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George Frederick Cole was known to be born in Devonshire and served in the 82nd Regiment of Foot where he served in Limerick, Ireland returning to England after his service there. On the 1881 census he shown as living in Sittingbourne, Kent where he worked in a papermill. He is not found on the 1891 census with his wife and family who still live in Sittingbourne. His wife is still shown as married at this time and when the 1901 census was taken she is shown as a widow. Did he rejoin the Army and is it possible that he was killed in the Boer War? Any help would be most appreciated as he was my great grandfather. I am now shortly to be 86 and would like to get this cleared up so that I can finish my tree before anything happens to me.

Just for reference:


1881 England Census
Name: George Cole
Age: 31
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1850
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Elizabeth Cole
Gender: Male
Where born: Slapton, Devon, England

Civil Parish: Sittingbourne
County/Island: Kent
Country: England

Street Address: 38 Frederick St
Condition as to marriage: Married

Occupation: Laborer In Paper Mills

Registration District: Milton
Sub-registration District: Milton

George Cole 31
Elizabeth Cole 38
Lilian K. Cole 8
Agnes R. Cole 6
Robert Cole 3
William Cole 3
George Cole 1

Is this his birth:

FREDERICK GEORGE
Last Name COLE
Birth Year 1847
Gender M
Mother's Maiden Name
Year 1847
Country England
County Devon
Event Quarter 2
District KINGSBRIDGE
District Number
Volume 9
Page 347
Entry Number
Line Number 28
DOR
Category Life events (BMDs)
Record set England & Wales births 1837-2006
Collections from Great Britain

I think the query relates to what happened to him after 1881.
Jan

Yes, thank you, trying to get from birth coming forward. I think it helps to have the correct information from the beginning.

Just trying to confirm.

Have you found anything from 1881.

Sappho

Yes, but just wondering if the poster is following the right guy

2 variations from ancestry trees


Name: Frederick George Cole
Birth: 1847 - Devon, England
Death: 1897
Marriage: 28 May 1874 - Gillingham, Kent, England
Parents: William Farley Cole, Rebecca Rider



Name: Frederick George Cole
Birth: 1849 - Devon, England
Death: 1900
Marriage: 28 May 1874 - GILLINGHAM, Kent, England
Parents: William Furley Cole, Rebecca Rider
Spouse: Elizabeth Ann Phillips

I think the latter may be of interest as we can see that he "appears" to be 'missing' 1901 Census. This indicates his death - perhaps Victor could come in on this.

His wife's name, etc. would confirm this.

Sappho

Still looking for any info about George and feel that he could be deceased in 1901 as his wife now states that she is a widow and is living with one of her sons in south London. Iam wondering why he was absent from the 1891 census where Elizabeth states that she is married - where has he gone?
I don't think the pictures of him(?) in 1851 are the right person as at that age he would have been living with his parents in Slapton and William Cole his father was a farm labourer and would not have had any money for photographs and they look too modern in style for that age.

Victor, you have inadvertently marked Mike's posting above as 'answered' - this has the effect of marking the whole thread, so people might not look, thinking your query has been resolved. It isn't you, it's a silly quirk of the site.
If you go to his posting you should see something like 'mark as unanswered' which will reverse this.
#
Re.the photo - this is nothing to do with him, it 'belongs' to Mike - when he says 'is this him' he is referring to the census.

Jan

Victor,

I think it would help if you could confirm what confirmed information you have on Frederick George Cole. As there appears to be a date range for the birth, we cannot move forward with this until we can confirm the correct F.G. Cole.

Also you mention his wife, but can you confirm her name (s) and anything else that is correct? This will help to eliminate those not connected.

Mike,

I am with you here - are we following the right person if not we are wasting our time. Perhaps Victor could let us know a bit more if he has this information. It may be time to send for some certificates. With the information on that death, it may be the certificate will confirm an informant, etc.

Good luck Victor and do come back on this, we would like to help.

Sappho

I have a copy of George's marriage certificate to Elizabeth Ann Phillips dated May 28th,1874 at the Parish Church, Gillingham - this also states that he was serving in the 82nd Regiment of Foot and that his father's name was William and a mariner at the time. My grandmother Agnes Rebecca Cole was born at Shorncliff Camp in March 1875 so he was still in the army but out of the army by the time if the 1881 census.
My cousin says she has no information about him and she is the only one left of the immediate family so there is no hope there.
Vic

Hello Victor,

This is good. Now to establish if he went by the name George Frederick or Frederick George. If you are still on line, can you confirm which on the marriage certificate please?

It would help with name searching as we do seem to have a good idea of approx. date of death.

Thanks,

Sappho

His marriage certificate states only George. I believe he was baptised Frederick George in Slapton Parish Church but seems to have dropped the name Fred.
Vic

Thanks Victor - have just looked under both and I cannot see anything as yet. Will keep looking.

Sappho

Hi Victor,

I think the death that Mike gave of:

Name: Frederick George Cole
Birth: 1849 - Devon, England
Death: 1900
Marriage: 28 May 1874 - GILLINGHAM, Kent, England
Parents: William Furley Cole, Rebecca Rider
Spouse: Elizabeth Ann Phillips

is as close as I can get. Mike may come in with reference nos.

Perhaps you could send for this certificate and see if this is the correct one.

Still looking.

Good luck,

Sappho

I think this may be him Census 1871

GEORGE
Last Name COLE
Birth Year 1849
Age 22
Birth Place
Birth Town
Birth County DEVON
Gender M
Relationship To Head of Household
Occupation
Condition
Street CAMBRIDGE BARRACKS, HIGH STREET
Parish PORTSMOUTH
Town
City PORTSMOUTH
County Hampshire
Country ENGLAND
Ecclesiastical District
Enumeration District
Municipal Ward ST THOMAS
Parliamentary Borough PORTSMOUTH
Registration District PORTSEA ISLAND
Category Census, Land & Surveys
Record set 1871 England, Wales & Scotland Census
Collections from Great Britain
Archive Reference RG10
Folio 81
Page 16
Piece Number 1136

Still trying to establish movements by breaking down the census years.

So here he is in the army; on this it states Clapton - should read Slapton I think as it also states Devon, Clapton as his birth place. This is Portsmouth - he is in the barracks.

Sappho

Looking at the 1871 census sheet this would probably have been filled in by a clerk and would probably have written what he thought it was, but it should have been Slapton. In 1873 he must have known his wife because my aunt Lilian Kate was born in Chatham in that year before his marriage in 1874.
Looking also at findmypast Boer War records there is a Private G Cole, number 7133 of the South Lancashire Regiment - could this be him or could another person found on Forces War Records of the same name, number 64 and serving with the Imperial Yeomanry be the one? You obviously have more experience at his than I have so maybe these two findings may help. Vic

Hello Victor,

Yes, the 82nd Regiment became the South Lancashire Regiment. I am not very experienced, but learning on the job if you understand.

I was hoping Mike would come back on this and Jan too as they are really much more experienced than me.

Now next move. I do not have findmypast, but just follow my nose if you understand. Will keep looking.

On Forces War Records there is a George Frederick Cole Private 1902 Imperial Yeomanry. the date may be their date for the records and not necessarily the year of his passing. I do not have a registration for this site. If you do have a look at that one, it may be him. It is going to be a process of elimination and may require sending for further information of G.F Cole or F.G Cole - check that one out if you have the registration.

Still working on this.

Sappho