Royal Garrison Artillery

[Guest percyporter]

During the course of building up the family tree I have found some information on my wifes maternal granfather, Joseph Sweeney. serving during the war in the Royal Garrison Artillery. I have little information on him and only met him once in about 1964/5. His family are unable to give me any details on his service other than that "he had a wiff of the gas" during his service. The only formal source of information I have is from his marriage certificate dated 14th Feb 1917, on this he is listed as a Gunner, was aged 21 at that date and his address was given as Carliol Street newcastle upon Tyne.

A search of that address in the 1901 census does not include his name, however it is possible that he may have been boarding at the house as it had a large number of people in residence on the census day.

In the column showing "rank or proffession" is listed the following information.

"Gunner, Royal Garrison Artillery, Machineman"

I am assuming that machineman would have been his civilian occupation and gunner his army one.

I am aware that without his service number the chances of finding information on him is rather slim, but post this in the hope that someone can help

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

I would suggest that initially you obtain his Medal Index Card from the PRO,which will give you a Service Number Hopefully there will not be too many RGA Gunners with his name!It might also be worth attempting to locate the Absent Voters List for his Home area[Via local studies Groups etc;],this may give details of his Service Number.It is also possible once you have located his Number via the MICs that his papers may be extant & you will be able to find out much more than you hoped,Good Luck,regards Roger

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

MiC Search @ NA

Hi Alan Ref Email Hope this helps...

[kevinrowlinson]

That does say March 2004, doesn't it?

Anyway, of the 3 MICs that come up for Joseph Sweeney, http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...mp;mediaarray=* , you can discount 114999 who's records are available and who enlisted Preston and who's mother was farming near Bolton. Of the other two, and looking at the likely recruiting and mobilisation places the favourite would be 118010. Around this batch of numbers it would appear that they were mobilising men from the Durham and Newcastle area.

You would have to do some more digging to comfirm this, local papers etc. before progressing.

Kevin

[Graham Stewart]

He lived 33 Carliol St, Newcastle, which is located in St.Andrews Ward. At the same time it was a busy household as his brother(?) 30510 Pte James Sweeney, 1st Bn, R.Dublin Fusiliers was also living their, as is Joe but all it says is R.G.A.

Now it was either a tenament or lodging house as also living at the same address are;-

290338 Pte Henry Rodgers, R.E.

Edward Armstrong - Unit not given.

T/35702 Dvr Thomas Gibson James Rogers, A.S.C. - 79th Field Ambulance.

Graham.

[kevinrowlinson]

Percy,

You do know where he was living so if his records did survive they should show it and his marriage. Also a likely candidate for birth maybe;

Joseph Sweeney

Year of Registration: 1896

Quarter of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec

District: Gateshead

County: Durham, Tyne and Wear

Volume: 10a

Page: 947

There is also his first daughters birth certificate which may, or may not, show a unit.

Isabel Sweeney

Year of Registration: 1917

Quarter of Registration: Apr-May-Jun

Mother's Maiden Name: Liddell

District: Newcastle Upon Tyne

County: Northumberland, Tyne and Wear

Volume: 10b

Page: 93

Kevin

[Percy]

Percy,

You do know where he was living so if his records did survive they should show it and his marriage. Also a likely candidate for birth maybe;

Joseph Sweeney

Year of Registration: 1896

Quarter of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec

District: Gateshead

County: Durham, Tyne and Wear

Volume: 10a

Page: 947

There is also his first daughters birth certificate which may, or may not, show a unit.

Isabel Sweeney

Year of Registration: 1917

Quarter of Registration: Apr-May-Jun

Mother's Maiden Name: Liddell

District: Newcastle Upon Tyne

County: Northumberland, Tyne and Wear

Volume: 10b

Page: 93

Kevin

Hi,

assuming that those two link then that is the person we are looking for. His daughter Isabel was my MIL and died a few years ago. He lived at 21 Carliol street according to the marriage certificate that I have to hand. My peek at the 1901 census site gave me the impression that it may have been a boarding house myself due to the number living there.

Thanks for the help, Appreciatte it and regret that this original posting seems to have got lost as far as I was concerned.

Regards

Alan (AKA Percy)

[Percy]

He lived 33 Carliol St, Newcastle, which is located in St.Andrews Ward. At the same time it was a busy household as his brother(?) 30510 Pte James Sweeney, 1st Bn, R.Dublin Fusiliers was also living their, as is Joe but all it says is R.G.A.

Now it was either a tenament or lodging house as also living at the same address are;-

290338 Pte Henry Rodgers, R.E.

Edward Armstrong - Unit not given.

T/35702 Dvr Thomas Gibson James Rogers, A.S.C. - 79th Field Ambulance.

Graham.

Hi Graham

Can you advise the source of that information was it the census? His marriage certificate shows his address as 21 Carliol Street and he did have a brother who's initial was "J" his father was James and one of the witnesses signed as J Sweeney.

I did a quick search of 33 Carliol Street on the census and came up with a number of listing and ran out of credits before I got through them all.

Regards

Alan (AKA Percy)