The unnamed soldier..

Welcome to my relaunched blog, which I've now tied into my website and my business, teaching family history courses in Belper, Derbyshire. I hope that by continuing to blog about my own research I'll inspire others and maybe knock down some of the brick walls I am up against.

 Today, my research took me back to Arthur James Hagger, a great-uncle I never met. I know from the "Soldiers who Died in the Great War" archives that he served as a private with the 1/9th Battalion of the Manchester Regiment and died in France on 30th June 1917. His body was never found and his name is

enscribed on the Thiepval memorial.

 I wanted to find out more about how he died so I contacted Tameside Local Studies and Archive Centre who hold the War Diaries for the Manchester Regiment and had the following, very swift reply. Dear Mrs Lesley, Thank you for your enquiry regarding the 1/9th Batt of the Manchester Regiment. I have consulted the war diary and a book entitled ‘The Volunteer Infantry’ by Captain Bonner, a history of the 1/9th. There is no indication of conflict on the 30th June, however the troops were in Femy Wood, Ytres, where they encountered attack earlier in that month.

 On the 12th Jun the Ninth moved to Havrincourt Wood taking over from the 7th Lancs Fusiliers and on the 16th they were relieved by 4th East Lancs and marched into billets at Ytres and stayed there until returning to relieve the East Lancs on the 21st. The diary then details various companies constructing trenches for burying cables, but then there is a small paragraph-‘2/Lt Ruttenau and patrol proceed to Femy Wood with orders to assist raiding party of 1/10 Man Reg’. Your man may have been attached to this patrol?

 At the end of each year there is a casualty list but it only includes numbers of regular soldiers killed which was 3 for June. Only officers were named. I hope this helps you

Yours sincerely Jill Morris
 Senior Library Assistant
 Local Studies and Archives Centre

 As always. this leaves me with even more questions. Having pored over a Google map of Ytres I can't find a Femy wood. I did find a cemetary very close by which has some "unnamed" british soldiers buried there so when we go to France for the centenary of his death, I will go here So that's another place to add to my growing list of places to visit, about which I can feel another blogpost brewing. But I'd like to visit Wood Green War Memorial to see if Arthur Hagger is named there as, curiously, despite joining a volunteers regiment based in Ashton under Lyne he was a north Londoner, giving Wood Green as his home address. That's certainly where the rest of the family were living at the time. Whilst in the area, the newspaper archives for Haringey, Wood Green and Edmonton can be found at the Bruce Castle Museum so I can see if any more detail was reported about his death at the time. My feelings about how a regiment can only bother to list the deaths of regular soldiers (as opposed to TA's) and only name the officers are fairly negative but I suspect say more about early 20th century Britain than about the regiment.

Hulett Progress

Its been ages since I posted on here and decided I'd better do some logging of things before I forget them.   The thought of a website is hovering...

Anyway,  I've gone back another two generations nd so the earliest Hulett I have is John Hulett born 1720 who marrried Mary (surname not known) and their only known child is Francis Hulett or Hulatt born 1743 in Felmersham.

This little village has some great weblinks and the Hulatts seem to have been living all round this area for some time with some still there today. 

Francis Hulett was married twice and was very prolific and produced lots of Huletts including my 3 x ggrandfather Samuel.

Came across the following info

http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/h/o/d/David-Charles-Hoddle-Northamptonshire/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0494.html


Francis Hulett (son of John Hulett and Mary)⁶⁵² was born Abt. 1743 in Felmersham, Bedfordshire. He married (1) Elizabeth Knight on 02 Feb 1763 in Felmersham, Bedfordshire. He married (2) Sarah Neal on 25 Nov 1788 in Felmersham, Bedfordshire, daughter of William Neal and Sarah Broadfield.

 Notes for Francis Hulett:
Pavenham Parish register gives baptism of children of Francis and Elizabeth Hulet on 15 February 1801. No ages are given but names only. All believed adults.
John
Thomas
James
George
Charles

More About Francis Hulett:
Date born 2: Abt. 1743

More About Francis Hulett and Elizabeth Knight:
Marriage: 02 Feb 1763, Felmersham, Bedfordshire.

More About Francis Hulett and Sarah Neal:
Marriage: 25 Nov 1788, Felmersham, Bedfordshire.

Children of Francis Hulett and Elizabeth Knight are:

1. Charles Hulett, d. 1843, Bedfordshire, England⁶⁵².
2. George Hulett, d. 1845, Bedfordshire, England⁶⁵².
3. Martha Hulett.
4. Thomas Hulett.
5. John Hulett.
6. Francis Hulett, ⁶⁵², d., Bedfordshire, England⁶⁵².
7. James Hulett, ⁶⁵², d., Bedfordshire, England⁶⁵².
8. Ann Hulett.

Children of Francis Hulett and Sarah Neal are:

1. William Hulatt, b. Abt. 1789, Felmersham, Bedfordshire.
2. Samuel Hulatt, b. Abt. 1792, Felmersham, Bedfordshire.
3. Jane Hulatt, b. Abt. 1794, Felmersham, Bedfordshire.
4. Robert Hulatt, b. Abt. 1795, Felmersham, Bedfordshire.
5. James Hulatt, b. Abt. 1797, Felmersham, Bedfordshire, d. Abt. 1797, Felmersham, Bedfordshire.
6. +Thomas Hulatt, b. Abt. 1799, Pavenham, Bedfordshire, d. Mar 1886, Bedfordshire, United Kingdom⁶⁵³.

Somewhere there is a Francis Hulett born in Felmersham in about 1801 who was convicted of arson and sheep stealing and tranported to Van Dieman's Land.
One of his co-conspirators ancestors is looking for more details so might email her.  http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/BEDFORD/2000-02/0951801639

There's even a song about it http://www.lifeandtimes.me.uk/XGM_beds_song.htm
And I want the Grain and Chaff book too...just in time for Christmas :-)
Great website on Felmersham...includes a picture of a living local Hulett too.
http://www.felmersham.net/felmersham.htm

Annie Louisa Winter

Hmm, Annie Winter/Hagger is proving a bit of a problem. She says on her wedding cert to Henry James Hagger that she is 21 in 1886 so making her DOB around 1865. Her father is shown as Charles Winter deceased. I can't find an Annie Winter with a father Charles (labourer) in either the 1871 or the 1881 census returns.

There's an Annie Winter living with her mum and siblings in Hanover Square, London but her birth date is 1858 and Annie Hagger was remarkably consistent with her age giving in all her census returns as a married woman.

I've found an Annie Winter living as a "nurse child" in Stoke Newington in 1871 with a family called Koehler, she's 5 which fits for age. By 1881 she has been adopted by them. They are labourers and this fits with the marriage cert. All other Annie Winters born in London are too posh or don't have the right parental name. Its very frustrating but one of those dead end moments where you have nowhere to go BUT I've found one last birth index entry for BRentford in Middlesex for 1868 and that might be worth gambling £7 on it being the right one.

I've found the record of her remarriage to John Henry Carrick in 1904 and Dad remembers her so she must have died post 1929 but I can't find a record -they aren't all complete once you get into more "modern" history. John Carrick was a witness to Leonard and Nellie's marriage in 1915.

Tidying Up Loose Ends

Charity Moss was baptised in Tunbridge Wells Kent in 1836, born on 8th October 1836, daughter of George Moss and Elizabeth Clarke. Now on a hunt to find them.

Peter Hagger's hunch about Henry Hagger's marriage cert was spot on. Henry Hagger married
Mary Ann Wrettam Thompson on Nov 7th 857 in St James Church Shoreditch. Henry's father is given as William Hagger and the marriage is witnessed by Elizabeth Emma Hagger. Which makes it certain that the William and Mira Hagger I have found over the censuses are his parents as Emma Elizabeth is also one of their offspring. Mary Ann was previously married to someone called Thompson as she is shown as a widow on the marriage cert to Henry. Henry has several other siblings apart from Elizabeth Emma, there is a Mira junior, a Walter, a William and an Ann. William is shown as a carpenter on the 1851 census and they seem to have lived around London all their lives although Mira Bigny says on all the census returns that she was born in Norfolk in around 1817.

I've also made a breakthrough on the Chambers'. I've discovered that John Robert's father, quoted as being John Robert Carlus on his marriage cert seems to have gone by the name of Robert on all the census' and I think I've found his marraige to Priscilla Grosvnor (sp) in 1875 in Birmingham. This is a second marriage, the eldest son Alfred must be of another marriage I haven't yet found. Priscilla is almost definitely John Robert's mum though and there are two other children noted on the 1881 census for this marriage Emma aged 5 and Amelia aged 4.
By 1891 Priscilla is married to a Thomas Smith so am looking for Robert's death cert atm.

Lovely Men and Eureka Moments

Eureka moment! A lovely man in Kent Family History Society has had a look on his Microfiche records and found William and Ann Browne living in Weller's Row, Faversham baptising their baby Stephen on Feb 25th 1836. I am fairly happy that this is them - William gives his occupation as labourer and it ties in with everything else we know about Stephen. I've asked the kind soul to look for other sibilings and also for a marriage for William and Ann as this would give us Ann's maiden nam and William's father's name I hope. Every time I get back bit now I just feel so triumphant as I never expected to get anywhere. Browne with an e - hmmmm, can't find them for certain on any census with or without an e... a rose by any other name... :-) Still as poor as hell, don't think there's going to be any unclaimed riches Trev!

Still struggling with the Haggers but Peter Hagger from the One Name Study has suggested
two possible marriages for Henry (father of Henry James) so I shall gamble £7 on the most likely one and order the certificate. I think I've found Henry Hagger as a child, living with his father William and mother Mira in the 1841 and 1851 census records in Shoreditch. William is a carpenter. Mira is an interesting name....a variant of Mary apparently but with Jewish and Hindu origins...perhaps that's where our darker skin tone comes from!!!

Oooh, oooh, OOOOOH.
I've found a marriage record for William Hagger to Mira Bigny on the Pallots Marriage index.
1834 St Giles Cripplegate. Must, must, must get Henry's marriage cert to prove these are his parents. Bigny sounds French. Wow some exoticism at last!!! The 1851 census says she was born in Norfolk.

I could really do with a microfiche reader if anyone in my family is reading this and wants to buy me a birthday present that I would truly appreciate!!!

Very frustrating morning but minor success

I've spent all morning trying to get past the dead ends.

The CD-ROMS I've got from Kent Family History soc only go up to 1812, as Stephen Brown was born in about 1835 this doesn't help. The online records at Ancestry/free BMD only go from 1837. Have joined the KHFS email list to see if anyone can help me find out how to track down records which fall in this apparent hole.

Someone pointed out that Charity Brown nee Moss is shown on the 1861 census that she was born in Frinton, Wales. This doesn't help at all as there is no Frinton in Wales. I'm sure this is a wrong transcription but can't work out what it should be.

The only positive breakthrough I've had is that I think I've found George Risely Hulett's parents, Samuel and Mary on the 1861 census.. They are living in a house in Milton Ernest, on their occupation it says Alms Man and Alms woman, a Google search confirms my thought that they were in receipt of charity. Samual's birthplace is given as Bromham, Bedfordshire and Mary's as Pavenham. And then BETTER STILL, ta-da, they are listed on the Pallett's Marriage Index (which mainly covers London) as being married in 1808 in Pavenham, Beds it all ties in nearly as its so near Oakley where George was born (as is Bromham) see map. So its Mary Berry born around 1793 that Samuel married. Am now going to join the Beds family history society to get hold of their CD-ROM records which go way back and as I think I have Samuels date of birth as 1786 then I'm not going to fall into the same records hole as I have been with the Browns.

Arthur James Hagger 1893 - 1917

Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for your enquiry relating to your great uncle. I have found him on the 'Soldiers Died in the Great War' CDRom which tells us that he was in the 1/9th Battalion of the Manchester Regiment, born in Islington, enlisted Ashton-u-Lyne, killed in action 30 June 1917 in France and Flanders. He was a private and his number was 351936. His residence was West Green Middlesex. We also found him on the Commonwealth War Graves website where he is listed on the Thiepval Memorial.

You may find more about him in local newspapers in the London area in the week or so after his death. (The local papers here published obituaries for soldiers from this area). You also need to check the National Archives website (www.nationalarchives.gov.uk) for his service record and their online campaign medal roll.

We have a war diary for the 1/9th for 1915 - 1918 (MR1/1/3/5) which would give you interesting background information about the movements of the battlion as a whole but nothing about him in particular. You might also be interested in R A Bonner's 'Volunteer Infantry of Ashton-u-Lyne, 1859 - 1971) - we have copies for sale at £25 + £3.49 p&p, payable to Tameside MBC)

Please let me know if we can help you further

Yours

Alice Lock
Local Studies LIbrarian

ANTHEM FOR DOOMED YOUTH

"What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?

Only the monstrous anger of the guns.

Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle

Can patter out their hasty orisons.

No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells;

Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,-

The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;

And bugles calling for them from sad shires.

What candles may be held to speed them all?

Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes

Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes.

The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;

Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,

And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds."

Wilfred Owen

Wilfred Owen served with the Manchesters, injured in the same summer that Arthur J died he wrote this poem while recovering from his wounds. Sadly he returned to the war in 1918 and was killed a week before the armistice was signed.

Back another step with the Browns

Stephen and Charity's marriage certificate has arrived. Stephen is the son of William Brown, Hawker. Charity Moss is the daughter of George Moss, Soldier. Can't find either father at the moment but have ordered some CD-ROMS from Kent Family History society of parish records so I hope these will help. They were married on Christmas Day in 1857 - I thought this was very romantic until I realised that of course Christmas Day was almost the only holiday most people got at this point in historty. One of the witnesses is an Ann Brown - don't know if she's a mum or a sister to Stephen. I hope I can get a bit further back, its amazing though how much I have found considering what a common name it is.