Andrew Hesketh Posted 22 May , 2009 Share Posted 22 May , 2009 (edited) Don't close it! This is a classic thread in all sorts of ways and a tribute to the capabilities and tenacity of yourself and many forum members. You / we may not have found him yet, but he's out there somewhere and someday you / we will find him - probably when you least expect it. EDIT: Though I do feel a bit silly about post 39 with hindsight! Edited 22 May , 2009 by Andrew Hesketh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 22 May , 2009 Share Posted 22 May , 2009 Just leave the thread open. Nothing is lost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Bagshaw Posted 22 May , 2009 Author Share Posted 22 May , 2009 Good work folks. I have the feeling that the circle is tightening. Maybe considering closing it wasn't such a great idea...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Clay Posted 22 May , 2009 Share Posted 22 May , 2009 Leave 'er be, young Anthony! Just to show that, as John says, no search is necessarily lost: about 5 years ago, I posted details on a family history list site of a couple of pics that had come into our possession when 'er indoors's mum died - 2 RM lads who lost their lives in the 1918 Zeebrugge raid - no family connection that we know of. One of the lads, Gunner Vincent Ormerod was quickly 'claimed' by his family, and his photo now appears on the family website. The other lad, Pte Tom Jackson, seemed destined to remain out in the cold. Until yesterday, when i was emailed by someone who recognised the details of his Gt Gt Grandad's nephew. Tom has now been reunited with his family - distant though the connection may be - well, they now have the piccie of him, at least. You never know when something might turn up. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greyhound Posted 22 May , 2009 Share Posted 22 May , 2009 No way, Anthony! Jim's right, something might turn up at any time. And as I said earlier, there is still Wales to come for 1911, as well as Royal Navy (ships at sea) and Overseas Military Establishments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domwalsh Posted 26 May , 2009 Share Posted 26 May , 2009 Jim, That's great news. Any chance of you pointing Tom's family in my direction in connection with my Zeebrugge research project? Cheers, Dom dominic.walsh@ireland.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Clay Posted 26 May , 2009 Share Posted 26 May , 2009 Hi Dom I'll drop them a line and see what they say. Cheers Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Bagshaw Posted 27 November , 2009 Author Share Posted 27 November , 2009 Evening All, Just thought i would provide an update.....i still don't know what happened to Leonard. Nothing more has come to light YET, we keep trying Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 27 November , 2009 Share Posted 27 November , 2009 You bounder! I thought it was breaking news!!! Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevem49 Posted 28 November , 2009 Share Posted 28 November , 2009 Bock off then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Hesketh Posted 28 November , 2009 Share Posted 28 November , 2009 You bounder! I thought it was breaking news!!! Steve. Yep, got me as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBattle Posted 28 November , 2009 Share Posted 28 November , 2009 As a latecomer, obviously after all the blood sewat, cursing and tears, this search should still be continued. Can you just confirm my understanding of the facts and suppositions? Leonard Bockin, born approx 1884 in Bottesford, Lincolnshire. 1891 Census: Age 7. Address: ? 1901 Census: (Age 17) Occupation given as Railway Porter. Address: ? 1911 Census: (Age 27) Occupation ? Address ? Father: Mother: Elizabeth Siblings: Mary Jane, Edith Kate, Ada Mabel, Herbert Known addresses: Married: Sarah Ann Clarke in Mansfield 1904; Sarah Ann Bockin married William T Collins in 1919. Children: Ethel born 1908. Married in 1926 with fathers occupation as coal miner (was this William Collins occupation though?) Other known related links: Wife Elizabeth Bockin living with Clarke family in High Street Mansfield Woodhouse, Notts. I know you've all checked high and low. There are over 1,000 Leonards in the CWGC database, none crossmatched with Mansfield, Woodhouse, Clarke (in case he served under that Alias) or Bottesford that I could find. Please feel free to use Geoff's Search Engine again with these or other parameters that I may have missed. I've also checked Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand and South Africa but please check these again, too just in case I've not spotted something that will register with you. I did hope that he might have travelled to Canada, Australia or South Africa (if he was a miner) to seek his fortune and a home for his family, but no luck. Perhaps you would be kind enough to update the above information with any other pertinent details. I've only spent a couple of hours, so I can't profess to be aware of all that has gone on, suffice to say this has been a manhunt without many parallels!! There are Shipping Passenger manifests, has anyone been able to check those to see if he did emigrate? There is nothing in local papers, local Library or Churches that might provide more clues? He must have worshipped at some church, where did he marry? Where are his wife's family buried, parents etc? Did they come from elsewhere or Mansfield born and bred? Any other "family" Names he might have adopted? What did brother Herbert do? Did he enlist? If so any service details for him? Any Bottesford burials for his parents, grandparents etc? Any police records, where he might have a reason to disappear? Sorry to butt in, I realise you have devoted years to this fellow. You have a photo, so he DID exist, just disappeared without trace. Keep on looking, he is there somewhere, we just have to work out what happened for him to disappear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Bagshaw Posted 28 November , 2009 Author Share Posted 28 November , 2009 You bounder! I thought it was breaking news!!! Sorry!!!! Kevin, Thank you for your post and the possible routes to try and trace Leonard. I haven't gone down some of the routes that you have suggested so will try and pick them up to see what we can find, if anything. It certainly has been interesting i have enjoyed it, even if it has been frustrating, and i seem to have most of the GWF hooked too!! Thanks again, i appreciate the ideas, always good to have fresh eyes! Let's hope something appears Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan D'Hooghe Posted 18 January , 2010 Share Posted 18 January , 2010 Sorry to flag this one up again!! I have been researching some Bottesford (Leics) soldiers, namely EW Christmas, H Hallam, MJV Jackson etc. and lo and behold I have come across the name L Bockin. I have just read pages 1, 2 and 29,30 of this thread ( I will do the hard slog later) and am amazed at the problems encountered. I live near Bottesford and know the local village history bods - has anyone asked them if they have any details of the Bockin family? If not shall i do it? Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Hesketh Posted 18 January , 2010 Share Posted 18 January , 2010 Oooh, there's life in this thread again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Bagshaw Posted 18 January , 2010 Author Share Posted 18 January , 2010 Here we go....more sleepless nights..... Hi Jonathan, Thanks for your post. I did email the Bottesford local history crew some years ago but they didn't have anything that they could really tell me. They suggested try the CWGC etc...seemed to have ignored my comments about him not appearing etc. Thanks for the kind offer of contacting them, maybe being local you will get more joy than i did. If i'm honest i've kind of given up all hope of ever finding out how he died or even where he is buried/commemorated. I am extremely happy with what the GWF have found for me, i will settle for that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBattle Posted 18 January , 2010 Share Posted 18 January , 2010 Can you just recap all the pertinent information about him and his family, or correct what I posted in November if I have summarised anything incorrectly? It's just that with a clear idea we can all see if there are any areas we have missed...it might be something obvious to one person who might have missed the clue over all these postings... he MUST be somewhere!! You can't let this get the better of US!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMarsdin Posted 19 January , 2010 Share Posted 19 January , 2010 Kevin, I think you listed Bottesford (Lincolnshire) but from the other posts I think it must be Bottesford (Leicestershire). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan D'Hooghe Posted 19 January , 2010 Share Posted 19 January , 2010 For the record there are to my knowledge two Bottesfords. One near Scunthorpe and one in North Leicestershire. The Leicestershire Bottesford is always confused as being in Nottinghamshire as the postal address today is Notts, NG 13 ......etc! Bockin lived at 10 Belvoir Road, Bottesford, Leics and that is where I shall make a start within the village. I lived in this village from 1987 to 2004 and know the old village families and the local history society bods. Watch this space but don't hold your breath.... Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBattle Posted 19 January , 2010 Share Posted 19 January , 2010 .... are you SURE he's not just some character out of an unpublished Conan Doyle story? It'll need Sherlock on it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevem49 Posted 19 January , 2010 Share Posted 19 January , 2010 My ancestors came from Bottesford, Leics In fact every bloomin village between Grantham and Nottingham. I hope Leonard is not a relative Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilEvans Posted 19 January , 2010 Share Posted 19 January , 2010 Knew that name rang a bell. A few weeks ago i found a commemorative headstone in Gnosall, Staffs to Lt.'s John and Bernard Bocking. There father came from Abney, Derbyshire. Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Bagshaw Posted 19 January , 2010 Author Share Posted 19 January , 2010 Thanks Jonathan, I stopped holding my breath years ago in the search for Leonard- made me feel a bit dizzy after a few months!! On a serious note, i am very grateful for any effort you put into finding what you can about Leonard- he certainly is an enigma who has captured the hearts and minds of many a pal on the forum. I have actually made some very good friends on here as a result of the quest to find out who Leonard is. What has always surprised me is that records of him after 1911 just seem to disappear into thin air. He must have a death certificate somewhere but where and why he doesn't seem to have is a complete mystery. There is no mention of his demise anywhere, not in the local papers, local cemeteries etc... Thanks again, i hope it gets cracked one day. Just noticed- 3 years ago i posted this topic and it has now had 28,000 views- BLIMEY!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Thompson Posted 19 January , 2010 Share Posted 19 January , 2010 Hi there just catching up with this thread. It most certainly looks like he as vanished off the face of the earth, so I thought I'd have a look around for any civilian type casualties, like munitions workers and came across an explosion at the NSFF No 6, Chilwell, Notts in 1918 where there were about 134 killed and a lot of them buried in a mass grave. Not knowing the geography of the area would it be feasible that he could have gone there. I have searched for a memorial with names on or a Roll of Honour similar to the Barnbow in Leeds one, with no luck. Cheers Roger. ps Jim Strawbridge might have a list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBattle Posted 20 January , 2010 Share Posted 20 January , 2010 Just supposition, but to "disappear" from records, could it be that he either emigrated to try his luck in Canada, Australia etc; changed his identity (to escape family, wife or debts etc); enlisted in the Army or Navy; or became a "guest" of His Majesty? Is there a Kelleys Directory after 1911 that may have addresses and residents? Are there any records of who and when this RoH was compiled and where the Names came from? A Committee usually reviewed the Names put forward to verify they were "of this Parish" and thus worthy of inclusion.... You would think they'd realise that 90 years later we would need all this corroborating evidence ourselves!!! How spiteful not to do so!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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