UK, WWII Civilian Deaths, 1939–1945

Discussion in 'Newspapers & Other Publications' started by Malcolm Webb, Feb 5, 2015.

  1. Malcolm Webb

    Malcolm Webb Well-Known Member

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    Just found this collection on Ancestry -- it may also be elsewhere.

    As the title suggests, it lists civilians killed during WW2 all over Britain. I came across it quite by accident but I found it fascinating looking at the list of deaths for Sheffield which was blitzed by German bombers in December 1940.

    It gives some very precise family relationships for each death -- wife/husband of; son/daughter of; etc. It also gives place of residence and place and date of death.

    I am now hoping to link the 10 Wolstenholme's killed on 12 and 13 December 1940 with my wife's family of Worstenholme (slight difference in spelling), who also originated from Sheffield.

    I hope some of you find this useful.

    All the best.
     
  2. Doug

    Doug Administrator. The Main Man. Staff Member

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    Thanks Malcolm.
     
  3. The Artful Dodger

    The Artful Dodger R.I.P.

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    Thank you Malcolm. I have now found what happened to my 3rd cousin who was a Stretcher Bearer in the area of Grove Lane, Camberwell.
     
  4. The Artful Dodger

    The Artful Dodger R.I.P.

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    Have just noticed that on both this record and the National Probate Calendar, the given name of his wife is different from how here given name was recorded at birth, baptism, marriage and death.

    National Probate Calendar - Dorothy Edith
    U.K. W.W.11 Civilian Deaths - Doris

    Her baptismal names were Dorothy Adelaide Gertrude.

    Should I post corrections to both sources?
     
  5. Flora

    Flora Well-Known Member

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    Thanks Malcolm; this just might throw some light on a few family puzzles
     
  6. Malcolm Webb

    Malcolm Webb Well-Known Member

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    In my view this depends on whether you have original evidence of the birth/baptismal name. We all know how names can be changed throughout life by people adopting pet names or information being given by those who "think" they know someone's name and when they were born.

    I have made a couple of edits on Ancestry, but only where I have a certified copy of the birth certificate.

    On that score, I have a certified copy of a birth certificate (a copy of the handwritten entry) from the GRO where the name differs in spelling from the entry in the church register. Which is correct? For my own purpose, I have taken the church register as being correct.

    All the best.
     
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  7. The Artful Dodger

    The Artful Dodger R.I.P.

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    Thanks Malcolm.

    There is now a 50/50 chance this is not my bloke.:eek:
     
  8. LianeH

    LianeH Well-Known Member

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    Thanks Malcolm although it's worth noting it's probably not complete. My gt. Uncle is not listed and I know he was a civilian casualty of the blitz but still good to know it's there for future reference
     
  9. Bonzo Dog

    Bonzo Dog Still the Mad Scientist?

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    The site www dot familyresearcher dot co dot uk, which appears to be free to view, has a comprehensive list, with personal details, of the civilians who died in the Coventry Blitz of 1940 and who are buried in the London Road cemetery.
     
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  10. PeterG

    PeterG Well-Known Member

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    Am I missing something here?

    This is a reproduction of a Commonwealth War Graves Commission publication. This data has been available online free of charge for many years on the CWGC web site.
     
  11. Malcolm Webb

    Malcolm Webb Well-Known Member

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    Thanks Peter. I now see that the original source is the CWGC.

    As far as I can see, the CWGC site is searchable by name only -- i.e. you need to have some idea for whom you are searching.

    On Ancestry, as well as searching by name, you can also view the entire 7 volumes on-line and look at individual parishes and get all the people killed in a particular parish -- as I did with Sheffield which is of particular interest to me. I did not find such a facility on the CWGC website. Am I missing something?

    All the best.
     
  12. PeterG

    PeterG Well-Known Member

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    I don't know. Ease of searching to achieve a particular end is another issue.

    However it isn't correct that you can only search the CWGC site by name. I'm currently looking at a list of civilian war dead classified under "Sheffield, County Borough". Mind you, I'm not sure that I would be able to repeat it.:D
     
  13. Malcolm Webb

    Malcolm Webb Well-Known Member

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    Thanks Peter. I think "ease of searching" is probably the issue here.

    I didn't actually say the CWGC site is only searchable by name, I said "As far as I can see . . . . ." Having gone back into the CWGC site I still can't see a way to turn up the entire list of civilian war dead for Sheffield County Borough (which is the example we are using) so obviously I can't see very far :(

    If you could repeat your search on CWGC and tell us the path to the lists, I am sure researchers on here without an Ancestry subscription would be very appreciative.

    All the best.
     
  14. Bonzo Dog

    Bonzo Dog Still the Mad Scientist?

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    Malcolm, hope this is helpful. The CWGC home page has a number of tabs, and the fourth from the left is Find a Cemetery. Clicking on this takes you to the Cemetery Search page. On the LHS there is a button Cemeteries Near You. This takes you to a page where you can enter Sheffield, or wherever. There then appears a map showing all the cemetery locations, together with a list of links to each cemetery, with a See Casualty Records button for each individual cemetery.
     
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  15. Malcolm Webb

    Malcolm Webb Well-Known Member

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    Thanks Bonzo Dog. That was helpful -- eventually. Ease of searching does not appear to be on the list of priorities of CWGC does it? :confused:

    If I am seen on this forum criticising Ancestry in future, please feel free to slap my wrist :D:D

    All the best.
     
  16. Bonzo Dog

    Bonzo Dog Still the Mad Scientist?

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    Brings an old song to mind - There's a long, long trail a winding. :D
     
  17. mugwortismy cat

    mugwortismy cat Tenacious to the End!

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    You need to be on the Advanced Search form, I would specify United Kingdom for country commemorated in, specify WW2, tick the box for Civilian War Dead, start typing in Sheffield in the Cemetery or Memorial box and several options should come up, choose Sheffield, County Borough and that should be all your Sheffield ones :)

    I do it quite often, when I am researching my Hackney War Dead -- which I haven't done for a while :( but I haven't forgotten them ...

    [edit] btw I understand it is an early version of the CWGC info., so the website probably has more names gathered other a longer time
     
  18. Malcolm Webb

    Malcolm Webb Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for that. I did get there in the end after the penny dropped.

    All the best.
     
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  19. Bonzo Dog

    Bonzo Dog Still the Mad Scientist?

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    Thank you for that information. :) It didn't tell me where my grandmother's cousin, who was a civilian war casualty, is buried, but I now have a certificate that shows, while he died in an air raid on Birmingham his home address was in London. Another puzzle, but another useful piece of information.
     
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  20. Sandra Parker

    Sandra Parker Well-Known Member

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    I have many instances of a name being written differently on official personal registers and census. I tend to accept them all, and use the one used by the person once they were able to write/sign if available. Otherwise I tend to stick with the Baptismal record, or the first original record I find, and list the alternatives.
    Otherwise all of them are in the mind of the beholder,listener, or transcriber, which leads to a wide variety of spelling, especially if it was a name of more than 1 syllable.
    Sandra
     
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