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Remembered Today:

Schoolteacher William Rochester - King's Liverpool, RFA or Northumberland Fus ?


davidbohl

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Can we pin a military career to schoolteacher William Rochester in Liverpool (1911 census) please ?

(b. Morpeth 1877 d. 1958 Tynemouth)

 

Team photo, back row s42.jpg

 

A few candidates could be:-

King's Liverpool Sjt #22240 SWB

Northumberland Fusiliers Cpl #327as from Morpeth

RFA Gnr #1643

 

Many thanks

 

Dave

Edited by davidbohl
typo on #327
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1643. FWR has a medical record for Jan 1917 giving age as 19. So not your teacher.

Edit 22240is about right age. 40y 2m on SWB roll. Discharged 17/9/17. Enlisted 17/11/14.

There is a retired teacher living in Huyton in 1939 b 23/2/1877. If that is he months in age not quite right

Edited by Mark1959
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30 minutes ago, davidbohl said:

RFA Gnr #1643

RFA 1643 was born 1896-8 per Hospital Admission record so can be eliminated.

 

30 minutes ago, davidbohl said:

Northumberland Fusiliers Cpl #1643 as from Morpeth

Northumberland Fusiliers- you mean 7868 perhaps? He was from Morpeth per Cas List 1917.

Hospital admission says shrapnel wounds legs Feb 1917 but doesn't give his age. but he was C Company 6th Bn.

His MIC says William D Rochester  8246, 7868, 267323..

There is a William D Rochester born Whalton Northumberland 1895

Your William Rochester is only quoted as such on  Census Morpeth 1881,1891 and West Derby 1901 

So probably not him

 

Charlie

Edited by charlie962
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He is 22240. Discharge papers show he is a teacher living at 70 Brae Street on discharge. This man born Morpeth. Right age. 

GSW left elbow. BEF 7/11/15 to 8/5/17. 20th KLR. Was a CSM.

Many Electoral records in 1920s with that address. Wife was Florence Angela nee Pike. That links him to a 1939 record in Rupert St. That in turn links him to a probate record from 1958 that shows he died 26/2/1958.

more details tomorrow with further proof. All seems to fit.

Edited by Mark1959
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That's good news Mark, well done to all, a CSM too.

I'll have a look at the museum tomorrow on the Devereux database for the King's Regt.

I have a note saying Warrant Officer class 2 for this chap.

Just looked on Familysearch.org, interesting resource 5b0324652a161_Screenshot2018-05-21at20_54.36-Edited.png.0d01e49bb6399843568e30ce830a15d9.png:-

Thanks

Dave

 

 

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I wonder what the provenance is like on the King's database ?

 

Dave5b033d0c9bd33_Screenshot2018-05-21at22_37.54-Edited.png.3b0585b161e1b5a4883911f2d1c6dc95.png

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Morning

Taking a close look at the few existing docs.

Wounded in action 28/4/17 causing paralysis of medium nerve (probably means medial) left elbow. Permanent

War Diary shows 20th KLR were at Heninel just SE of Arras. Lot going on that day. 5 ORs Killed. 18 wounded. 

Big man for the time; 1/2 inch shy of 6ft

As 20th only Battn mentioned on medal roll and went to BEF on day 20th went. 20th only unit apart from Depot on docs. One can only assume all BEF service with that unit

All the docs suggest he is 39y 10m old. The SWB roll shows 40y 2m but I do not think either is correct.

Found a Morpeth Corporation Infant School admission record - father William - 1881. DoB 18/2/1877. Address is Newgate St. This matches an entry in 1881 census. Parents William and Jane. There was a baptism that matches parents and his name 10/7/1877 in Morpeth. Birth Reg for a William R in Morpeth 1Q 1877,

1891 - Morpeth

1901 - Boarder, West Derby - assistant schoolmaster

1911 - Boarder West Derby - schoolmaster

We know he enlisted in 1914

1917 - discharged, Address  70 Brae St, Edgehill, 

1920 - Teacher Registration record 1/9/20 St. Mary's CE School, Edgehill. Teacher Training was at Bede Training College, Durham - attained Board of Education Certificate. Previous Experience: St James National School Morpeth (1898), National School Kendal Westmoreland (1898). Clint Road Council School, Liverpool (1898-1919)

1920 - Living at 70, Brae St with Florence Pike

1922 - Married Florence A Pike - reg 1Q 1922 Liverpool

1930 - Still at Brae St

At little aside - 1911 - William was boarding at 70 Brae St with the Pike family including Florence, She is 38.

1939 - Retired Teacher living at 91 Rupert St. with Florence Angela (b 1872) and Elizabeth A Pike (b1869). Elizabeth is also a retired teacher. DoB given is 18/2/77 so I think this must be his actual DoB. 

1958 - Probate record - living at 91 Rupert Street. Died at Whiston Hospital, 26/2/1958. Probate to another William Rochester, railway clerk. 

All the evidence points in the same direction so I am happy with above history

Edited by Mark1959
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Thanks Mark for your dedicated work, I will amend the Club history accordingly.

His GSW to the elbow obviously terminated his playing career as his name never appears again on the teamsheet, pity really it's always nice to stand next to a six footer.

 

Dave

Edited by davidbohl
typo
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Standing at a towering 5ft 6in I am not so sure. Ex-Hooker, wing forward, scrum half, etc. Still the bigger they are the harder they fall. A pleasure. Good luck with your project

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Not much extra on the Devereux database, it still clings on to the rank of WO2 and his MiD is repeated on LG 22/5/1917 in Sir Douglas Haig's despatches.

 

Dave

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by davidbohl
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Note NoK is given as father Matthew. I believe it to be William. Will have a check.

Edit - His older brother is Matthew Richard. 1911 lived at 4, Sycamore Road (address above). Railway clerk. He has a son William but he was only 6 in 1911.

Edited by Mark1959
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Just to confirm your findings - the William Rochester in the Northumberlands was infact;-

4/8426 Pte William Davison Rochester of Morpeth, who served with the 1/4th Bn,N.F. - posted to the 1/6th Bn,N.F.(renumbered 6/7868); Returned to 1/4th Bn,N.F. and renumbered 267323 in 1917. Finally posted to 22nd Bn,N.F. and eventually transferred to the Class 'Z' Army Reserve.

 

Known to have been wounded 16th February 1917, appearing in the Casualty Rolls - April 1917.

 

Sources;- 6th Bn,N.F. War Diary, St.Georges Gazette & N.F. Medal Rolls

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