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Surprisingly, in his army paperwork there's a snippet from the Supplement to the London Gazette, Monday 14 Jan 1918:

Awarded the Military Medal, for bravery in the field.
201643 Sjt R Falconer, 2 1/5th Bn. R. War. R. (T.F.) (Birmingham)

Thanks Maddie and AG - that is exactly what I have found.

There is no proof that it is the Robert we are looking for but those 2 names and all those army records definitely relate to the same man who did start off in Kincardineshire within a very few miles of the place where the son William was born and they all add up to 'one' very suspicious person...............

Dea x

His Will, also part of the army record, gives his reg no first as 201643, then that's scored out and replaced by 64019.

His name is shown as Robert Stewart alias Falconer.

Notes say:
Serving
Re-enlisted
Deserter.

In the event of my death, I give the whole of my property and effects to Mrs R Stewart, 28 Court, 6 House, Magpie Yard, Bromsgrove Street, Birmingham.
Signed: L/Corp R Stewart, 17602 S/Cameron Highlanders.

Another version of his Will gives Rose's name as Mrs R Stewart alias Falconer, c/o Mrs Vickers, Magpie Yard.



Then there are some pages of record from 1916 headed with the name L/Cpl R Falconer

He seems to have been known as Falconer when he deserted in 1919.

Looking at your Robert Stewart/Falconer, Dea -

His army record (in the name of Robert Stewart) says he's a pro boxer.

Deserted 14/12/1915.
Tried 1/4/1916 for fraudulent enlistment.
Sentenced to detention for 60 days.
Held to serve in the Royal Warks Regiment.

Then, as part of Robert Stewart's army record, there's a letter date 6/5/21, saying,

Sir, I am in receipt of your letter dated 6th inst re 64091 royal Warwickshire Regiment (formerly 201643 [something] R War Reg) and have to inform you , in reply, that he deserted 27/9/1919, and I have no information regarding him since that date.



Another part of the record is a page saying he was born in Laurencekirk, and giving his name as Stewart, which is scored out, and Falconer written in instead.

Cameron Highlanders, regimental no 17602.
Transferred to R Warwickshire Regt; regimental numbers 201643, then 64019

Name: Robert Stewart
Spouse Surname: King
Registration Year: 1915
Registration Quarter: Jul-Aug-Sep
Registration district: Birmingham
Parishes for this Registration District: View Ecclesiastical Parishes associated with this Registration District
Inferred County: Warwickshire
Volume: 6d
Page: 805
Records on Page:
Name
Albert A Butler
Rose King
Annie E J Pinder
Robert Stewart

Robert Stewart

in the British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920
View British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920

View Packet Cover

Report issue

Name: Robert Stewart
Gender: Male
Birth Date: abt 1883
Enlistment Age: 32
Marriage Date: 24 Aug 1915
Marriage Place: Birmingham
Document Year: 1915
Residence Place: 486 Blackburn Rd, Darwin Lanshire
Regimental Number: 17602
Regiment Name: Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
Number of Images: 31
Form Title: Short Service Attestation
Other Records: Search for 'Robert Stewart' in other WWI collections
Family Members:
Name Relation to Soldier
Robert Stewart Self (Head)
Rose King Spouse

Name: Rose King
Gender: Female
Marriage Date: 24 Aug 1915
Marriage Place: Birmingham
Document Year: 1915
Residence Place: 486 Blackburn Rd, Darwin Lanshire
Relationship to Soldier: Spouse
Form Title: Information Supplied By Recruit
Other Records:
Family Members:
Name Relation to Soldier
Robert Stewart Self (Head)
Rose King Spouse

a document in the falconer records says

hereith the original attesation record and documents elating to no 3/17602 private r stewart cameron highlanders who has been held to serve in the 3/5th royal warwick reg from1/04/1916

documents also relate to his desertion
married rose king 24/08/1915

so r falconer and r stewart same man

Re Robert Stewart in 1891 in my last post - here he is in 1901:

Robert Stewart
in the 1901 Scotland Census
Name: Robert Stewart
Age: 35
Estimated birth year: abt 1866
Relationship: Head
Spouse's name : Annie Stewart
Gender: Male
Where born: Kincardine, parish of St cyrus
Registration Number: 644/2
Registration district: Camlachie
Civil Parish: Glasgow Parkhead
County: Lanarkshire
Address: 909 Gt Eastern Rd
Occupation: Inspector (chansing Dept)
ED: 72
Household schedule number: 114
Line: 13
Roll: CSSCT1901_271
Household Members:
Name Age
Robert Stewart 35
Annie Stewart 34
William Stewart 12
Robert Stewart 9
Bella Stewart 6
John Stewart 2


Probably his death:

STEWART
ROBERT BAIN
66
1930
644/4 381
Dennistoun

So if he is Kinneff Robert, he's unlikely to have been a farm labourer fathering a child in Kincardineshire in 1913.

Though I suppose it's just possible that Georgina didn't know his current occupation or address when William's birth was registered ?? Grasping at straws ?

This looks like my Kinneff Robert in 1901:

Robert Stewart
in the 1891 Scotland Census
Name: Robert Stewart
Age: 28
Estimated birth year: abt 1863
Relationship: Head
Spouse's name : Annie Stewart
Gender: Male
Where born: St Eyins, Kincardineshire
Registration Number: 644/11
Registration district: Hutchesontown
Civil Parish: Glasgow Govan
County: Lanarkshire
Address: 30 Polmadie St
Occupation: Locomotive Fireman
ED: 117
Household schedule number: 105
Line: 22
Roll: CSSCT1891_289
Household Members:
Name Age
Robert Stewart 28
Annie Stewart 27
William Stewart 2
Robert Stowart 1Mo


This is Kinneff Robert's birth - and his siblings also had middle name Bain:

STEWART
ROBERT BAIN
M
1863
267/ 24
St Cyrus


Therefore wondering about this man -

Robert Bain Stewart
in the New Zealand, Police Gazettes, 1878-1945
Name: Robert Bain Stewart
Publication Date: 1928
Publication Place: New Zealand
Robert Bain Stewart; failing to provide; Dunedin.

Robert Bain Stewart
in the New Zealand, Police Gazettes, 1878-1945
Name: Robert Bain Stewart
Publication Date: 1930
Publication Place: New Zealand
Dunedin - Robert Bain Stewart; failing to maintain; warrant cancelled.


EDIT:

But there was more than one Robert Bain Stewart, so maybe the NZ man is this one:

Robert Bain Stewart
in the Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950
Name: Robert Bain Stewart
Gender: Male
Birth Date: 10 Oct 1844
Birth Place: , Stow, Midlothian, Scotland
Baptism Place: , Stow, Midlothian, Scotland
Father: William Stewart
Mother: Helen Bain
FHL Film Number: 1067791
Reference ID: 2:186TVQN

Re the 1871 family of Stewarts in Kinneff - posted above -

By 1881, James is a farm servant with the Robertson family in Kinneff. By 1900 he's in Connecticut.

Father John, and Charles are still together in 1881:

John Stewart
in the 1881 Scotland Census
Name: John Stewart
Age: 46
Estimated birth year: abt 1835
Relationship: Head
Gender: Male
Where born: Garvock, Kincardine S
Registration Number: 258/1
Registration district: Fetteresso
Civil Parish: Fetteresso
County: Kincardineshire
Address: Detached Ho: Mill Of Cowie
Occupation: Labourer (General)
ED: 9
Household schedule number: 65
Line: 7
Roll: cssct1881_72
Household Members:
Name Age
John Stewart 46
Charles Stewart 11
Annie Stewart 54 - servant


Susan (nee Bain) died in 1873:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/150750855/susan-bain

STEWART (also listed as Bain)
SUSAN
27
1873
262/ 14
Kinneff and Catterline


William was Susan's son from before her marriage to John Stewart:

William Bain
in the Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950
Name: William Bain
Gender: Male
Birth Date: 1 Nov 1861
Birth Place: Kirriemuir,Angus,Scotland
Mother: Susan Bain
FHL Film Number: 6035516

In 1881 he's a servant with the Buchanan family:

William Bain
in the 1881 Scotland Census
Name: William Bain
Age: 19
Estimated birth year: abt 1862
Relationship: Servant
Gender: Male
Where born: Kineff, Kincardine
Registration Number: 250
Registration district: Arbuthnott
Civil Parish: Arbuthnott
County: Kincardineshire
Address: Gobbs Farm
Occupation: Gen Servant
ED: 3
Household schedule number: 5
Line: 15
Roll: cssct1881_71

Haven't found any more mention of Robert so far, though.

I have VERY strong suspicions about thisman !!!

Robert Stewart's life in 1939
141 Balsall Heath Road, Birmingham C.B., Warwickshire, England

First name(s) Last name(s) Birth year DOB Sex Occupation Marital status Schedule Schedule Sub Number
Robert Stewart 1883 04 Jan 1883 Male Builders Ganger Married 126 1
Rose Stewart 1890 22 Dec 1890 Female Brass Polisher Married 126 2
Ref: RG101/5604C/012/14 Letter Code: QBVU




Marriages Sep 1915 (>99%)
King Rose Stewart Birmingham 6d 805 Scan available - click to view
Stewart Robert King Birmingham 6d 805 Scan available - click to view

He has various army records floating about on Ancestry and FMP which tell a very strange story - He seems to have started off as Robert Stewart and he was in the Cameron Highlanders - he seems to have deserted at some stage around Dedcember 1915 and then ended up a few weeks later in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment with the name of Robert FALCONER !!!
It is very muddled but he may have deserted a second time around 1919 but he did manage to gain the Military Medal for gallantry in the Field?

Perhaps someone could take a look.

One of the records show that he was born in LAURENCEKIRK, County Kincardine, Scotland.



Name: Robert Falconer
Regimental Number: 201643
Regiment: Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Battalion: 1/5th Battalion
Rank: Sergeant
Medals: Military Medal
Other Records: Search for 'Robert Falconer' in other WWI collections
War Diaries (France, Belgium, Germany): Search for 'Royal Warwickshire Regiment' in the WWI War Diaries (France, Belgium, Germany) collection
War Diaries (Gallipoli): Search for 'Royal Warwickshire Regiment' in the WWI War Diaries (Gallipoli) collection



View British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920
Name: Robert Falconer
Gender: Male
Document Year: 1916
Residence Place: Magpie Yard, Bromsgrove Street, Birmingham
Regimental Number: ??724
Regiment Name: B??
Number of Images: 11
Form Title: Territorial Force Attestation
Other Records: Search for 'Robert Falconer' in other WWI collections
Family Members:
Name Relation to Soldier
Robert Falconer Self (Head)


I can't just find the record I had for him in the Cameron Highlanders as L/C R Stewart showing his desertion but I will try to find it again and post it later.

Can someone take a look at this please?

Dea x

EDIT:

Here it is, although he gives his address as (looks like) Darwen, Lancashire and he says he is a Professional Boxer but if you read through the records you will see that he is in fact the same one as Robert Falconer who was a 'Hawker / dealer' at that time and born in Kincardineshire.

Record Transcription:
British Army Service Records
What can I do with this record?
View an image of this record
We will use the details from this record to create your family tree for you.
Report a transcription error.
First name(s) Robert
Last name Stewart
Age 32
Birth year 1883
Birth county Kincardineshire
Birth country Scotland
Service number 17602
Regiment Cameron Highlanders
Year 1915
Series WO 363
Series description
............ from FMP.........................

Dea x

"Mitton of Barras Kinneff" will just be his address at the time of registering William's birth.
He could have been born anywhere.

EDIT:

Aha! there's this Robert in 1871:

Robert Stewart
in the 1871 Scotland Census
Name: Robert Stewart
Age: 7
Estimated birth year: abt 1864
Relationship: Son
Father's name: John Stewart
Mother's name: Susan Stewart
Gender: Male
Where born: Steyne, Kincardineshire
Registration Number: 262
Registration district: Kinneff and Catterline
Civil Parish: Kinneff and Catterline
County: Kincardineshire
Address: Mill Of Barras <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Occupation: Scholar
ED: 5
Household schedule number: 9
Line: 17
Roll: CSSCT1871_46
Household Members:
Name Age
John Stewart 34
Susan Stewart 26
William Stewart 9
Robert Stewart 7
James Stewart 5
Charles Stewart 2

Sorry my mistake yes they married in 1919

On William's birth certificate it states his father as Robert Stewart of Mitton of Barras Kinneff a Farm Labourer

There's this Robert Stewart from Bervie who died in WW1 - but a lot younger than Georgina. If he was William's father, he would only have been 17 at the time - so probably not.

EDIT: In fact, definitely not - he was a shoeing smith before joining up.

Robert Stewart
in the British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920
Name: Robert Stewart
Gender: Male
Birth Date: abt 1896
Enlistment Age: 19
Document Year: 1915
Residence Place: 1 School Wynee [ Wynd ], Bervie
Regimental Number: 9430
Regiment Name: Army Service Corps
Number of Images: 3
Form Title: Short Service Attestation
Family Members:
Name Relation to Soldier
Robert Stewart Self (Head)
David Stewart Father





Driver STEWART, ROBERT
Service Number TS/9430
Died 03/01/1919
Aged 23
238th H.T. Coy.
Royal Army Service Corps
Son of David and Helen Stewart, of High St., Bervie, Kincardineshire.

Died in Salonica of influenza.

Good find, Choccy.

However, the tree also lists David Stewart as a son of Georgina, when he's clearly not.

I'm convinced that Robert 1874 is not William's father.
Assuming that Robert 1874 was still a butler in 1911, it's highly unlikely that a butler from Perth would be a farm labourer in 1913, and fathering a child in Inverbervie, almost 70 miles away.

Info on Ancestry tree -


Statutory registers Birth 254/40 Page 14 District of Bervie 1882

Georgina Black, (illigitimate) Born. 13th July, 1882 3.15p.m, Gourdon, Bervies. Mother Johan Black, Domestic Servant. Register 24th August, 1882 signed Johanna Black, Mother. Registrar Mr. William Harris.


Statutory registers Marriages 254/6 Page 3 District of Bervie 1919

On 3rd of June at Souter Close, Gourdon after banns according to the forms of the United Free Church of Scotland. Alexander Criggie, Mill worker (Widower), Brae Road, Gourdon ( Father David Criggie, Fisheman (deceased) Mother: Margaret Criggie (M.S. Cruickshank) and Georgina Mackie Black, Mill Worker, (spinster), Souter Close, Gourdon, Mother Johanna Black, Domestic Servant (deceased). Witnessed by. Mary Lownie and David Gargill. Signed Rev. D.M. Baillie, Minister of Bervie, Free Church of Scotland. Registrar: George Fraser 6th June, 1919

Yes, Georgina alone in 1911, though I can't check the address, nor the name on the original, without spending credits:

MACKIE
GEORGINA
1911
F
29
254/ 3/ 13
Bervie or Inverbervie
Kincardine

Perhaps the tree owner is confused by the fact that his middle name was Black ?

Death - not in WW1:

STEWART
ROBERT BLACK
60
1934
393/B 6
Stanley


STEWART
ROBERT BLACK
M
1873
390/ 31
Redgorton


His marriage to Jessie:

STEWART
ROBERT BLACK
MCNAUGHTON
JESSIE T
1901
444/ 7
Leslie (Fife)


Tree owner doesn't mention Jessie at all, though does have Robert in 1901 census, and also the birth of David.

Thank you AG xx

Georgina is still at William St in 1911 but apparently (according to an Ancestry tree) under the name of Georgina Mackie - aged 29 and living alone?

Dea x

I'm not convinced by that tree mentioned by Choccy.

In 1901 , Robert 1874 Redgorton is married and he's a butler, not a farm labourer.


Robert Stewart
in the 1901 Scotland Census
Name: Robert Stewart
Age: 27
Estimated birth year: abt 1874
Relationship: Head
Spouse's name : Jessie Stewart
Gender: Male
Where born: Redgorton, Perthshire
Registration Number: 393B
Registration district: Stanley
Civil Parish: Redgorton
County: Perthshire
Address: Perth Rd Taybank
Occupation: Butler
ED: 3
Household schedule number: 69
Line: 21
Roll: CSSCT1901_127
Household Members:
Name Age
Robert Stewart 27
Jessie Stewart 26
Peter Stewart 22


This looks like the same family in 1911:

STEWART
ROBERT
1911
M
37
393/B 2/ 7
Stanley
Perth

STEWART
JAMES
1911
M
6
393/B 2/ 7
Stanley
Perth


STEWART
ALEXANDER
1911
M
40
393/B 2/ 7
Stanley
Perth

STEWART
MARY
1911
F
9
393/B 2/ 7
Stanley
Perth


STEWART
JEANETTE
1911
F
0
393/B 2/ 7
Stanley
Perth


STEWART
JESSIE
1911
F
4
393/B 2/ 7
Stanley
Perth



STEWART
JOHN
1911
M
8
393/B 2/ 7
Stanley
Perth


STEWART
JESSIE
1911
F
36
393/B 2/ 7
Stanley
Perth