My Father was in the Coldstream Guards 1940 to 1946. He enlisted in Brighton in 1940. He was sent overseas in 1943. Prior to going overseas he spent time in Birmingham and he listed his residence as 1/225 Barr street in May of 1943. Does anyone know if this address housed Coldstream Guards during this period.
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COLDSTREAM GUARDS IN WW2
- Thread starter ocker
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here is a map showing 1/225 barr st...as its a back house it would only have had 1 bedroom and 1 attic so i think it more likely your dad lodged there...was he married at the time ? click on link below to see the map
lyn
lyn
Hello Lyn. Thank you for your input. My father married my mother in 1943. On their marriage certificate it states he was in HMF and residing at 1/225 Barr street. I thought it strange that he would be lodging somewhere privately, when he may have been able to live within the army establishment. Also i wonder what he was doing in Birmingham when he joined up in Brighton in 1940. Each answer when i get them results in more questions.
pjmburns
master brummie
A couple of questions.
Was your Mother from Birmingham? What was her surname before she married?
What is your Father's surname?
Have you applied for his service record?
The address could simply have been used to allow a wedding at that church - we have seen that before - a friend's address used. Checking up was a lot harder back then.
Was your Mother from Birmingham? What was her surname before she married?
What is your Father's surname?
Have you applied for his service record?
The address could simply have been used to allow a wedding at that church - we have seen that before - a friend's address used. Checking up was a lot harder back then.
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Yes the names are correct. My Mom was from Hockley. Her Moms name was Todd. My Father was born in Epsom Workhouse in 1920. His Mother died a few days later. His father was unknown. He grew up in orphanages. I am trying to find out which ones. I have recently found out that he was admitted to St Peters Home in Malvern, Worcestestershire in 1928. I do not know how long he was there. I then found out that he lived in Horsham at the age of 19 years. The gap years are 1921 to 1928. 1928 to 1939. From 1940 onwards i have his army records (maybe not all) Thank you for your input. Also i am wondering where he was stationed prior to going overseas in 1943 and how he came to be living in Birmingham. Much appreciated. Kindest regards. Carl.
She never mentioned that. She did mention that she and her young baby were buried during German bombing which was probably 1943/4. I am not sure where this occurred within the Hockley area, maybe in a shelter or something. A rough time for everyone in that period.
Yes it is. Did you know of her or her family? She passed away in 1990 at 65 years. My Father passed away at only 57 years in 1978.
hi carl no i didnt know her family but i know the hockley area very well..reason i ask is because janice and myself have found your mom on the 1939 eve of war register living in martley worcs her date of birth is given as 7th may 1925 and she was working as a shop assistant..she is living with an elizabeth ford (does that name mean anything to you?.. and given that your dad was in homes also in worcs i just wondered if this is maybe how they met..
lyn
pjmburns
master brummie
On 1939 eroll for 1/225 Barr Street an Albert and Eva Ford are listed. I am wondering if they are related to the Elizabeth Ford that Irene was with at Martley. Is this how that address was used?
The address may just have been used for the marriage record and your Dad may not really have lived there.
The address may just have been used for the marriage record and your Dad may not really have lived there.
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Well you have put a s
Well you have put a spanner in the works (in afriendly manner) My Mothers address at birth was 11 back 7 Bridge Street West. This was the family address for many years and was also stated on her marriage certificate in 1943. Her Father died shortly before she was born and her Mother Elizabeth Barnes re- married a A. Ford. The story within our family is that my gran met my father in a pub in Hockley or close by and took him home to meet my Mom. I will try to get a copy of the 1939 eve of war register to check it out further. Regards Carl.
that all seems to fit then carl...looks like your mom went to live in martly with her mother elizabeth who according to the 1939 register was a widow born in 1882 so it looks like elizabeths 2nd husband had died by 1939
lyn
My husband’s Uncle who died 2013 at the age of I believe 91 also was in the Coldstream Guards during the war.
He enlisted aged 21 in 1941 serving also abroad. His regiment was part of the liberation of Enschede in Holland 1945.
Her served I believe until 1949 maybe longer.
However, he did appear to come home fairly regularly for leave in Birmingham. So perhaps that’s is why your Father address is listed.
He enlisted aged 21 in 1941 serving also abroad. His regiment was part of the liberation of Enschede in Holland 1945.
Her served I believe until 1949 maybe longer.
However, he did appear to come home fairly regularly for leave in Birmingham. So perhaps that’s is why your Father address is listed.
.
pjmburns
master brummie
1938-39 eroll the houses back of #7 seem to be called Poplar Avene but Elizabeth is listed there with, I assume, her husband. The register was published in Oct 1938
On 1939 register 11 back of 7 is not listed or is blanked out.
1945 eroll shows elizabeth back at Bridge Street West
So she must have taken Irene and moved to Martley at the start of the war.
On Ancestry the 1939 line for Irene is blanked out still but there is a transcript.
also ocker irenes mom elizabeth is listed as a metal pros worker...i know martley quite well and it was a hop picking area...each year in september hundreds of brummies travelled to hop picking areas to pick hops for a few weeks..it was seen as kind of holiday for people living in the big cities..a chance to be in the country side with fresh air...i suspect that their jobs as shop assistant and metal worker was what elizabeth and irene did back in birmingham as i cant imagine metal factories being in martley...when the hop picking season was over they came back to birmingham...this is just my thoughts on how they came to be in martley...i have a friend whos family went every year for years and they are also on the 39 eve of war register as living there
lyn
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yes jan i did that after i thought about them being there just for the hop picking..think thats sorted out the mystery of why elizabeth and irene was in martley...
lyn
Thank you so much. I am learning things about them i never knew. I do actually have vague memories of going Hop picking with my mom and older brother. Whether it was the same area i have no idea. I was too small to pull any hops down but remember climbing on them. I think we slept in a barn with straw for bedding. My brother and i would do a bit of damson scrumping in the yard where the trees were. I could have only been six or seven in the mid 1950s.
hi ocker we are always glad to help to fill in the blanks....i have only just noticed something...if you go back to post 18 and look at the 1945 electoral roll janice posted you will see elizabeth is living at 11 back of 7 bridge st west which was a back to back house but then i noticed that at no 7 which was a front house is alice harrington and violet davis...alice is my great grandmother and violet is her daughter...i knew they lived there but didnt look at the list properly..so my great gran and elizabeth must have known each other..what a small world it is 
was elizabeths first husband francis thomas barnes ? if so he died in 1924
lyn
was elizabeths first husband francis thomas barnes ? if so he died in 1924lyn
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G'day Lyn. That's right. He died just prior to my mom being born, so she never knew him. Only recently have i discovered a photo of him when he was in WW1. My Gran married someone whos surname was Ford. I think his first name was Alan. He died after a few years. As far as i know there were no children between them. As you say it is certainly a small world in many ways. My Mom became profoundly deaf and she always thought it started from being in a bombed building with my sister, just a baby in WW2. My Gran lived at 11 back of 7 for a good many years. Regards Carl.
hi carl i think she married albert ford...not sure if you need anymore info and you may have this already but on the 1921 census have got your gran with husband francis thomas barnes and 7 children living at 11 poplar avenue bridge st west...alberts occupation then was working for london and north west railway at new street station...one of the children thomas barnes aged 15 was disabled..ancestry have the marriage cert for one of the daughters of francis and elizabeth barnes who was lilian may barnes the date of the marriage is 21st of march 1925 but the address where living is most unusual...if you want anymore info let me know
lyn
lyn