513 Corporal Alexander Culwick

[RegHannay]

I have been researching Cpl. 513. Alexander Culwick, he was discharged 17th June 1916 as no longer physically fit for war service.  Silver badge No's 12470. I believe he was 53 years old when he signed up in 1915. Alexander was one of my Grandfathers medical orderlies when attached to the 7th battalion ESR, my grandfather referred him for discharge ("for all practical purposes  quite lost his nerve").  It seems he was quite a character and had a rather interesting life before the war being a boxer and corner man for a world champion boxer Pedlar Palmer who was convicted of manslaughter for killing a man on a train and served five years, Palmer later became a bookmaker in Brighton.

Culwicks story, told to my grandfather on signing up is probable one similar to many older men who joined up and is hilarious.

I have hit the wall on Alexanders life after the war and was hoping someone on the forum could help me find out what happened to him, It would be good to find out. Regie became very fond of this character and I believe wanted to protect him from further mental trauma and probable death.

Thanks

Dave

 

 

[charlie962]

Dave,

He has Discharge papers on FindmyPast. Age transcribed as 35 but text reveals 53. Good description of his condition. Also says his wife died while he was in France and that there was a Child Allowance. Child aged 13 in 1916. Service papers quite detailed and interesting correspondence on entitlement to overseas service chevrons, kings certificate etc. The file on FindmyPast has another soldiers records tacked on the end. I have informed FMP.

 

Courtesy FindmyPast Service Record, here are some family and addresses:

I note wife died 1915 and there are 3 sons

1920

 

I note there is a death 1927 Camberwell for an Alexander Culwick aged 58 which I suspect is him ?

He might also have remarried 1917 to Esther Thomas at Southwark ?

 

Charlie

Edited 13 July , 2020 by charlie962

[charlie962]

In 1911 Census  44 Pitman St he was calling himself Alexander Wright if I interpret this correctly ! His wife and children match the service record details. Unless by coincidence his wife had left him and was living with Alexander Wright ? Given your initial comments I suspect Wright is Culwick.

Charlie

 

Here is the Census record courtesy FindmyPast. Worth posting for all the questions it raises rather than answers:

Edited 13 July , 2020 by charlie962

[charlie962]

Son Albert Edward Culwick born 19/5/1903 died Q4 1976 Camberwell. on 1939 Register Camberwell with wife AgnesE and 1 closed record.

Edited 13 July , 2020 by charlie962

[RegHannay]

Thank you Charlie, the 1911 census will be him, it is mentioned that Alexander had given up his decorating business to sign up. It looks like at times that he was a Walter Mitty type character, name and age changing etc. (Unfortunately I do not have find my past having cut back on research engines  because of costs). Makes me wonder if the boxing story is correct.

Although it would be interesting to see his medical condition report to see how close Regie was with his diagnosis.

Thanking you

Dave

[charlie962]

There's a tree on Ancestry for the Children suggesting their mother was Ellen Reagan 1869-1915 and father Harry Culwick 1865-1905.

 

If that tree is correct then I am now confused as there are several scenarios. When Harry died did Alexander move in and take Culwick name ?

 

 

If you have ancestry then this is the Service file link

Edited 13 July , 2020 by charlie962

[charlie962]

William James Culwick or Culwich died of wounds 2/6/1916 serving with 8th Buffs. Service No G/817. Also MGC. Nat Roll Great War has a bit on him.   Born1891.

 

He has a surviving service record and also had a wife called Ellen Culwick. plus 2 children

Edited 13 July , 2020 by charlie962

[RegHannay]

13 minutes ago, charlie962 said:

There's a tree on Ancestry for the Children suggesting their mother was Ellen Reagan 1869-1915 and father Harry Culwick 1865-1905.

 

If that tree is correct then I am now confused as there are several scenarios. When Harry died did Alexander move in and take Culwick name ?

 

 

If you have ancestry then this is the Service file link

 There is no mention of his wife dying in the diary but it certainly looks like the 1911 census is the correct Culwick. Makes you wonder if he was reinventing to hide from dodgy dealings earlier in life doesn't it

[sadbrewer]

Having had a bit of a dig about...if the tree I'm looking at on Ancestry is correct, his father is William, b Staffordshire 1832...William is a socialist orator, who finds himself in trouble with the authorities on several occasions.

From November 1887.

 

 

From February 1888.

 

 

 

 

 

Alexander's brother Walter was the father of celebrated shortlist Florence Selina Culwick.

Edited 13 July , 2020 by sadbrewer

[sadbrewer]

In the 1871 census the family name is spelled Collowick.

No mention of Alexander...I can only assume it was a middle name not written on the return.

 

[sadbrewer]

23 hours ago, charlie962 said:

In 1911 Census  44 Pitman St he was calling himself Alexander Wright if I interpret this correctly ! His wife and children match the service record details. Unless by coincidence his wife had left him and was living with Alexander Wright ? Given your initial comments I suspect Wright is Culwick.

Charlie

 

Here is the Census record courtesy FindmyPast. Worth posting for all the questions it raises rather than answers:

 

I think a strong possibility is that Ellen was his brother Harry's wife, and that Alexander Wright is actually John Culwick.

Edit...forget that....John Culwick appears to have died in 1879.

Edited 14 July , 2020 by sadbrewer

[RegHannay]

So much research and information from one name in a doctors diary, unbelievable!.It certainly looks like there was much more to Alexander. From the diaries he was dedicated to looking after my grandfather and the men in the battalion, he worked himself into the ground when things were bad. So much so that Regie placed him away from the front looking after men with trench foot in a cellar away from the line when he started showing signs of cracking from the strain. I doubt if this was normal at the time. Compassion for a man who was not in a good place mentally ?

[sadbrewer]

11 hours ago, RegHannay said:

So much research and information from one name in a doctors diary, unbelievable!.It certainly looks like there was much more to Alexander. From the diaries he was dedicated to looking after my grandfather and the men in the battalion, he worked himself into the ground when things were bad. So much so that Regie placed him away from the front looking after men with trench foot in a cellar away from the line when he started showing signs of cracking from the strain. I doubt if this was normal at the time. Compassion for a man who was not in a good place mentally ?

 

What a tangled web this appears to be....I notice the child's (Albert) guardian lives at 3 Cambridge Street, Walworth. In the 1911 census the occupants are John Koeppl and his wife Margaret Elizabeth, nee Regan. Is that Ellen's sister?

Edited 14 July , 2020 by sadbrewer

[sadbrewer]

I'm wondering if Alexander Wright is this chap from the 1901 census on Findmypast ...in The 1911 census he has gone, his wife and children are living elsewhere and Susannah is described as 'widow, however I can find no deaths for an Alexander Wright of the right age....did he just desert his wife and family and move in with the Culwick's  and adopt the name?

 

Edited 14 July , 2020 by sadbrewer

[RegHannay]

A right web of intrigue Sadbrewer, coincidence that 1901 and 1911 have Alexander down as painter/decorator ?. His age in both census work after correction on the 1911 one. So why the lowering of age pre-war, to make it more exceptable To Susannah's parents, she being 18/19 possibly... James Collowick being born in 1865 is a good candidate, making him around 51/52 in 1916.

He told Regie he would be 53 in May (that was 9th Jan 1916) but told the recruitment officer he was 37 on joining up. (Just remembered, Reg calls him Colwick throughout the diary making James Collowick the favourite. Culwick surname may just be an error in the records.

Dave 

[charlie962]

good stuff, sadbrewer. But if James Collowick called himself Alexander Wright  got married in that name then left his wife and real children and  moved in with the widow of his brother, subsequently calling himself Alexander Culwick and taking on the new children..... why not ? But it ain't easy to follow.

 

That 1917 marriage certificate to Esther Thomas, Southwark might be interesting ? I see there's a widowed Esther Culwick (b 1869) who is living in Croydon per 1939 Register (with some family 'Thomas') and dies Croydon 1945.............

 

Charlie

[RegHannay]

1 hour ago, charlie962 said:

good stuff, sadbrewer. But if James Collowick called himself Alexander Wright  got married in that name then left his wife and real children and  moved in with the widow of his brother, subsequently calling himself Alexander Culwick and taking on the new children..... why not ? But it ain't easy to follow.

 

That 1917 marriage certificate to Esther Thomas, Southwark might be interesting ? I see there's a widowed Esther Culwick (b 1869) who is living in Croydon per 1939 Register (with some family 'Thomas') and dies Croydon 1945.............

 

Charlie

Certainly is not Charlie, easy to follow that is. In the diary he was always called Colwick, making James Collowick a good candidate. Culwick being an error in his medical discharge papers maybe. Just a thought

Dave

 

[sadbrewer]

10 hours ago, charlie962 said:

good stuff, sadbrewer. But if James Collowick called himself Alexander Wright  got married in that name then left his wife and real children and  moved in with the widow of his brother, subsequently calling himself Alexander Culwick and taking on the new children..... why not ? But it ain't easy to follow.

 

That 1917 marriage certificate to Esther Thomas, Southwark might be interesting ? I see there's a widowed Esther Culwick (b 1869) who is living in Croydon per 1939 Register (with some family 'Thomas') and dies Croydon 1945.............

 

Charlie

 

I had warmed to the James Culwick idea, but found that James appears to die in 1890.

   I now think Alexander Wright is a different person, however he seems to have more than one forename.

   I've found his 1891 marriage certificate to Susannah Elizabeth Baker....they have a son Bernard in the same year.

  On the marriage cert he is down as Bernard Alexander Wright, father Charles Wright....occupation Sergeant?

 

 

Bernard junior joins the Middlesex Regt in 1905 according to his SWB record.

 

 

On his 1921 marriage certificate, Bernard is down as a musician...father...Bernard Alexander Stanley Wright deceased.

   The musician aspect may be interesting....in the 1891 census the one Alexander Wright in London of the correct age is an inmate of the St Stephens home for homeless boys in Poplar...he is 19yrs old occupation Music ? Teacher

 

Edited 14 July , 2020 by sadbrewer

[sadbrewer]

Just to add to the above... an 1871, Woolwich born Alexander Wright can be found in 1881 as an adopted son of Peter Brodie, at 6 Emily Street, West Ham.

[charlie962]

12 hours ago, sadbrewer said:

.occupation Sergeant?

Sergeant Major, please. But that could also be an invention ?