Genealogy Chat

My grandfather's father died when he was 2 and when his mother remarried, he was under school age. When he started school and all through his army service, he was known by his stepfather's surname. It was only much later on when his mother died that this all came to light. Grandfather then reverted to his "birth" surname.

Two of grandfather's sons were baptised with the "incorrect" surname and their certificates show the registration officer's later amendment. If I hadn't known of this name change, I would have had great difficulty in finding the family in the census records.

My great-grandfather changed his name several times. When we found the court records of his trials we realised why.

nudging for Jean

Jean - you are doing new postings without revisitng the ones you have already made!!!

I tend to agree they are two different men.
Do you have his marriage cert? It should confirm his father's name.

Could this be William Clark in 1911?

CLARK, George Head Married M 60 1851 Market Gardener Somerset Langlecott
CLARK, Eliza Wife Married
33 years F 60 1851 Devonshire Colyford
CLARK, Florence Daughter Single F 28 1883 Cardiff Glam
CLARK, William Son Single M 22 1889 Market Gardener Cardiff Glam
CLARK, Elsie Daughter Single F 17 1894 Cardiff Glam
NEWTON, George Visitor Single M 27 1884 Motor Driver Cardiff Glam

RG number:RG14
Piece:32066
Reference:RG14PN32066 RG78PN1844 RD588 SD1 ED22 SN314
Registration District:Cardiff
Sub District:Llandaff
Enumeration District:22
Parish:Whitchurch
Address:Ty-Ya-Y Cara Farm Whitchurch County:Glamorganshire

From what I am seeing here these are two different people.

Each soldier was issued with what was called a 'Pay Book' Interestingly the German Army used the same term, Soldbuch. This was not actually used for recording pay but was in fact an Identity document. Most importantly it had a picture of the soldier at the front.

When you say there is an Army Discharge Book, what exactly are you talking about? As far as I am aware there is no such document. My father has discharge documents and letters, which all quote his service number, as found in his Pay book, but there is no discharge book as such.

Have you considered the possibility that the two were comrades in arms, that Robert Templeton was killed in action and William Clark was able to retrieve some of his comrades belongings?

I think you need to get all the documentation in front of you and cross check to see what matches before trying to draw too many conclusions.

1911 950, Ashton New Road Manchester
Robert templeton born @ 1888 Musselborough Scotland Stepson.
George Watson Manc
Ellen Watson mum Lincs 1858 married 7years.

Maryb

1891 Wales Census
Name: Bertie Templeton
Age: 5
Estimated birth year: abt 1886
Relation: Son
Father's name: Robt Templeton
Mother's name: Mary Templeton
Gender: Male
Where born: Glamorgan, Wales
Civil Parish: St John
Ecclesiastical parish: St John
Town: Cardiff
County/Island: Glamorgan
Country: Wales
Street address: Cardiff Castle

Registration district: Cardiff
Sub-registration district: Cardiff
Household Members:
Name Age
Robt Templeton 38 - Farm Bailiff
Mary Templeton 35
John Templeton 4
Andrew Templeton 9 - Glamorgan
Bertie Templeton 5
Jeanie Templeton 2
Mary Hughes 23



1881 Wales Census
Name: Robert Templeton
Age: 27
Estimated birth year: abt 1854
Relation: Head
Spouse's name: Mary Templeton
Gender: Male
Where born: Scotland
Civil Parish: Cardiff St John
County/Island: Glamorgan
Country: Wales

Street address: Cardiff Castle, Castle Farm

Condition as to marriage: Married

Occupation: Farm Bailiff

Registration district: Cardiff
Sub-registration district: Cardiff
Household Members:
Name Age
Robert Templeton 27
Mary Templeton 25
John Templeton 2
Jane Bryton 60 - mother-in-law; annuitant; Scotland

1901 Wales Census
Name: Robert Templeton
Age in 1901: 15
Estimated birth year: abt 1886
Relation: Son
Father's name: Robert Templeton
Mother's name: Mary Templeton
Gender: Male
Where born: Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales
Civil Parish: St John
Ecclesiastical parish: St John
County/Island: Glamorgan
Country: Wales
Street address: Blackweir Farm, North Road

Occupation: Farmer's Son

Registration district: Cardiff
Sub-registration district: Central Cardiff
Household Members:
Name Age
Robert Templeton 47 - Ayrshire, Scotland
Mary Templeton 45 - Ayrshire, Scotland
John Templeton 22 - Ayrshire, Scotland
Robert Templeton 15
Jennie Templeton 12 - Cardiff, Glamorgan
Mary Templeton 8 -Cardiff, Glamorgan

Possible birth on Scotlands people

46 1888 TEMPLETON ROBERT M RUTHERGLEN GLASGOW CITY/LANARK 654/00 0345

Parents Robert Templeton and Jane McKearn married 14 April 1879

1911 Pontcanna farm Cardiff Glamorganshire
Robert Templeton born 11854 kilwinning Scotland
Wife Mary 1856 married 32years
Son Robert Templeton born Cardiff 1886 and engineer.

Could this be your guy?

Maryb

Thanks Ann, I reckon the same thing!

I also had this problem with my great, greatgrandad.He changed his surname a couple of times.
I was told he was proberly wanted for a minor crime or a bad debt so changed his name to avoid it.!!
Ann

Thanks Kath..that's him.
He married before 1917 that's certain. He had 5 children
William R Clark b - 1917
Florence
Lilian
Marjorie
and finally
Leonard ( b - 1934)
The discharge book is lost at the moment - enquiries ongoing!
No birth certificates. Can't find a Robert Templeton pre 1913.
Thanks
Jean

Is his service number in the discharge book? There are some Medal Cards on Ancestry for the name Robert Templeton.

Do you have his birth certificate? Is that in the name Clark or Templeton?

Kath. x

Is this his marriage:-

Name: William Clark
Year of Registration: 1913
[1913]
Quarter of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar
Spouse's Surname: Palmer
District: Cardiff (1837-1974)
County: Glamorgan, Monmouthshire
Volume: 11a
Page: 701

On the same page is Florence R. Palmer.

Kath. x

Hello fellow geneologists! My husband's grandfather, William Clark (1889-1946), was born in Glasgow ,then married ( Florence Palmer) and lived in Cardiff as a steelworker until his death in 1946. Upon the death of his widow an army discharge book was found with his real name - Robert Templeton.
I don't have access to this book, but have many reliable sources telling me his other name and where he came from. It's a family mystery that I'd love to solve.
Can anybody help?