PDA

View Full Version : lost years for Ray


DebbieAnn
10-10-2005, 04:46 PM
My grandfather Alexander Ray was b: March, 1881. In the 1891 census, he was living with his mother and one brother in Islington. In July 1911 he married in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A. I can't find him in any census for 1900/1901.

Between 1891 and 1911, he supposedly served for a few years in the Black Watch. The only conflict I can find during these years is the Boer War. Is there any way to verify that he was ever in the Black Watch? Much of what I had been told about him turned out not to be true...

He did have an older brother Arthur Albert Ray who was in the Royal Navy in 1881 as a signal boy on the Cleopatra. Is there any way to discover if Arthur died while serving? I can find no death record for him...

Debbie
Geoffers
10-10-2005, 05:13 PM
My grandfather Alexander Ray was b: March, 1881. Between 1891 and 1911, he supposedly served for a few years in the Black Watch. The only conflict I can find during these years is the Boer War. Is there any way to verify that he was ever in the Black Watch?
If he served in the army, there should be a record of him at The National Archives (TNA) at Kew. TNA have loads of research guides, the one you need is: http://www.catalogue.nationalarchives.gov.uk/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=14


He did have an older brother Arthur Albert Ray who was in the Royal Navy in 1881 as a signal boy on the Cleopatra. Is there any way to discover if Arthur died while serving?
The Registers of Seamen's services are being digitised by TNA. You can search the index free and pay a small fee to download the service record.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/
If he died whilst serving in the RN, there should be a note on this record (It may appear as simply 'DD' - discharged dead').


Geoffers
DebbieAnn
10-10-2005, 05:35 PM
Thank you, Geoffers! Hopefully, I can fill in some gaps, now!

Debbie
DebbieAnn
10-10-2005, 05:53 PM
Found Arthur!! The year of his birth is off by a year, but I expected it would be, as he lied about his age to get in - but I now have his date of birth, not just the quarter! Thank you so much!!!

Debbie