Genealogy Chat

Hi, I have a relative,Michael Sandford,died in ww1 and wondered how I go about finding his enlistment details, thinking it would give me an address,next of kin etc. He also had medals from this war and I wondered who got these.
Many thanks,
Kim

This one?

Name: SANDFORD, MICHAEL
Initials: M
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: The King's (Liverpool Regiment)
Unit Text: 13th Bn.
Date of Death: 23/07/1916
Service No: 13163
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Pier and Face 1 D 8 B and 8 C.
Memorial: THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

Or this one?

Name: SANDFORD
Initials: M S
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Gunner
Regiment/Service: Royal Garrison Artillery
Unit Text: 335th Siege Bty.
Age: 41
Date of Death: 27/07/1917
Service No: 134976
Additional information: Husband of Flora Sandford, of 16, Loudoun Rd., St. John's Wood, London.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: VIII. E. 25.
Cemetery: CITE BONJEAN MILITARY CEMETERY, ARMENTIERES

If the first one Margaret posted is yours then his wife was called Bridget Sandford (nee Foster). His records are on Ancestry but there is very little left of them and not much that is legible on them.

Attestation at Seaforth, 25th Aug. (can't see the year).

There is an address for his wife of 38 ????? Street, Edge Hill, Liverpool.

Kath. x

This looks like the marriage of Michael and Bridget:-

Name: Michael Sandford
Year of Registration: 1912
Quarter of Registration: Apr-May-Jun
Spouse's Surname: Foster
District: Toxteth Park
County: Lancashire
Volume: 8b
Page: 334

Kath. x

There were also 2 children of Michael & Bridget, Bridget born 2 Oct, 1913, Edge Hill and Michael born 13 Dec. 1915, Edge Hill.

The marriage was 26 May 1912.

If you would like to try to try to read the address it is here:-

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/Browse/view.aspx?dbid=1219&path=S.Sa.San.35333

Kath. x

Perhaps the birth certificate of one of the children would give you an address:-

Name: Bridget Sandford
Year of Registration: 1913
Quarter of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec
Mother's Maiden Name: Foster
District: Liverpool (1837-1934)
County: Lancashire
Volume: 8b
Page: 138

or:-

Name: Michael Sandford
Mother's Maiden Surname: Foster
Date of Registration: Jan Feb Mar 1916
Registration district: W Derby
Registration county: Lancashire
Volume Number: 8b
Page Number: 1073

Kath. x

My son has just come in and had a look at the address and he thinks it could be Dinorben Street.

We found this street name in a list of Liverpool street names.

Kath. x

Hi all,
Many thanks for all your info and taking the time to help. I am so excited with this info as I didnt know Michael and Bridget had any children at all. Im not very experienced at all this yet so will have a think as to what to do next. If you want info from a birth cert do you have to buy them?
Thanks again,
Kim xxxxxx

Hi

If you live close to where this person was living, find out where copies of the old local newspapers are kept.
They are a very valuable source of info on a soldier who died, was wounded or captured.
There is usually a lot of details that you will not find elsewhere.
These entries frequently show a small photograph of the soldier.
They are usually stored on microfilm at the larger libraries or the nearest archive.
If you can get access to these, you might need to look at a years print of the paper to find him after his date of death.
This was not reported in the paper until his death was confimed.
For one person in my family tree, the death was comfirmed by a letter to his wife about 7 months after he died.

Regards
Andrew.

From Lancashire BMD:

1912 Marriage:


FOSTER Bridget SANDFORD Michael Toxteth Park, Register Office or Registrar Attended Liverpool REG_TP/48/34

They either married at a register office or they may have been non conformist e.g. catholic so the registrar attended the ceremony.

This is quite a useful site:

http://www.liverpoolhistoryprojects.co.uk/

they have a section on fallen heros but I couldn't see your relative. You may want to double check:


http://www.liverpoolhistoryprojects.co.uk/fallenheroes/

you can get certs from this official site
https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/default.asp cost £9.25
using details posted tick gro known box as this is the index/page numbers

http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/ this is useful free site to search for other bmd indexes as you find more family!!


did you know his wife was Bridget to be certain you have the right family

Hi Kim

You do have to buy certificates to see what is on them but it depends on what information you are looking for. You may be able to find some information in other ways.

Whose birth certificate were you thinking of?

Kath. x

Hi Kath,
Many thanks for your help. I tried to to access the link you sent me for ancestry but it wouldnt let me so I couldnt see the info.Is there any way to find out where a person lived at the time of their death as I have a William Sandfords death in 1921 and wondered how to find his wifes name?
thanks again,
Kim x

The deceased person's address is usually on the death certificate. His wife MAY be the informant but if not then she will probably not be mentioned on the certificate.

There are 4 William Sandford deaths in 1921. Which one are you thinking of because it may be possible to find his marriage and therefore his wife's name if they stayed in the same area.

Who is William Sandford? Is he connected to Michael Sandford?

My son is absolutely certain that the address on Ancestry for Bridget is Dinorben Street.

Kath. x

Hi Kath,
I have a William Sandford married to Honor/Annie? O'haraand they had at least 2 children(Michael and Catherine). Michael married Bridget but was killed in ww1,Catherine was my mums nan and died in ww2 civilian casualty. For some reason Annie O'hara lived with my mum when she was young and died in 1950 aged 95 in a home of some sort. We dony know what happened to her hubby but she always said that her husband and sons? died in the war.Its all quite confusing to me not sure whether to start at my mum and work backwards form there,any advice will be appreciated. thanks kim xxxxxxxxxx

You should always start with yourself and work backwards generation by generation.

This seems to be William Sandford and Annie O'Hara's marriage:-

Name: William Sandford
Year of Registration: 1885
Quarter of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec
District: Liverpool (1837-1934)
County: Lancashire
Volume: 8b
Page: 192

On the same page is Annie O'Hara.

The certificate would give you their approximate ages (sometimes people lie) and the names of both of their fathers.

Kath. x