Captain Edward Pratt, 3rd & 9th Devonshire Regiment and ASC

[corisande]

On 26/09/2021 at 12:00, corisande said:

t is proving difficult to see who Edward Pratt really was

1. A son to Edward Haslope Pratt, baptised Edward Lancelot Knight, was born 1872. This is the only possible registered birth for an Edward Pratt

2. Edward Lancelot Knight got a Boy Clerk appointment in LG in 1889

3. In 1891 census Edward L.K is a lodger in London and a Civil Service student. This is the last mention I can find of Edward L K Pratt

4. In 1898 "Edward Pratt" is in LG as an Eastern Cadet in Colonial Office

5. There is a marriage Edward Pratt, the "second son" of Edward Haslope Pratt to a Miss Clow in 1911. The abstract I have found gives his DOB as 1875, not 1872

6. When Edward Pratt enlist in Ireland in 1916 he gives DOB as 15 Feb 1875

7. I should also add that Edward Haslope Pratt only had one child born in Jan/Mar 1875,  and that was Edith Gertrude Pratt. One would need her birth cert to see exactly her dob.

The OP may not like my conclusion, which is that Edward & Edith were the same person.

The only other conclusion is that E L K and E are the same man and that for whatever reason he lied about his DOB changing it from 1872 to 1875

The weak link is that ELK disappears and I cannot find him. And the E would have had to have had an army medical in 1916

No doubt some of the Forum members are working on this while I am typing, and perhaps can add other conclusion

This earlier post (above) of mine sums up the situation. The relevant bit now is

The OP may not like my conclusion, which is that Edward & Edith were the same person.

The only other conclusion is that E L K and E are the same man and that for whatever reason he lied about his DOB changing it from 1872 to 1875

So if I have proved that Edith died in 1943 and Edward in 1948 (2 posts above this) , then Edward & Edith are not the same person, then the only other conclusion that I draw from the evidence is that the Edward Pratt, Civil Servant in Malaya, was in fact born Edward Launcelot Knight Pratt in 1872 and for whatever reason lied about his age when he was in his early twenties to put it as 1875 and not 1872

E L K Pratt cannot be found after late 1890s and there is no death record

Edward Lancelot Knight got a Boy Clerk appointment in LG in 1889, and that would seem to be when he gave a dob of 1875, rather than 1872

If that is true, then it is  a photo of ELK Pratt that you want

[Winson Saw]

7 minutes ago, corisande said:

This earlier post (above) of mine sums up the situation. The relevant bit now is

The OP may not like my conclusion, which is that Edward & Edith were the same person.

The only other conclusion is that E L K and E are the same man and that for whatever reason he lied about his DOB changing it from 1872 to 1875

So if I have proved that Edith died in 1943 and Edward in 1948 (2 posts above this) , then Edward & Edith are not the same person, then the only other conclusion that I draw from the evidence is that the Edward Pratt, Civil Servant in Malaya, was in fact born Edward Launcelot Knight Pratt in 1872 and for whatever reason lied about his age when he was in his early twenties to put it as 1875 and not 1872

E L K Pratt cannot be found after late 1890s and there is no death record

Edward Lancelot Knight got a Boy Clerk appointment in LG in 1889, and that would seem to be when he gave a dob of 1875, rather than 1872

If that is true, then it is  a photo of ELK Pratt that you want

Thanks.There's a possibilities both Edward and Edward Lancelot were the same person.A historian on DEvonshire Regiment told me Edward in fact was the oldest army in his regiments.So I assumed you had it right.

Here is the link of Edward Pratt's will - https://services.gov.im/deeds-probate-land-registry-document-search/deeds-and-probate/probate-index?documentId=1948/00253

 

[corisande]

1 minute ago, Winson Saw said:

There's a possibilities both Edward and Edward Lancelot were the same person.

As far as I can tell, that is the ONLY conclusion to the facts we have

[Winson Saw]

24 minutes ago, corisande said:

As far as I can tell, that is the ONLY conclusion to the facts we have

Yes.

[corisande]

E L K Pratt passed the Civil Service Boy Clerk examination and that is in LG and dated 9 Sep 1889

The regulations say

The limits of age are 15 to 17. If an examination begins in one of the first four months of any year candidates must be of the prescribed age on the first day of January in that year. If an examination begins in one of the second four months of any year, candidates must be of the prescribed age on the first day of May in that year. If an examination begins in one of the last four months of any year, candidates must be of the prescribed age on the first day of September of that year

ELK was born before 1 Sep 1872 (he was baptised that date)

So on the basis of the rules above he had just had his 17th birthday on 1 Sep 1889

Would that have excluded him from the exam.?

By giving a dob of 15 Feb 1875 (as in Edward's army papers) he would have been 14 years old on 1st Sep 1889

@MaureenE knows more about this sort of thing than I do, so can perhaps comment. It does not look as if this exam could have tempted him to change his dob, but I really don't know

[MaureenE]

11 hours ago, corisande said:

@MaureenE knows more about this sort of thing than I do, so can perhaps comment. It does not look as if this exam could have tempted him to change his dob, but I really don't know

I don't really know either, but my reading is that he would be eligible while ever he remains 17, up until the day before his 18th birthday.  I also think it very likely, although I don't know for sure, that having such specific age requirements, proof of age would be requited.

Earlier in the the topic, 18th October 2021, page 4, I referred to a few other posts I made. Although it may be a minority view, I  think it most likely there are two different dates of birth where there would have been proof of birth required, therefore two different people by some circumstance, which will probably never be determined.

Maureen

[corisande]

Thanks Maureen. That looks like as far as we can get with him - though I keep thinking that, and something else comes up

I agree with you that he would have had to produce some proof of age. I am getting to far into speculation now as to how he could have done that, and without something coming to light, we will never know

So as I see it now, either way he had to be hiding the truth

• Either he is Edward Launcelot Knight Pratt , b 1872 , son of Edward Haslope Pratt, who lied in stating a dob of 1875
• Or he is an Edward Pratt, who was born outside UK (perhaps Jamaica) in 1875. He claimed to be the son of Edward Haslope Pratt, but I don't think Edward Haslope Pratt was outside UK in 1874. Further given that Edward Haslope Pratt had a daughter born in UK in 1875 in the same quarter, then Mrs Pratt could not have been the mother of both

Yes, I am beaten by this one

The other thing that we never found out was why the OP was so keen for the photo. He has spent a lot of time and I dare say money, on the search

[Winson Saw]

On 29/11/2021 at 18:02, corisande said:

Thanks Maureen. That looks like as far as we can get with him - though I keep thinking that, and something else comes up

I agree with you that he would have had to produce some proof of age. I am getting to far into speculation now as to how he could have done that, and without something coming to light, we will never know

So as I see it now, either way he had to be hiding the truth

• Either he is Edward Launcelot Knight Pratt , b 1872 , son of Edward Haslope Pratt, who lied in stating a dob of 1875
• Or he is an Edward Pratt, who was born outside UK (perhaps Jamaica) in 1875. He claimed to be the son of Edward Haslope Pratt, but I don't think Edward Haslope Pratt was outside UK in 1874. Further given that Edward Haslope Pratt had a daughter born in UK in 1875 in the same quarter, then Mrs Pratt could not have been the mother of both

Yes, I am beaten by this one

The other thing that we never found out was why the OP was so keen for the photo. He has spent a lot of time and I dare say money, on the search

Thanks.Here I have found the last will of Captain Edward Pratt.Any idea who inherited all the pictures,prints?.The reason why I wanted  any picture of him because he was acting Resident Councillor(Governor) of here in 1924 Penang.Please let me know.

Pratts.pdf

[corisande]

What it does say is that he had no living relatives. It perhaps adds weight to him being Edward Launcelot Knight Pratt (as said is not mentioned as a brother)

"he had the following brothers and sisters and no more". Therefore he, for whatever reason lied about his age, and was born in 1872 and not, as he claimed , in 1875

Edited 1 December , 2021 by corisande

[Winson Saw]

9 minutes ago, corisande said:

What it does say is that he had no living relatives. It perhaps adds weight to him being Edward Launcelot Knight Pratt (as said is not mentioned as a brother)

"he had the following brothers and sisters and no more". Therefore he, for whatever reason lied about his age, and was born in 1872 and not, as he claimed , in 1875

Yes,he didn't have any offsprings left.

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

52 minutes ago, corisande said:

What it does say is that he had no living relatives.

The will doesn't refer to his sister Dorothy Pratt having predeceased him, unlike his other siblings.

Edit: Were we aware he had a sister called Dorothy? Re-reading thread from beginning...
(Ans- No I don't think so, anyway she seems to be:

PRATT, DOROTHY  LINGEN	BURTON
GRO Reference: 1884  M Quarter in ATCHAM  Volume 06A  Page 662

Died:

Deaths Jun 1968   (>99%)
PRATT	DOROTHY L	84	BRISTOL	7B	205

Edited 1 December , 2021 by Dai Bach y Sowldiwr

[Winson Saw]

22 hours ago, Dai Bach y Sowldiwr said:

The will doesn't refer to his sister Dorothy Pratt having predeceased him, unlike his other siblings.

Edit: Were we aware he had a sister called Dorothy? Re-reading thread from beginning...
(Ans- No I don't think so, anyway she seems to be:

PRATT, DOROTHY  LINGEN	BURTON
GRO Reference: 1884  M Quarter in ATCHAM  Volume 06A  Page 662

Died:

Deaths Jun 1968   (>99%)
PRATT	DOROTHY L	84	BRISTOL	7B	205

Ok,thanks.

[Winson Saw]

I have found photos of Dorothy Eleanor Pratt and her mother,Mrs Eleanor Lewis.But I still cannot find any pictures of Dorothy's husband,Captain Edward Pratt.

i) Dorothy Eleanor Pratt (1884-1962) and her mother,Mrs Eleanor Clow (1851-1940).Courtesy of Simon Coombs.

 

Cronk-My-Chree at Arbory Road,Castletown

[corisande]

Thanks for the photos

As they are "home" photos, I assume he owned the camera and that he took the photos - therefore he does not appear in the photos (rather than him being coy of appearing in front of the camera)

Inteesting that the house in the Isle of Man is taken in the snow - I didn't think they got much snow there

[Winson Saw]

8 minutes ago, corisande said:

Thanks for the photos

As they are "home" photos, I assume he owned the camera and that he took the photos - therefore he does not appear in the photos (rather than him being coy of appearing in front of the camera)

Inteesting that the house in the Isle of Man is taken in the snow - I didn't think they got much snow there

Yes,he is taken those photos.Still cannot find any of him.