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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Leonard Bocking


Anthony Bagshaw

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Grace, did they have cremations then (in 1914-1919 I mean). What if he was cremated (if there was such a means of disposal)????

Where are those records kept. (local crematoria?)...

I feel I have gone so far round the bend i am meeting myself coming back!!

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Susan,

One i can answer!! Mansfield didn't get the crematorium until the 1950's ish, so i doubt he would have been in Mansfield anyway.

Mansfield is a large cemetery so hopefully he was buried in there.

Just out of interest and something i have been pondering a few days, would the marriage certificate of Sarah Ann Bocking/Collins make any reference to Leonard?

Or what about his daughters death certificates, can someone have a look for these to see if they exist firstly? I'm not very good with death/marriage/birth certificates so if anyone could that'd be great!!

It may give us a clue of some description

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No, death certs don't give any details of parents - just the person who registered the death (if they are a relative I think it usually states the relationship to the deceased).

The only thing you would get from the MC is confirmation that Sarah was a widow. (Would put the cat among the pigeons if she wasn't, of course!)

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Thanks Grace,

Bit of a clutch at straws then! I haven't a clue when it comes to the certificates.

Cheers

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Hello Chaps,

I know there has been a suggestion that his surname was misspelt, but what about his chritsian name ?

Bernard, prehaps ? if written in a squigly hand they could look similar to the chap doing the memorial.

there is such a Bocking on CWGC from Stafford (is that near to where we're looking for ?)

Just a thought

Grant

Edit: just had a reread and saw post 319:

Name: BOCKING, BERNARD

Initials: B

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Second Lieutenant

Regiment/Service: Yorkshire Regiment

Unit Text: 12th Bn.

Secondary Regiment: East Yorkshire Regiment

Secondary Unit Text: attd. 11th Bn.

Age: 20

Date of Death: 21/08/1918

Awards: M C

Additional information: Son of the Rev. J. C. and Mrs. Sarah Bocking, of Gnosall Vicarage, Stafford.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: II. H. 52.

Cemetery: OUTTERSTEENE COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, BAILLEUL

And his brother - John Webb Bocking aged 22, on 24/04/1918

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Chaps,

In 1896 the Rev John Child Bocking was curator at Fenton, Stoke on trent (about 30 miles from Mansfield)

Grant

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Well, all things are still possible, but just to recap, we know that a Leonard Bockin was married in Mansfield district in 1904, and was living in High St, Mansfield Woodhouse in April 1908 as per his daughter’s birth certificate. And that he presumably died before the end of 1919 as his wife remarried then.

What we don’t know is how or exactly when he died.

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Evening all,

Just wonder if it is worth purchasing his

- Wife second marriage - to see if she is listed on there as "widow"

- His father's (John) death cert (reg grantham quarter June 1909) just to see who registered the death. Maybe Leonard (that is if his mum had also died by that time or was too distressed or whatever to go herself).

- Or even finding his daughter's marriage certificate to see if "father" was deceased? just a thought. I know that the daughter's were born 1905 and shortly after, and would have got married around 1925/26 onwards. Just wonder .....

Will have a look to see if Elizabeth (his mum) death was before 1909 or after or when it was. May give us some other clues.

Anthony, remember his grandson (John, I think Smith - who still has not replied to my query incidentally - did he say what date that will that Leonard was mentioned in).......

Was it ever confirmed that Sarah Ann was a "widow" on her remarriage.......

Still churning this over in my mind...

as we all are..... :lol:

Susan.

PS - the bockin(s) Bernard, etc on Ancestry Service Records are Yorks and Lancs regiments....... Someone else gave a good pointer to Bernard Bocking (and the place he mentioned - was mentioned on the service / pension record - cannot now remember what section i was in, but gave up when i realised the wrong area completely)......

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Hi Susan,

If you can, can you purchase them and i will get a cheque off to you.

Jon didn't actually say what will he was mentioned in, it took him a while to get back to me and Steve!!

Thanks for the continued interest

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I don’t think there’s any mileage in the other certificates, Susan. I'm sure we have the right bloke. As we’ve found, it’s a very uncommon name, with or without the g, and it’s barely feasible that the Leonard Bockin living in Mansfield Woodhouse and the Leonard Bocking on the Mansfield Woodhouse memorial are two different people.

The two facts of his wife’s remarriage and his inclusion on the memorial indicate that he was dead, or accepted to be dead, in 1919.

However he died, it was clearly thought to be either caused by the war, or a result of his war service, whatever form that may have taken, and that might include working in the mine, if he was still doing that. He may have suffered an accident or injury at work, and died later as a result – this might not have been reported in the press like the pit disasters would be. Or he might have contracted an illness like TB or silicosis.

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Grace, yes, you are probably right in what you say.

Will order John death cert...

Had a strange thought (another one!)... The Leonard Bocking that was a policeman (not "our" Leonard) who died 1915 and registered in Islington - what are the chances that he was in the police in Mansfield at that time and appeared on the memorial? But again why?

Better go and think of something else........

!

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He wasn't the policeman, he's this one.

The Leonard S.M. Bocking who died in 1915 at the age of 39 was the Leonard S.M. Bocking who was born in Stepney and appears in the 1901 census as 26 years old and a resident of Shoreditch. He was a grocer sub postmaster. His father was a grocer and both his parents were London born. However this does not mean that he is not your man as there is always the possibility that he was related to the Bockin(g)s further north.
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Grace, Thanks. What on earth made me think he was a policeman? Did not someone say that there was a policeman by the name of Leonard Bockin(g) in London during the time we were searching? Gawd, I am really losing them!

Anyway, short update. Have ordered John (dad's) death cert. He died 1909. Due to be despatched on Valentine's day!

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What on earth made me think he was a policeman? Did not someone say that there was a policeman by the name of Leonard Bockin(g) in London during the time we were searching?

All the way back in Post 4! :lol: But he was in the 1950s.

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Grace; :lol:

Now i definitely know I have lost them......

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Keep in there Susan, you will find him. :lol:

mandy

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Mandy, I reckon I have more chance of seeing him "up above" in the great blue yonder, in a "flesh" like vision, so to speak, than finding anything remotely mortal down here to hang onto!!

And the way I am going it won't be long either!!!

Susan.

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Susan,

everytime i see a post from you I think Yes, she has found him! LOL

But then i am disappointed again!

Mandy

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Mandy,

Poor Susan is trying everything!! I think she has adopted him :lol:

Susan,

As always, i really appreciate all the effort that you are putting into this for me, i really do.

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Susan, Anthony

What about researching for his relatives' deaths, burials, wills etc.?

"His older brother Robert J[ohn] Bockin died in Nottingham in Q4 1927 at age 50."

and when and where did his parents die?

If it was after Leonard, there might be something in the wills, or on the graves.

Christine

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Mandy. so sorry. shame I can't have one of those miserable faces on the end of my login name so you know not to get your hopes up before you look at the posting!! And a happy one when there is some news. I wonder if there is a way of doing that. To alert people if the posting is just my ramblings, or anything of significance..... hey ho......

Chris, His dad died (I think its him anyway) in 1909 in Grantham district. Have ordered his death certificate... Wonder what the gravestone says (if he is buried in Grantham that is!)

Still searching for mother's death, but have not looked too hard for this - must admit.

Will get onto it again next week.

Susan.

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All,

Susan has some great news!!! I nearly fell off my chair!! ;)

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I was on the phone to someone yesterday - he said that his uncle is on the Heanor memorial (Think it was Heanor) - even though he did not die!

He was seriously wounded and not expected to live - Someone put his name on the Roll of Honour and then he had the cheek to survive.

Could Leonard have had the same done to me :rolleyes:

sm

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Steve,

Probably. This is good though, i'll let Susan tell all, she has put hard work into this, i want her to tell you all, it's only fair.....

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Steve,

Probably. This is good though, i'll let Susan tell all, she has put hard work into this, i want her to tell you all, it's only fair.....

I think she deserves the LBM and Bar

sm

Leonard Bocking Medal

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