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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Yorkshire (West Riding) => England => Yorkshire (West Riding) Lookup Requests => Topic started by: lillian66 on Saturday 12 March 22 09:43 GMT (UK)

Title: Missing Great Grandfather - 1921 Census Help
Post by: lillian66 on Saturday 12 March 22 09:43 GMT (UK)
Morning All

Bit of a long shot but can anyone help or point me in the right direction to find my great grandfather on the 1921 census. 

Here's what I know:

Walter Smith born 3/11/1893 in Birstall, Batley

Married Clara Porritt 28/7/1915 in Birstall, Batley

Lilian Smith born 30/11/1915 (my gran) in Heckmondwike

Clifford Smith born 13/4/1919 in Heckmondwike

Walter was conscripted in WW1 and was discharged 24/11/2019 - Army Ordnance Corps private 025537

The 1920 electoral roll shows both Walter and Clare at 36 Walkley Lane, Heckmondwike which is where Clara is on the 1921 census.

Parents Thomas Dixon Smith and Elizabeth (Robinson).

On searching the 1921 he is not with either his wife and children or his parents.  This does fit with the family story that when he returned from WW1 he didn't come back to his wife.

Realise this is a long shot with the name SMITH but any help or suggestions greatfully appreciated.

Thanks for reading

Title: Re: MISSING GREAT GRANDFATHER - 1921 CENSUS HELP
Post by: PaulineJ on Saturday 12 March 22 10:09 GMT (UK)
Suggested tactics

Forget the surname Smith. Try his mother's maiden namefor example.
Did he have a job , or a particular skill which might narrow down an occupation?

Was he noted as dead on his kids' marriage?
Found in 1939?
A known or inferred date ofdeath/ last known sighting?

Pauline
Title: Re: MISSING GREAT GRANDFATHER - 1921 CENSUS HELP
Post by: lillian66 on Saturday 12 March 22 13:05 GMT (UK)
Hi Pauline

Thanks for your post.

He was a grocers assistant on his marriage certificate and by 1939 a driver

He is on the 1939 register with his new family but she was with her first husband on 1921 census

Thanks
Title: Re: MISSING GREAT GRANDFATHER - 1921 CENSUS HELP
Post by: heywood on Saturday 12 March 22 13:20 GMT (UK)
Was his second marriage a local one?
Title: Re: MISSING GREAT GRANDFATHER - 1921 CENSUS HELP
Post by: lillian66 on Saturday 12 March 22 15:12 GMT (UK)
They never married as he never divorced his first wife Clara
Title: Re: MISSING GREAT GRANDFATHER - 1921 CENSUS HELP
Post by: heywood on Saturday 12 March 22 15:26 GMT (UK)
I was wondering if he stayed in the same area.
Title: Re: MISSING GREAT GRANDFATHER - 1921 CENSUS HELP
Post by: AngelaR on Saturday 12 March 22 15:49 GMT (UK)
I am following this with great interest - not that I can contribute much - but I can't find my great grandfather either. He's not with his wife, nor with his new lady and their children. I hope you find yours Liliian66!

Pauline - just wondering - what are your thoughts about his mother's maiden name? Do you think he might have used it as an alias?
Title: Re: Missing Great Grandfather - 1921 Census Help
Post by: lillian66 on Saturday 12 March 22 18:01 GMT (UK)
Yes he remained in the same area until his death
Title: Re: Missing Great Grandfather - 1921 Census Help
Post by: PaulineJ on Saturday 12 March 22 19:16 GMT (UK)
AngelaR,

We'll, if you're going to use an alias, make sure that it's one you can remember.!

Pauline
Title: Re: Missing Great Grandfather - 1921 Census Help
Post by: AngelaR on Sunday 13 March 22 09:27 GMT (UK)
That makes sense Pauline! I have a great uncle who, when he signed up for military service in WW1 used his mother's maiden name, but I assumed that was because, like a number of his siblings, he loathed his father  ::)
Title: Re: Missing Great Grandfather - 1921 Census Help
Post by: jaywit on Sunday 13 March 22 10:19 GMT (UK)
My thoughts on what appear to be 2 virtually identical happening to different families.

All through the 19th century men left their wives and lived with other women and the wives never knew what had happened.

By 1921, 21 years into the 20th century and the men having fought in WW1 things were different.

I wonder if the men realized their wives may find it much easier to find them and chase them for money?
So they made decisions to deliberately not appear on the census thinking the chance of being found out and prosecuted for not filling in the census form was tiny compared to the chance of their wives finding them. Maybe wrong but you never know.
Title: Re: Missing Great Grandfather - 1921 Census Help
Post by: AngelaR on Sunday 13 March 22 10:53 GMT (UK)
Interesting hypothesis, Jaywit! My great grandfather wasn't involved in WW1 and had already run off with next door's housemaid in around 1912 but I must admit it's a more likely scenario than the idea that he might have some sort of conscientious objection to the taking of a census :D

My previous theory was that he was drunk in a ditch somewhere....
Title: Re: Missing Great Grandfather - 1921 Census Help
Post by: heywood on Sunday 13 March 22 10:55 GMT (UK)

Walter Smith born 3/11/1893 in Birstall, Batley

Married Clara Porritt 28/7/1915 in Birstall, Batley

Lilian Smith born 30/11/1915 (my gran) in Heckmondwike

Clifford Smith born 13/4/1919 in Heckmondwike

Walter was conscripted in WW1 and was discharged 24/11/2019 - Army Ordnance Corps private 025537

The 1920 electoral roll shows both Walter and Clare at 36 Walkley Lane, Heckmondwike which is where Clara is on the 1921 census.

Parents Thomas Dixon Smith and Elizabeth (Robinson).

On searching the 1921 he is not with either his wife and children or his parents.  This does fit with the family story that when he returned from WW1 he didn't come back to his wife.



I see Clara is on her own in the electoral register 1922.
I tried looking further for Walter and / or partner in the area prior to 1939 in electoral registers but not sure of his partner’s name.
I thought it might give you a timeline of his return to the area (if indeed he ever left).