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Thank you ErikaH for the latest information.
Regarding Alexander Diggins 1862, as 'Shirley' has agreed, it seems his last movements were on the warship HMS Duncan which docked at Sheerness.
After a lot more time spent searching all possible websites, there seems to be no trace of him from then, in the UK or overseas. At only 20 years old, it's possible he may have joined another ship? Then there is the same name in the WW1 medals list! This is the proverbial "Brick Wall"! Maybe something may turn up later.

Again, thank you all for your help and comments.

Terence.

Following on from info I posted above about Alexander V

Births Jun 1920 (>99%)
Diggins Alexander G J Hills Willesden 3a 670

Births Sep 1922 (>99%)
Diggins Sylvia S W Hills Willesden 3a 486

Births Dec 1930 (>99%)
Diggins Marie J Y Hills Willesden 3a 516


Marriages Dec 1961 (>99%)
DIGGINS Marie J Y TAYLOR Willesden 5f 444
TAYLOR Peter J DIGGINS Willesden 5f 444


Name: Marie Jean Y Taylor
Death Age: 53
Birth Date: 22 Oct 1930
Registration Date: Feb 1984
Registration district: Wycombe
Inferred County: Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire
Volume: 19
Page: 1410


Marriages Dec 1945 (>99%)
Diggins Alexander G J Jones Hendon 3a 1551
Jones Elsie K Diggins Hendon 3a 1551

Name: Alexander George J Diggins
Death Age: 71
Birth Date: 22 Mar 1920
Registration Date: Sep 1991
Registration district: Hillingdon
Inferred County: Greater London
Volume: 13
Page: 892

Thank you 'ErikaH' for your input, it all helps.
So far I don't think I have the "army" Alexander's personal details to prove where he came from. There are a few second name Alexander's in the 'tree', and often ancestor's prefered to use their second name, even on official records, which can be very confusing! I will have another look at all this again soon.

Thanks again ErikaH.

Terence. South Australia.

It would be most unusual for a naval man to join the army - and especially at 50+ years of age

ALEXANDER V


Diggins Alexander V — — 1917 England & Wales Marriages 1837-2005 Hampstead, London, England
Diggins Alexander V 1895 1967 1967 England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007 Brent, Middlesex, England
Diggins Alexander Victor 1894 — 1894 England & Wales Births 1837-2006 Paddington, London, England

1901 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
14, Boyer Road, Willesden, Hendon, Middlesex, England


James Deggins Head Married Male 40 1861 London, England House Painter Transcription
Louise Deggins Wife Married Female 40 1861 France - Transcription
James W Deggins Son - Male 10 1891 Camberwell, Surrey, England - Transcription
George L Deggins Son - Male 8 1893 Lambeth, Surrey, England - Transcription
Alexander V Deggins Son - Male 6 1895 Paddington, Middlesex, England - Transcription
Elizabeth M Deggins Daughter - Female 4 1897 Paddington, Middlesex, England - Transcription
Robert B Deggins Son - Male 0 1901 Willesden, Middlesex, England


1911 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
132 Kilburn Park Road West, Willesden, Middlesex, England

James Diggin Head Married Male 51 1860 Middlesex Painter And Decorator Transcription
Louise Diggin Wife Married Female 50 1861 France Nil Transcription
Alexander Victor Diggin Sister Single Male 16 1895 Padidngton Erand Boy Transcription
Robert Diggin - Single Male 10 1901 Willsden School Transcription
Charles Diggin - - Male 7 1904 Willsden - Transcription
Joseph Diggin - - Male 5 1906 Willsden - Transcription
Horace Diggin - - Male 2 1909 Willsden - Transcription

1939

Diggins Household (4 People)
31 Attewood Avenue , Willesden M.B., Middlesex, England


Ethel Diggins 14 Dec 1896 Female Unpaid Domestic Duties Married 235 2
Alexander N Diggins 16 Jun 1894 Male Lptb Bus Driver Hw Married 235 1
Sorry, this record is officially closed. Check if you can open a closed record.
Maria (J Y) Taylor (Diggins) 22 Oct 1930 Female At School Single 235 4

Thank you very much Shirley and Malyon for your time looking into this mystery. We all seem to have found the same items from the records.
Cannot find much about Alexander Victor Diggins 1894, only that he married Ethel in 1917. He does not seem to have a military record.
But Owen Alexander Diggins, a cousin, born about the same time, did service in and survived WWI. His records sometimes shows his name with a feint 'Owen', added after signing. I'm thinking that he prefered the name Alexander instead of Owen. But he was in the Shropshire Light Infantry as opposd to our original Alexander (1862), which looks like he was in the Royal Fusiliers. Agreed Shirley he could have been too old for WWI, but he may have been in a supply company behind the lines.
Thank you both again for your replies, and I shall hope to solve this mystery later.

Terence. South Australia.

he did not have a middle name

Alexander Diggins
England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008
Name: Alexander Diggins
Event Type: Birth Registration
Registration Quarter: Jul-Aug-Sep
Registration Year: 1862
Registration District: Hackney
County: London
Event Place: Hackney, London, England
Volume: 1B
Page: 360
Line Number: 121

Alexander Diggens
England and Wales Census, 1881
Name: Alexander Diggens
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1881
Event Place: , Royal Navy At Sea, Ships And Overseas Establishments
Gender: Male
Age: 19
Marital Status (Original): S
Occupation: Ordinary 2nd Class
Birth Year (Estimated): 1862
Birthplace: Hackney, London, England
Page Number: 6
Registration Number: RG11
Piece/Folio: 5639/37
Affiliate Record Type: Household

As he doesn't appear on any later records it would seem he went abroad maybe and passed away wherever

Online travel doesn't start till 1890

Maybe too he rejoined and got caught up in the second Boar War

All supposition of course

Several trees on Ancestry haven't got a death for him either

Interesting
Says last service date June 1883 on vessel Duncan. Then looks like went on reserve

Must have been where you had the 1883 last known from

View UK, Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services, 1848-1939
Add Alternative Information
Report issue
Name: Alexander Diggins
Gender: Male
Birth Date: 19 Jun 1861
Birth Place: Hackney, Middlesex
First Service Date: 3 Aug 1876
First Ship Served On: Fisgard
Last Service Date: 15 Jun 1883
Last Ship Served On: Duncan
Service Number: 97145

Maybe as Alexander was in the navy and onboard a vessel in1881 he died at sea and his brother james named his son Alexander after him

There doesn't seem to be a death for Alexander born 1862 onnthe GRO records

He deserted at one time

Alexander Diggins
in the UK, Military Deserters, 1812-1927

View Original Image on Fold3.

Name: Alexander Diggins
Age: 18
Birth Year: Abt 1861
Birth Place: Hackney, Middlesex
Desertion Date: 1879
Publication Date: 19 Sep 1879

Got a feeling the medal card is for this guy

DIGGINS, ALEXANDER VICTOR FREY
GRO Reference: 1894 S Quarter in PADDINGTON Volume 01A Page 17 Order


Marriages Dec 1889
Diggins James St Olave 1d 624
Frey Louisa Maria St. Olave 1d 624
Frey Louise Marie St. Olave 1d 624


Maybe his brothers son

1871 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Homerton Grove, St John At Hackney, Hackney, London & Middlesex, England

Learn more

Print View image Add to tree Household Members
First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
James Diggins Head - Male 42 1829 - Oxfordshire, England
Elizabeth Diggins Wife - Female 43 1828 - Oxfordshire, England
George Henry Diggins Son - Male 17 1854 - Middlesex, England
Charles Diggins Son - Male 15 1856 - Middlesex, England
Annie Diggins Daughter - Female 12 1859 - Middlesex, England

James Diggins Son - Male 10 1861 - Middlesex, England
>>>>>>>>
Alexander Diggins Son - Male 8 1863 - Middlesex, England
Emily Diggins Daughter - Female 0 1871 - Middlesex, England

GRO birth record

DIGGINS, ALEXANDER BELL
GRO Reference: 1862 S Quarter in HACKNEY Volume 01B Page 360

Would he have served in WW1 if he was born 1862
Would have thought he would be too old

As with others, and spending a lot of time, cannot find Alexander Diggins later life record. I have his naval records from 1876 - 1883. He is in the 1881 census, but there seems to be little information after left the navy!

Do not know when he the joined the Royal Fusiliers, being in 4 different sections. He seems to have survived WW I, but when was he discharged, when/if married, emigrated, died?

As in the past, would appreciate some help please.

Terence.