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Hi All,

Please can anybody help me with my mysterious great granddad Arthur Stone please?
Until yesterday I didn’t know his name as it’s always been kept secretive within the family.

Arthur’s name was not on my granddad Ronald Stone’s birth certificate (born in Southampton), however it did appear on his marriage certificate to Iris West on 23/08/1941 in Shirley Southampton.

It had Arthur’s occupation as a Seaman and deceased, which narrows his death to between October 1918 and August 1941 as Ronald was born 13/07/1919.

The other unusual occurrence is Ronald’s mum was Caroline Alice Stone (born 1905c) and she was not married. Was Arthur Stone perhaps a relative, or is it just a coincidence they share the same surname?

I’m aware my granddad Ronald Stone served in WW2, so I’m wondering if the army stored personnel records with information on his parents? Or perhaps there would be navy records for Seaman but I don’t know if Arthur Stone was just ported in 1919 at Southampton or lived there.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Many Thanks

David :-)

I would imagine that Ronald was the illegitimate son of Caroline and he made up a father's name at time of marriage. Quite a common occurence.

Births Dec 1919 (>99%)
------------------------------------------------------------
Stone Ronald Stone Southampton 2c 110


(can you see a Birth for Caroline on below link)

http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl

Chris :)

It may be that Ronald's was at some point told that his father was a seaman called called Arthur and so that first name was joined to his own surname for the purpose of the marriage certificate.

There is a Navy service record for a Arthur Stone on the National Archives site, i cant say that its your Arthur, but you can download the info but it will cost £3-36,but i dont think there will be info on his personal life more about his service

Name Stone, Arthur Official Number: 165106 Place of Birth: Gosport, Hampshire 06-01-1868

Admiralty: Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services. General series to 1907. Name Stone, Arthur Official Number: 165106 Place of Birth: Gosport, Hampshire 06-01-1868.
Collection: Records of the Admiralty, Naval Forces, Royal Marines, Coastguard, and related bodies
Date range: 01 January 1891 - 31 December 1891
Reference:ADM 188/268/106
Subjects:Armed Forces (General), Navy

Link

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/royal-naval-seamen.htm

George

Thank you all I have done a little more digging and found an Arthur Edward Stone 1901c in the Southampton 1911 census. And there is also a record of an Arthur Edward Stone in the Merchant Navy Seamen 1835-1941 who was born 1902c in Southampton. However I can’t find a death certificate for him which could confirm it.

The problem is all your theories could be correct, he may not exist at all or his surname may not be Stone.

Thank you George however I feel that Arthur may not be the one, he would be roughly 37 years older then Caroline although it's possible.

I guess my next step is to make enquiries to see if the army held records on Ronald's parents, and if so how I go about ordering them?

Many Thanks

David :-)

There are numerous Arthur Stones in the Merchant Navy , including at least four born Southampton.

Even if one were your man, and he isn't a 'facesaver', it would be hard to establish a connection.

Last name: STONE
First names: Arthur Henry Fredk
Age:
Day of birth: 22
Month of birth: May
Year of birth: 1894
Place of birth: Southampton
County/country of birth: Hampshire
Card type: CR10
Discharge number: 857510
Identity certificate no.: 132531
Series: BT350
Date range: 1918-1921
Piece number:

Last name: STONE
First names: Arthur Edward
Age:
Day of birth:
Month of birth:
Year of birth: 1901
Place of birth: Southampton
County/country of birth: Hampshire
Card type: CR1
Discharge number: 1637902
Identity certificate no.:
Series: BT349
Date range: 1921-1941
Piece number:

Last name: STONE
First names: Arthur
Age:
Day of birth: 14
Month of birth: November
Year of birth: 1888
Place of birth: Southampton
County/country of birth: Hampshire
Card type: CR10
Discharge number: 344112
Identity certificate no.: 844881
Series: BT350
Date range: 1918-1921
Piece number:

Last name: STONE
First names: Arthur
Age:
Day of birth:
Month of birth:
Year of birth: 1880
Place of birth: Southampton
County/country of birth: Hampshire
Card type: CR1
Discharge number: 1081319
Identity certificate no.:
Series: BT349
Date range: 1921-1941
Piece number:

EDIT: Seems I was posting same time as David, so Snap with Arthur Edward!

Shame there wasn't a photo on his card - you might have been able to look for a family resemblance.

Try this page for info:

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/WhatWeDo/Personnel/ServiceRecords/

Apparently it does take a very long time for the information to be found and sent to you though.

Thank you Kucinta I have now completed the mod application forms, so I guess it's now a waiting game!

In the meantime I'll keep searching for Arthur's that died between 1918 and 1941 who was a seaman – Unfortunately I guess that's all I can do?

Thank you all for your help.

David :-)

Hi All,

I'm still waiting for the MOD forms to come though which is of no surprise. However my Nan has since remembered Caroline had a boyfriend in her later years possibly called Arthur Waterhouse who was in Ronald’s wedding photo.

Apparently he was not his biological father, and after searching for a baptism record to no avail I’m coming to terms I may never find out.

Thank you all for your help
:-)

MOD records arrived today - only Ronald's mother was listed. Also my mum visited the Southampton Archives and they coud not find a baptism record.

Thank you for all your help but I doubt I will now never find out.