare a dead end just yet! We relish a challenge on here :D
So the marriage is this one, presumably - Reginald not using a middle name at this stage:
Reginald Collins
Daisy New
Sep qtr 1915 Basingstoke 2c 704.
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Likely birthdate for Reginald is 23 May 1892.
Do you know whether he served in WW1?
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This is the only 'Howard' in the 20 years from 1881 ..... seems to be from Kent ..
Births Dec Quarter of 1889
Collins, Reginald Howard Medway 2a 563
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This is the only 'Howard' in the 20 years from 1881 ..... seems to be from Kent ..
Births Dec Quarter of 1889
Collins, Reginald Howard Medway 2a 563
I saw him but I thought he had died in infancy.
Added: yes - Reginald Howard Collins death reg Mar qtr 1890 Medway aged 0.
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Yes that’s it. The middle name “Howard” appears on his death cert and his grave stone. There were quite a lot of Reginald Collins’ around but he seems to be the only one with Howard.
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Being a Collins he might have come from (e.g.) Ireland rather than England.
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I don’t think so, my husband remembers him as a Hampshire accented person. All my husbands family were farm workers and didn’t stray far from home. He remembers Reg as ring a forestry worker.
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OK, well these are all good clues. There's no Hampshire birth which is a good match on age and name, though, so the challenge continues. Do let us know when you have the marriage certificate to hand, as that will be really important.
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Its possible he was registered with his mother's maiden name, as she may have later married a Collins - whose name Reginald took ... or he may be adopted in ....
Do you know if he was in the Army ?
I dont have access to the Census nowadays, or I'd look in the overall Hants area for lads of that forename and rough age .... to see if it yielded any clues - but of course we dont know parents names - he might however, be in an institurtion on his own ... dunno !
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The nearest match I found was in the New Forest.
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No I don’t think so.
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The nearest match I found was in the New Forest.
This one is a separate person, born 1 July 1890, married an Agnes D Bettridge in 1943 (New Forest).
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Could be worth pursuing a 'forename reversal' - not uncommon ... but so far I cant tie anything in - I really need census access !
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Hi AVM228, sorry I've been so long coming back, confirm that yes Reginald Collins was born on 23/5/1892 (got this from 1939 register).
Found marriage cert, 1/09/1915 to Daisy New. Witnesses Florence May New (Daisy's sister) and Percy Prior (don't know who he is).
Occupation Private in Army ? Corps, Journeyman Baker ?
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Army Service Corps, perhaps?
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Are there just blank spaces for Reginald's father's name and occupation?
What was his place of residence?
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Hi, yes it could well be Army Service Corps. No entry in father or father's occupation columns. Address given as New Barracks, looks like 'Fermoy'
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Have found birth certificate for first child, Kathleen, dated 15/10/15 (just one month after the marriage). On that certificate he is definitely Army Service Corps Journeyman Baker.
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Here's an old thread about the New Barracks in Fermoy (I haven't read through it yet):
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=322135.0
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Regarding the Army Service Corps (ASC):
The Supply section, Field Bakeries and Butcheries
The ASC provided an important service in the production of bread and meat for the troops in the field [...]
Reserve Supply Personnel depots (RSP) were located at Aldershot, Bath, Hastings and Prees Heath.
From: www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-army-service-corps-in-the-first-world-war/
So was he perhaps recruited at Aldershot as a baker, transferred to Fermoy but returned on leave to marry Daisy because of her pregnancy?
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I think that’s very likely, however he must’ve lived close to Daisy 9 months before at least as none of the family travelled out of the district in those days, they were just farm labourers. It’s his earlier life I’m finding a total brick wall. For instance, why has he no military record ?
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Unfortunately lots of WW1 records don’t survive. But it may be worth your while posting on the Armed Forces board, with a link to this thread, to see whether the experts over there can help you to use the military details you have in order to find out more about Reginald.
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Now it could be a total coincidence but there's a Reginald H Gosden b c1892 on the 1911 census who's a journeyman baker in the Army Service Corp. Born freshwater, Isle of Wight
This doesn't quite work though as his birth is registered in Q4 1890. H stands for Hepditch
1891 he's with grandparents. 1901 I think he's listed as Reginald Estorffe, who has mother Agnes nee Gosden.
It is a total coincidence - have found army records. Died of wounds 1918
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Thank you AVM and Mabel and everyone else who has taken the trouble to dig around for me, I really appreciate it. I think I’m going to have to keep everything crossed that someone with matching DNA to connect to my husband and Reginald appears. Thank you again.