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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Yorkshire (West Riding) => Topic started by: James18 on Friday 04 August 23 21:33 BST (UK)

Title: William Geoffrey Mobley (known as Geoffrey)
Post by: James18 on Friday 04 August 23 21:33 BST (UK)
Hello,

I'm trying to find information on William Geoffrey Mobley, born 1918 in Sheffield, on behalf of his niece. He was known as Geoffrey and served in the war. He is believed to have married a Burmese woman whilst stationed in Burma either during or just after the war. I can find no record of him either marrying or dying in the UK, but I think he did return to the UK at some point and may have married an Englishwoman later in life.

Any information or leads greatly appreciated!
Title: Re: William Geoffrey Mobley (known as Geoffrey)
Post by: CaroleW on Friday 04 August 23 21:40 BST (UK)
He died 15.8.2008 in Cheshunt Buckinghamshire
Title: Re: William Geoffrey Mobley (known as Geoffrey)
Post by: CaroleW on Friday 04 August 23 21:48 BST (UK)
There is a 1975 marriage for his name & initial in London but cannot post details in case it's the wrong one & they may still be alive

Also one in 1962 Hertfordshire
Title: Re: William Geoffrey Mobley (known as Geoffrey)
Post by: CaroleW on Friday 04 August 23 21:55 BST (UK)
GRO online confirms the 2008 death as William Geoffrey Mobley born 1918

A starting point would be to buy a copy of the death cert to see who reported the death
Title: Re: William Geoffrey Mobley (known as Geoffrey)
Post by: CaroleW on Friday 04 August 23 22:01 BST (UK)
The only other match to his name & initial was b 1939 but birth checks on GRO online are not available for 1939 so can't check what his middle name was

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/234283873/william-geoffrey-mobley

Death reg is Sept qtr 2008.  Online gives death date as 15.8.2008
Title: Re: William Geoffrey Mobley (known as Geoffrey)
Post by: James18 on Saturday 05 August 23 12:49 BST (UK)
Many thanks, Carole!

I did see the 60s and 70s marriages but thought they may have been for the Mobley chap born in the 1930s.
Title: Re: William Geoffrey Mobley (known as Geoffrey)
Post by: CaroleW on Saturday 05 August 23 13:02 BST (UK)
Unfortunately he doesn't seem to have left a will which may have given more info - and only costs £1.50 so cheaper than the death cert
Title: Re: William Geoffrey Mobley (known as Geoffrey)
Post by: James18 on Saturday 05 August 23 13:17 BST (UK)
I have been given the names of two (possible) children, but won't post them here as presumably they're still alive. However, I don't know whether these people were born in the UK or Burma, and I think tracing his family will be problematic in general. This person knew her uncle's name and that he'd married in Burma after the war, but has never met her cousins.
Title: Re: William Geoffrey Mobley (known as Geoffrey)
Post by: jonwarrn on Saturday 05 August 23 13:40 BST (UK)
Two Mobleys born Burma (consulate Rangoon) in the GRO Consular Births (index)
Both married London?

There is a 1975 marriage for his name & initial in London but cannot post details

2002 electoral register in Buckinghamshire
Title: Re: William Geoffrey Mobley (known as Geoffrey)
Post by: James18 on Saturday 05 August 23 14:29 BST (UK)
Never thought to check consular births - thank you, Jon!

I think I've found the girl.
Title: Re: William Geoffrey Mobley (known as Geoffrey)
Post by: James18 on Saturday 05 August 23 14:49 BST (UK)
Going by the names I was given, I am pretty sure the son was the Russell Leonard Mobley who died in December 2015 in Hornchurch. The DOB is actually 3 years out from the one on the consular register, but I can't find any other likely candidates and the L being Leonard would fit his grandfather. If anyone can dispute this then by all means let me know.

There are two girls (both Burma) on the consular register who are likely Russell's sisters; one fits a name I was given, the other isn't (as I was only given two names, Russell + one girl) but being Mobley, Rangoon and the same timeframe then surely it has to be the same family.
Title: Re: William Geoffrey Mobley (known as Geoffrey)
Post by: James18 on Saturday 05 August 23 15:50 BST (UK)
OK, it's definitely the right Russell. I've since found him on what appears to be a family tree for his second wife (still alive as far as I know).
Title: Re: William Geoffrey Mobley (known as Geoffrey)
Post by: jonwarrn on Saturday 05 August 23 19:57 BST (UK)
Hi
I did wonder about him. There aren't many Mobleys in those indexes.
It's a bit strange that no marriage has come up for William Geoffrey. And we are still in the dark as to what happened to the lady.
Jon
Title: Re: William Geoffrey Mobley (known as Geoffrey)
Post by: James18 on Saturday 05 August 23 21:13 BST (UK)
Yes, I don't know anything besides he married in Burma - presumably to a Burmese woman. I did contact the woman whose Ancestry tree it is (Russell's second wife) but I don't know if she'll respond. If so, she may be able to put me in touch with someone from the family.

There is a Sep 39 birth for a William G Mobley in Luton (and a previous Mar 1908 marriage in Luton) - as far as I know these aren't related to our William G Mobley. My guess was that one/both of the 62/75 marriages are for this other man, but of course it's possible I'm wrong.