Thomas Richey and kin 1914 and earlier

[DarrenMW]

The Sarah Eliza Smith b.1856 listed matches up to be the daughter (Eliza) so that an error on the family tree, albeit an easy one to remedy.

Eliza the 'wife & mother' looks b.circa 1836

How about this - someone on Anc***** has this person in their public tree:

Bertha Selina Walker HOLLINGSWORTH
b 21 Mar 1870, d (as BOLT) 18 Mar 1939 Holloway

daughter of

Thomas Robert HOLLINGSWORTH

b 21 Jan 1827 Southampton
d 22 Nov 1907 Shoreditch

and

Sarah Eliza SMITH

b Sep 1856 London

[Another public tree has similar information, plus more for Thomas Robert HOLLINGSWORTH - his parents and grandparents, plus the info that his death was in Holborn workhouse].

[lizdb]

Liz - Are you referring to Thomas Richeys 1883 military service records from his stint with the Queens (Royal West Surrey) Regiment?

Its the WW1 records of Thomas Richey.

So far I see that he says 'yes' to have you served in the Royal Navy (links with the census finding on ship)

It is for Army Resevist (links with the census finding of the Thomas Richey with his sister)

and next of kin is stated as Catherine Ferguson (which we have found was nee Hollingsworth and incorporated with the Smiths at some times)

So (and I only have got up to page one) this guy seems very much to link all those together.
All it doesnt explain is why he used the surname Richey.

Says he was born Holborn. (Durham guy with father PAtrick looking less and less likely)

One other point - he seems to say age 42 in enlisting in 1941 - making a birth year of about 1872 not 1866, perhaps he just felt a bit old and wanted to appear younger.

Will report back any more findings of any significance as I read through.

[lizdb]

Ready to get a mental picture of our friend?

In 1914
Age 38 crossed out and changed to 42
Height 5'3"
Girth 40 inches
Weight 164 llbs
Blue eyes, grey hair
Tattoo on left wrist of cross and leaves
tattoo on right wrist of anchor

[lizdb]

Discharged 1919 - in order to re enlist with labour Corps

Address discharged to
62  Washington Street
Aslington Rd, Brighton

so that links up with the address you had in first post (that seems a long time ago now!)

So we have proof (I think we already knew this) that the Thomas Richey we are tracing is definitely brother (or half or step bro)to the the Hollingsworth girls, who were combined with the Smith family.

[lizdb]

Ooooh
Although passed fit for service on first form I saw, here is another one, from the Labour Corps, titled "Application for discharge of a recruit not likely to become an efficient soldier"

It is dated 9.9.14 and he is described as 42 yrs and 48 days old (so if correct we should be able to get an exact dob)

Height and weight as before
But
"this man suffers from rheumatism very badly and is too old to carry out the work required of him"

Strange as it seems he did remain doing something with the Queens throughout the war till discharged in 1919. Obviously not with the labour Corps though!

[lizdb]

Aha

Next form has religion on it and he says "RC" - Roman Catholic.
The Hollingsworth girls (or some of them) were christened in C of E church.

It is a conduct sheet - seems he was reprimanded twice, once for being absent from tattoo, and once for neglect of duty

[lizdb]

next form is to do with his pension after discharge.

Says date of birth 1868
Address 44 Washington Street Brighton

says he is myalgic (short sighted?)

(this is dated 1921)

And that was the last one

[avm228]

The "RC" is definitely interesting - I wondered about his religion when looking at the Middlesbro' chap with an Irish father.  Richey does seem to be an Irish name.
 
But I'm confused about the Royal Navy thing!  These records were the first thing we started with at the beginning of the thread (that's how we got to the link with Catherine FERGUSON nee HOLLINGSWORTH) but I definitely didn't pick up on any question about Naval service.  Can't get access at the moment...

 

[avm228]

says he is myalgic (short sighted?)

The "myalgia" he suffers from is muscle pain.

(Short-sightedness is myopia )