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Walker Thomas of Henry Street

Steph Thompson

proper brummie kid
I have been trying to find anything about my granddads early life. On his navy papers he put his address as 91 Henry Street but I can only find Sarah Silk there. Would there have been other families living in the house? The houses look very large. He joined up in 1905.
 
Welcome Steph. I’m sure it’s an oversight, but please use the normal ‘please’ and ‘thank you’s’ when requesting info. Our members voluntarily help others, and those courtesies go a long way.

Can you tell us your grandads name please ? I’m sure members will try and help with your request. Then I shall move your post to our surname interests section.

Thanks
Viv.
 
Sorry if you think I was being rude it was a very general enquiry and therefore just chatty.

My granddad was Thomas Walker, he joined the navy when he was 19 in 1905. I believe he was an only child but my dad knew very little about his early life. He did not return to Birmingham after his militarily service, marrying in Belfast and then moving to Preston.
I would appreciate any info that could help me go back another generation.
Thanks you.
 
hi steph and welcome so we are looking for thomas walker born 1886 in birmingham...i take it you do not have the names of your great grandparents in which case we need to try and find him on the 1891 and 1901 census papers hopefully living with his parents

lyn
 
Thanks Steph. Shall now move your post to the surname interests section. Good luck with your research. Viv.

Edit. Done.
 
Hi Steph - as Lyn said the more extra info you can give us then it helps identify the right Thomas Walker. Do you have him on the censuses? Also I am not sure what he would be listed on after the 1901 census and in 1905.
 
Hi Steph - as Lyn said the more extra info you can give us then it helps identify the right Thomas Walker. Do you have him on the censuses? Also I am not sure what he would be listed on after the 1901 census and in 1905.
Thanks for the interest. I can not find him on 1901 or 1891 census. I have searched for a birth certificate as I know his date of birth. I have been looking for some time but can find nothing.
The only other thing I know is that he may have worked for the railway as a stoker.
 
Doesn't help but in 1901 William Bull and his 7 children lived at 91 Henry Street. Sarah Silk was there in 1911 with her 5 children.

1906 rates book shows that a Thomas Walker lived at 91 Henry street for at least part of the time. His name is there and crossed out, replaced with another name. I think that means he left part way through the year. (I also think the 1906 rates is a record of the previous year but need to check that). So he must have been renting it. Unfortunately not all years are online.
1618912048069.png
 
Sorry for all the questions - do you know if he had any brothers or sisters?

Just done a bit more digging and the second name on the rates book - Thomas Joseph Lawrence seems to be involved in quite a number of properties (not necessarily owning but probably renting). I now wonder if your Thomas rented a room in the property - I am not sure why his name was in the rates book.
 
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My dad said he was an only child but he seemed not to know much. I will have a look at the rates book. He my have lived there only for a short time and without his family. Sounds like he could have joined up to get away from something.
Thanks again.
 
I don't know when your Grandad died but have you looked for him on the 1939 reg? The bit I posted from the rates book is all there is.
 
I was hoping you wouldn't ask :) - no I couldn't decipher it but will have another look.
One last question - I assume he is the Thomas Walker (railway stoker and born Erdington January 1886) whose list of ships I found on Ancestry - since you had the address I assume you have his full service record? I wondered if there was a next of kin or any other smidgeon of info to give us a clue.
 
Oh great. In that case I am sorry to say it is like looking for a needle in a haystack. The only clue is "Erdington" - trouble is even baptism records aren't a lot of help as they often don't record a dob and some baptisms are ages after the birth.
 
I have enlarged the entry on the rates book and think it says "pt ???". I suspect it just refers to the fact he was only there for part of the year.
1618918745060.png
 
Could the Thomas Walker on the rates possibly be his father?

There is a Thomas Walker b1886 Erdington living in Heneage St, Duddeston with parents. No siblings.
 
Who did he marry?
There is a tree on Ancestry (may or may not be correct) which suggests he married in Belfast a Mary Marshall in 1920. Perhaps Steph can confirm that. No idea if an Irish marriage cert would help with Father's name.
 
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