UltraViolet Genealogy

Antiques Roadshow - Basic, Better, Best - WW1 Medals

2011-11-06T21:31:00.000Z

6th November 2011

The Antiques Roadshow - Basic, Better, Best - World War One Medals

Excellent section appearing on the BBC's Antiques Roadshow in their Basic, Better, Best Section, featuring three medal groups from WW1.

Highlighting the interest in and the monetry value of this prized historical artefacts.

Watch the video at this link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00lgs5z

Also mentioned on the show was the various websites and organisations who can help research these medals.

If advertising were permitted on the BBC I am sure The Medal Reunited Project and the assistance it can bring both in locating and researching these medals would have featured in this section.

I would advise anyone in possession of any of these medals and would like to find out more about them or are desperately searching for their ancestors medals to visit our website and let us assist you.

www.themedalreunitedproject.co.uk

Nursing Records online

2011-11-04T13:55:00.002Z

Nursing Service Records, First World War

The National Archives have now listed 15000 First World War Nursing Service Records. The following is taken from their website introduction; you can visit the National Archives at: http://nationalarchives.gov.uk/news/635.htm

Introduction

What are the Nursing Service Records?
Searching the records
What could these records help me to discover?
What do the records look like?
Further research

You can search and download over 15,000 First World War service records for nurses who served in the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service, the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service (Reserve) and the Territorial Force Nursing Service.

The Army Nursing Service came into formal existence in 1884 and ten years later a reserve of nurses was formed under the name of Princess Christian's Army Nursing Reserve. Experience of the medical services in the South African War 1899-1902, led to the creation of the professional Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service in March 1902. Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service then took over the reserve force and they were employed on a contract basis for the duration of the First World War.

The Territorial Reserve Forces Act 1907 led to the creation of a Territorial Force Nursing Service in 1908 to support its new force; in 1922 it was renamed the Territorial Army Nursing Service. The personnel were administered by a branch (TV 4, later TA 4) under the Director General of the Territorial Army, although the provision of training came under the Directorate of Army Medical Services. The branch was also responsible as Joint Secretary to the Queen Alexandra's Army Nursing Board and Secretary to the Territorial Army Nursing Service Committee.

What are the Nursing Service Records?

This series contains the records of nurses who served in the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAINMS), the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service (Reserve) QAIMNS(R) and the Territorial Force Nursing Service (TFNS). The whole series is arranged in two alphabetical sequences WO 399/1-9349 contains the records of the QAIMNS and QAIMNS(R) and WO 399/9350-15972 contains the records of the TFNS.
Although the vast majority of the records cover the First World War period only, there are some records for nurses who served prior to 1914 and some after the war. There are no records however after 1939.

Searching the records
You can search the records by:
First name
Last name
Alternatively, you may wish to browse details of the whole collection.

What could these records help me to discover?

The records can tell you where a nurse trained, (especially before the war), references relating to their suitability as military nurses, which hospitals, Field Ambulances, Casualty Clearing Stations or other medical units they served in, what their superiors thought of them (confidential reports) and when they left the services.
What do the records look like?
The majority of the records are based on pre-printed army forms, which were then completed in ink or pencil. The only items not on army forms are the references and any personal letters from the specific individual to the War Office or army nursing authorities.
To get an idea of what the records look like, see the record of Marjorie Turton.
Further research

It is possible to find nursing personnel in the collection of First World War Medal Index Cards (WO 372). These too can be searched for and downloaded on DocumentsOnline.
You may wish to view First World War Unit War Diaries. A selection of First World War Unit War Diaries can be downloaded from DocumentsOnline.
You can consult the registers of the recipients of the Royal Red Cross in WO 145 to find a person who received this award.

The Disability Pension Files, held in the document series PIN 26/19985-20286, contain records relating to nurses.

Research Guides

Online Resources

Books

First World War Army Service Records, William Spencer, The National Archives, 2006.
Women In The War Zone, Anne Powell, The History Press, 2009.
Sisters in Arms: British Army Nurses Tell Their Story , Nicola Tyrer, Phoenix.
Roses of No Man's Land, Lyn Macdonald, Penguin, 1993.
Women in the First World War, Neil Storey and Molly Housego, Shire, 2010.

The Nursing Times (RCN Journal) Nurses and nursing services: British Army

£11000 for Light Brigade Medals

2011-10-28T19:31:00.000+01:00

£11000 for Light Brigade Medals - News Article - Published 28th October 2011

News item, published today, begins:

"Doncaster man's Victorian war medals make £11,000Pte Pearson was wounded during the Charge of the Light Brigade Medals awarded to a Yorkshire man who took part in the Charge of the Light Brigade in the Crimean War have sold for £11,000.
The medals were awarded to Pte William Pearson, 17th Lancers, who was severely wounded in the charge at Balaklava in 1854..."

Read Full Article

or

Read Full Article

If you would like to locate your ancestors medals or find out what role they played in our military history visit UltraViolet Genealogy's "The Medal Reunited Project".

Harrisons Research & Genealogy Guide to Probate and Intestacy

2011-09-09T12:16:00.000+01:00

UltraViolet Genealogy Probate Division Harrisons Research & Genealogy Guide to Probate and Intestacy

About Probate

Probate is the legal process of administering the estate of a deceased person by resolving all claims and distributing the deceased person's property.

A probate interprets the instructions of the deceased, decides the executor as the personal representative of the estate, and adjudicates the interests of heirs and other parties who may have claims against the estate.

England and Wales

When someone dies, issuing the legal document to the executor or other administrator to give them authority to deal with their estate is known as probate. The grant of representation is issued by the Probate Registry, which is a division of the High Court of Justice. If there is a will which appoints executors then the grant of representation will be a "Grant of Probate". If there is no will it will be a "Grant of Administration".

If there is a will but there are no executors validly appointed (for example if they have all died) then the grant will be a "Grant of Administration with Will Annexed".

It is not always necessary to obtain a grant of probate; some organisations, including many insurance companies, banks and building societies, will release funds to the executor of the will without seeing a grant of probate if the amount is small and the situation is not complex.

HM Treasurer Solicitor will consider releasing estates <£15,000 direct to a single proven claimant beneficiary with a simple disclaimer. This puts the onus on the beneficiary to locate and pay any further beneficiaries.

Letter of administration: Upon the death of a person intestate the Probate Division of the High Court of Justice or the local District Probate Registry will appoint an administrator who performs similar duties to an executor.

The court does this by granting letters of administration to the person so entitled. Grants of administration may be either general or limited. A general grant occurs where the deceased has died intestate. The order in which the court will make general grants of letters follows the sequence:

The surviving spouse, or civil partner, as the case may be;
The next of kin;
The Crown;
A creditor;
A stranger.

Where, under the rules for distribution of estates without a will (the Intestacy Rules), a child under 18 would inherit or a life interest would arise, then the Court or District Probate Registry would normally appoint a minimum of two administrators. On some estates under an intestacy, if it is not clear who are the next-of-kin, probate research may be required to find the entitled beneficiaries.

About Intestacy

Intestacy is a universal situation where a person dies and has not made a written declaration, which we know as a WILL which lays out who gets what of your estate. It is estimated 70% of people in the UK die intestate.
Wills can leave assets to friends as well as relatives and not only include certain people BUT also exclude people from inheriting.
When a person dies intestate ONLY family inherit starting with the nearest living relative and if none exist tracing back relatives via various links as outlined below.
Clearly a lot of people who have little money do not feel it necessary to write a will, but others with substantial assets should, tax can ravage a value estate of an intestate and monies perhaps go to people you might otherwise not wish to inherit.
In many cases those entitled to inherit and obvious such as a wife, husband, son, or other children, or failing that brothers and/or sisters of the deceased.
A close relative can apply to administer the estate of the deceased for PROBATE. This is called a "Grant of Representation", if the estate is large this may be best left to an accountant or solicitor as there may be tax and other legal issues.
If the estate is valuable then Inheritance Tax may be due(£325,000 threshold), Any tax and other expenses and debts must be settled BEFORE the net value is distributed to the beneficiaries.
If there are no obvious relatives to inherit a deceased's estate then a solicitor or close friend may refer the case to the Treasurer Solicitor in which case they will become legal administrator for that estate. They then hold the assets for up to 12 years after which they will pass to the State dependent on where the deceased died.
The estate will then be inherited in accordance with the rules of intestacy (see chart)
At some stage a beneficiary may come forward to claim an intestate's estate, and would apply to HM Treasury Solicitor to administer the estate and pay out beneficiaries. Where a Heir Hunter member has traced one of more beneficiaries they may apply to administer the estate on behalf of that beneficiary.
A Heir Hunter submitting a claim MUST be 100% certain they have found a valid AND entitled beneficiary and have contracted with them to act on their behalf for the above claim, and to receive their commission from the estate.
Dependent upon the passage of time between death of the intestate and the date of the claim will decide if any claims and expenses are still outstanding from the estate. Property perhaps has been sold, bank accounts closed etc and overall if the entire estate is held in cash by the Treasury Solicitor or in other forms and locations.

Bona Vacantia

The term "Bona Vacantia" literally means vacant goods and is the legal name for ownerless property, which by law passes to the crown.
The Treasury Solicitor is the Crown's Nominee for the purposes of the administration of the estates of persons who die intestate and without known kin and for the collection of the assets of dissolved companies and other miscellaneous bona vacantia in England and Wales.
Bona Vacantia arises, in origin, by virtue of the Royal Prerogative, i.e. at common law. To some extent this is still the position although the right to bona vacantia of the two major categories is now based on statute: the Administration of Estates Act 1925, the Companies Act 1985 (both as amended) and the Companies Act 2006. The work of Bona Vacantia dates from the Norman Conquest making it the earliest duty of what is now the Treasury Solicitor.
The Treasury Solicitor does not deal with bona vacantia in the Duchies of Cornwall and Lancaster; this is dealt with by Farrer and Co.
In Northern Ireland these matters are dealt with by the Crown Solicitor as the Treasury Solicitor's Nominee. Their address for contact is Crown Solicitor, Royal Courts of Justice, Chichester Street, Belfast BT1 3JY.
In Scotland bona vacantia is administered by the Queen's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer

How assets reach the Crown

When a person dies leaving assets it is important to discover who the new owner will be. In general, this is determined by either the will of the dead person ("the deceased") or, if the deceased left no will, by an Act of Parliament called the Administration of Estates Act 1925.

If the deceased left a valid will which gave away all of his or her assets then there can be no question of those assets passing to the Crown under the Administration of Estates Act. However, if there is no such will, section 46 of the Administration of Estates Act needs to be looked at to find out who the new owner will be. Section 46 sets out a list of different groups of people ("entitled relatives") who will be entitled to the assets in these circumstances. People in the groups nearer the top of the list will take before those in the groups nearer the bottom. The Crown is in a final group that takes effect if there is nobody in any of the earlier groups.

The people in the different groups of entitled relatives include the deceased's husband or wife and children together with a number of other relatives. (Please view the Entitled Relatives Tree Diagram).

The result is that the Crown is entitled to inherit a deceased's assets if he or she: (i) died without leaving a valid will which disposed of all of his or her assets; and (ii) was not survived by any relatives within the groups higher up the list; and (iii) was domiciled within England and Wales with the exception of the royal duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall. The purpose of this guide is to set out what the approach of the Crown is to property that it has inherited in this way. It is not an Act of Parliament and should not be read like one. New cases arise all the time and the Crown, through the Treasury Solicitor, will decide each case on its merits.

The power to make grants out of assets which reach the Crown

The starting point is that the assets belong to the Crown. They are an example of what lawyers call "bona vacantia" - legal Latin for "ownerless goods" (which can include assets other than just goods). The Crown is under no obligation to deal with such assets in any particular way. If they are not given away under the principles explained in the following paragraphs then, together with other forms of bona vacantia and subject to deduction of the costs of collection and administration, they will be transferred to the Exchequer to be dealt with in the same way as money raised by general taxation.

Although the assets belong to the Crown, the Crown has a power to make grants out of them - to give part or all of them away. This power is recorded in section 46 itself, which states that the Crown "may" make provision for the "dependants" of the deceased and for "other people for whom the [deceased] might reasonably have been expected to make provision". It does not matter whether the dependants were related to the deceased. Parliament's use of the word "may" emphasises that there is no obligation upon the Crown to make such provision. The use of the power is discretionary and no applicant has any right to a grant. However, the power must be exercised fairly.

The role of the Treasury Solicitor

The Treasury Solicitor has been appointed by the Crown to collect assets which pass to the Crown in the way outlined above and to exercise the power to make discretionary grants. The Treasury Solicitor acts upon guidance and directions received from HM Treasury. The Treasury Solicitor deals with all matters relating to bona vacantia through a specialist section of the Treasury Solicitor's Department known as the Bona Vacantia Division (see the contact details at the end of this guide).

The Treasury Solicitor's policy

The Treasury Solicitor's policy is to consider all applications on their merits and to make grants to people who the deceased might reasonably have been expected to benefit (including, where appropriate, the deceased's dependants). This general statement of policy should be read in the light of factors set out elsewhere in this guide. Decisions will be taken in the light of all information available to the Treasury Solicitor at the time of the decision. They will be communicated to applicants as soon as practicable.

Section 5 of this guide provides examples of the sorts of cases in which the Treasury Solicitor has exercised the discretion to make discretionary grants. These examples are intended to be helpful but are not intended to provide a complete picture.

The factors which the Treasury Solicitor will consider include:

the size and nature of the deceased's "net estate" (see paragraph 11, below);
the length and nature of the relationship between the deceased and the applicant;
any legal or moral obligations which the deceased had towards the applicant;
the way in which the applicant behaved towards the deceased including the contribution (if any) made by the applicant to the welfare of the deceased; and
any other matter which, in the particular circumstances, the Treasury Solicitor considers relevant.

The practical effects of these factors are explored at greater length in sections 3, 4 and 5 below.

The "net estate" of a deceased person is the difference between the total value of the deceased's assets less funeral, testamentary and administration expenses, debts and liabilities, including any inheritance tax payable out of the estate on death. Administration expenses will include the Treasury Solicitor's costs of administering the estate.

How to apply for a discretionary grant

The Treasury Solicitor does not insist upon the use of a particular form - applications in any written form will be considered, including applications made by e-mail. If it is not practicable for an applicant to make a written application, prospective applicants should contact the Bona Vacantia Division using the contact details at the end of this guide.

Despite this flexible approach, it is important that the Treasury Solicitor has as much relevant information as possible before he determines an application for a discretionary grant. It follows that all applicants, but especially those who have applied informally, may need to add substantially to the information which they have initially provided. The Treasury Solicitor is entitled to request further information where necessary and to postpone a decision upon a grant to allow time for it to be provided.

The Treasury Solicitor may believe from information already on file that a grant should be made. In such circumstances the Treasury Solicitor can make a grant without any application being made. However, these cases are likely to be rare and an application should, where possible, be made.

When to apply

It is important that applications are submitted as soon as possible. This will help to prevent evidence being lost or watered down and will help the Treasury Solicitor to determine all applications for grants from a single estate at the same time. Nonetheless, the Treasury Solicitor cannot determine applications for grants until the administration of the deceased's estate is complete. This is because the extent of the assets comprised within the estate will not be clear until then.

The amount or value that may be granted

It is not possible here to provide detailed guidance about the likely values of grants. The circumstances vary too much.

Nonetheless, the following basic points may be found helpful.

No grant can be made unless the deceased's assets have passed to the Crown. This may seem obvious, but applicants sometimes lose sight of it in cases in which relatives who are entitled to the assets come forward.
No grant can exceed the amount of the deceased's net estate.
If there are two or more applicants, the Treasury Solicitor will determine the applications in a way which takes proper account of the interests of all applicants and of the Crown.
The Treasury Solicitor will consider, but will not be bound by, any statement of reasons which the applicant submits in support of an application for a discretionary grant of a specified amount. In a case in which an applicant has provided services to a deceased free of charge, evidence of what it would have cost the deceased to buy such services may be helpful. However, it should always be remembered that a discretionary grant from the Treasury Solicitor is a recognition of the applicant's services rather than a payment for them.
The Treasury Solicitor's practice is to make a deduction of 5% from the amount of a net estate before making a discretionary grant. The purpose of this deduction, which is known as the "insurance provision", is to create a fund to protect the Crown against cases in which discretionary grants are made and entitled relatives later come forward..

THE INHERITANCE PROVISION ACT 1975

Under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, people within a number of different categories can make a claim against the estate of a deceased person on the ground that "reasonable financial provision" was not originally made for them.

The relevant categories of applicants include the husband or wife of the deceased, a child of the deceased, a person who has lived together with the deceased in the same household for two years immediately before the date of death as the husband or wife of the deceased and a person who was being maintained by the deceased immediately before his or her death. There are other categories. Claims under the Act require court proceedings which must generally be brought within six months of the date on which a grant of representation is first taken out. If you think that you may be able to make such a claim then you should seek independent legal advice from a solicitor or Citizens' Advice Bureau as soon as possible.

The powers of the courts to make orders under the 1975 Act (which replaced and extended powers first introduced in 1938) often overlap with the Treasury Solicitor's powers to make discretionary grants. Since the same sum of money cannot be paid twice, which application will be dealt with first?

The answer is that, before determining an application for a discretionary payment, the Treasury Solicitor will normally require an applicant to make a claim under the 1975 Act. This is because the administration of an estate is not fully complete while a claim under the 1975 Act is outstanding. Accordingly, a discretionary grant cannot normally be made until the outcome of any court proceedings (including threatened court proceedings) is known.

The Treasury Solicitor may depart from the above approach if the deceased's estate is only of a modest size (less than £20,000) or in other circumstances where the Treasury Solicitor thinks that it would not be reasonable to expect an application under the 1975 Act to be pursued - for example, when the applicant is frail due to old age or ill health.

The ground upon which court orders are made under the 1975 Act is not the same as the Treasury Solicitor's policy in relation to discretionary grants. However, similar considerations may well apply to applications for each.

THE DECEASED'S LAST WISHES; VALID AND INVALID WILLS

The deceased's last wishes

The Treasury Solicitor will consider evidence about the last wishes of the deceased. The way in which those wishes were expressed is less important than the reliability of the evidence that the deceased wished them to take effect after his death. Examples of relevant evidence may include:

(a) a formal will, invalid owing to some defect of execution; and
(b) detailed written instructions from the deceased to his solicitor setting out his last wishes.

The Treasury Solicitor is entitled to request further information about an alleged statement by the deceased. Allegations of uncorroborated oral statements will be treated with considerable caution.

Although the Treasury Solicitor will consider the deceased's last wishes, it does not follow that he will necessarily give effect to them. The Treasury Solicitor will consider all relevant matters and may well have a clearer idea of the extent of the deceased's assets than the deceased had - especially if he or she died unexpectedly.

Cases in which the deceased has left a valid will

It may seem surprising that there can be any possibility of property passing to the Crown in a case in which the deceased left a valid will. However, this can happen when the deceased left a valid will which did not effectively dispose of the whole of his estate. Discretionary grants are sometimes made in these cases.

One example merits specific consideration. Section 15 of the Wills Act 1837 provides that a gift to a person who witnesses the execution of a will is void. So, if the deceased did not make an alternative gift and did not leave any entitled relatives, the property which is the subject of the failed gift may pass to the Crown as bona vacantia. Although the witness who lost the gift may apply for a grant, a grant will not automatically be made to that witness.

EXAMPLES

The first part of this section contains examples of the types of cases in which discretionary grants have commonly been made. The second part of this section contains examples of the types of case in which they have commonly been refused. They are intended to be helpful but not to provide a complete picture or to guarantee that grants will automatically be made where similar circumstances arise.

Examples of common cases where grants have been made

Services and kindnesses rendered

An applicant for a grant may have provided the deceased with substantial free services for which the deceased might otherwise have had to pay. The deceased might reasonably have been expected to leave the applicant something in recognition of those services. Although this did not occur, the Treasury Solicitor is able to make a grant to the applicant to discharge the deceased's moral obligation.
Examples of the sorts of services relied upon by applicants in the past have been washing, cleaning, cooking, shopping, providing nursing care, repairing or redecorating the deceased's property and helping the deceased with financial or business matters.
Discretionary grants may also be appropriate where the applicant has rendered acts of kindness to the deceased which have been of real help and value even though they did not include things for which the deceased might have reasonably been expected to pay.
A discretionary grant is unlikely to be made when the acts relied upon are not substantial. Similarly, a grant is unlikely to be made if the Treasury Solicitor considers that the evidence put forward in support of the application is unconvincing.

Established relationships - partners

If the deceased was married at the time of his or her death then, in general, the estate will not pass to the Crown. However, discretionary grants have often been made in cases when the applicant and the deceased, although unmarried, lived together in an established relationship. For example, the deceased may have lived with his or her partner as man and wife. Alternatively, the deceased may have lived with his or her partner in an established same sex relationship.
Such partners may have a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975. If so, the policy of the Treasury Solicitor is not to make discretionary grants until the application under the 1975 Act has been concluded. For more details, see section 3, above.

Established relationships - other cases

Discretionary grants have been made in cases in which the deceased and the applicant had a close relationship. Examples include cases where:

the applicant was dependent upon the deceased;
the applicant and the deceased made their home together as way of enjoying friendship and support without an intimate physical relationship.

Cases in this class vary widely and all applications will be considered against the Treasury Solicitor's general policy.
Evidence that there has been little or no association during the latter years of a deceased's life may tend to weaken an application (and see paragraph 10(c), above).

Grants to charities and other bodies

It is possible for the Treasury Solicitor to make grants to charities and other bodies. The Treasury Solicitor adopts the same approach to grants to these bodies as he does to other grants. For example, the Treasury Solicitor could make a grant to a hospice which has cared for the deceased at considerable expense throughout a long terminal illness.

Examples of common cases where grants have been refused

Applications based solely upon the following have commonly been refused.

the applicant's financial circumstances;
the fact that the applicant is related by marriage to the husband or wife of the deceased;
the fact that the applicant was the fiancé/e of the deceased;
friendship; and
conversations in which the deceased stated an intention to benefit the applicant.

Similarly, natural kinship (that is, blood relationship) alone is unlikely to justify a grant by itself. However, it should be recalled that most close relatives will be entitled under the Administration of Estates Act, thereby preventing the estate from passing to the Crown as bona vacantia at all.

It should be stressed that applicants in the cases listed above are not barred from receiving discretionary grants.

COSTS AND THE INSURANCE PROVISION

The cost to the Treasury Solicitor of administering the deceased's estate is one of the items to be taken into account when determining the sum from which a discretionary grant can be made.
The Treasury Solicitor's costs involve two elements: (i) disbursements; and (ii) staff costs.
Disbursements are charged to the estate account at cost.
Staff costs are calculated using a form of time costing based upon the hourly rate of the case officer handling the file together with a percentage increase (typically between 30% and 50%) to reflect the complexity of the issues involved. The hourly rates of case officers differ depending upon seniority.
The Treasury Solicitor's charging system is currently under review. The percentage addition is likely to be excluded and the hourly rates increased to reflect the true cost to the Treasury Solicitor of administering the estate.

An applicant's costs of applying for a discretionary grant will not generally be refunded.

The insurance provision.

Before the Treasury Solicitor administers a deceased's estate as bona vacantia he advertises for entitled relatives. These advertisements are placed on the Bona Vacantia Division's website and in newspapers circulating in the area where the deceased used to live.
It occasionally happens that, despite such advertisements, no entitled relatives come forward until after an estate has been administered and a discretionary grant made. Provided that the entitled relatives come forward within 12 years, the Treasury Solicitor will pass the whole of the estate to the deceased person's relatives. In these circumstances, the Treasury Solicitor does not usually try to recover discretionary grants from the people to whom they have already been paid (but see para. 4, below). So the result is that the Crown will be out of pocket.
To protect the Crown against such losses, the Treasury Solicitor retains a set percentage of all bona vacantia estates as a form of insurance. The current rate is 5% and has been set at a level which reflects the Treasury Solicitor's past experience of late claims by entitled relatives. The Treasury Solicitor may change the insurance provision at any time without notice to reflect changes in her experience of claims.
The Treasury Solicitor retains the right to seek repayment of discretionary grants from people who have withheld material information and/or misrepresented material facts.

MONEY LAUNDERING

In accordance with good practice, and with the aim of preventing money laundering, the Treasury Solicitor (as the Crown's Nominee for dealing with assets that vest in him as bona vacantia) operates in accordance with the principles laid down in Part VII of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (“the Act”) and the Money Laundering Regulations 2003 (“the Regulations”).

For that reason, the Treasury Solicitor makes such enquiries as are deemed necessary to comply with the Act and the Regulations, including obtaining evidence of identity from those with whom we do business and retaining such evidence in accordance with our record-keeping procedure.

For assistance with your porbate research contact http://www.hrgenealogy.com/

The Census Links and Useful Info

2011-08-16T12:29:00.000+01:00

We have compiled a list of sites that can be used to search the Census online.

England & Wales Census:

http://www.freecen.org.uk/ - 1841 - 1901
http://www.ukcensusonline.com/ - links to 1841-1911
http://www.1911census.co.uk/ - 1911 census
www.ancestry.co.uk - 1841-1911
www.findmypast.com - 1841-1911
http://www.rootsuk.com/ - 1841-1901
http://www.1901censusonline.com/ - 1901
http://www.uk1901census.com/ - 1901
http://www.census1891.com/ - London 1891
http://www.essex1841.com - Various Essex 1841

Scotland

http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk - 1841-1911

Ireland

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/ - 1901-1911

England and Wales Census Dates:

The census was taken on the following dates:

10 Mar 1801 No longer exists, with a few exceptions

27 May 1811 No longer exists, with a few exceptions

28 May 1821 No longer exists, with a few exceptions

30 May 1831 No longer exists, with a few exceptions

6 June 1841 Now available to the public

30 March 1851 Now available to the public

7 April 1861 Now available to the public

2 April 1871 Now available to the public

3 April 1881 Now available to the public

5 April 1891 Now available to the public

31 March 1901 Now available to the public

2 April 1911

Now available to the public

19 June 1921 Expected to be released by in January 2022

26 April 1931 Destroyed during WW2

29 September 1939 WW2 National Registration

8 April 1951

23 April 1961

25 April 1971

5 April 1981

21 April 1991

29 April 2001

10 Mar	1801	No longer exists, with a few exceptions
27 May	1811	No longer exists, with a few exceptions
28 May	1821	No longer exists, with a few exceptions
30 May	1831	No longer exists, with a few exceptions

6 June	1841	Now available to the public
30 March	1851	Now available to the public
7 April	1861	Now available to the public
2 April	1871	Now available to the public
3 April	1881	Now available to the public
5 April	1891	Now available to the public
31 March	1901	Now available to the public

2 April	1911	Now available to the public
19 June	1921	Expected to be released by in January 2022
26 April	1931	Destroyed during WW2
29 September	1939	WW2 National Registration
8 April	1951
23 April	1961
25 April	1971
5 April	1981
21 April	1991
29 April	2001

The UK Census

2011-08-16T11:41:00.001+01:00

Perhaps the genealogical resource most commonly used and the most informative is the Census.

The British Government have made these regular population counts every 10 years since 1801 with the only exception during the Second World War. Householders filled in a schedule that enumerators copied into books. Pre 1841 census returns were destroyed after they were completed and many more recent returns have been destroyed by fire, floods, bombing or to make storage space.

The precious returns that survive, contain a wealth of information, including householders names, ages, places of birth, occupation employment status, address and any disabilities. Using these census returns can enable a researcher to trace back their ancestors to the early 19th century in a relatively short space of time and gather vital incite into how and where they lived.

Finding the Census.

The census reports only become available to the public after 100 years has lapsed, the exception to this rule was the early release of the 1911 census. The best place to start is to choose a subscription or pay per view site, www.ancestry.co.uk or www.findmypast.com are two of the most popular and offer various packages to suit your budget. You may find that your local library or family history centre offer free use of one of these sites, check with your local library or FHS or visit the National Archives.

Ancestry.co.uk holds census returns from 1841 to 1911 for England and Wales, the1911 census is not fully searchable currently and you will need to browse by county or parish, however you can search the 1911 summary books.

Findmypast.com holds the 1841 through to 1911 census for England and Wales on a pay per view and subscription basis, searchable both by name or address.

The Scottish 1911 census has now been transcribed and available on pay per view from www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk although the images are the enumerators book entries as the original returns completed by householders on the 2nd April 1911 were destroyed.

www.census.nationalarchives.ie contains both the 1901 and 1911 census for the whole of Ireland and what is now Northern Ireland and can be accessed free of charge.

Other free sites that hold census information from the 19th century include, www.familysearch.org, the website of the Church of the Latter Day Saints which will provide information transcribed from the England and Wales Census when searching by name. www.freecen.org.uk also contains some free information transcribed from the 1841 to 1891 census of England and Wales.
There are various other free sites that make available information on a individual town or city, check www.cyndislist.com.

Census Search Tips:

The information is only as good as the person who transcribed it: it is important to remember the handwriting is not always easy to read and so errors have occurred when transcribing information from the census to search options. Vary your search input if you cannot locate someone, try searching for a different member of the same household.

Inaccuracies: In a time when many had very basic or no reading or writing skills, information can be notoriously inaccurate or vary from census to census, ages were often rounded up or down and name spelling can change. Use other reference points, members of the household to confirm the right people.

Missing Persons: if someone has disappeared from a household, there can be varying reasons, the individual could be:
                          In the military-- census returns were still completed for all members of the armed forces whether home or abroad, keep searching!
                         Domestic Service-- especially applies to young girls and women, many young girls and women would have entered into domestic service and may turn up as a cook, servant, or domestic with the household they worked for.
                        The Workhouse -- during the victorian era, those who found themselves down on their luck and poor could end up in the various workhouses. So again you may find them not living where you thought.
try if you can to vary the census sites you use, searching on one site may not locate the individual or family but may turn up with a simple search on another.

Vary name spellings: Check birth records, names appearing on the census may not be their birth name. Abbreviation, use of middle name can cause hours of searching to no avail.

Check marriage records, a female may have married and will now have a different surname. For males you may now have another member of the household to search for that might turn up trumps.

Good Luck With your journey!

UltraViolet Genealogy

The Medal Reunited Project - New Membership Offer!

2011-08-12T09:21:00.001+01:00

NEW MEMBERSHIP OFFER!!!!!

Due to the ongoing success of The Medal Reunited Project and to ensure we are committed to the cause of reuniting British World War One service medals with family members and to maintain the fantastic support for Help for Heroes, we are pleased to announce we are reducing our membership fees.

To help make this project accessible to all we are now offering 1 years membership for only £7.00. The years membership will include:

Unlimited access to the extensive list of sourced medals, currently standing at over 3000 and growing each week.

Unlimited submissions of "names of interest", so we can alert you as soon as any of these names are sourced.

The only request we make is that upon becoming a member that you make a donation of your choice to Help for Heroes!

So to join today and discover your ancestors Medals or to find out more about the project visit: http://uvgenealogy.co.uk/29701.html

The Medal Reunited Project is also seeking potential sponsors to enable the project to continue to grow in strength and to keep supplying this service that you, the people have shown us is required and to keep supporting such a worthwhile cause.

If you would be interested in sponsoring The Medal Reunited Project please contact Nik Walker at nik@uvgenealogy.co.uk

Genealogy - Be Inspired

2011-08-04T15:29:00.001+01:00

The 4th August is an important date in my life as a genealogist. This was the date I gained my “inspiration”, the inspiration that would lead me to a career in Genealogy.

When we begin our journey into researching our family history, it is important we have this inspiration. In order to maintain the hours of research, late nights and long weekends spent trawling through archive and making endless notes on the findings we have uncovered that inevitably lie ahead, we need to be able to stop and remember why we are doing this. Whether as with myself it is to fulfil a promise to a loved one, a personal journey of discovery or to find answers to those family stories, there is always a trigger, a moment that leads you to begin your journey, your inspiration.

It is important to identify and reflect back on this inspiration throughout our journey into the past, it is this that gives us guidance and direction in our research. It offers us motivation when we hit a brick wall or we are snowed under with all the fantastic things we have found. Use your inspiration to identify and unlock the reasons why you began your journey. Write your inspiration on a board in your office, set a picture of your inspiration as a screen saver on your computer whatever you do make it a focal point to remind you why you are doing this and to keep that motivation and passion strong

My Inspiration was my grandmother. As a child I had many conversations with her about where she came from and who our ancestors were, what is was like living in the “olden days” or picking her brains for my history projects at school, only to discover that she knew very little about her family roots other than her direct family. The usual answer was that she came from an era where certain things were not talked about, but it had clearly not prevented her wanting to know the answers. Many years after our initial conversations, on a visit for a cup of tea and a chat, we began talking about her ancestors again, this time I made a promise, I promised to find the answers to these questions and let her know all the things she wanted to know. One week after I made this promise she unfortunately passed away. From this day, 4th August, I decided I will honour this promise and trace the family history and answer those questions she had wanted to know.

To this day my Grandmother is the first person I tell about any new discoveries and about the experiences I encounter in the best career I have ever had, the career she unknowingly inspired, unlocking the past for many others as a professional genealogist.

Leaving your Legacy - Write your memoirs

2011-07-31T14:55:00.000+01:00

As a Professional Genealogist I spend many hours researching a client’s family history, identifying who their ancestors were, where they lived, what they did for a living, unearthing old photos and any other information that I can locate. However there are still many questions I cannot answer. I cannot tell a client the personal thoughts of their ancestor, how they met their partner? What the inside of their house looked like, how they felt about their job, what they did at the weekend and what it was really like living in those times.

So perhaps more important than any family heirloom or photo that we leave behind when we depart this world is to leave our story, our thoughts, our fears, our words.

With the interest in family history increasing every day we often find we have left it too late to speak to those who we so desperately want to know every detail about.

Do not think memoirs and biographies are just for the rich and famous, ALL of our stories and life experiences are just as valuable, if not more.

So where do I start?

Get yourself a small note book and begin to write down in point form your memories that come to mind of your childhood. Keep this notebook handy and every time a thought comes up that you want to share, jot it down. You will soon find you are ready to start writing
Remember these are your memories and your story; you don’t need to be a professional and you start writing you will find that it “flows” onto the page.
- Describe your parents; were they warm and loving, funny, stand-offish?
- What is your earliest memory?
- What kind of adventures did you get into with your siblings or cousins?
- What clothes did you wear?
- What music did you listen to?
- What did you eat at family meals?
- What did your chores consist of?
- What was your first job?
- Where was your first house? What did it look like?
- Did you have any family pets?
- Were there any family tragedies?
- Were you named after anyone?
- Describe how you celebrated holidays or special traditions
- Describe your school life.
- What were your favorite toys or games to play?
- What did you hate doing? What did you love doing?
- What were your hobbies and aspirations?
- When did you fall in love and with whom?
- Talk about your early days of marriage, trips you went on and funny experiences.
- Discuss your thoughts about motherhood or fatherhood.
- Describe the personalities of your children and funny things they did.
- Describe homes you lived in with your kids and where they were.
- Discuss your views on life, and advice.
There is no set format to writing your memoirs and these are just a few ideas on where to start.
What if I don’t feel I can write my memoirs myself?
Don’t worry, not everyone is confident enough nor has the time to write their memoirs. In this case you can turn to a professional. You can supply or your thoughts and memories and let the professional do the rest. This shouldn’t be too expensive and the legacy you leave is invaluable. You can view information regarding professional services at www.uvgenealogy.co.uk

What do I do with my memoirs once they are written?
Once you have completed your memoirs you can produce these into a book format, this can be done through various online companies or if you have used a professional they should provide various options for publishing. You can choose to produce these as an E-Book format or a simple PDF format for easy distribution.
Once your memoirs are formatted now is the time to decide how you want these to be left. I would recommend that you enter this information into your Will. Whether you leave a copy to each family member, the rights and copy to a certain family member or just provide instruction as to where these are located. Whatever you decide MAKE SURE you have provided some instruction as to their location and of their existence.
Why not produce your family tree at the same time, leaving a complete legacy for when you are no longer here.
Why not visit www.uvgenealogy.co.uk today and discuss how we can help you produce a complete package to leave as your legacy.

French Ancestry

2011-07-28T13:10:00.000+01:00

Prior to the French Revolution France was divided into provinces, now known as regions. Then in 1789 the new government reorganised France into Territorial Divisions (departements). There are 100 Departments in France, 96 within its borders and 4 overseas. Each department has its own archive and most important Genealogical records are kept at these departmental archives. Records are also kept at local town halls so it is important to have a starting town or department.

The French census is taken every 5 years beginning in 1836 (earlier in some communities) which contain name of all members living in a household, dates and places of birth, nationality and occupation. However these are not indexed and are rarely used in French Genealogy as locating names of households are notoriously difficult without a street address.

Birth, Death and Marriage records mainly date from 1792. Known in France as Registres d’état-civil (records of civil registration) they are held at the Le Mairie (town hall) where the event took place. The department archives hold duplicates of these after 100 years. The registers include wide margins which often records extensive information on an individual. A birth record may hold margin notes including marriage date, date of death and the place the event took place. Many of these are now online free of charge along with other departmental archives and Decennial Tables (a ten year alphabetical index from 1793, of births, marriages and deaths registered by the Mairie), although many are images of the original books and are not searchable, (no more time consuming than searching microfilms and you can do it from home!) Copies of civil records can be ordered from the local Mairie. Any records less than 100 years old are not available to the public due to French privacy laws and you will need to contact the local Mairie to make any requests.

Outside of France the best source of these civil records is the Family History Library in Salt Lake City who have microfilmed civil records of about half of the Departments in France up to 1870 and Decennial Indexes for nearly every town in France. You can search for which microfilms are held online at the Family History Cataloug.
Prior to 1792 parish registers are the most valuable genealogy resources. In France these date back to as early as 1334, these contain as a minimum, the names of people involved, date of even and sometimes parents’ names, ages, occupations and witnesses. Parish registers prior to 1792 are held by the Archives Department ales, although some small parish churches still retain these old registers. Some parishes no longer exist and now belong to a neighbouring town so always check the neighbouring parish if you cannot locate a record. Most departmental archives will not perform parish record research for you but many of these records are now available on line at the Family History Library and other sources.

Parish records after 1793 are held by the parish and you will need to contact the local Diocese who is often happy to help for a small donation.

France also holds well maintained cemeteries. Cemetery management in France is seen as a “public concern” and so legible inscriptions survive from as early as the 18^th century. Cemetery records again can be found at the local town hall.

French Military records can be located at the Army and Naval Historical Services in Vincennes, France and records survive from the 17^th Century and can include names of a serviceman’s wife, children marriage and names and addresses of next of kin. However, French privacy laws mean these are not accessible to the public from 120 years of the soldier’s birth, so are rarely used in French genealogy.

Links:

Geneanet.org (search birth, death, marriage by department) http://www.geneanet.org/archives
French civil and Parish Records: http://www.jeanlouis-garret.fr/actes/
French National Archives: http://www.archivesnationales.culture.gouv.fr/
Map of French Departments: http://www.lost-in-france.com/living-in-france/life/517-french-departments
Cyndi’s List - http://www.cyndislist.com/

The Medal Reunited Project

2011-07-25T13:09:00.001+01:00

The Medal Reunited Project began in May 2011 after a client had asked me to try and locate their ancestors service medals from the Great War 1914-1918. Scouring the internet I came across various "half hearted" sites that enabled users to post names they are researching or sellers to post what they had. With no real advertising of these sites and with no incentive to dealers to advertise they success rate I can only assume is not great.

The Medal Reunited Project began actively sourcing who had what and who was looking for who. A database was established and a searchable list produced for those sourcing particular names to search and identify those medals located.

In June 2011 the project signed up to help support the exceptional charity Help For Heroes, with regular donations from money received for the project being made.

The project continues to go from strength to strength and now lists over 3000 medals located and growing at a rate of 150 new medals per week!

The project has focused on British WW1 medals but aims to expand to include various allied medals, WW2 and other campaigns in the near future.

The project is membership based and a small membership fee is required to help maintain this worthwhile project.

To view more details or the project itself please visit The Medal Reunited Project.

Thank you to everyone who has supported the project so far.
Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

The Do's & Don'ts of Internet Genealogy

2011-07-25T12:42:00.001+01:00

Internet Genealogy – The Do’s & Don’ts

The internet is a vital resource for anyone tracing their family history. It is full of valuable information available to view at any time of the day and night and all from the comfort of your own home. No need to spend hours travelling up and down the country to try and find the location of that important piece of information you seek.

However, this wealth of information so easily available can come at a price. With the rush to publish genealogical records online can result in inaccuracies. Incorrectly transcribed names and dates and also information missed completely. For this reason I have put together some simple dos and don’ts to aid in your online journey into the past.

DO: Talk to Living Relatives

Valuable sources of information that cannot be found online are the memories of those who were there or who now hold vital family documents and information passed down through family lines. Sitting down and talking with these family members can often identify that burning question that the family have been wanting the answer to or can help in confirming your research when you come across a piece of information that confirms what you have discussed.

Always be respectful, it is easy to get caught up with the excitement and enthusiasm to obtain information and forget that the information you are trying to obtain is personal to the family member and may hold some very emotional memories. Do ask questions but don’t push too hard.

DO NOT: Publish Information about Living Relatives Online

When publishing your research online, utilise your software’s privacy settings to ensure your living relative’s information is private. Your relatives will not be thrilled to find all of their personal information online.

DO: Look for Source Documentation

There are many sources of information across the internet but just because it is on the internet does not mean it’s true. Confirm the original source of the information. Most online databases will contain a source link or will provide the original source information. Ensure you document both the original source and the internet source where you found the information. This will provide a trail for you to confirm the accuracy and for you to view the original source if required.

DON’T: Rely On One Information Source

Just because you have entered a search for information on an online database and it returned no record does not mean the information does not exist. Transcription errors and the limitation to what information is available on sites can mean more extensive research is required. Always cross check with more than one online resource, another site may hold the information you are looking for or may hold a completely different set of records you never knew existed.

DO: Take Time to Visit Archive Centres and Libraries

Libraries and local archive centres hold a wealth of information. With the digitization of many records your local archive centre may hold information from all around the country not just your local area. You can normally view what information is held where on the internet and if possible go and spend some time in one of these establishments. Not all the information they hold can be found on the internet and can only be viewed in these centres. If you get a chance to view an original document it will provide a different kind of satisfaction to that of the internet. To discover what other information is out there will bring a whole new dimension to your research.

DON’T: Rely on Others

Online forums and published family trees can instantly provide you with missing information or provide a complete line of your family tree. However, there is no guarantee of the accuracy. If you find your family tree already published online decide if you wish to view it or continue to find the information yourself. There is a certain degree of satisfaction to finding out this information yourself and approach with caution and decide if you wish to copy someone else’s research or continue your own. If you do decide to use this information check for the sources and confirm the accuracy, do not just assume because it is online that it is correct or that nothing has been missed.

DO: You’re Homework

Taking time to research some background history of the time, job or location of an ancestor can help us to understand the information we are viewing, it can also help to identify what information we want to find or where it may be held. Doing some homework on what resources are available or what records could exist can save time and effort and the need to keep revisiting your research each time you discover a new source that is available.

DON’T: Become Complacent

After spending months or years researching your family history it is easy to believe we know everything there is to know and become complacent in our research. Internet Genealogy is advancing on a daily basis, new records and sources are appearing all the time and it is important we continue to educate ourselves and advance our research as we go. As our family research advances so must we. Talk to experts in the field, professionals genealogists, local historians, archive centre managers, they can often give advice on where your research should go next, also Subscription sites and Genealogical publications offer a wealth of advice and information and also highlight new developments and any launches of new online resources.

DO: Enjoy Yourself!

Despite the hours and hours of time and effort in your research it is important to step back and remember why we do it. The reward of tracing your family tree, finding out new information and the answers to those family mysteries easily out ways all the effort you have put in. Talk to others about your research, be it your new friends you have made along the way or an update to family members on your progress, this is where you will refresh your passion and enthusiasm you have for genealogy and show you how much you have achieved.

A Soldiers Life For Me - The Story Of Joshua Thomas Ropkins

2011-07-25T12:41:00.000+01:00

November 1918 and The Great War has ended, as many rejoice that 4 long years of heartache and loss are over and thousands of hero’s begin returning home, one such hero has lost his fight for life, a hero who’s service to his country saw him taken prisoner of war, action in the trenches and spanned nearly 20 years, now ended alone, unmarried and childless.

Joshua Thomas Ropkins was the 5^th Child of George Ropkins a London jeweller and Elizabeth Becckon, born in January 1881; he grew up in an area of Islington described by Charles Booth in his 1898/99 poverty maps as ‘Fairly Comfortable’.

Unlike his siblings, his father’s trade was clearly not for Joshua. His brothers and sisters had seemed content to follow their father and to work in the Jewellery trade, but Joshua’s destiny lied elsewhere and he wouldn’t have to wait long to begin his journey.

On the 11^th October 1899 war was declared in South Africa for the second time, by December the British forces has suffered numerous defeats to the Boers. In 6 days of battles between the 10^th-17^th December, British forces has incurred terrible loses. The public’s opinion back home was one of gloom and embarrassment, not since the Napoleonic wars had Britain experienced such defeats. This was not a feeling that lasted long, by the 18^th December the government had relented to mounting pressure of volunteers trying to sign up for service that they finally relented. It was realised that a need for mounted infantry was a necessity and the government called upon the volunteer force of the Yeomanry. A Royal warrant was issued on the 24^th December 1899 for existing volunteer County Yeomanry regiments to form new companies of around 115 men each, to be known as the Imperial Yeomanry.

The Royal Warrant stated:-

1. Her Majesty's Government have decided to raise for active service in South Africa a mounted
infantry force, to be named "The Imperial Yeomanry".

2. The force will be recruited from the Yeomanry, but Volunteers and civilians who possess the
requisite qualifications will be specially enlisted in the Yeomanry for this purpose.

3.    The force will be organized in companies of 115 rank and file, 1 one captain and four subalterns to each company, preferably Yeomanry officers.

4.     The term of enlistment for officers and men will be for one year, or not less than the period of the war.

5.    Officers and men will bring their own horses, clothing, saddlery and accoutrements. Arms,
ammunition, camp equipment and transport will be provided by the government.

6.    The men to be dressed in Norfolk jackets, of woollen material of neutral colour, breeches and
gaiters, lace boots, and felt hats. Strict uniformity of pattern will not be insisted on.

7.    Pay to be at Cavalry rates, with a capitation grant for horses, clothing, etc.

8.   Applications for enrolment should be addressed to colonels commanding Yeomanry regiments, or
to general officers commanding districts, to whom instructions will be issued.

9.    Qualifications are: Candidates to be from 20 to 35 years of age, and of good character. Volunteers or civilian candidates must satisfy the Colonel of the regiment through which they enlist that they are good riders and marksmen, according to the Yeomanry standard

This was a call that Joshua could only aspire to. The early contingents of the Imperial Yeomanry were made up mainly of socially superior, ‘well to do’ gentleman, who gave their wages to the Imperial War Fund, paid for their own passage and equipment and were even willing to buy their own horse.

By Early February the ‘New’ Imperial Yeomanry began arriving in South Africa and began to make its mark. This success was short lived. Along with the decision to send home a contingent of the volunteer force, the educated men of the yeomanry being snapped up for officers positions in the regular forces and mounting casualties and medically unfit men, the Yeomanry numbers began to drop alarmingly. A second contingent of Imperial Yeomanry would need to be recruited.

Recruitment began in 1901, this time Gone were the Patriotically motivated educated men and in was new force of working class men, encouraged by a 5 shilling a day wage (as opposed to one shilling per day in the infantry).

This was Joshua’s chance, perhaps it was the wages or his patriotism that made him sign up, but whatever the reason a new challenge in a faraway land was now a reality. By the time of the 1901 census on the 31^st March, Joshua was marking his occupation as Imperial Yeomanry. The 1901 recruits had been hastily trained in Aldershot, between January and February, with the idea the real training would begin when they arrived in South Africa.

Joshua was assigned to the 94^th company. 24^th Metropolitan Mounted Rifles, when they formed in March 1901 in London. They left for South Africa on the 11^th April. Shortly after arriving Joshua was assigned to the 2^nd Battalion 103^rd (Warwickshire) Company. The medal roll for the 2^nd Boer war shows that by the 9^th September 1901 Joshua was entitled to three medal clasps after already seeing action in Orange Free State, Cape Colony and Transvaal regions, but there would be one moment during Joshua’s time in South Africa that would stand out amongst the rest.

In the Autumn of 1901 Joshua’s company were under the control of Lt-Col W B Hickie in the western Transvaal, about 870 men were engaged in covering the construction of Blockhouses(a small, isolated fort in the form of a single building) to secure supply routes and to cut off enemy movement, along the Schoonspruit river. On the 13^th November 1901 Joshua‘s unit was camped at a Farm, Brakspruit, north east of Klerksop. Sent out on reconnaissance with 84 other officers and men Joshua’s unit came under attack by a 300 strong Boer force. Ten men were killed, eleven wounded and 64 were taken prisoner to the Boers 4 men killed and eight wounded. Amongst those captured was Joshua. Although it is unclear how long he was held captive, many prisoners escaped or were simply released due to the lack of holding facilities, we can be sure that the fear experienced during this time would have stayed with Joshua his entire life. Perhaps the only part of this experience that he could be thankful for was that his treatment may have been better than the Boers themselves experienced if captured in the so called “British concentration camps”.

The war ended on the 31^st may 1902 and Joshua returned home. The Government had learned some valuable lessons through the contribution of the Imperial Yeomanry in South Africa, that volunteers could server alongside regulars with few problems. This would become vital in just over a decade when a new threat arose and a huge volunteer force left the UK to fight overseas.

Upon his return Joshua soon began life working in the family trade and by 1911 was working as a self-employed “dealer in Common Jewelry”, living alone at Rowton House Lodging House in Hammersmith, a hostel built by the Victorian Philanthropist Lord Rowton to provide decent accommodation for working men, and just 3 years later he had left the Jewellery trade and found himself still unmarried and working as a Barman. These circumstances may have played a vital role in the decisions Joshua made next.

On the 4^th August 1914 the United Kingdom declared war on Germany, just two weeks later on the 18^th August, Joshua Ropkins once again was volunteering for active service. Described on his service record as 5ft 4 1/2, Grey hair and Hazel eyes, Joshua was now 33 years old, although listed on his service record as having the appearance of 29.

Joshua enlisted for The Hussars of the Line and was assigned to the 11th Reserve Cavalry on the 24^th August 1914 and then in June, the 3^rd (reserve) battalion Hampshire Regiment, based in Winchester as a depot and training unit. Joshua remained on home soil until he set sail for France from Southampton on the 27^th July 1915 as part of the British Expeditionary Force where he joined the 1^st Hampshire Regiment.

After just 3 months on the front line, the conditions took their toll on Joshua. He was taken sick with Bronchitis on 9^th November and transferred to the 19^th Combat Service and Support Battalion away from the front line where his condition worsened. He was eventually transferred to the No 5 General Hospital in Rouen’s where he made no improvement and was transported back home to England on the 24^th November 1915. He remained hospitalized until February 1916, where the introduction by Sir Alfred Keogh (director of army medical services) of Command Depots saw him transferred once again. These command depots were large convalescent camps, setup to try and free up hospital beds, they were designed for rehabilitative training of soldiers not yet fit enough to return to their unit but not in need of hospital care.

Joshua’s condition never improved and finally on the 27^th June 1916 he was discharged medically unfit and began receiving his Chelsea pension as an outpatient.

His discharge records show he was suffering from Chronic Bronchitis. The condition was not credited to his service and it is stated that it originated in civil life, however aggravated by his active service through constant exposure to cold and wet an insight into the horrendous condition on the front line. Although this statement appears to be a contradiction to his attestation records which showed him “fit” for service.

Joshua spent the next two years alone in East Ham before his condition finally ended his life, aged just 37, on the 17^th November 1918, just 6 days after the end of “The Great War”. Perhaps he found comfort in knowing he had survived long enough to see the end of the war, his second in such a short life. He had done his part; he had served His Queen, His King and his country and with this knowledge could finally rest in peace.

A Hero Returns - Article Link

2011-07-25T12:34:00.000+01:00

http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/keep/remember/reports/9053915.REMEMBER_WHEN__The_soldier_who_never_came_home/