Military Chat

looking for a william colston ( caulston )was named on my uncles death certificate as the father. On my grandmothers death certificate mentioned as William fitzgerald colston. cant find on any records, Any ideas would be appreciated.

Olive - can you give a time frame please?
When did your uncle & grandmother mother die?
Assuming he was named on your grandmothers MC, when & where was this? Was he in the Royal Engineers at that time?

If relevant, soldiers records after 1920 are still with the MOD. You can send for a copy at a cost of £30.
This is the link for obtaining UK service records:
http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/service_records.html

Assuming he served only during WW1, in the region of 70% of the records were destroyed during WW2 bombing.

Is this his birth?

William Fitzgerald Colston
Registration Year: 1901
Registration Quarter: Oct-Nov-Dec
Registration district: Farnham
Inferred County: Surrey
Volume: 2a
Page: 131

Unless he lied about his age, he's unlikely to have served in WW1. In which case its down the MOD route. Records can take a number of months to arrive.

Berkshire, England, Electoral Registers, 1840-1965
William Fitzgerald Colston
Residence Year: 1925
Street address: 7 West Hill
Residence Place: Reading, Berkshire, England
Katesgrove Ward

Living with James & Helen Colston - his parents?

1939 register for James & (H?)ellen

Colston Household (2 People)
7 West Hill , Reading C.B., Berkshire, England

FIRST NAME(S) LAST NAME(S) DOB SEX OCCUPATION MARITAL STATUS SCHEDULE SCHEDULE SUB NUMBER
James Colston 08 Apr 1864 Male Tailor (Retired) Married 192 1
Ellen Colston 15 Jan 1870 Female Unpaid Domestic D Married 192 2

Might this be your grandparent's marriage?

WILLIAM
Last name CAULSTON
Marriage quarter 4
Marriage year 1929
Registration month -
MarriageFinder™ WILLIAM CAULSTON married
Muriel F Curtis
Spouse's last name Curtis
District Kingston
County Surrey
Country England
Volume 2A
Volume as transcribed 2A
Page number 1185

James was an Army Man

1901 -
James Colston
Age: 37
Estimated birth year: abt 1864
Relation to Head: Head
Gender: Male
Spouse: Helena Colston
Birth Place: Scotland
Civil Parish: Aldershot Military in Stanhope and Wellington Lines
Search Photos: Search for 'Aldershot Military in Stanhope and Wellington Lines' in the UK City, Town and Village Photos collection
Ecclesiastical parish: Aldershot St Michael
County/Island: Hampshire
Country: England
Street address:
Occupation:
Condition as to marriage:
Education:
Employment status:
View image
Registration district: Farnham
Sub-registration district: Aldershot
ED, institution, or vessel: Third Gordon Highlanders Imperial Yeomanry

Piece: 613
Folio: 95
Page Number: 25
Household schedule number: 1
Household Members:
Name Age
James Colston 37
Helena Colston 27
James Colston 5
Marguerite Colston 4
Agnes Colston 2
Constance Colston 4/12

1911??

1911 Census of Canada
James Colston
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Married
Age: 28
Birth Date: Apr 1863
Birth Place: Scotland
Relation to Head of House: Head
Immigration Year: 1909
Race or Tribe: Scotch (Scotish)
Province: New Brunswick
District: York
District Number: 36
Sub-district: 35
Sub-District Number: 35
Place of Habitation: Campbell
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
James Colston 28 - born April 1863
Helene Colston 37 - Jan 1874
James Colston 15 - Feb 1896
Margarette Colston 12 - Dec 1899
Agnes Colston 12 - Mar 1899
William Colston 9 - Nov 1901 <<<<
Reginald Colston 8 - Nov 1902
**Twindolen Colston 5 - Apr 1906
Gladis Colston 2 - Aug 1908
Edward Colston 5/12 - Dec 1910

Emigrated in1909. Edward was born in New Brunswick, Canada
** Twindolen was in fact

COLSTON, GWENDOLINE NELLIE MAY (mmn) FITZGERALD
GRO Reference: 1906 J Quarter in FARNHAM Volume 02A Page 138

Free search on GRO

Married Ellen Fitzgerald 29/9/1896 in South Stoneham, Southampton.

Marriages Sep 1896 (>99%)
COLSTON James S. Stoneham 2c 172
FITZGERALD Ellen S. Stoneham 2c 172

Detail taken from British Army WWI Pension Records 1914-1920
James Colston
Gender: Male
Birth Date: abt 1865
Birth Place: St Ninians, Stirling, Scotland
Age: 19
Document Year: 1884
Regimental Number: 1748
Regiment Name: Highland Light Infantry
Form Title: Short Service Attestation
Number of Images: 14

James enlisted on 28 Feb 1884 for 21 years. He extended his Service & was discharged 25 Feb 1907.
He was a Tailor when he enlisted & a Master Tailor when discharged.

Originally James' NOK was his father - looks like Peter Colston.

Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950
James Colston
Gender: Male
Birth Date: 8 Apr 1864
Birth Place: Stirling,Stirling,Scotland
Father: Peter Colston
Mother: Margt. Amos
FHL Film Number: 6035516

The image *might* be on Scotlandspeople, a pay to view site.

His birth reg
Surname COLSTON
Forename JAMES
Gender M
Year 1864
Ref 490/ 160
RD Name Stirling

You can pay to view to view and download the image

Going back to William -
His birth was also registered in the British armed forces and overseas births and baptisms

William F
Last name Colston
Sex Male
Birth year 1901
Place Aldershot
Country England
Type Armed Forces
Regiment Army Hospital & Medical Corps
Archive General Register Office
Source Gro Regimental Birth Indices (1761 To 1924)
Record's year range 1901
Volume 613
Page 139
Line number 1
Archive reference REG1
Record set British Armed Forces And Overseas Births And Baptisms
(Findmypast)

Can't find a death. Was he known to be alive when your grandmother died?

MURIEL FREDA
Last name COLSTON
Gender Female
Birth day 4
Birth month 7
Birth year 1910
Death quarter 2
Death year 1970
District Easthampstead
County Berkshire
Volume 6A
Page 55
Country England

Thank you for all this information.
My Uncles death 13th may 1945 at Radcliffe. aged 2. States father as William Colston
My Grandmother died at Broadmoor Hospital. Husband William fizgearld colston.
I found the newspaper of her trial the other day which it says they believe he was Canadain and might have died. my grandmother was not well at the time.

Thank you for all of that and all the places to look i am very grateful that has help me alot.

William is not mentioned on any of the birth certificates,David was 2 (died) and also a twin with Doris. My dad Robert Colston only new is mum until the war. he was born in 1935 He was evacuated.

My grandmother died April 27th 1970

How sad. The 1945 newspaper reports say that she’d been separated for about 10 years. It also explains why the children were called illegitimate. So if William had died, it would be between 1935-1945.

The 1911 Candadian census does say the whole family were Canadian even though only the youngest listed was born there. They’d only been there for 2 years!
Although I don’t know the details, apparently there were few formalities for British immigrants to become Canadian citizens at that time.

If William had died, it should show on his military records if he was still in Service. Buy his BC to get his date of birth, then apply for a copy.