Phil Wood Posted 13 August , 2017 Share Posted 13 August , 2017 Another name from the Newbury war memorial. Albert George Rolfe was born and raised in the village of Brimpton a few miles east of Newbury but lived (at least his wife and children lived) in Newbury from at the latest 1918 to 1929 or later. He died on 15 March 1921 at the Pensions Hospital, Orpington. of dysentry. I am not sure where he served, but, given the dysentry, the middle east or Salonika seems favourite. I have ordered his death certificate in the hope of further information. My question is whether civilians were treated at Pensions Hospitals, or where they excclusively for the military or ex-military? If the latter it would massively help the case for CWGC commemoration. PS Thanks to HolymoleyRE (Andy) for his input on this chap - gave me the incentive to break through another brickwall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Evans Posted 14 August , 2017 Share Posted 14 August , 2017 It does appear to have initially been exclusively for disabled ex-servicemen. Another one for you to look up on your next visit to Kew: T 1/12485/7451. Ministry of Pensions. Purchase of the Ontario Military Hospital, Orpington, Kent, from the Canadian Government for use for treatment of disabled ex-servicemen. Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Wood Posted 14 August , 2017 Author Share Posted 14 August , 2017 1 hour ago, Phil Evans said: It does appear to have initially been exclusively for disabled ex-servicemen. Another one for you to look up on your next visit to Kew: T 1/12485/7451. Ministry of Pensions. Purchase of the Ontario Military Hospital, Orpington, Kent, from the Canadian Government for use for treatment of disabled ex-servicemen. Phil Excellent! Looks like a trip to Kew will have to be soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Wood Posted 25 August , 2017 Author Share Posted 25 August , 2017 The death certificate has arrived - sadly it adds little that is new. However, it confirms the cause of death (dystentry) and place of death (Min of Pensions hospital Orpington). The most notable new info his that Rolfe was a War Pensioner - evidence that he was suffering from a service induced condition. I guess the problem is proving that his disability was the dysentry and not a missing leg or somesuch that had nothing to do with his death. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clk Posted 25 August , 2017 Share Posted 25 August , 2017 Hi Phil, I've never accessed them, but I wonder if the Western Front Association pension record cards (see here) might give you a direct link. Regards Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Wood Posted 26 August , 2017 Author Share Posted 26 August , 2017 Thanks - I always thought the WFA records were the same as the ones online at Ancestry/FMP - but it seems not. Quite exciting. Looks pricey for a one off - I need to do some collating as there are a number of names on the Newbury memorial that I can't find enough on for a case to the CGWC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ss002d6252 Posted 26 August , 2017 Share Posted 26 August , 2017 42 minutes ago, Phil Wood said: Thanks - I always thought the WFA records were the same as the ones online at Ancestry/FMP - but it seems not. Quite exciting. Looks pricey for a one off - I need to do some collating as there are a number of names on the Newbury memorial that I can't find enough on for a case to the CGWC. They were apparently digitising them so hopefully (fingers crossed) they may become more reasonably priced and accessible. Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Wood Posted 26 August , 2017 Author Share Posted 26 August , 2017 2 hours ago, ss002d6252 said: They were apparently digitising them so hopefully (fingers crossed) they may become more reasonably priced and accessible. Craig Judging by the words on their website it's a mammoth task - if they don't get one of the big data providers involved it will take years. Just indexing 6.5 million record cards will take a lot of man-hours. Scanning could probably be automated, but still another big job. There is an email contact for war memorial researchers like me to contact them and make a deal, which I'll use once I have cleared a few other things off the to do list (a bit snowed under at present). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clk Posted 26 August , 2017 Share Posted 26 August , 2017 Hi Phil, 8 minutes ago, Phil Wood said: There is an email contact for war memorial researchers like me to contact them and make a deal, which I'll use once I have cleared a few other things off the to do list (a bit snowed under at present). When you do, would it be possible to post back your findings/user experience? It does seem to be an important and largely untapped resource, and would love to know what you think. Regards Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Wood Posted 26 August , 2017 Author Share Posted 26 August , 2017 Will do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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