Info about G-Uncle Henry Walter Whitfield

[Simon R]

Hi,

I'm trying to find any information about a G-Grandfather of mine on my Dad's side of the family. His name was Henry Walter Whitfield, b1888 in Liverpool and during WW1 he served in the 17th (Duke of Cambridge's Own) Hussars.

The last census entry I have found for him is in the 1901 census which shows him living with his Mum Laura and two younger brothers, William and Jack. I think that he joined the army before WW1 serving in India and then going to France in 1914.

What I can't find out is what happened to him after WW1 as I'm sure he wasn't killed during the war. There is a possibility that he may have gone to Australia and served in one of the Australian Police forces. Alternatively he could have stayed in this country or some where else in the world.

I would like to find more information about him as it would mean more distant cousins to be discovered.

Many thanks

Simon Rickard

[suffolk*sue]

I found this.

Name: Mr H W WHITFIELD 
Date of departure: 25 November 1921   
Port of departure: London   
Passenger destination port: Colombo, Sri Lanka (Ceylon)   

bound for Australia
ship - Orsova

occupation = police
Last address in UK = c/o Crown Agents, Westminster, SW
Port at which passenger contracted to land - Colombo
Country of intended future permanent residence = India



Maybe not, this chap has right birth year but is Harry William on a different voyage.

[Annette7]

Can find no trace of Henry Walter Whitfield in any immigration records.

A Henry W. Whitfield bc.1888/9 d.Mar.qtr.1953 Westminster, London

There is only one Henry W. born this period in England and this is your Henry Walter.

A Henry W. Whitfield married in 1911 Mar.qtr. Pancras, London  to either an Edith Chapple or Catherine Comini.   The other groom is a James Iseppi and I suspect the 2 with the Italian sounding names married each other.

There are 2 children born Whitfield, mothers maiden name Chapple and I can't find another Whitfield married to a Chapple so parents could well be Henry W. Whitfield and Edith Chapple:

James H. Whitfield, mmn Chapple born Sept.qtr.1912 Exeter, Devon
Florence L. Whitfield, mmn Chapple born Sept.qtr.1917 Willesden, London (wrongly shown as in Oxfordshire on Ancestry)

A James H. Whitfield married in Paddington in 1937
A Florence L. Whitfield married in Willesden in 1935.

An Edith Whitfield b.1888 died 1960 Paddington

So, the pieces seem to fit but the only way to know if this is the correct Henry W. Whitfield is by getting the 1911 marriage certificate.

I note an Edith Chapple was born in Liverpool in 1888 - if, as you suggest, he enlisted before the war did Edith move South to marry him?   Was it his career which took them to Devon where 1st child born and then back to London?   All conjecture at this stage and only marriage details can confirm if the above findings are correct.

Annette