Hello all,
I have started working on my mother in law's tree, and up until now it has been very straight forward and simple compared to my family as they are all from my local area and stayed local. However, I have hit a complete brick wall with her grandfather William Plank Allen (sometimes recorded as William Plant Allen).
I have found him on the following records:
marriage to Ethel Flora Best in 1905 in Poole,
1911 census in Parkstone,
birth records of his 4 sons - all in Poole,
WWI RAF airman record and RN register of service.
His dob is given as 17 May 1882 on his military records and 1885 on the 1911 census. He was born in Broadstone, given as Canford on one record (which is the parish Broadstone came under at the time of his birth).
Here is where my problem comes in - I cannot find a single record of him before 1905 or anything on him (or his wife) after his 1918 military records....no birth/baptism records, earlier censuses, passenger lists or death/burial records (for him or his wife). I've tried searching Ancestry for first & middle name only, surname only, hunting Allens in Broadstone, Canford and Poole areas on the 1891 and 1901 censuses and searching the Dorset OPC and Free BMD. I'm beginning to wonder if perhaps he changed his name in someway but can't find a close similarity.
I'm planning on ordering their marriage certificate to try and get his father's name but any help or further suggestions would be massively appreciated as I have reached a point where I feel like I'm going round in circles!
Thanks
