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I'm trying to find out what happened to my wife's grandfather, Fred Potter. (That could be his first name, or a preferred second name, we have no idea)?
We have no date of birth, (we have his army record but there is nothing about his birth at all? He says he joined up in 1914 aged 20. his place of birth doesn't exist, (Augustus Folkestone Kent - I've contacted Kent on line), next of kin, given as Mother, with a Fulham London address, but nothing shows up to confirm this is true). He serves in three different units, Fusiliers, Essex and later the Royal West Kents which he re-enlists in whilst out in India. (Age next birthday 21 in 1919)???
They marry, both aged twenty in May 1920? (Ethel was expecting, but was only 18 having been born in 1902)
He separates from his wife Ethel Lily Moore and goes to live with a family in Dover called Iverson/Iversen. (We have an old photo of him and five of the family)
Then he disappears? Ethel lived later with a Reg Griggs, but never married. (In fact, growing up she was referred to as Nanny Griggs.
She passes in 1961 and is buried in Dover under her married name of Potter
Now, my question is.... what ever happened to Frederick???
I've contacted the military pensions offices and there's no record of him drawing a pension or her receiving a widow's pension?
So, where did he go?
This is particularly poignant as my father in law is in ailing health and is desperate to find out where he came from!
Your help in finding him would be greatly appreciated.
Thanking you in advance.
Trevor

For our reference:

Ethel L Moore
in the England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005
Name: Ethel L Moore
Registration Date: Apr 1920
[May 1920]
[Jun 1920]
Registration Quarter: Apr-May-Jun
Registration district: Maidstone
Inferred County: Kent
Spouse: Frederick Potter
Volume Number: 2a
Page Number: 2268


Ethel Lily Potter
in the 1939 England and Wales Register
Name: Ethel Lily Potter
[Ethel Lily Griggs]
Gender: Female
Marital status: Married
Birth Date: 30 Jun 1902
Residence Year: 1939
Address: 18
Residence Place: Dover, Kent, England
Occupation: Unpaid Domestic Duties
Line Number: 17
Schedule Number: 346
Sub Schedule Number: 2
Enumeration District: DHKP
Borough: Dover
Registration district: 65/2.
Household Members:
Name
Reginald Griggs
Ethel Lily Potter

How do you know this is the same man ?

Frederick Potter
in the British Army WWI Pension Records 1914-1920
Name: Frederick Potter
Gender: Male
Birth Date: abt 1899
Birth Place: Augustine, Kent, England
Age: 20
Document Year: 1919
Regimental Number: 26086
Regiment Name: 2nd G B Essex
Form Title: Short Service Attestation
Number of Images: 23
Family Members:
Name Relation to Soldier
Frederick Potter Self (Head)
Ethel Potter Sister

Address: 2 Ship Street, Folkestone.
Born in Parish of Augustine, Folkstone. [ ie - just an area of Folkestone, not a town in its own right.]

Sister is at same address.


NOK is his sister, not his mother.
Have I got the wrong army record?

Folkestone would have been in Elham reg district in 1899.

No Frederick or Ethel Potter born there 1890-1920

As well as the Parish of St Augustine there is also Augusta Gardens - so the birth place could refer to either.

You haven't indicated when Fred was last known about - that could help in the search.

Edit: Have you Fred's marriage certificate, as this should give his fathers name which might help narrow him down.

Here is the Marriage from FMP

First name(s) Ethel Lily
Last name Moore
Age 20
Marital status Spinster
Birth year 1900
Marriage year 1920
Marriage year 1920
Marriage date 09 May 1920
Marriage place Maidstone, Holy Trinity
Father's first name(s) Richard
Father's last name Gatter
Father occupation Blacksmith (Deceased)
Spouse's first name(s) Frederick
Spouse's last name Potter
Spouse's birth year 1900
Spouse's age 20
Spouse's occupation Soldier
Spouse's condition Bachelor
Father's name Thomas Potter
Spouse's father's occupation Labourer
Address for both 39 Brewer Street, Maidstone
First witness John Simmons
Second witness Ellen Rose Thomas Rose
County Kent
Country England

Further info from the army record:

Discharged 14 Aug 1920 - surplus to military requirements having suffered impairment since entry into the service.
Home address at time of discharge: 34 High Street, Dover.


That's the record of his re-enlistment in India which I posted, dated 4 April 1919, when he says he is 20.
At that time he was in the 2nd G(?) B Essex Regiment, and said he was willing to re-enlist in the 1st Royal West Kent.

There are several trees with Fred on in Ancestry. They give him a middle name of Arthur and as son of Thomas.
One gives his death as 1974 but this may be one of the manu Fredericks that are included on this page. Very confusing. It also suggests there were possibly 5 children of this marriage.

This is the only Frederick Arthur born around 1899 in Kent:

POTTER, FREDERICK ARTHUR mms ALLEN
GRO Reference: 1897 D Quarter in THANET Volume 02A Page 928

But his father was William, not Thomas:

Marriages Dec 1888 (>99%)
ALLEN Alice Maud Thanet 2a 1585
Potter William Abraham Thanet 2a 1585

Looking at one of those trees on Ancestry -

The father's supposed death:

Thomas Potter
in the England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915
Name: Thomas Potter
Estimated birth year: abt 1882
Registration Year: 1910
Registration Quarter: Oct-Nov-Dec
Age at Death: 28
Registration district: Dover
Inferred County: Kent
Volume: 2a
Page: 624

Ancestry suggests this is him in 1901:

Thomas Potter
in the 1901 England Census
Name: Thomas Potter
Age: 19
Estimated birth year: abt 1882
Relation to Head: Stepson
Gender: Male
Mother: Rachel Watts
Birth Place: Leeds, Kent, England
Civil Parish: Marden
Ecclesiastical parish: Marden St Michaels
Town: Marden
County/Island: Kent
Country: England
Street address:
Occupation: Agricultural labourer, single
Registration district: Maidstone
Sub-registration district: Yalding
ED, institution, or vessel: 7
Neighbors:
Piece: 762
Folio: 5
Page Number: 1
Household schedule number: 3
Household Members:
Name Age
William Watts 61
Rachel Watts 44
Mary Jane Watts 7 - daughter
Alfred John Watts 5 - son
Thomas Potter 19 - stepson
William Potter 9 - stepson
John Henry Potter 4 - grandson


If that's correct, then Fred's birth must have been illegitimate.

In which case, if he really was born in Folkestone, his birth must have been registered under his mother's name.

BUT there is no Illegitimate Fred* born in Elham RD in last qr 1899 or 1st qr 1900 (going by the DOB claimed on the tree - 11/12/1899).

The tree shows the GRO Index for the 1st Qr 1900, supposedly as proof of Fred's birth in Folkestone - but there's no Frederick Potter born in Elham, and no Frederick Arthur born anywhere, on that page.
Judging by the heading on the page posted, the birth that the page was searched for was for Frederick John Potter, born in Greenwich.

Tree offers this as proof of his DOB - obviously not the right person:

Frederick John Potter
in the UK, Royal Air Force Airmen Records, 1918-1940
Name: Frederick John Potter
Gender: Male
Age: 18
Birth Date: 11 Dec 1899
Birth Place: Peckham, London, London, England
Service Date: 17 Jan 1918
Service Number: 246790
Father: Rufris Potter
Next of Kin: Rufris Potter
Relation to Airman: Father

It's typical of too many trees - not properly researched.

You say he moved in with a family in Dover. WHEN please?

If they are Albert & Gertrude, he isn’t with them in 1939. Nor is he with Alfred & Laura .

PM sent requesting the poster to return. Opened, no reply, but he shared his tree with me. No idea why :-S :-S

Nudging in the hope that the poster might return before it's too late

Hi all...... my sincere apologies. I've been off line for quite a while and have only just managed to get back. (Mental health is a b*gger}!
I've read through all of the above comments and will try and answer them now.
ArgillGran, his known injuries match those on the army record. It was also known he was in the Royal West Kent Rgt when he lived in Maidstone prior to his marrying Ethel.
Plus, the NoK name of Sister, we think was his intended as we have never found an Ethel birth, nor living in a family in either the 1901 or 1911 census?
Both the addresses you mention are known to me father in law.
Re the entry of Thomas Potter you mention aged 19. That could well be 'my' Thomas, but I can't see any relationship whereby Fred was produced?
Also, we failed to find any reference to Fred and Ethel Potter as siblings?
Nameslessone, yes, we have his marriage certificate. father named as Thomas Potter Labourer. (It doesn't mention that he's deceased).
Yes, we are aware of a tree where dates etc are given, but we think they're wrong? One was just built on the info we provided, with no proof it was correct. Another, a distant family member who uses the Thomas aged 19 above, again without proof.
Yes there were five children who survived, but no mention of the female who died shortly after birth! (the reason they had to get married)!!!
London belle, the marriage you refer to that mentions Richard Latter, was Ethel's step father after her biological father James Moore, was killed in action at the start of WW1 and Richard who was killed in the dying days of the war!!! (Pun not intended btw)!
ErikaH, again my apologies for not keeping up with my thread. (I'll take a hundred lines: I must try and keep up)!
And I opened my tree because I was confused.... not too difficult lately! :-(
I thank you all for showing an interest..... the search continues .........

Please tell us when he moved in with the family in Dover.

His home address when discharged was given as 34, High Street, Dover ( Family by the name of ABBOTT living there in 1939)

He was aged 20 on 4.4.19, the date of his re-enlistment at Kamptee according to the documents online.

Deaths Mar 1921 (>99%)
Potter Beatrice L C 0 Dover 2a 1406

Did your father in law (Leslie C) maintain contact with his siblings?

What happened to the children when their parents split? The mother didn't have any of them with her in 1939

Name: Agnes L R Potter
Registration Date: Jul 1946
[Aug 1946]
[Sep 1946]
Registration Quarter: Jul-Aug-Sep
Registration district: Dover
Inferred County: Kent
Spouse: Anthony Killip


Name: Agnes Lillian R Killip
Death Age: 69
Birth Date: 26 Jan 1923
Registration Date: Nov 1992
Registration district: Ashford
Inferred County: Kent
Volume: 16
Page: 130


Name: Joan E E Potter
Registration Date: Jul 1947
[Aug 1947]
[Sep 1947]
Registration Quarter: Jul-Aug-Sep
Registration district: Dover
Inferred County: Kent
Spouse: Harry Lawson