A/ Sgt Alexander Smart, S/43010, Black Watch: Registers of Soldiers' Effects: "For the Benefit of Jessie's Children"

[rolt968]

I have become interested in an unusual note in this entry in the Registers of Soldiers' Effects (ancestry) for Cpl Alexander Smart, S43010, 8 Black Watch.

The funds are allocated to the father, also Alexander, but there is a note in the margin "For the benefit of Jessie's children". In Scotland in the absence of a will the distribution would normally be a larger share to the parents if alive and smaller equal shares to all the surviving siblings. Often this distribution is listed. I have seen cases where the funds are allocated to the father "for distribution", presumably to the siblings. (I have also seen cases where the funds were allocated to the father.) In other cases I have seen it noted that one or more siblings would forgo their share, usually in favour of the parents.

I was intrigued by the entry about Jessie's children and followed it up. Jessie was Alexander Smart's elder sister who died in March 1918, her husband having died in January 1918.  They left three or four orphaned children (There were four children but I have been unable (so far) to track one of them.). In the 1921 census it looks as if they are being brought up by their grandparents (Alexander Smart senior and his wife).

The slightly cryptic nature of the note on the RoSE suggests to me that there is more detail in documents which have not survived,

Presumably there was a document somewhere which indicated that the siblings had agreed to forgo their shares? (For example.)

(Alexander was one of ten siblings and I think the other eight were still alive in 1918/1919.)

Also would it have had any effect on the award of a pension to Alexander Smart senior?

(Pension Record from WFA/ Fold 3)

RM

 

 

[Matlock1418]

On 16/02/2024 at 15:53, rolt968 said:

any effect on the award of a pension to Alexander Smart senior?

Pension to a father would typically reflect his prior dependance - quantum again typically reflecting the level of demonstrable prior depandance - potentially through a Separation Allowance. 

Siblings normally would not have any impact of such an award for the loss of a single son [other than any potential total dependant's award for the loss of several children in the military would then have an overall limit to what could be paid to a parent(s)]

The 5/- pw from 24/1/19 does not appear to reflect anything more that what might be considered a fairly normal suitable quantum [as an aside: nor does this PIC, or the other PIC, in any way suggest any child(ren) being accommodated]

The DEAD, 19/6/30, annotation indicates the claim became dead and thus probably suggests the father dying, likely sometime shortly before.

M

[rolt968]

20 hours ago, Matlock1418 said:

Pension to a father would typically reflect his prior dependance - quantum again typically reflecting the level of demonstrable prior depandance - potentially through a Separation Allowance. 

Siblings normally would not have any impact of such an award for the loss of a single son [other than any potential total dependant's award for the loss of several children in the military would then have an overall limit to what could be paid to a parent(s)]

The 5/- pw from 24/1/19 does not appear to reflect anything more that what might be considered a fairly normal suitable quantum [as an aside: nor does this PIC, or the other PIC, in any way suggest any child(ren) being accommodated]

The DEAD, 19/6/30, annotation indicates the claim became dead and thus probably suggests the father dying, likely sometime shortly before.

M

Thank you Matlock,

That's very helpful.

Both of Alexander Smart's parents died in December 1929, I believe.

RM