Nigel Gordon Posted 6 October , 2009 Share Posted 6 October , 2009 Hi Pals, I received this picture recently from a relative who said it was of my great uncle, Private George Gaskin. I know he joined the Army Veterinary Corps in 1914 and that he was transferred to the 7th East Surrey Regiment at the end of 1917 moving to the 8th 9th or 13th E.S. on their disbandment in February 1918. What has me stumped is the uniform, it’s not what I expected to see. I was wondering if someone could take a look and possibly identify it. Many thanks Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CT-Guards Posted 6 October , 2009 Share Posted 6 October , 2009 Pre War. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RossHR Posted 6 October , 2009 Share Posted 6 October , 2009 Nigel I have found H. B Collis listed as a photographer in Canterbury in 1881, 1891, 1901, 1903 & 1915. If there is an address on the back you may be able to narrow the date range down through the census & Trade Directories Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Gordon Posted 6 October , 2009 Author Share Posted 6 October , 2009 Many thanks CT-Guards and RossSH for your the response thus far. Unfortunately the picture is a photocopy and I am not aware of any address or dates on the back of the original. George was born 1895 in Marden, Kent and though I’m not good at ages I would say this person is over the age of fifteen, so that would put it closer to the 1915 date you gave, when he was already in France with the AVC. Regards Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raster Scanning Posted 7 October , 2009 Share Posted 7 October , 2009 Then this is not George I am afraid. At a very rough guess this picture was taken around the time of George's birth (1895) or earlier. It is not Great War for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Gordon Posted 7 October , 2009 Author Share Posted 7 October , 2009 Thanks Raster Scanning, You pretty much said what I was beginning to think myself. George was the youngest of five brothers that served during the war so it may be one of his brothers. I’m still not 100% convinced it’s an Army uniform and would appreciate any help identifying it. Regards Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CT-Guards Posted 7 October , 2009 Share Posted 7 October , 2009 Stab in the dark.... Corps of Commissioniares! or Railways!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T8HANTS Posted 7 October , 2009 Share Posted 7 October , 2009 A peaked pill-box cap can go as far back as the mid 1860's I believe, but I think the photo is about ten years later say mid 1870's. You might need to find what styles of uniform the local Rifle Volunteers were wearing in that area. G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Stewart Posted 7 October , 2009 Share Posted 7 October , 2009 Having downloaded it and looked at it very carefully I've come to the conclusion that this doesn't appear to be military uniform or even a volunteer unit, but some form of uniformed civilian organisation. THe badge doesn't come up very clear and could just be a Victorian crown, so it possibly could be Police, Post Office or Prison Service or possibly even an Ambulance Service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Gordon Posted 7 October , 2009 Author Share Posted 7 October , 2009 Thank to CT-Guards, T8Hants and Graham for your replies, it has give me other avenues to explore. One thing is clear, it is not Private George Gaskin and it’s not from the Great War. Thanks everyone for your help. Regards Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charley_bourne Posted 7 October , 2009 Share Posted 7 October , 2009 Telegraph deliveries uniform? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Gordon Posted 8 October , 2009 Author Share Posted 8 October , 2009 Thanks Charley Telegraph deliveries is not something I had thought of looking into, good one. Regards Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattgibbs Posted 15 October , 2009 Share Posted 15 October , 2009 If civilian is thought, how about the census details for trade or employment, might give a clue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Gordon Posted 22 October , 2009 Author Share Posted 22 October , 2009 Thanks mattgibbs, Apologies for not getting back sooner and thanks for your suggestion. I have had a look at George Gaskin’s census details. He was born in 1895, was six in 1901 and still at school. Though I haven’t seen the 1911, I’m told that George is sixteen, still living at home in Marden, Kent and a farm labourer. Unfortunately I can’t find any information as to what he did from 1911 to October 1914 when he joined the AVC and just over a week later found himself in France. So I turned my attention to HB Collis, the photographer. Henry Beauchamp Collis was born in Oxford at the end of 1858. On the 1861 and 1871 Census he was still there living at home, but by 1881 at the age of twenty two he had moved to Canterbury and was lodging at 5 Castle Road and his trade is given as a photographer. In 1891 he had moved to 46 St Georges Street, having got married and started his own family. On the 1901 Census he had moved to Holy Cross, Westgate, and by 1903 a trade directory gives his address as 33 St Peter’s Street. I believe all the addresses given are in an area called Westgate so I wasn’t surprised to be told yesterday that it says Westgate, Canterbury on the back of the original photograph. Unfortunately there is no date. Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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