hillgorilla Posted 10 April , 2007 Share Posted 10 April , 2007 Hi, I am trying to find out what my family did in the Great War. A number of years go, I ws told that my Great Grandfather - Frederick Weeks served on the Western Front as a railwayman, though am finding it difficult to gain any information. Has anyone got any suggestions? He would have been in his 50s when he served. Thanks for reading this message, Hillgorilla Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 10 April , 2007 Share Posted 10 April , 2007 He will have been in the Royal Engineers. There are 7 men with this name who served with the RE listed on the Medal Index Cards. Yoyu should be able to discount soem if you know frederick had no middle naem. That said, being in his 50s, would mean he was quie old for active service so may not have served abroad. In which case, you might be looking for the prverbial needle in haystack. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susanhemmings Posted 10 April , 2007 Share Posted 10 April , 2007 Hillgorilla, looked in the National Roll for you. No mention of an F Weeks RE Sorry. Susan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eltoro1960 Posted 10 April , 2007 Share Posted 10 April , 2007 I punched in Frederick Weeks and came up with this chap: Medal card of Weeks, Frederick J Corps Regiment No Rank Royal Engineers WR/600792 Sapper The reason I opted for him is he is the only Frederick Weeks with a WR prefix indicating Waterways and Railways, don't know if the 'J' fits in with middle name. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhill Posted 10 April , 2007 Share Posted 10 April , 2007 There was also a Frederick Weeks who seems to have served with the Canadian Railway Troops. However, he does not seem old enough, and you might need to make a Canadian connection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillgorilla Posted 11 April , 2007 Author Share Posted 11 April , 2007 Thank you to everyone for replying to my post, I now have some avenues to travel down. Thanks and best wishes, Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarvis Posted 11 April , 2007 Share Posted 11 April , 2007 I punched in Frederick Weeks and came up with this chap: Medal card of Weeks, Frederick J Corps Regiment No Rank Royal Engineers WR/600792 Sapper The reason I opted for him is he is the only Frederick Weeks with a WR prefix indicating Waterways and Railways, don't know if the 'J' fits in with middle name. John Hello Hillgorilla, did your Great Grand Father have any American or even Belgium connections ? Did he actually die during the Great War ? The following info may be of use if the answer to any of the above questions is yes. If not, then probably not connected but I thought it worth passing by you, just in case. The Frederick Weeks John is qouting here is recorded on SDGW as : Frederick John Weeks Sapper WR/600792 Inland Water Transport Royal Engineers Born Ghent, Belgium Enlisted Boston, Mass. USA Residence Lexington, Mass, USA KIA 12/08/1918 France & Flanders And CWGC records the same chap as : Name: WEEKS, FREDERICK JOHN Initials: F J Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Sapper Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers Unit Text: Inland Water Transport Date of Death: 12/08/1918 Service No: WR/600792 Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 4 and 5. Memorial: LOOS MEMORIAL Jarvis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillgorilla Posted 11 April , 2007 Author Share Posted 11 April , 2007 Hi Jarvis, Thanks for your help, unfortunately he is not one of these men, as he survived the Great War. However you reply does stimulate interest, as I realise how little I have been able to find out about him. I have a copy of his birth certificate from 1858, and a copy of his death certificate from 1944, but apart from the odd snippet of information I have limited knowledge. I do know that he was married twice, but between 1858 and 1901 he seems to disapear, I just wonder did he go abroadd at some point. Any wy I am waffling. I have however been on the medal rolls, as an earlier post mentioned middle names, and from info I have, in that his full title was Frederick William Weeks, I have found - Acting Sgt Frederick William Weeks. RE. 189148. I wonder if this is him, though will now have to wait to some time in the furture, when providence would allow me to go to Kew, to look up his service records. Best wishes and thank you for your help. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 11 April , 2007 Share Posted 11 April , 2007 Unfortunately,WR/600792 was a number issued to men of the Inland Water Transport, which of course precludes this man from the Railway Operating Division. Terry Reeves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarvis Posted 11 April , 2007 Share Posted 11 April , 2007 Hi Terry, I hear what you are saying but it doesn't seem to tally with one of the chaps from my local lists. Its always possible I have my facts wrong (or even CWGC in this case) as expert I am not but....... Chatt Robert Bulmer Sapper WR/259810 Royal Engineers 32nd Light Railway Operating Coy Died Age 25 on 11/11/1918 Son of Margaret Ann Chatt, of Startforth, Yorks, and the late Joseph Henry Chatt. Husband of Ida Chatt of 11, Coronation St. Barnard Castle, Co. Durham. He is the only example of Railway Coy on my lists, hence my remembering the WR number. Are there any other examples of WR numbers belonging to Railway Coys out there ? Jarvis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taters Posted 11 April , 2007 Share Posted 11 April , 2007 Hi Nick Can you tell me where your Frederick William Weeks was born? Any Lambeth or London connections? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 11 April , 2007 Share Posted 11 April , 2007 Jarvis It tallies exactly. ROD numbers with WR prefixes are in the 1000 to 2000 range. Men with 6 figure numbers prefixed with WR and beginning with 3, 5 and 6 are IWT and Docks men. There are also other WR prefixed numbers associated with Transportation Troops, which embraced Railway and IWT men, as they became in 1917. These include some Road Construction and Quarrying Companies. Terry Reeves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarvis Posted 11 April , 2007 Share Posted 11 April , 2007 Jarvis It tallies exactly. ROD numbers with WR prefixes are in the 1000 to 2000 range. Men with 6 figure numbers prefixed with WR and beginning with 3, 5 and 6 are IWT and Docks men. There are also other WR prefixed numbers associated with Transportation Troops, which embraced Railway and IWT men, as they became in 1917. These include some Road Construction and Quarrying Companies. Terry Reeves Terry, thanks for taking the time to explain. I misunderstood your earlier posting to mean all WR and not the number sequence following as well. I wasn't nit-picking, just worried my own info was incorrect. Number sequences are still very distant on my horizon, I'm afraid. Jarvis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillgorilla Posted 12 April , 2007 Author Share Posted 12 April , 2007 Hi Nick Can you tell me where your Frederick William Weeks was born? Any Lambeth or London connections? Thanks Hi Taters He was born in Poplar in 1858, his parents being Shadrach Weeks and Eliza Weeks (nee George). In the 1901 census he is listed as living at 34 Iveley Rd Clapham, with his wife Anne E Weeks and daughter Doris L Weeks. Best wishes, Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracy21020 Posted 12 April , 2007 Share Posted 12 April , 2007 Hi Nick, I had some free time today and thought I would help you find your Great Grandfather in the missing years! Working back from the 1901 census, I have found some information for you. The censuses are all from the ancestry site, if you do not have this pm me your e-mail address and I’ll send the copies. I’ve put in bold the spelling from ancestry so you can find them if you have it. 1901 census Frederick Weekes age 42 born Poplar, Middlesex – railway locomotion fireman Ann E Weekes age 38 Doris L Weekes age 2 Birth Sept 1898 Weeks Doris Louisa Wandsworth 1d 353 1891 census living in Battersea Fredrick W Weske age 32 (widow) born Blackwell, Middlesex – Railway ? (I can't read the rest) Elizabeth age 68 (mother) born Bristol Henry J age 29 (brother) born Woolwich, Kent – railway fireman William G age 10 (son) born Wandsworth, London Florence H age 8 (daughter) Birth March 1881 Weeks William George Wandsworth 1d 724 Birth Dec 1882 Weeks Florence Hannah Wandsworth 1d 638 1881 census living in Battersea Fredk W Weeks age 32 (wrong age, right person!)) born Millwall,Middlesex- Railway Fireman Mary age 24 (wife) born Waverley, Hampshire William G age 6 months (son) born Battersea, Surrey Emily Argyle age 30 (lodger) Marriage Sep 1880 Frederick William Weeks Mary Waters Wandsworth 1d 914 Death Dec 1887 Weeks Mary Ann age 30 Wandsworth 1d 914 Tracking down Frederick’s father was a bit more difficult, I thought that with the name of Shadrach it would have been easy! I eventually came across a death record which I’m pretty sure is him. The name is William Shadrach Weeks. That’s why I couldn’t find him! Death June 1871 Weeks William Shadrach age 44 Wandsworth 1d 388 Census 1871 living in Battersea Willm Weeks age 44 born Bristol - Furnaceman Eliza age 46 (wife) born Bristol George age 17 (son) born Millwall, Middlesex Frederick age 12 (son) born Poplar, Middlesex Henry age 9 (son) born Woolwich, Kent Clara age 4 (daughter) Born Battersea, Surrey Battersea is in the Wandsworth registration district. I hope this is some help. I’ve tried everything I can think of on the 1861 census and I can’t find any trace of them. You will have to get some of the birth, marriage and death certificates to confirm everything. Best wishes Tracy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillgorilla Posted 13 April , 2007 Author Share Posted 13 April , 2007 Hi Nick, I had some free time today and thought I would help you find your Great Grandfather in the missing years! Working back from the 1901 census, I have found some information for you. The censuses are all from the ancestry site, if you do not have this pm me your e-mail address and I’ll send the copies. I’ve put in bold the spelling from ancestry so you can find them if you have it. 1901 census Frederick Weekes age 42 born Poplar, Middlesex – railway locomotion fireman Ann E Weekes age 38 Doris L Weekes age 2 Birth Sept 1898 Weeks Doris Louisa Wandsworth 1d 353 1891 census living in Battersea Fredrick W Weske age 32 (widow) born Blackwell, Middlesex – Railway ? (I can't read the rest) Elizabeth age 68 (mother) born Bristol Henry J age 29 (brother) born Woolwich, Kent – railway fireman William G age 10 (son) born Wandsworth, London Florence H age 8 (daughter) Birth March 1881 Weeks William George Wandsworth 1d 724 Birth Dec 1882 Weeks Florence Hannah Wandsworth 1d 638 1881 census living in Battersea Fredk W Weeks age 32 (wrong age, right person!)) born Millwall,Middlesex- Railway Fireman Mary age 24 (wife) born Waverley, Hampshire William G age 6 months (son) born Battersea, Surrey Emily Argyle age 30 (lodger) Marriage Sep 1880 Frederick William Weeks Mary Waters Wandsworth 1d 914 Death Dec 1887 Weeks Mary Ann age 30 Wandsworth 1d 914 Tracking down Frederick’s father was a bit more difficult, I thought that with the name of Shadrach it would have been easy! I eventually came across a death record which I’m pretty sure is him. The name is William Shadrach Weeks. That’s why I couldn’t find him! Death June 1871 Weeks William Shadrach age 44 Wandsworth 1d 388 Census 1871 living in Battersea Willm Weeks age 44 born Bristol - Furnaceman Eliza age 46 (wife) born Bristol George age 17 (son) born Millwall, Middlesex Frederick age 12 (son) born Poplar, Middlesex Henry age 9 (son) born Woolwich, Kent Clara age 4 (daughter) Born Battersea, Surrey Battersea is in the Wandsworth registration district. I hope this is some help. I’ve tried everything I can think of on the 1861 census and I can’t find any trace of them. You will have to get some of the birth, marriage and death certificates to confirm everything. Best wishes Tracy Hi Tracey, Thank you very much for the information, it is very generous of you to look it all up. It has helped to fill in a lot of missing links. Best wishes and lots of thanks Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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