William Sellars who was he?

[Guest ses]

Hi listers, Hope this is in the right place sorry if it isn't.

I have come across this site and was wondering if some one can help.

My GGrandfather William Sellars was born about 1894 the only info I have is from his marriage certificate states that he was a soldier aged 22,when he married my GGrandmother Daisy Ada Ann Coker on the 23rd October 1916. Father Thomas Edward Sellars at the time he was living at 14a Barrack road Hounslow Heath. This is opposite Hounslow Barracks. I think maybe he was posted at some point there. The family has no idea where he came from.

Other than this I can find nothing it was stated he died shortly after coming home from the 1st world war but there are no death records for this period. His wife remarried as a widow in 1935.

I think he died in the war and she used his name to save face a few years later when she had a child and put his name down. She already had one illigitamat child that she said was his in 1914.

I have looked at all death records and there is no one of the right age. I have checked all local cemetaries and they have no William Sellars at all. I checked at Kew but could not find anything to help narrow search. My Greataunt remembers that he had medals but not what happend to them. She does not remember him at all.

He must have records of some sort, any help on what to do now would be a great help.

Kindest regards Ses

[Chris_Baker]

Hello ses, welcome to the forum and good luck

Here are a few ideas.

1. Have you tried to find his death certificate? Even if he was still serving in the forces, he would have had a normal civil death certificate.

2. He may have registered in the Absent Voters List in 1918. See if you can track down such a list for the area where he lived.

3. Look him up in the medal rolls, at the National Archives in Kew. There will probably be a number of William Sellars' and without knowing his regiment it might be tricky, but at least you will have narrowed it down to a shortlist.

4. Look him up the soldier's service files, at the same place. This is less reliable as many papers have been destroyed, but it's worth a shot.

[Guest Pete Wood]

Ses

Welcome to the forum. This soldier would seem to fit the bill:

Name: SELLARS

Initials: W

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Private

Regiment: Cheshire Regiment

Unit Text: 6th Bn.

Date of Death: 31/05/1918

Service No: 51476

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: VII. AC. 19.

Cemetery: TERLINCTHUN BRITISH CEMETERY, WIMILLE

Pte William Sellars died of wounds.

He was formerly 732 Pte Sellars of the Army Veterinary Corps.

He was born in Manchester.

He enlisted in Hounslow.

Does the birth in Manchester tally with what you know...??

[Guest Pete Wood]

Have a look at William Sellers born Lancashire Manchester in the 1901 census http://www.census.pro.gov.uk/ (look at person search) as I think this is the chap.....

He was aged 5 when the census was taken.

He was born in Chorlton between May and September 1894:

Chorlton

Created 1st July 1837. Abolished 1st January 1925 (renamed Manchester South).

Sub-districts : Ardwick; Barton; Chorlton upon Medlock; Didsbury; Hulme; Stretford.

GRO volumes : XX (1837-51); 8c (1852-1924).

Ardwick, Barton Moss (1837-49), Barton upon Irwell (1837-49), Burnage, Chorlton cum Hardy, Chorlton on Medlock, Davyhulme (1837-49), Didsbury, Flixton (1837-49), Gorton, Hulme, Irlam (1837-49), Levenshulme, Moss Side, Openshaw, Rusholme, Stretford (1837-49), Urmston (1837-49), West Gorton, Withington.

Registers now divided between Manchester, Salford and Trafford districts.

[Guest ses]

Thanks for that info, as I said above I know nothing about him at all except what was written on their marriage certificate, but I will look this up to see if anything does seem to match. I have been trying to find something on him for ages so thank you.

Regards ses

[Guest ses]

Hi,

I have tried to find a death certificate and can not find one I was told to look in the overseas section but again nothing no SELLARS in the registers at all.Could someone tell me why?

Regards Sarah