William Smith, please can you identify the Regiment?

[Michelle Young]

Absent Voters List.

[Bordercollie]

AVL is Absent Voters List.  These were lists that showed servicemen registered to vote but absent from the constituency because of their military service.  Some are available on line but not all because the surviving copies are mainly to be found in the relevant county or other local archives.  For Paddington it is the City of Westminster Archives.

This is the list of electoral rolls and related documents that they hold.

Poll books and electoral registers.pdf 

[Dory]

6 hours ago, Allan1892 said:

@Bordercollie -- the occupation / trade shown in the Police Gazette image matches that of William in the 1921 Census. (image courtesy of Find My Past)

Does this record tell you his address in 1921 please?

[Matlock1418]

8 hours ago, Bordercollie said:

This William SMITH, Labour Corps, 255969, has a pension index card

Image thanks to WFA/Fold3

Shows some extra units

Labour Corps 255969, Royal West Kent, Royal Fusiliers, Middlesex [These would typically be recorded in reverse order - last at top] - Discharged 1.9.21 [Query this interpretation/revision as his MIC shows to Z Reserve 18.4.19 - potentially/probably the date the award was provided after award 28.8.21???]

A £10 Gratuity commonly reflecting a small disability <20% and considered in the claimants's best interest, as determined by the MoP, to have as a lump sum [RW 1919, Art. 1(3)]

M

Edited 29 November , 2023 by Matlock1418
query

[Dory]

I know this is going to seem dense to those of you in the know but I have just searched on FMP on the AVL and I have 22 records for North Paddington. Do I just search through all of them or is there a better way?

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

2 hours ago, Dory said:

What is an AVL, I just did a general search on google and nothing came up. Thank you.

Absent Voters' List.
An electoral register solely of men (or women) away from home so unable to vote in person.
A series of 6 Registers were compiled from 1918 to about 1922. Of the 650 odd parliamentary divisions (constituencies) only around 100 survive. They are a goldmine, in that they are generally the only index containing name, rank, number address etc. of serving men. They thus fill in the huge gap existing between a name and a service number on a MIC (as in your case).

Of the surviving registers , mostly, only one is in existence, but some constituencies have a full house of 6 registers.
I hadn't read about Paddington surviving, so that is great news.
 

The AVL can answer or refute your query, hopefully, it matches the man, the address and the service details.
Do it ASAP, as it will avoid a lot of going down the wrong rabbit hole.

Edited 29 November , 2023 by Dai Bach y Sowldiwr

[Dory]

Courtesy of FMP

 

If this is him then looking at the AVL for paddington is a waste of time? Should I be looking for Kensington PB North?

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

2 hours ago, Dory said:

If this is him then looking at the AVL for paddington is a waste of time? Should I be looking for Kensington PB North?

This is him in 1921.
He was in Paddington in 1911
Do you know where he was living in 1918?

Kensington AVL isn't documented as having a surviving AVL, but if by any chance it survives, yes by all means look it up.
That doesn't mean though that looking up the Paddington list is a waste of time.
Look for information wherever it may be.
 

Edit: Indeed, it looks as though Kensington AVL 1919 survives (as does Chelsea) (Is it Spring or Autumn though?  Both Kensington and Chelsea AVLs are available at Kensington & Chelsea Council Archives, 12 Phillimore Walk, London, W8 7RX     Telephone: 020 7361 3010
Bear in mind that he was demobbed in early 1919, so he might not appear on Kensington or Paddington AVL, but then he might be on the ordinary Electoral Reggister, but without his military details.

https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/libraries-0/libraries-and-room-hire/council-archives-family-history-and-building-history

Edited 29 November , 2023 by Dai Bach y Sowldiwr

[Dory]

This is him on the 1919 electoral role at 39 Southam Street, the same address as the 1921 census.

Courtesy of Ancestry

Edited 30 November , 2023 by Dory
date missing

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

@Dory

OK.
Now this is interesting.
I'm on Ancestry and have the Spring 1919 Electoral Roll:


As well as being on a separate Absent Voters List, military or naval men were on the ordinary roll, but designated by the letters NM in the right hand columns and an 'a' before their names.
So, I'm guessing your list must be Autumn 1919 or later by which time he had  been demobbed.
Definitely worth digging out the Kensington AVL though, hopefully it is a Spring Register, that he almost certainly would be on.

Edited 30 November , 2023 by Dai Bach y Sowldiwr