Genealogy Chat

I am of average intelligence but........understanding written instructions puts me at the bottom of the class.

I attended the WDYTYA show at Olympia yesterday and was given the web address of the Nat Archives to look up info......

I have had a look this afternoon and can not make head or tail of it. If there is anyone with a few mins to spare to help a "thicko" I would be very appreciative.

I am looking for records of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, as my grandfather was discharged from them in about 1890 as being underage. He would have signed on either with the name JOHN ROBERTS or JOHN MAWDSLEY (variation of the spelling could be MAUDESLEY.

The very helpful expert at the show did bring up 2000 Roberts & 7 Maudesley`s, but as time was of the essence, I said I would wade through them at home.

Please can someone help me.!!!

kATHLYN

Hi Kathlyn,

As a first step, try this page:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/britisharmysoldierupto1913.htm?WT.lp=rg-3110

Can you remember whether he was looking at discharge, muster rolls (pay) or campaign medals?

Hello Ivy,

No idea what she was looking at. One always thinks of things after the time has gone by, but as there were loads of people all wanting time with the experts I appeared "clever", then kicked myself on the long journey home.

Kathlyn

Soldiers who were discharged in the 1890's aren't name indexed on the National Archives Catalogue, so I don't understand where he found them!

Unless the man rejoined the Army for WW1 and he found service and/or pension records for those names on Ancestry??

hi Annie,

Do you think the contact at the WDYTYA might have had access to the digitised documents of WO97? The National Archives page has a link to the digitisation schedule (which states that 1 to 4785 should be available again for seeing at Kew after digitisation) and implies that once this has been done, there will be a searchable name index to discharge.

Hmm, it may be that it was the service records from WWI, because Ancestry does has 7 WWI service records for John Mawdesley (although just 4 separate individuals, all based around Manchester)

Kathlyn, you are certainly not a "thicko" (or if you are then so am I). I can manage to find my way around most websites but have NEVER been able to fathom out the National Archives site - in fact I have completely given up trying.

Kath. x

OH Kathleen, you're so right. I did get a will out of the site some time ago, and I keep optimistically having another look at the site every now and then. Is it any easier with a actual visit to Kew?

Dear All,

This grandfather of mine has caused me nothing but b.....dy headaches. He changed his name from Roberts to Maudesley (which was his mother maiden name) to put his stepfather off the scent when he ran away.

After stepfather hauled him back to Liverpool he ran away again, but this time he took a ship bound for Australia on a two year voyage via India.

On his return to the UK the ship docked at the London docks first and he decided to stay south. He met grandmother, married and here we are now. He told no one that he had taken his mothers name so we are all Maudesley`s. Only three years of hard slog has got me to this point, and I will not let him beat me!!!! lol lol

Thanks for asll your input.

Kathlyn

the In the records section on the national arch, is the documents online, after putting in John under the 3 surnames these are all that are listed.

I have to agree with the other comments made, i'm not sure how to obtain the records if somebody left, you could try contacting the national at Kew and see if you can get a copy from them.




Medal card of Roberts, John
Corps: Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Regiment No: 5711
Rank: Private...
1914-1920 WO 372/17
See details
Medal card of Roberts, John
Corps: Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Regiment No: 8025
Rank: Private
1914-1920 WO 372/17
See details
Medal card of Roberts, John
Corps: Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Regiment No: 1160
Rank: Private
1914-1920 WO 372/17
See details
Medal card of Roberts, John
Corps: Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Regiment No: S/25346
Rank: Private
1914-1920 WO 372/17
See details
Medal card of Roberts, John G
Corps: Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Regiment No: 3230
Rank: Private...

I wouldn't have thought that the "expert" had access to the digitised WO97 records.

You can't get the National Archives to send you a copy of his records (if they have survived - they may not have done if he was in the Army for such a short period). So you have to wait until they are all digitised or go there or get someone to go for you.