Mark Crame Posted 2 April , 2009 Share Posted 2 April , 2009 I'm hoping someone may be able to help me out with this one - Navy I haven't a clue about. My best mate emailed this over earlier as, with help from a pal on here, we managed to hit the jackpot on his other Great Grandfather...well, i think I have a convert His message is reproduced below: "Nanny has just given me a photo of her father (my other great grandfather) He was a navy man WW1 as well, looking at the photo, he served on HMS VICTORY! as well as HMS HOOD that we know of. Will you do the honours on him as well as you hit the jackpot on William. His name was James, Rodwell-Tomsett. he lived in Mutford, nan is going to find his DOB. The surname is double-barreled as he was adopted by the Tomsett's and kept this name all through his life we think? His trade was a warrener (game Keeper to you and I)" Thanks in advance for any help you may be able to give! Regards Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 2 April , 2009 Share Posted 2 April , 2009 No match for that combination of names using the online list of Registers of Seamen's Services http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...amp;queryType=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Crame Posted 2 April , 2009 Author Share Posted 2 April , 2009 You're right...these are the closest I can get, Rodwell's with James in the name. It's a start though, didn't know where to begin looking so thanks for that! Name Rodwell, Robert James Official Number: J32949 Place of Birth: Wandsworth, London 28 January 1899 ADM 188/712 Name Rodwell, James Valentine Official Number: L6384 Place of Birth: Barking, Essex 10 January 1897 ADM 188/1000 Name Rodwell, Alfred James Official Number: J11973 Place of Birth: Bromby by Bow, London 26 July 1895 ADM 188/670 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted 3 April , 2009 Share Posted 3 April , 2009 It might be worth looking at the Absent Voters' Lists for 1918-19 for him or a search of the Naval Medal Rolls at NA. regards Bootneck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 3 April , 2009 Share Posted 3 April , 2009 HMS Hood was commissioned after the war, so he seems to have survived the reductions in manpower. If you can find a service number via the Absent Voters' Lists we can do more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apwright Posted 3 April , 2009 Share Posted 3 April , 2009 The surname is double-barreled as he was adopted by the Tomsett's If your mate's nan says he was born in 1882, then your info is the wrong way round! He was born James TOMSETT to James and Sarah (nee RODWELL) in Erith, Kent, but before the age of 9 he was sent to live with Sarah's much-older brother George and his wife Harriet in Mutford (who were both in their late 40s and childless). The name RODWELL is recorded as his middle name on his marriage record (to Ethel Mary BRIGGS in 1905), and as a middle name of each of their children. If you want the census details from 1841 to 1901, drop me a PM! Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted 3 April , 2009 Share Posted 3 April , 2009 If from the last post, this is your man born, in 1882, it would be interesting to know what his occupation was in 1905 when he was married and on the 1911 Census. HMS Hood was first commissioned in March 1920, so James Rodwell Tomsett would have been 38 at this time, so is it possible that the photograph might be of a different man? regards Bootneck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apwright Posted 3 April , 2009 Share Posted 3 April , 2009 In 1901 he's "Horse Driver on Farm", age 19, living at Marsh Lane, Mutford, with the now-widowed Harriet and Harriet's mother Anna Maria BAULDRY (who died the next year). Harriet died in 1925 aged 80. On both the 1891 and 1901 censuses he is listed simply as James RODWELL, son (not nephew), so it must have been a formal adoption. And I've just discovered that his natural mother Sarah THOMSETT nee RODWELL died in 1884 when he was only 2, and the father James TOMSETT disappears from the records. I can't find him in 1891, 1901 or 1911. Hence James jnr going to live with his uncle and aunt. Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Crame Posted 3 April , 2009 Author Share Posted 3 April , 2009 Brilliant stuff chaps. I've emailed my mate to try and get as much info as he can from his nan - with luck he may be able to find some medals which would have the number on of course but i don't think they're about. I discovered last night that HMS Victory was a barracks in Portsmouth so that explains that one. Are the naval medal rolls and absent voters lists available online at all? Would be handy to group the naval ones with the MIC's i'd have thought. brilliant stuff, thank you once again! regards mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Crame Posted 3 April , 2009 Author Share Posted 3 April , 2009 This in the RND records: Name Rodwell, James Service Number(s): R/1728 Rank or Rating: Ordinary Seaman, Able Seaman Date of Birth: 1 March 1879 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Crame Posted 5 April , 2009 Author Share Posted 5 April , 2009 Chaps, my mate sends a big thank you to you all. I spoke to him on the phone last nigth and it's a definite match. He emailed me yesterday too: "Hi Mate, Pretty sure your Chaps on the Web have the right person, I have a Photo of my great grandmother and nanny called her Ethel May before I sent the Info to you, so it sounds like we have the right person. many thanks to the chaps on the forum. Will call in and speak to Nanny today to see if see has found any more information! remember she's 96" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 15 April , 2009 Share Posted 15 April , 2009 Are the naval medal rolls and absent voters lists available online at all? Would be handy to group the naval ones with the MIC's i'd have thought. Neither are completely online; I don't know if some absent voters lists are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now