Terry? Possible misspelt headstone, 265683 Pvt BURROWS/BORROWS, M

[apwright]

Apologies if this has already been brought to your attention!

I came across these apparent duplicate entries while taking photos for the War Memorial Project at Karasouli Cemetery a few weeks ago. I sent them a note about this question along with my pics (which appeared on the BWMP website over Christmas, but have since been taken down again - could this be the reason?).

Please compare these two entries in CWGC:

Name: BORROWS

Initials: M

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Private

Regiment/Service: The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment

Unit Text: 1st/12th (Pioneer) Bn.

Age: 21

Date of Death: 07/05/1917

Service No: 265683

Additional information: Son of Robert and Elizabeth Borrows, of 674, Elton Head Rd., Sutton Heath, St. Helens, Lancs.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: C. 558.

Cemetery: KARASOULI MILITARY CEMETERY

Name: BURROWS, MATTHEW

Initials: M

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Private

Regiment/Service: The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment

Unit Text: 12th Bn.

Age: 21

Date of Death: 07/05/1917

Service No: 265683

Additional information: Son of Robert and Elizabeth Burrows, of 674, Elton Head Road, Sutton Heath, St. Helens, Lancs.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: C. 558.

Cemetery: KARASOULI MILITARY CEMETERY

Same unit and service number, same age and date of death, same NoK info apart from surname spelling, same grave reference.

So is it Burrows or Borrows?

FreeBMD shows a Matthew BURROWS, born Apr-May-Jun 1896 at Wigan, Lancs.

OK, Wigan is 10 miles from St Helens, but there are NO Mat(t)hew Borrowses registered for Lancashire at all between 1850 and 1925.

Also, re. the parents, FreeBMD shows the marriage in Jan-Feb-Mar 1895 of Robert BURROWS and Elis/zabeth Mort at Prescot, Lancs, just down the road from St. Helens... and one of the roads between the two is Elton Head Road. Number 674 from the St Helens end must be pretty close to Prescot!

The only Robert Borrowses listed by FreeBMD for Lancashire are all dead before 1895.

Then there's an MIC entry for no. 265683 BURROWS, Matthew at:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...p;resultcount=1

And, of course, there's only one stone at grave ref. 558. Can't work out how to post the image, but it reads:

265683 PRIVATE

M. BORROWS

LOYAL NORTH LANCS. REGT.

7TH MAY 1917

HIS LIFE WAS PERFECT

HIS DEATH A SACRIFICE

558

Shouldn't the stone read BURROWS? I appreciate that the other data may be just as wrong as CWGC records (and that there's little difference in Lancashire pronunciation between Burrows and Borrows ), but the NoK must have filled out a form for the epitaph. Are these kept on record? What does it say? Was it misread? Did the family spell it thus?

Any advice? It's been bugging me ever since!

Regards,

Adrian

[Terry Denham]

Adrian

I have reported the error. I'll let you know the result.

The relatives did fill out a Final Verification Form but these were destroyed in 1970 when CWGC moved offices. They were burnt as 'not being needed'!!!

[Terry Denham]

His death certificate is made out in the name of BURROWS.

[apwright]

Wow, that was quick, Terry! Thanks very much.

I'll be very interested to know the outcome.

Regards,

Adrian

(That was the reply to your first post!)

Reply to 2nd:

Aha, so the stone is wrong! Can it be corrected?

[apwright]

Hi Terry,

My photo is back up at BWMP, if you want to take a look. The reduced version is viewable online at:

http://www.wargraves.org.uk/gravedetails.asp?id=574944

(so BWMP have currently got the same pic twice for M.Borrows and M.Burrows).

Regards,

Adrian

[Terry Denham]

BORROWS has been deleted by CWGC. The headstone will be amended when it is replaced.

[Andrew Hesketh]

Adrian / Terry,

Well done both of you.

[apwright]

That's great, Terry! Thanks very much.

I'll tell BWMP to delete Borrows from their database too.

Regards,

Adrian

[Terry Denham]

Already done that!

[apwright]

The man's a marvel!

Thanks again!