Help with locating Great Grandmother

[JDD]

Hi everyone,

I am researching my family history and am currently trying to find out more about my great- grandmother, Rose Walker (nee Conaty). She was originally Irish and was married to Henry John Walker. He was a soldier and died during the battle of the Somme in July 1916. They only had one child- my grandmother, before he died in the the war. We know that Rose spent a few years living in England after Henry died, before returning to Ireland for good when my grandmother was around 9 or 10 years old- not totally sure of that..

My father thinks that Rose may have worked in the munitions factories around the Swindon area (Henry was from nearby there) and I was wondering if anyone could point me to where I could look to find out? What records should I look for? Is there a particular set that has information about the women of WW1/who they were/where they worked?

 

Would really appreciate any help filling in the gaps of my great grandmothers history!

 

JDD

[ss002d6252]

19 minutes ago, JDD said:

Hi everyone,

I am researching my family history and am currently trying to find out more about my great- grandmother, Rose Walker (nee Conaty). She was originally Irish and was married to Henry John Walker. He was a soldier and died during the battle of the Somme in July 1916. They only had one child- my grandmother, before he died in the the war. We know that Rose spent a few years living in England after Henry died, before returning to Ireland for good when my grandmother was around 9 or 10 years old- not totally sure of that..

My father thinks that Rose may have worked in the munitions factories around the Swindon area (Henry was from nearby there) and I was wondering if anyone could point me to where I could look to find out? What records should I look for? Is there a particular set that has information about the women of WW1/who they were/where they worked?

 

Would really appreciate any help filling in the gaps of my great grandmothers history!

 

JDD

I'm not sure there are any central lists of munitions workers, you may be lucky if you contact the local council archives.

Craig

[HERITAGE PLUS]

Try making contact here:

 

http://www.wshc.eu/our-services/archives.html

 

Dave

 

 

 

[kenf48]

Swindon was a railway town, a very important hub before after and during the war.  Some parts of Swindon Railway Works were turned over to munition works.

Here's a brief outline http://www.swindonweb.com/index.asp?m=8&s=116&ss=364&c=1226

 

As Craig says there is no online organised database for the workers. General sources include he Imperial War Museum, which includes an oral archive e.g.

https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/9-women-reveal-the-dangers-of-working-in-a-first-world-war-munitions-factory

Their files are collectively filed under MUN

 

Has the service record of Henry John Walker survived? When a soldier was killed next of kin were obliged to provide their details for pension purposes.

 

Ken

 

[MikeyH]

The factory of the Imperial Tobacco Company in Swindon was also used for munitions work.

 

Mike.

Edited 26 March , 2018 by MikeyH

[HERITAGE PLUS]

The Imperial Tobacco Factory opened in Swindon in 1915 was requisitioned for Munitions Work.

 

There was an ROF at Wootton Bassett near Swindon.

 

You may find this an interesting read.

 

 

 

 

FirstWorldWarNationalFactories_AnArchaeologicalArchitecturalandHistoricalreview.pdf

Edited 26 March , 2018 by HERITAGE PLUS
Additional info

[Margosh]

Just a thought, if his entry in CWGC can be located the supporting documents (grave inscription etc) may just include his wife's address which would of course be some years later. Also any surviving paperwork regarding medal issue, final service payment due to spouse etc. I have found a few addresses & next of kin details that way. 

It wouldn't relate to her munitions work but could give a bit more information about her.

 

Margaret

[charlie962]

1 hour ago, Margosh said:

if his entry in CWGC can be located

I'm assuming he is Henry John Walker, 8037, Wiltshire Regt died 7/7/16. Born Bishopstone, Swindon c 1890. Joined Army c 1907. He was previously declared missing and CWGC have very little on him.

 

Does Soldiers Effects give any clues ?

 

Would she be eligible for a pension claim ? Perhaps the records currently being transcribed frm Western Front Assoc will provide some clues ?

 

Charlie

Edited 26 March , 2018 by charlie962

[kenf48]

No service record,  effects payable to wife Rose so that’s him 

but no further forward. 

 

Ken

[HERITAGE PLUS]

Henry John Walker is not listed on the Bishopstone War Memorial.

[HERITAGE PLUS]

JDD

 

I believe that Henry and Rose met when he was serving in Ireland from 1908-11 with the 2nd Batt. Wiltshire Regiment and married in Gosport in 1912 where the Battalion had moved to in 1911.

 

Although he was born in Bishopstone, Nr Swindon did the couple actually move to the Swindon area after he left the Army? 

 

Dave

[The Inspector]

Hi

I presume you know from his brother Elijah's records that his parents were living at Watchfield Cottages,, Shrivenham, Berkshire in October, 1918 and here is a photo of his mother Harriet if you haven't got it already. Also one of Elijah. (1896-1979)

Regards Barry

Edited 28 March , 2018 by The Inspector

[JDD]

Hi everyone,

I just want to say thank you so much to you all for taking the time to reply to my query- unfortunately Henry's papers didn't survive and I had pretty much hit a brick wall until I stumbled across this forum in a google search. But you have all been so helpful and given me lots of different ideas and ways to hunt up more information.

Barry- I knew about the Walkers living in Shrivenham but up until now I have had no idea what any of them looked like so enormous thanks to you for the photos!

 

Also, I have been using Find My Past but from reading other posts on here, it seems that ancestry.com is more commonly used - do people regard it as a better research resource?

 

Best regards,

JDD

 

 

[phsvm]

I use both Ancestry and Find My Past.

 

Both have different features so depending on what you want one may be better than the other.  One big advantage to Find My Past is that it has the 1939 Register but for many using this Forum is that may not something that they would use very often.  Recently I have difficulty locating military papers on Ancestry but searching on FMP and I've had no problems.  I quite often look on both sites as it only takes a bad transcription on one site for something to be difficult to locate.

 

It's really which you are more conversant with but if you can afford both I think it's worth having both.

[JDD]

15 hours ago, phsvm said:

I use both Ancestry and Find My Past.

 

Both have different features so depending on what you want one may be better than the other.  One big advantage to Find My Past is that it has the 1939 Register but for many using this Forum is that may not something that they would use very often.  Recently I have difficulty locating military papers on Ancestry but searching on FMP and I've had no problems.  I quite often look on both sites as it only takes a bad transcription on one site for something to be difficult to locate.

 

It's really which you are more conversant with but if you can afford both I think it's worth having both.

 

Thanks for your reply- I note that from the 31st March to the 2nd of April that Ancestry (signed up and got an email about it) are allowing free access to millions of their records so I am going to try them out for those few days and see how I get on. I Have found that transcripts of records seem to vary from site to site which as you say, can make locating something that bit more interesting!

[Margosh]

I now use both sites having started on Ancestry only. Interesting how something even as straight forward as a Census return doesn't show up on one site when you have already seen it on the other! I am finding it useful to use both now (for my general family history research not specifically military). 

 

How wonderful to to see the photos posted above by Barry. I love being able to fill in a bit more of the story.

 

Good luck with all your research JDD.

 

Margaret

Edited 29 March , 2018 by Margosh