great grandad william morrall

[celia]

hi all
yes its me again
i wonder if i can pick someone brains
i am trying to find my great grandad william morrall
he was last on the 1891 cencus living with his wife louisa morrall andn his children
how ever he his not on the 1901 census and his wife is living with another family as a border and the children at dotted about
he is not on the 1911 census either but his first wife louisa is
my husband came up with a good idea maybe he was in the army ???
now i did my sums and he would have been 55 or 56 years old at the time of the first world war
would it have been possable for great grandad to join army to fight the first world war or would he have been to old
and with his age against him would be able to join the army at all

his details
william morrall
born 1857 /58
in st thomas birmingham

can anybody help im wondering why someone can vanish out of thing air and not be on any of the census but what i do know is he did meet my great grandmother clara addison nee chambers and had my grandad horace and they later married in 1933 so where did william morrall go

many thanx in advance for all your help
celia xxxxx

 

[Old Boy]

Celia,

Your query about your gt grandfather William Morrall is a little confusing.
First of all as a married man with children there is no way he would be in any of the armed forces when in his fifties.

You say that he met and married Clara Addison, had a child Horace, and married in 1933. Are you sure that the William Morrall on the 1891 census
with a wife Louise and children was, in fact, your great grandfather?

How old was he when he married Clara Addison ? If you are correct he was 73 years of age. Not impossible but not likely.

The William Morrall, born 1857/58, possibly died between 1891 and 2001.

Old Boy

 

[celia]

hi old boy
yes my great grandfather did marry clara addison in 1933 at the grand old age of 76 years they have 3 children between them their youngest being 17 at the time they married i have their marriage cert
i have been reseaching my great grandfather for the last 3 months and been wortking with his date of birth and can trace him from the 1861 census through the 1891 census and then he vanishes
all i wonted to know was would it have been possable given his age that he may have joined the army as i can not find him on the 1901 1911 census

 

[celia]

hi old boy
i forgot to mention that he died on 24 january 1937 i have his death certs and have been to visit his grave in handsworth cem

celia

 

[Old Boy]

Celia,

I am sure that someone on the Forum will come up with a better suggestion than myself. However I think it extremely unlikely that he was in the armed forces.

Perhaps he was working abroad. What was his occupation by the way? Best of luck in your research.

Old Boy.

 

[Chris_Baker]

It was not impossible to be in the army of WW1 as a 50 year old married man, but it is not a strong probability. There were a number of routes and reasons why he could be in the army; not least being that conscription was extended to 50 year olds in 1918. Up to then he could have been with a Volunteer or similar unit at home.

 

[celia]

hi chris
thankyou very much for your reply
the reason why im asking is because
i can trace my great grandfather on the census from 1861 to 1891 then he vanishes he is not on the 1901 or 1911 census and then turns up some where around 1904 with the birth of his first son from his second marriage.
im trying to look at all reasons and possabilites as to his disapearance and my hubby came up with a good idea he may have possably joined the army
I know its a stab in the dark but its worth a go
the only thing now is going through all the army records i can find
do you have any ideas as the best way to go about it

many thanx
celia
xxxxxxxxx

 

[Chris_Baker]

First, I can confirm that there are no surviving service records for William from the 1914-1918 period and no likely-looking candidates in the medals index (but if he had only served at home he would not be listed there unless discharged early).

Given his age I would start with the WO97 collection at the National Archives. This includes service record papers for men discharged up to 1913. Unfortunately it is not online and needs a trip to Kew. The papers are in alphabetical order of name so easy to search.

I would also see if I could find him on the 1918 Absent Voters List or Electoral Roll. That would give his location.

 

[Old Boy]

Celia,

Have you considered the possibility that William Morrall left his wife Louisa after 1891 but before 1901?

He could then have set uo home with Clara Addison but was unable to marry her because he could not get a divorce perhaps for religious reasons He finally married Clara Addison in 1933 at the age of 73 having had 3 children together. Perhaps Louisa had died and William wanted to put things on the proper level.

I would try and find Clara Addison in the census and see with whom she was living. Also remember that people did not always put their true name in the census and, if it suited them, they could easily dodge the census altogether..

Old Boy (Chris)

 

[Astonian]

check the welsh cencus in the momonth area [gilwern] just out side abergavenny momouth astonian ,;

 

[Astonian]

william morris was in the army and at some time he was living on a hill
and he use to teach boxing to kids i beleive he done some boxing in the armyand he was teaching kids boxing in an army cadet hall in gilwern these kids was army cadets
the royal artillery corps around in the very early fifties the cadets was under the crickcowl in the early fifties as as i recall right up to 1960-61
he used to drive a maroon morris oxforfd saloon. he was geting on in age with is wife
best wishes astonian;;