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[Guest Geordie Lad]

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[Desmond7]

Sympathise with your plight - sadly it does demonstrate yet again that it is relatively easier to research those who died in comparison to finding ways fo researching one who 'came through.'

I'm not a PRO person - as you say, it's in London and too expensive and, from what I've been told, very difficult to achieve good 'percentage' results.

I kepo come back to local newspapers, but I can say that the local newspapers which form the basis of my research had a weekly column called 'Items About Our Soldiers' which was literally a WW1 'gossip from the trenches' - I realise you may not be so lucky, but if you had the time it may well be worthwhile seeking a similar news source via the local reference library?

You may find he's mentioned in there somewhere - especially if he was wounded.

I hope some other forum members will prove more able with their advice than me.

Best of luck anyway.

Des

[sandyford]

Geordie

I saw this R.W. Wilkinson thread last and have posted a message on your other Northumberland Fusiliers thread. The absent voters List (only one, and I think it is 1918) for Newcastle is in Newcastle Central Library in Hardback Copy (no paying).

Someone has said that absent voters are listed at the end of some sections in the ordinary voters lists for other years. I have not checked this yet.

Kate

[sandyford]

Sorry Geordie

Don't know the whereabouts of Jarrow lists but Gateshead or South Shields might have them and of course there is always Durham Record office. This is the only book named as Absent voters in Newcastle for one year but I think there are some dotted about in the ordinary voters lists for other years.

It seems to me that you know skads not nowt.

Haven't forgotten about your officers 2nd battalion

Kate

[sandyford]

Geordie

I'm sure you will get your information eventually even if its just 'No. I couldn't find him.' Remember we are playing the long game here.

I have the 1911-1912 & the 1915-1916 Wards Trade directories including the streets in Jarrow. I checked 38, Raglan St and 113 Ferry St. and there are no Wilkinsons listed in either street in either of those years. However No 113 Ferry Street is not shown either time. It goes straight from No 109 to 115. At No 115 is English & Son a Hay Dealer & Carting Contractor.

Before you ask, Ward's Directories are in Newcastle Central Library as well.

Skads = 'Quite a lot of', 'a large amount of'

e.g. "Bye - tha' wor skads o' fit lads in the Spit & Vomit the neet."

"My word. There were quite a few very handsome young men in the Victoria and Comet alehouse this evening."

Kate

[sandyford]

About the trade directories.

I think it is significant that no number 111, or 113 Ferry Street is shown. Perhaps noone was in when the directory man called. Or they lived above the Carting business. Also the two years that I have are not really the years you are talking about.

The voters list will be much more accurate so your Record Office person might well find him. I just thought we might get a clue from the Trades directories.

If your family was like mine when they rented flats/houses they moved around a lot. I think my family moved if there was a bigger place or one at a cheaper rent. I don't think they had leases. They probably just told the rent man they wanted to move.

I will certainly look through the Jarrow streets and see if I can find them.

Kate

[sandyford]

Good thinking Batman.

I have skipped through the streets for 1910-11. These are the only Wilkinsons I found. It's not as many as you would think.

Mrs A. Wilkinson - 6, Edith St.

D. Wilkinson - plumber - 156, Ellison St.

E. Wilkinson - draper - 50, Ellison St.

J. Wilkinson - plate layer - 20, Ernest St.

Mrs R.I. Wilkinson - 183, Hope St.

R. Wilkinson - striker - 70, Hope St.

In the alphabetical section, (tends to be businesses), there is only 1 Wilkinson listed. E. Wilkinson - draper - 50, Ellison St. residence 112 Albert Rd.

At 112 Albert Rd. there is no E. Wilkinson but a person called Miss M. Longstaff - apartments.

Anyway. This is too far off 1918 to be a real help. Neither of the R. Wilkinson who you found in the rates books are listed at 2 Edgar St. or 73, Ellison St. Mind this is 2 years later, so don't despair. The directories are not always very accurate.

We are very lucky that they kept any records at all. Although it can be frustrating searching for information, I'm sure that it is only the fact that record offices keep these things and look after them that we have much at all. Think of the documents and things that have been thrown out in families.

The 100 years closure applies to the census I suppose because it is an official government document. The Ward's Directories are commercial publications.

I'll keep looking for Wilkinsons in 1915 tomorrow.

Kate

[sandyford]

The voting lists are related to Wards and sometimes streets near to each other are in different wards and are listed in a different section of the book. Also sometimes parts of an area belong to another much larger area for voting purposes.

For instance, even in the Ward's directory it says E. Jarrow is part of South Shields which is a very big area and would take time to check street by street.

Also Durham Record Office covers the whole of Co. Durham and I know that the viewers etc. are often fully booked. During the day it takes full attention just getting things out for people. Your absent voters lists is likely to be still in a book and not on film but it has to be got out of the archives storage. But - if they find him it will be wonderful and if they don't it may still be worth your while to go and go through them yourself.

Here are the Wilkinsons I found for 1915-16. I'm sorry, they don't look very promising but remember it is not 1918.

Mrs Agnes Wilkinson -shopkeeper - 1, Catherine St.- 57, Monkton Tce.

Miss Miriam Willkinson - shopkeeper - 3, Don St. res. 65, Commercial Rd.

Edmund Wilkinson - draper - 50, Ellison St. res. 15, Field Tce.

J. Wilkinson - platelayer - 20, Ernest St.

Miss Elizabeth Wilkinson - dressmaker - 58, York St

Kate

[sandyford]

And here is a copy of a section of part of Ferry St. in 1915 & 16, from the Ward's Directory.

You can see that number 111 & 113 Ferry St. are missing. Other numbers are missing from the sequences as well. I know that shops sometimes took up more than 1 number but there are numbers missing between houses which are not shops.

Kate

[HIGHSPEN]

If you have plenty of spare time,you could try wading through the bound copies of

The Illustrated Chronicle(at the Central Library,Newcastle,if I remember correctly).

This was a North-East newspaper published then.

Although eventually names of soldiers killed were not given I do remember seeing details of some wounded with occasional photos.

Sadly there are a number of sad entries from mothers and wives vainly appealing for some help in tracing "missing "soldiers.

[Michael]

It should all be free

It is free. There is no charge for looking at documents at the National Archives (not sure about the 1901 though). The local census is available at the local library and countless archives are free to view at county records offices, National Army Museum, Imperial War Museum, etc.

I guess the digitisation process cost a packet and they are recouping it via the online aspect.

I entirely agree with you about the use of PC's in libraries though. Mine always seems full of kids playing games, listening to music , etc.

Mick

[sandyford]

Geordie

It was excellent that she found him.

What a pity his service number is not there. A simple page like that could have given you the information you want. That's life.

Sometimes we go down a lot of blind alleys before we find the pot of gold. Or am I thinking about rainbows? I never had much success with them either.

Kate