Mystery Soldier?

[Anthony Bagshaw]

Hi everyone

I have a medal in my collection to CSM Arthur Maskell Notts and Derby Reg who was KIA 14/2/1916 aged 32. SDGW says he was born in Thorneywood, Notts.

I have looked on the 1901 Census but can find no Arthur Maskell who was born in Thorneywood. I have looked up the address that CWGC gives but the family were not yet living there. However there is a Maskell family that lives on the same street in two separate houses next door to each other. It appears the father lives alone (CWGC states that Arthur's mum had died and this ties in nicely) and the sons and daughters live in another house next door.

This is the strange bit. There is a Joseph who is 16 years old (the age that Arthur should be) and an Arthur that is 12. However if it is this Arthur CWGC and SDGW both have his age wrong when he died. He would only be 26 where as his brother Joseph would indeed be 32.

Have Soldiers Died and CWGC got it wrong, or is it just me?

What do you think?

[john w.]

anything can happen and often does. Until it is there in front of you in black and white or you have three points of confirmation then its only a chance.

If you are not sure then think laterally and see if you can get the information from another source.

John

[christine liava'a]

Check all the other censuses he could be in, plus any other documentation you can think of

-baptisms, births, school records, voting rolls etc

[Paul Nixon]

Possible too that the person responsible for recording the information on that particular sheet of the 1901 census got the two brothers' ages mixed up. That would account for that disparity.

As well as births, you could also check the local newspapers for the area he was living in when killed. You might find an obit that mentions his age and the fact that an older (or younger) brother is serving...

[Andrew Hesketh]

Anthony,

I've been through the 1901 census for every one of my 476 men, and I have to say I've come across several (5 I think, off the top of my head) discrepancies between ages as recorded in the census, by CWGC and by local newspapers. The worst was a discrepancy of about 12 years!

Mind you I've also got a few that don't appear anywhere on the 1901 Census and several with clear errors. On the whole my conclusion is that the online census is riddled with minor errors that can produce major distortions of interpretation. This is not intended as a slagging off for the census, but it is quite easy to accidentally type, say, 26 when you intended 16.

[Stephen Nulty]

Anthony

I've also come across transcription errors with my family, usually only by 2 or 3 years. But also, the indices for the census don't always work. I have relatives who don't come up on the search functionality but whi I can subsequently find using the address search.

Interestingly enough, I checked the 1891 census and found a Joseph aged 6 and Arthur aged 2, living at Number 21, Thorneywood. Thises ages are taken from the census image, not from the transcribed view.

Regards

Stephen

[Guest clarke maskell]

Hi i have been researching the maskell family as i am trying to find my husbands great grandmother grandfather The story goes Frank Fisher seels (husbands grandfather) born to Mary elizabeth seels domestic servant st anns well rd nottingham father unnamed but believed to have picture in tate gallery however on the 1891 census only a emma makell living with Thacker chemist family at the address she was also listed at thorneywood and having brother arthur father joseph and harriet mother as well as other siblings.

Any help appreciated

[Guest clarke maskell]

Hi

I believe my husband has a conection with Arthur Maskell

I have been researching his Grandfather Frank Fisher Seels Tansley who was born in 1891 sat annes well road chemist at the address was a young domestic servant called Emma Maskell whos name does appear for a few years at thorneywood but then disappears and an Mary Elisabeth Maskell appears. I do believe this is the sam e person but as Emma possible had Frank my husbands grandfather out of wedlock changed her name however whether mary or emma her father was called joseph and mother Harriett brother arthur. Please email grezlee@hotmail withany pics or info thanks Lee

[Anthony Bagshaw]

Lee,

Email sent, thank you very much for getting in touch, i am very sorry i did not see the reply in February!!

[Guest]

Hi,
I have just come across this old email.
All I have is Frank fisher seels Tansley was registered by his mother Mary Elizabeth Seels in Nottingham. He was born 164 St Ann's well rd nottingham. This was a chemist called Thacker his family lived 120 St Anne's well road Emma Maskell was his servant I believe from thorneywood lane. Henry Thacker had a son 1 month after Frank was born. He became a judge Samuel Ransley Thacker. I am wondering if Henry was father to both Frank and Samuel. A watchmaker who was good friends with the chemist Thacker lived across the  road took Frank in. Apparently Frank's mother was a servant and father a high society man whose father paid the Tansleys for Frank's education. I think Emma Maskell is Arthur's sister.
Lee Clarke