Could somebody please help with biographical info on these two British soldiers buried in Chivy-lès-Étouvelles please?

[GreyC]

Hi,

maybe this photo is of interest to some of you. It was taken by a German soldier and shows, according to the handwritten notice on the reverse, the English cemetery at Chivy- (lès-Étouvelles? in the Aisne region). It was situated at the outskirt of the village and the graves lie beneath fruit trees, in the background a house used for washing (clothes or bodies?). The text further states: "Chivy was a village with a population of about 350. Now it is practically bombed to bits. The whole place is covered with trenches." Unfortunately no date on the photo.

The names and units on the crosses are (if I am correct):

6973 Pte A. Popham 2. Wellington Reg.

Pte Stovy LNL Reg (died 17th Sept.)

As I am unfamiliar with the biographical research of British soldiers KIA I´d appreciate any help recovering any biographical data connected with these two soldiers.

Thank you very much!

GreyC

Edited 26 July , 2021 by GreyC

[Matlock1418]

42 minutes ago, GreyC said:

6973 Pte A. Popham 2. Wellington Reg.

As a quick start:

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/323174/A J POPHAM - As A J POPHAM

Medal Index card as Alfred J POPHAM

:-) M

Edit: Soldiers Died in the Great War [from Ancestry] has:

Name:	Alfred John Popham
Birth Place:	Barnstaple
Residence:	Barnstable
Death Date:	10 Sep 1914
Death Place:	France and Flanders
Enlistment Place:	Cardiff
Rank:	Private
Regiment:	Welsh Regiment
Battalion:	2nd Battalion
Regimental Number:	6973
Type of Casualty:	Killed in action
Theatre of War:	Western European Theatre

 

 

Edited 26 July , 2021 by Matlock1418
added SDGW info

[GreyC]

Hi Matlock,

thanks a lot! So it is 2nd Btl. Welch Regiment, not Wellington.

interesting also that the British call it the German Cemetery in Chivy, the Germans the English Cemetry.

According to the cwgc documents his and the neighbouring graves were destroyed in subsequent fighting, so that a special memorial was errected for him and the others in Vendresse in the 1920s.

GreyC

Edited 26 July , 2021 by GreyC

[Matlock1418]

We crossed - see my edit above.

:-) M

4 minutes ago, GreyC said:

So it is Welch Regiment

Welsh Regiment [so we don't upset our friends in/from Wales!]

;-) M

Edited 26 July , 2021 by Matlock1418

[GreyC]

8 minutes ago, Matlock1418 said:

Welsh Regiment

Oh dear, of course, fingers moved to quickly. Thank you for the additional information! Much obliged!

GreyC

[Matlock1418]

Alfred John POPHAM - His Soldier's Effects Register entry [On Ancestry] has:

Date of enlistment: 3-10-01 [10 = October!]

Trade on enlistment: Labourer

He left a will in favour of:  F. Ledner - and his effects/monies and War Gratuity were paid to Florence Emily Ledner - Relationship is not noted [her marital status is not particularly clear to me either] - looked for his will but couldn't find it.

I have checked the pension records and no claim made using his name - i.e. none claimed/paid to a defined dependant.

Sorry it is coming in in bits and pieces - rather hoping someone else will now pitch in as I am running out of steam!

:-) M

 

[Matlock1418]

Based on enlisting in 1901 [at say 18] I have looked for his likely birth in Barnstaple.

This looks fairly promising - will need checking by genealogists better the me!

Name:                                                                 Mother's Maiden Surname: 

POPHAM, ALFRED  JOHN                                   -  

GRO Reference: 1883  J Quarter in BARNSTAPLE UNION  Volume 05B  Page 453 

42 days were allowed for a registration of a birth - this shows the registration quarter of the year ending June - so should give you an approximate date of mid-May to end of June for his birth [I think/hope!!]

:-) M

[GreyC]

Thanks Matlock,

every bit is very welcome. Please take your well deserved rest so as not to run out of steam totally!

GreyC

Edited 26 July , 2021 by GreyC

[knittinganddeath]

As far as I can tell, the CWGC site does not list any deaths for the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment on 17 September of any of the war years. Also, Stovy gets no hits and the site suggests instead Storey, Storry, Stowey...there is a Private Matthew Arthur Storey of the LNL who died on 19 September 1914.

[Matlock1418]

Think this will be my final fling - assuming i have the right chap

Census info [Available from Ancestry]

1891

This is from the Barnstaple Union Workhouse [for poor and destitute people] in the Barnstaple Ecclesiastical Parish of St. Mary Magdalene = Described as a Pauper, aged 9

This would likely match with a lack of a mother's surname on his birth registration [speculating - he was possibly abandoned after birth]

1901

Name:	Alfred Popham
Age:	17
Estimated Birth Year:	abt 1884
Relation to Head:	Servant
Gender:	Male
Birth Place:	Barnstaple, Devon, England
Civil Parish:	Ilfracombe
Search Photos:	Search for 'Ilfracombe' in the UK City, Town and Village Photos collection
Ecclesiastical parish:	Holy Trinity
Town:	Ilfracombe
County/Island:	Devon
Country:	England
Street Address: Occupation: Condition as to marriage: Education: Employment status:	View image
Registration District:	Barnstaple
Sub-registration District:	Ilfracombe
ED, institution, or vessel:	14
Neighbors:	View others on page
Piece:	2149
Folio:	71
Page Number:	30
Household Schedule Number:	195

1911

Name:	Alfred John Popham
Age in 1911:	27
Estimated Birth Year:	abt 1884
Relation to Head:	Book
Gender:	Male
Birth Place:	Barnstaple, Devon, England
Civil Parish:	Bedwellty
Search Photos:	Search for 'Bedwellty' in the UK City, Town and Village Photos collection
County/Island:	Monmouthshire
Country:	Wales
Street Address:	Duffryn Hotel Aberbaigold
Marital status:	Single
Registration District:	Bedwellty
Registration District Number:	585
Sub-registration District:	Rock Bedwellty
ED, institution, or vessel:	06
Household Schedule Number:	93
Piece:	31889

Relation the Head was Boots I think [Not Book!] - as in Boot Boy - cleaning shoes etc.

Duffryn Hotel, Aberbargoed [Welsh language/town seeming to cause problems for Ancestry!]

This rather makes me think that perhaps he had been discharged from the Army and was possibly on the Reserve and potentially was recalled. ???

I think!!!

:-) M

 

 

 

 

 

[Matlock1418]

16 minutes ago, knittinganddeath said:

As far as I can tell, the CWGC site does not list any deaths for the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment on 17 September of any of the war years. Also, Stovy gets no hits and the site suggests instead Storey, Storry, Stowey...there is a Private Matthew Arthur Storey of the LNL who died on 19 September 1914.

Matthew Arthur STOREY, 8757, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment - If this is the right man - there two pension cards at WFA/Fold3

Died: Between 13 & 18 Sept 1914 - KiA

Widow: Georgina, born 9.7.92

Son: Richard Thornton, born 28.10.09

Daughter: Georgina Small, born 16.6.12

Got 18/6 per week from 12.4.15 [10/- + 5/- + 3/6 - will have had standard Separation Allowance in the interim I would presume]

Their address [at unknown date]: 64 King St., North Shields

:-) M

 

Edited 26 July , 2021 by Matlock1418
tidy for clarity

[GreyC]

Hi knittinganddeath and Matlock,

I think both of you have landed a hit. Although I can´t find a place of death for Storey (maybe too stupid) on the CWGC site, I am quite confident that your found the one. In one of the documents his death is given as 18th. The Cross says 17th. Maybe he died at night and so the difference is one of choice as to the date by either sides.

Matlock, again much indebted to your detective work. It all seems to make sense. What a sorry life that ended so much too early (Popham).

It´s touching!

GreyC

Thank you for the additional material to Storey.

Edited 26 July , 2021 by GreyC

[Kath]

Do you have access to FindMyPast newspapers?

Storey was a fisherman & had been in the army:  Shields Daily News 10 October 1913.

There are Notices re. his death.

[GreyC]

Hi kath,

thanks for mentioning that. Unfortunately I don´t have access.

Best,

GreyC

[Matlock1418]

Matthew Arthur STOREY, 8757, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment - Based on CWGC he was 29 at death = birth c. 1885

This look like a likely birth registration at the General Register Office [given his widow and family were living in North Shields after his death]

Name:                                                                     Mother's Maiden Surname: 

STOREY, MATTHEW  ARTHUR                                 ARTHUR  

GRO Reference: 1885  S Quarter in TYNEMOUTH  Volume 10B  Page 190

Again 42 days to register birth in quarter ending September so estimated birth mid-August to end of September 1885

Copy of his Birth Certificate available to purchase once registered [free] with GRO

EDIT:  For those who follow later = Later research and posts below by others indicate that the above Birth entry seems the wrong person selected, as a better alternative has been identified.

1891 Census [at Ancestry] reveals what is likely to be him - at 21 Back Row, Cullercoates [Cullercoates seems to be in the Tynemouth Registration District for Births]  

Name:	Matthew Storey
Gender:	Male
Age:	5
Relationship:	Son
Birth Year:	1886
Father:	John Jefferson
Birth Place:	Cullercoates, Northumberland, England
Civil Parish:	Cullercoates
Ecclesiastical parish:	St Georges
Residence Place:	Cullercoates, Cullercoates, Northumberland, England
Registration District:	Tynemouth
Sub registration district:	Tynemouth
ED, Institution or Vessel:	17
Neighbors:	View others on page
Piece:	4230
Folio:	58

Household Members:	Name Age     James Storey 40 Mary Storey 40 Margaret Storey 18 Sarah Storey 9 Matthew Storey 5

EDIT:  For those who follow later = Later research and posts below by others indicate that the above Census entry seems the wrong person selected, as a better alternative has been identified.

1901 Census [at Ancestry] reveals what is likely to be him - at 21 Back Row, Cullercoates

Name:	Matthew Storey
Age:	15
Estimated Birth Year:	abt 1886
Relation to Head:	Son
Gender:	Male
Father:	James Storey
Birth Place:	Cullercoates, Northumberland, England
Civil Parish:	Cullercoats
Search Photos:	Search for 'Cullercoats' in the UK City, Town and Village Photos collection
Ecclesiastical parish:	St George
Town:	Cullercoats
County/Island:	Northumberland
Country:	England
Street Address: Occupation: Condition as to marriage: Education: Employment status:	View image
Registration District:	Tynemouth
Sub-registration District:	Tynemouth
ED, institution, or vessel:	37
Neighbors:	View others on page
Piece:	4804
Folio:	142
Page Number:	52
Household Schedule Number:	336

Household Members:	Name Age James Storey 55 Sarah E Storey 19 Matthew Storey 15

EDIT:  For those who follow later = Later research and posts below by others indicate that the above Census entry seems the wrong person selected, as a better alternative has been identified.

 

1911 Census [at Ancestry] This seems to be his wife and young son with her parents [2 years married] - Struggling to find him - but as a potential fisherman he might perhaps have been away at sea [?] or he might perhaps have already been a soldier [?] or even perhaps separated [?]

Name:	Georgina Storey [Georgina Small]
Age in 1911:	19
Estimated Birth Year:	abt 1892
Relation to Head:	Daughter
Gender:	Female
Birth Place:	North Shields, Northumberland, England
Civil Parish:	Tynemouth
Search Photos:	Search for 'Tynemouth' in the UK City, Town and Village Photos collection
Country:	England
Street Address:	49 Low Lights
Marital status:	Married
Occupation:	Milliner
Registration District Number:	559
Sub-registration District:	Tynemouth
ED, institution, or vessel:	10
Piece:	30742
Household Members:	Name Age Richard Thornton Small 64 Isabella Harvey Small 54 Isabella Harvey Small 21 Georgina Storey 19 Richard Thornton Small Storey 17 months

.................I think these were him and his family!!! 

 

Soldiers Died in the Great War has:

Name: Matthew Arthur Storey

Birth Place: Tynemouth

Death Date: 18 Sep 1914

Death Place: France and Flanders

Enlistment Place: North Shields

Rank: Private

Regiment: Loyal North Lancashire Regiment

Battalion: 1st Battalion

Regimental Number: 8757

Type of Casualty: Killed in action

Theatre of War: Western European Theatre

 

Register of Soldier's Effects [on Ancestry] has:

Name: Mathew Arthur Storey [spelt Mathew on RSE]

Birth Place: Tynemouth Cullercoates Northumberland

Death Date: 13 Sep 1914

Rank: Private

Regiment: Loyal North Lancashire Regiment

Regimental Number: 8757

Enlisted: 10-1-07

Trade on Enlistment: Carman

Widow: Georgina

Will in favour of: Mrs King/Susannah King/Mrs Susannah King, Sole Legatee

 

Probate Office https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/#wills [Select 'Soldiers Wills'] has a copy of his Will:

Surname    First name                   Regimental number         Date of death

STOREY      MATTHEW ARTHUR    8757                                 13 September 1914

Copy available for a small fee once registered [free] with PO - probably not a lot to see but would likely be interesting given the SER entries and would have his signature.

Reckon I'm done for now ...

:-) M

Edit: Given what @Kath has posted above [I don't have access], to me it again rather looks like he was perhaps on the Reserve and was recalled.

Edited 31 July , 2021 by Matlock1418
edit, add trade - Added later EDITs to clarify based on others' subsequent findings

[GreyC]

Hi Matlock,

thank you for the additional documents you unearthed. Really interesting. Now we have quite a bit of information on the two soldiers.

Thanks all for your efforts!

GreyC

[corisande]

These are the news reports that Kath refers to.

It is impossible to comment on them

[corisande]

The Fold3 Pension Card shows the children

 

And there is an Ancestry Tree with his short life detailed - click

Perhaps unsurprisingly the widow, Georgina, remarried in 1917 to a  William Tate (she died 1940). She appears to had 3 further children by him

Edited 27 July , 2021 by corisande

[GreyC]

Thank you very much.

Sometimes it is really astonishing what research like yours all uncovers, sparked by a photo.

Well done!

GreyC

[corisande]

Strange things one can find out. You did ask for biographical details

Matthew Arthur Storey was born Jan 1889, but not with that name. He was in fact born Jan 1889 as Matthew Arthur S Lisle (I assme that the S is for Storey) to an unmarried Annie Lisle. She later that year Jul/Sep1889  married Peter Arthur Storey. And presumably your soldier at that point he became Matthew Arthur Storey

 

Also he is in 1911 census as being in LNL in India. Those that plumb the dark arts of service numbers should be able to say when he enlisted

Edited 27 July , 2021 by corisande

[Matlock1418]

1 hour ago, corisande said:

These are the news reports that Kath refers to.

It is impossible to comment on them

 

Good to see them

24 minutes ago, corisande said:

Strange things one can find out. You did ask for biographical details

Matthew Arthur Storey was born Jan 1889, but not with that name. He was in fact born Jan 1889 as Matthew Arthur S Lisle (I assme that the S is for Storey) to an unmarried Annie Lisle. She later that year Jul/Sep1889  married Peter Arthur Storey. And presumably your soldier at that point he became Matthew Arthur Storey

Hmm ... ?  Not the same birth that I thought I had picked up.  Puzzled by that [But genealogy is not my forte]

???  Meantime - Hope someone with better skills than me can perhaps review his early life.

 

Matthew & Georgina got married in Tynemouth in 1909 [Similar entry for Georgina Small]

Name:	Matthew Arthur Storey
Registration Year:	1909
Registration Quarter:	Jul-Aug-Sep
Registration District:	Tynemouth
Parishes for this Registration District:	Search for Tynemouth in the London Times
Inferred County:	Northumberland
Volume:	10b
Page:	465

 

:-) M

[charlie2]

https://armyservicenumbers.blogspot.com/2009/06/loyal-north-lancashire-regiment-1st-2nd.html 

Suggests an enlistment date of 1906-07

Charlie

[Matlock1418]

8 minutes ago, charlie2 said:

Suggests an enlistment date of 1906-07

For STOREY 8757 = That fits - RSE records 10-1-07

:-) M

Edited 27 July , 2021 by Matlock1418

[PRC]

Here’s my attempt to consolidate what has already been posted and hopefully then flesh it out. I don’t have subscription access to Ancestry so mea culpa if the ‘new’ stuff is actually already on there. And hopefully I’ve acknowledged all the contributions – if not, my apologies. Any mis-understanding of what has been previously posted is entirely mine.

Starting with the two birth records identified above strangely enough I began with the soldier on the 1911 Census of England & Wales. That is the closest we have to a confirmed married individual with a pre-war connection to the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. That man was shown as aged 21 and born Cullercoats. Of course neither piece of information has been independently verified – his age and birthplace would have come from the information he gave on enlistment.

Our two candidates in the birth & census records both appears to have been born Cullercoats. The first is:-

• Matthew Arthur Storey, birth registered Tynemouth District in the July to September quarter, (Q3), of 1885. His mothers’ maiden name was Arthur. Turns up on the 1891 Census of England & Wales, (aged 5), 1901 Census of England & Wales, (aged 15 \ apprentice bricklayer) and 1911 Census of England & Wales, (aged 25, unmarried Dock Labourer), as the son of James & Mary, (1891), son of the widower James, (1901 & 1911). On the three Censuses Matthew has a sister Sarah, (1891 aged 9, 1901 aged 19, and 1911 as a widow, aged 29 – but oddly enough her married name is Lisle !). The birth records have a Sarah Elizabeth Storey, mothers’ maiden name “Auther” registered in the Tynemouth District in Q2 1881. There is a marriage of a Matthew Arthur Storey, aged 34 at Cullercoats on the 25th May 1920. His father was James Storey. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QLL6-PG4V
• The burial of a Matthew Arthur Storey, aged 43, took place at Cullercoats on the 5th December 1928. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QLGQ-GTJK
• Could all be co-incidences, but for now he would have to go on the backburner as a candidate.

There is no candidate for a Matthew Arthur Storey, birth registered in Northumberland in the 1889 +/- 2 year period. Turning to the candidate suggested by @corisande  the birth of a Matthew Arthur S. Lisle was registered with the civil authorities in the Tynemouth District in the January to March quarter, (Q1), of 1889. Unfortunately the sources I have couldn’t help with a mothers’ maiden name. There is no obvious subsequent census, marriage or death record for that individual in England & Wales. I was also drawing a blank on the available baptismal registers.

The 1891 Census of England & Wales has a 2 year old Matthew Storey, born Cullercoats, who was recorded living in one of the three households at 4 Front Street, Cullercoats. His household is headed up by his “parents”, Peter A. Storey, (aged 22, a Fisherman) and Annie Storey, (aged 22, a Fish Hawker). The couple also have a daughter, the 2 month old Mary L. Storey. All the family members were born Cullercoats.

(The marriage of a Peter Arthur Storey to an Annie Lisle was recorded in the Tynemouth District in the July to September quarter, (Q3), of 1889.)
(The birth of a Mary Lizzie Storey, (couldn’t trace mothers’ maiden name), was registered with the civil authorities in the Tynemouth District in Q1 1891.)

• The Pension card for Matthews’ widow shows she was born 9th July 1892. The birth of a Georgina Small, mothers’ maiden name Harvey, was registered with the civil authorities in the South Shields District of County Durham in the July to September quarter, (Q3), of 1892. The baptism of a Georgina Small, born 9th July 1892, took place at St Hilda, South Shields, on the 27th July 1892. Parents were Richard Thornton Small and Isabella Small. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:CNSW-WLN2

On the 1901 Census of England & Wales the Storey family were recorded as one of five households at 18 Union Road, Tynemouth. Father Peter, (31), is now shown as working as a General Labourer. He lives there with wife Annie, (32) and children Matthew, (12), Mary Lizzie, (10), George, (6) and Robert, (2). Robert is shown as born North Shields, all the other family members are born Cullercoats.

(The birth of a George Lisle Storey, mothers’ maiden name Lisle, was registered with he civil authorities in the Tynemouth District in the April to June quarter, (Q2), of 1894.)
(The birth of a Robert Storey, mothers’ maiden name Lisle, was registered with he civil authorities in the Tynemouth District in the April to June quarter, (Q2), of 1899.)

• The future wife of Matthew, the 8 year old Georgina Small, born South Shields, was recorded living at 23 Hedley Street, South Shields, County Durham. This was the household of her parents, Richard T, (aged 54, a Mariner, born Beverley, York) and Isabella H., (aged 44, born South Shields). Also living with them are their children William, (18, Mariner), Robert T., (13), and Isabella H., (11). All are shown born South Shields. There are birth registration matches for Robert Thornton Small and Isabella Harvey Small in the South Shields District at the appropriate times – both with mothers’ maiden name shown as Harvey.

Paul Nixon’s Army service number website records that the Regular Army Battalions of the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment issued the service number 8757 at some point between the 12th February 1906 (8515) and the 2nd July 1907, (8920). https://armyservicenumbers.blogspot.com/2009/06/loyal-north-lancashire-regiment-1st-2nd.html (With acknowledgement to @charlie2 )

The Register of Soldiers Effects is more specific, giving 10th January 1907. Soldiers Died in the Great War shows him as enlisting North Shields. His civilian trade on enlistment was Carman.

• There are surviving Discharge Proceedings for 8758 Private Henry Duckworth who originally enlisted 21st January 1907 at Manchester for 12 years on a split of 7 years in the Colours  and 5 years in the Reserves. He was at the Depot from the 23rd January 1907, no doubt doing his basic training. On the 5th June 1907 he was posted to the 1st Battalion. On the 31st October 1908 he was posted to the 2nd Battalion, serving with them at Mauritius. He was discharged at Netley on the 13th July 1909 as medically unfit and was then with the 2nd Battalion.
• There are also surviving service records for 8759 Private George Ashdown. He too enlisted for 12 years on a 7 and 5 split. He signed up at Dover on the 24th January 1907, aged 18. He reached the Depot at Preston on the 26th January 1907. On the 23rd March 1907 he was discharged as not likely to become an efficient soldier.

The Depot of the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment was at Fulwood Barracks, Preston.

Loyal North Lancashire Regiment 1907 – 1911.

Harts Annual Army List for 1907, (correct to the end of 1906), shows the 1st Battalion were then stationed at the Curragh, in Ireland, while the 2nd Battalion were at Standerton in South Africa.
1908 Hart’s Annual Army List. 1st at Curragh, 2nd at Standerton.
1909 Hart’s Annual Army List. 1st at Curragh,  2nd at Mauritius.
1910 Hart’s Annual Army List. 1st at Tidworth,  2nd at Mauritius bound for Poona.
1911 Hart’s Annual Army List. 1st at Tidworth,  2nd at Poona

The 1909 Marriage was not easy to track down in the civil records. Pre-September 1911 the quarterly issued index of marriages in England & Wales by the General Registrars Office, a consolidated report from all the individual registrars offices, did not cross-reference who married whom. However the vast majority of pages in each individual Districts’ marriage register detail just two weddings – so by cross referencing the page numbers you usually end up with two grooms and two brides. Except in the case of  Matthew Arthur Storey, Tynemouth District, Volume 10b Page 465, you don’t. Every source I tried I ended up with two grooms and one bride.  So I then tried looking for a “Georgina” married in the Tynemouth District in the July to September quarter, (Q3) of 1909. There were three, but one stood out. The marriage of a Georgina Small is stated by FreeBMD to have been recorded in register Volume 10b, page 46? Looking at the original document I would say that page number should be 465.

(Image courtesy Genes Reunited)

Hopefully as a bit of confirmation, the birth of a Richard Thornton S. Storey, mothers’ maiden name Small, was recorded in the Tynemouth District in the October to December quarter, (Q4), of 1909. (Pension record shows date of birth of Richard Thornton Storey as 28th October 1909. The death of a Richard Thornton S Storey was registered in the Central Cleveland District of Yorkshire in Q3 1985. The date of birth in the civil death index is the 28th October 1909. No obvious entry in the UK Probate Calendar). So perhaps something of a shotgun wedding. Without getting too technical, that would also seem to place Matthew in the UK in January\February 1909. So unless he was posted to the Depot, the assumption would be that Matthew was in the 1st Battalion as furlough home from Ireland was probably easier to get than from South Africa.

The 1911 Census of England & Wales records the 17 month old Richard Thornton Small Storey, born North Shields, Northumberland, living at 49 Low Lights, North Shields. This was the household of his maternal Grandparents, Richard Thornton Small, (aged 64, a Mariner, born Beverley, Yorkshire) and Isabella Harvey Small, (aged 54, born South Shields, County Durham). Living with the couple are an unmarried daughter Isabella Harvey Small, (aged 21 and a self-employed Dressmaker working from home, born South Shields) and a married daughter Georgina Storey, (aged 19, a self employed Milliner working from home, also born South Shields). Georgina states she has been married 2 years and the marriage had produced one child, then still alive. Also in the household was another young couple, the Walkers, and their 4 month old son. No relationship to the Smalls is shown, and as the wife is a 23 year old Isabella I think daughter can be ruled out – the Smalls say they have been married 35 years.

One of the questions on the census asks for the total number of rooms in the dwelling – excluding scullery, landing, lobby, closet, bathroom, warehouse, lobby or shop. Excluding those, the 8 people living at that address apparently shared 3 rooms!

Image courtesy Genes Reunited.

Elsewhere there is a 21 year married Private Matthew Storey, born Cullercoats, Northumberland, who was recorded at Bhurtipore Barracks, South Tidworth, Hampshire. with the 1st Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment.

Matthews parents do not appear to be on the 1911 Census of England & Wales. There is no obvious candidate for the death or remarriage of Peter Arthur Storey. There is however the death of a 32 year old Annie Storey recorded in the Tynemouth District in Q1 1902 which might be worth further investigation. By the time of this census there are candidates for the younger children living with relatives – including a George Lisle Storey, a 17 year old Grocers Errand Boy, born Cullercoats, who was recorded living with his uncle and aunt, a John Lisle and an Elizabeth Alice Lisle, at 29 Simpson Street, Cullercoats.

1912 Hart’s Annual Army List. 1st at Aldershot,  2nd at Poona
1913 Hart’s Annual Army List. 1st at Aldershot,  2nd at Poona

The birth of a Georgina S. Storey, mothers’ maiden name Small, was recorded in the Tynemouth District in the July to September quarter, (Q3), of 1912. (Pension shows Georgina Small Storey, born 18th June 1912. Then, as now, you had 42 days after the event to register the birth, and the published civil summary record showed quarter registered, which isn’t automatically the same as quarter born. The date of birth on the pension record and the quarter of registration would not be incompatible).

By October 1913 it would appear the marriage had broken down, as witnessed by the newspaper report found by @Kath and @corisande. However unless the reporter jotted down the wrong details, this shows the marriage as having occurred in August 1910, not 1909. But a separation order was granted of 10s for herself and her two children. The address given for where she and the children were then living, 64 King Street, North Shields, also appears on an undated pension card.

On 26/07/2021 at 21:38, Matlock1418 said:

Matthew Arthur STOREY, 8757, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment - If this is the right man - there two pension cards at WFA/Fold3

Died: Between 13 & 18 Sept 1914 - KiA
Widow: Georgina, born 9.7.92
Son: Richard Thornton, born 28.10.09
Daughter: Georgina Small, born 16.6.12

Got 18/6 per week from 12.4.15 [10/- + 5/- + 3/6 - will have had standard Separation Allowance in the interim I would presume]

Their address [at unknown date]: 64 King St., North Shields

The 1913 newspaper report tells us that he had been a soldier and was now working on the trawlers. But that causes a bit of a conundrum. The enlistment date identified by @Matlock1418 from the Register of Soldiers Effects was the 10th January 1907. The standard Regular Army enlistment was 12 years, split between service in the colours, (in uniform, in barracks, subject to military discipline 24/7) and a period in the reserves. The most common splits were 3 & 9,7 & 5 and 9 & 3 – although a man could request to spend more time in the colours and less in the reserves at any point I believe after the first year. The two men enlisted directly after him were on a 7 & 5 split.

However if he went for 3&9 he would not have been in the colours when the 1911 Census of England & Wales was taken on the evening of the 2nd April 1911. And if he went for 7 & 5 or 9 & 3 he would not have been working on the trawlers in October 1913. Of course he could have purchased his release, been medically discharged or dishonourably discharged – but then he would not have retained his pre-war service number. Nor would he have been likely to land in France on the 12th August 1914, which is what his Medal Index card shows.

A 12 year enlistment would have left him liable for mobilisation up until 1919, so seems most likely he was a recalled reservist. The working theory for now is that he was a 3&9 man who then decided to increase his time in the colours by increments of a year or two, (and decrease his reserve obligation accordingly). The birth certificate for the 1912 born Georgina might flesh things out a bit as it shows fathers occupation, and whether or not he was the informant.

At the outbreak of the war the Long, Long Trail has the 1st Battalion at Aldershot. The unit would go to France, landing at Le Havre on the 13th August 1914. The 2nd Battalion were at Bangalore, landing at Tanga, German East Africa on the 3rd November 1914. https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/loyal-north-lancashire-regiment/

It doesn’t look like the International Committee of the Red Cross received a missing persons enquiry.

It may be a co-incidence but the only other record in England & Wales of a birth registered with the surname Storey, mothers’ maiden name Small, was also registered with the civil authorities in the Tynemouth District  - but in the July to September quarter, (Q3), of 1916. This was a William T. Storey.  If Georgina was the mother then legally that would be quite true – her surname then still appears to be Storey and her maiden name was Small. It gives no guarantee as to who the biological father was. However if the Pension authorities found out about it they would take a very dim view, possibly even cancelling her widows pensions, (although @Matlock1418,would they have then paid her a Guardians Allowance for looking after her two children with Matthew? I won’t even mention “Noted for Novel” on the Pension Card!)

Sadly matters may have resolved themselves in a different way. The death of a William T. Storey, aged under 1, was recorded in the Tynemouth District in the October to December quarter, (Q4), of 1916.

Either way it might explain the marriage of a Georgina Storey to William R. Tate recorded in the Tynemouth District in the April to June quarter, (Q2), of 1917. However word of caution – there is also a marriage of a Georgina Storey to a Thomas A Skedge recorded in The Tynemouth District in the January to March quarter, (Q1), of 1916.

Georgina Tate, died 1940, is the more likely candidate. There is a married woman of that name, but born 9th July 1893, (instead of 1892), who was recorded as the second person in the household at 3 Smith Street, South Shields on the 1939 Register. (Taken 29th September 1939). The first person in the household is a married man, William Tate, born 10th May 1895, a Gas worker. Others in the household:-

• 3rd person: Georgina Storey, unmarried Shop Assistant, born 16th June 1912. (Remember her from the pension card?). Subsequently changed her surname on marriage to Rocks.
• 4th person: Emily Tate, unmarried Biscuit Factory Worker, born 3rd November 1919. Subsequently changed her surname, most likely on marriage, to Tindall.
• 5th person: Record officially close.
• 6th person: Stanley Tate, at School. Born 20th August 1927.
• 7th person: Record officially close.

Emily’s appearance in the Civil Birth Register shows her mothers’ maiden name as Storey, but that for Stanley shows mothers’ maiden name as Small.

Hope that helps, and also that it makes sense,

Cheers,
Peter

[GreyC]

Hi all,

was away on business all dayyesterday and too tired in the evening. Today I´d like to thank all of you for your great effort you put in to help me with the photo. Now the names on the graves come to live through your help. 

Much obliged for Peter´s well done summary plus, too.

GreyC