james smith salford help

[tigster]

Sorry but this is a bit long winded.

After a few month s searchin i found a marriage certificate.

It states James Smith aged 24 or 34 (cant read it) father william Smith (Deceased) A general labourer.
Of Turner street Salford tHE CERT SAYS HE WAS A WIDOWER WHEN HE MARRIED CATEHRINE.
Married catherine Smith A cap maker Springvale road salford On July 7 1917.

i then traced his war record HE WAS pvt 10667 in the 2nd battalion border regiment, i traced his medal card etc.  he wAS DISCHARGED IN 1916 DUE TO INJURY OF THE LEFT ARM AND HAD AN ARMY PENSION. and was pow and was exchange due to his injury.......
Catherine and james had a daughter sarah in 1919
I cannot find his birth or death or this other marriage or anything else .  I do not know where he was born etc cannot trace him on the census etc it seems very strange that i can find all the information about the middle of his life and nothin at the end or the begining any1 got any ideas where to go from here.  Has any1 else come across this before?  i am completely stumped

[CaroleW]

Does his army record not give any details of his date of birth or birthplace.  Any next of kin shown?

If he was a widower, his age is more likely to be 34 than 24 which puts his birthyear approx 1883.  Was his father the general labourer or was it James?

Although he was living in Salford at the time of his marriage - there is no evidence that he was born in the Lancashire area.  There are 17 James Smith's born between 1882-1884 living in Lancashire with a father William.   Three lived within the Manchester area - Salford/Manchester/Hulme but fathers occupations were not general labourer

[tigster]

Hi there and thanks for the reply.

On the marriage certificate (1917) for  James Smith it says William Smith Deceased a general labourer is the father.

James smith is also a general labourer.

On james smith daughters birth cert 1919 it says james is a general labourer at the iron works and also has an army pension.
they lived at 10 caygill st salford the smith family (Catherine (wife) and sarah (daughter) I can trace in Caygill street salford right thru to 1956 Thru births and deaths etc)) But not James smith!!

I then found entry in the national roll for James smith 10 caygill st salford and that led the border regiment i wrote to the museum and they sent me his service nmber etc i traced then his medal card and his service history and it seems he joined before ww1 but they did not have the address or here he was born etc.  i went to kew and looked for him n wo363/4 but nothing. i cannot find a death either so it may be possible that he just upped and left and married again without being divorced!! as it seems this was quite common as divorces were quite expensive.  It is all so frustrating to get so far with him but then nothing...

I asked the museum if he was in the border regiment doe that mean he was scottish and they said he could have lived anywhere i have tried to find out from forums etc but there wasn't any replies to my posts eg the great war forums etc

i hope this can give you some more clues as i am at a loss

[Jo New]

Hi

a long shot i know but .....

1901

105 West High St, Salford

William,J Smith, head, 44, Foreman Steel Smelter, born Ireland

Mary Smith, wife, 45, born Scotland

John Smith  , son, 20 clerk, scotland

William Mc C Smith, son,17 appt draughtsman ,salford

Robert Smith son, 12 salford

James Smith, son, 8, salford

Albert Smith, 6, salford

Francis Smith,son 3 salford

Agnes Mc a ? Smith, 2 mths, dau, salford

Mary H Royle, serv, gen dom serv18 salford

rg13 p3733 f138 pg9


Jo