Genealogy Chat

I am totally stuck and dont know what else to do? I am looking for a Ernest Cecil Winter. Not sure of dob but probably in the late 1800 or early 1900s He was in the army but not sure what regiment. He was stationed at frome rd barracks in Trowbridge Wiltshire in 1940,where he was a corporal. He had a daughter-Shirley Annette Stevens on 15/02/41 He was married at this time,but dont know who too. In 1948 he worked on the railway,and lodged at 10 grey tree rd ross on wye. I have tried to trace his railway records but cant find them. I have put ads in local papers, and the hereford paper but heard nothing. I have wrote to loads of people called e winter,but nothing. A friend looked up his details on ancestry,and she said she couldnt find him. And i think im going mad!!!!! I thought Maybe he didnt exsist. But then i found his court order for paying money for his daughter till she was 16. Please has anyone any ideas as to what i can do. Maria

Hi Maria I will have a look to see if I can find anything for Ernest Cecil Winter, but can you tell me a few things. Was he married to his daughters mother? Have you got his daughters birth certificate? What makes you think he was born late 1800's early 1900's? Do you have any idea where he or his daughter was born? Trish

Hi Trish, He met my gran around the 1940s,when she was in her 30s,and known then as louisa florence bowling. Thats why we think he was born around the late 1800s-early 1900s. Louisa was born in 1906. He was married to somebody else when he had his daughter(my mum). She was born in Trowbridge wiltshire. she has her birth cerftificate,but his name isnt on it. Anything you could find would be really appreciated. Thank you for your help Maria

Hi again I can't find a birth for Ernest Cecil Winter up to 1908 but there are lots of Ernests. I will look after this time though. Have you any idea at all which area of the country he was born in and also when he died (if he is dead)? Trish

Hi Trish,unfortunatly i dont know anymore. Mum says she heard he was from "UP NORTH",when she was younger,but that doesent really help!!! I dont know if he has died or not,and the last we knew of him was in 1948,in ross on wye,hereford. The sad thing is that all his details was left in a office so that mum could find him,but there was a fire and they all got burnt,so when mum tried to find him in 1972,she had nothing to go on. Been looking ever since. Thanks again for your help Maria

Hi maria I have emailed you with some information that is probably not very helpful but worth a try Trish

With what you have it might still be pos to trace his army record. Depending on when he was born he might just of been old enough to fight in the first war. He being between 14 and 16ish at the start of it. Most regaments stay in a barecks for 3 years, serving on a war front would not change the posting as thay would be recruting from there.(not all ways the case but mostly.) working out that he would of joind at 17 or 18 this gives you a year bracket of 1915 to 1919 (approx) to find out what reg was in that barecks at that time. knowing this will help narrow the search.

I have found two referances to the barracks being for the Royal horse artillery and one as cavalry. Hope this helps.

Thanks peter That narrows it down a bit. I will definetly look into to it. maria