William Frederick Smith

[adamstech]

Hello,

we are looking for information about William Frederick Smith who we believe served with the regiment from 1915 onwards.

We believe that he was born in August 1898, in Teddington, London and spent time being fostered by Mr & Mrs Mumby of Bishops Stortford. He then went to the Gordons' boys home at Chobham Common and at the age of 17 joined the Army to fight in France. A family newspaper cutting from the 1930's states that William Frederick Smith was a member of the Manchester Regiment.
 
On leaving the Army, we believe that he took lodgings in the North Kensington area of London, and may have joined the Great Western Railway company as a carriage cleaner at the Old Oak Common depot.

Any assistance or information gratefully received.
   

[tonyrod]

hi adam, and welcome to the forum, found two  medal cards for

Smith, William F
Corps Regiment No Rank
Manchester Regiment 9475 Private
Army Service Corps T/369298 Private
Date 1914-1920
Catalogue reference WO 372/18 

Medal card of Smith, William F
Corps Regiment No Rank
Manchester Regiment 50278 Private
Date 1914-1920
Catalogue reference WO 372/18

and 134 documents found for william smith all manchester regiment,
i am sure someone else will be along to help , lets hope hes one of the two listed to save some time, good luck,  tonyrod

[kingo]

Tony, You can discount 50278 William.Frank Smith. He was KIA 23/7/1918 serving with the 6th Battalion.

[tonyrod]

cheers  kingo, i never add time to look,

[adamstech]

Thanks for the information so far. I would have replied sooner, but got caught out packing for and then going on holiday.

Now for what may appear daft questions for the regulars;-

1/. are the records available for inspection or searching in person?

2/. If so, where are they located and are any charges involved?

Thanks in advance for your patience,

Adamstech

[tonyrod]

adam, on ancestry pension's listing in name date  + - 2 years and place of birth ,4 turn up , i would start with these, if no joy you can always make a trip to the http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/medals.asp   

4 on ancestry.
British Army WWI Pension Records 1914-1920
Pension Records
View Image    
Preview
Name:    Frederick William Smith
Birth County:    London
There's more to see
A picture of the original document
And things like
Estimated birth year   Age at Enlistment
Birth Parish   Document Year
Regimental Number   Number of Images
Sign up now
Name:    Frederick William Smith
Birth:    year - London
Military:    year
   

[adamstech]

Thanks for the info, will take a look and report back,

Adamstech

Update: we are partway through solving some of the mysteries of this ancestor (hopefully). It now turns out that his official registered name (according to the census and marriage records data that we've tracked down and confirmed) is/was William Edward S Smith, born in Bermondsey third quarter of 1898.

He is shown as living with his family in Southwark in the 1901 census, but as an in-mate at the Dr Barnado's home in East Street, Epsom in the 1911 census. 

He next turns up in the records that we've found so far as getting married in Kensington in the third quarter of 1920, which is consistent with the verbal records from the family.

The family has an interesting "habit" of calling people by names other than the correct ones, and also has an interesting line of nick-names. Certain members of the family know how to tell a good story at the possible expense of accuracy!  But we do seem to be getting somewhere with has previosuly been myth or "smoke and mirrors",

Regards,

adamstech 
 

[adamstech]

confirming what was "posted" as an update, and therefore not published to the list, we now know that the persons official registered name is William Edward S Smith, born in Bermondsey third quarter of 1898.

See update to previous message for more info if interested,

Regards

Adamstech