advice on tracing military ancestors with very little info

[netti]

want to discover more about my gt grandmother's brother but don't have much to go on!

here's what I know:

He was a chelsea pensioner according to family legend (no one left who actually can remember him!) apparently wore uniform to pub a lot as kindly folk would treat him to free drinks!

Edward George Baylis(s) - known as Uncle George to family.
not remembered in person by my mum born 1939 so died before 1950?

baptised Cradley, Herefordshire in 1868

Living Aston, Birmingham in 1891 (not in army then)

no trace in 1901 - fighting Boer War perhaps?

My problem: no idea of regiment, no idea when he died or where he was living at the time.

SHALL I JUST GIVE UP NOW?

today I began trawling the GRO death indexes at my library but Bayliss is fairly common and if he was indexed just George I have too many to choose from.

my query is, if I can get to Kew, what are the chances of tracking him there? Would I need to check each regiment or is there a combined alphabetical list? And if I find one of the correct name and age will further details confirm I have the correct person?

Can anyone suggest how I can narrow down the search??

any advice gratefully received

netti

[Llwyd]

Hi there,

I wondering if you have found his date of birth/sent for his birth certificate?.If not then his birth is on free BMD as follows:

1867 December Bromyard 6a 480 as Edward George Bayliss.

What was his occupation in 1891?.There are two Edward Bayliss's on the 1901 with possibilities.One is a coal miner,the other appears to have someting to do with the church and seamen.One is 36yrs the other 34 yrs.

In fact I think you will find he was born in Cradley Heath,Herefordshire and Worcester,which is in the Bromyard registration district.The 36yrs old miner in the 1901 was born in Cradley Heath and is residing in Rowley Regis at the time of the census.Again this is the same area.The age is not far out and that is not unusual in censuses.I think this is he.

I would take the bull by the horns and ring the hospital direct to ask if he was a resident there or at least write,if the one described above is not the Bayliss you are looking for.
Best of luck............

[loo]

You might find this thread useful:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,94898.0.html

[netti]

thanks for the replies

Llwyd, I have contacted the hospital and he wasn't an in-pensioner - they suggested I look at Kew. He was definitely born Cradley, herefordshire and not Cradley, worcestershire. His occupation in 1891 was a railway carman.

Loo, thanks for that link - guess I have a lot of reading to do before I go to Kew.

netti

[J.J.]

Have you any photos? There are people in here who can pinpoint rank, regiment...area of forces..

Also, do you have legions as we do here in Canada.? The legion in that region may have some information. Oh to be a fly on the wall in that old pub, eh?
What stories he might have told!!!

.J.J.

[kevsjules]

Have you tried going to Commonwealth war graves commission, www.cwgc.org  I found my great great grandfather though this site. Hope it helps. Julie

[netti]

JJ,

there are no photos that I know - shame!

He had 2 other brothers which I also know nothing of - perhaps if I can trace their descendants they might have a photo.

also, he was born Herefordshire but living Birmingham at last sighting so could have joined either regiment - or indeed any other regiment he fancied!

Julie,
He definitely was alive past WW1 as 2 cousins (both born c1925) told my mother about seeing him.

thanks for your comments, it all helps

netti

[Farway]

You have same problem as I had, and I just solved mine on Thursday at Kew after many years

They have Army discharge papers, not by regiment but alphabetically. The actual documents, no index, all filed in boxes

They are for those who left with a pension, like mine and yours

Look under WO97.

Mine left in 1877, yours by the sound of it may still be under wraps, but have alook on the PRO site

[Farway]

Here's the link to WO97 [sorry it's long]

http://www.catalogue.nationalarchives.gov.uk/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=3&CATID=13157&SearchInit=4&CATREF=WO+97

Just a snippet

"This is the main series of service documents of soldiers (but not officers) who either became in- or out-pensioners of the Royal Hospital Chelsea. The attestation and discharge documents in this series constitute the most detailed record of a soldier's service. The early part of the series also occasionally contains records of men who bought themselves out of their regiment or who applied unsuccessfully for a pension."