Two Norman Browns

[watchdog]

This is one of more than twenty requests for information and help that I am hoping to post today. They are all in relation to TF soldiers who enlisted on or about the 5 August 1914 and almost all of whom survived the war. The common denominator is the fact that they were all patent examiners serving in the Patent Office prior to the outbreak of war.

Normally I would be able to pursue most of the basic work myself and would only be coming to all of you for help with the 'extras' but I am under some pressure of time. I hope you don't mind. But then again it's the sort of thing almost all of us enjoy finding out about these men who fought in the Great War. So I'm hoping that you will appreciate the challenge.

The work is in support of my dissertation for the Birmingham MA in First World War studies and therefore if any of you do have information which might assist me I would be grateful if you could also quote the source of that information.

I'm not acting entirely blind of course and here is the information that I've already found out about Norman Brown and John Norman Brown:

There were two John Brown's in the Patent Office and both had war service but the records I have often seem to confuse the two! John Norman Brown was born 2 Sep 1879 and gained a B.Sc before joining the Patent Office in October 1904. John Brown was born 18 January 1889 and was not a graduate. He was an assistant demonstrator of Physics at the Royal College of Science in South Kensington between 1909 and 1910 and conducted research in to radio activity before joining the Patent Office in January 1911. One Brown might have been a pre-war territorial with the 15th London (Civil Service Rifles) and he certainly enlisted with this unit on 31 August 1914.. By July 1916 he is serving as a 2nd class Air Mechanic with the RFC and was promoted to 1st class Air Mechanic in 1917. The other Brown appears not to have joined up until late 1915 early 1916 and was commissioned as a Lt in the RNVS. In 1918 one of the Browns is shown as a cadet with the RGA

The sorts of information I'm hoping to glean are: Which was the soldier and which was the sailor!!? Where were the 15th London pre-war drill halls? Did the soldier deploy with the CSR to F&F in 1915? His war service with them? When and where he transferred to - or was attached to - the RFC? Was it this soldier who served as a cadet with the RGA? What did the sailor do during the war? Was it him that later served as a cadet with the RGA? Any 1911 Census details? And of course anything else that might occur to all of you. One of them (presumably the sailor?) served in Malta.

Thanks

[carolm]

Hello again.

I found a John Norman Brown in the Patents Office, but born 1890. Could it be one of your men?

BROWN, John Norman

Address: 61 St Clements Mansions Fulham S W

BROWN, Margaret Henrietta Head Widow F 55 1856 [born] Cornwall Lostwithiel

BROWN, John Norman Son Single M 21 1890 Assistant Examiner Patent Office [born] London Fulham

BROWN, Ethel Mary Daughter Single F 19 1892 Draper's Clerk [born] London Westminster

THOMPSON, Alfred Ernest Boarder Married M 54 1857 Omnibus Driver Horse [born] Derbyshire Derby

Registration District:Fulham

Sub District:North West Fulham

Enumeration District:12

Parish:Fulham

Carolyn

[watchdog]

Carolyn,

that is definitely one of them but the 1890 year of birth suggests Norman Brown rather than John Norman Brown. As I said the records of these two men are badly scrambled.

Dudley

[horatio2]

Assuming you are seeking an RNVR officer (RNVS??), this officer may be of interest:-

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?Edoc_Id=8034392&queryType=1&resultcount=4

[watchdog]

Brilliant, thank you. I was unaware of this particular link to the NA records.

Dudley