Genealogy Chat

I am looking for the parents of William John Bignall 1895-c1917. He was married to Frances Haffenden. I think he was born in Cardiff.

Could this be him?

UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919

Name: William John Bignall
Birth Place: High Wycombe ???
Death Date: 3 Aug 1917
Death Location: France & Flanders
Enlistment Location: Shoreditch
Rank: Private
Regiment: South Wales Borderers
Battalion: 11th Battalion
Number: 22932
Type of Casualty: Killed in action
Theatre of War: Western European Theatre

I'd suggest the marriage certificate to get his father's info:

Surname First name(s) Spouse District Vol Page
Marriages Dec 1913
Bignell William J Haffenden Lewes 2b 387
Haffenden Frances B Bignell Lewes 2b 387

If he was born in Cardiff then I think this may be his birth (although the surname is recorded as Bagnall):-


Name: BAGNALL, William John
Registration district: Cardiff
County: Glamorganshire
Year of registration: 1895
Quarter of registration: Jul-Aug-Sep
Mother's maiden name: Not available before 1911 Q3
Volume no: 11A
Page no: 356A

EDIT - FORGET THIS ONE - he appears to have died as a baby:-

Name: BAGNALL, William John
Registration district: Cardiff
County: Glamorganshire
Year of registration: 1895
Quarter of registration: Oct-Nov-Dec
Age at death: 0
Volume no: 11A
Page no: 173

Kath. x

I wonder why he isn't on the CWGC website.

Edit: Comes up No Results Found when I put him in. The only Bignall death in 1917 on CWGC is for Clifford Bignall.

He is on CWGC but as W J Bignall

I get no results on the war graves site when searching for W. J. Bignall - wonder why??

Kath. x

My computer decided to take a break. Sorry but the spelling is slightly different


BIGNELL, W J
Rank:Private
Service No:22932
Date of Death:03/08/1917
Regiment/Service:South Wales Borderers
11th Bn.
Grave ReferenceLXII. C. 3.
CemeteryTYNE COT CEMETERY



Also this one but a year later. The medal card for this one is under Bignall
BIGNELL, W J
Rank:Private
Service No:40924
Date of Death:21/04/1918
Regiment/Service:Middlesex Regiment
1st/8th Bn.
Grave ReferenceI. A. 10.
CemeteryDAINVILLE BRITISH CEMETERY

Best advice - purchase the marriage certificate.

If he married in Lewes, Sussex this could be his birth :


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Births Sep 1891 (>99%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BIGNELL William John Steyning 2b 299

Son

England & Wales, Birth Index, 1916-2005
about George W J Bignell
Name: George W J Bignell
Mother's Maiden Surname: Haffenden
Date of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep 1916
Registration district: Lewes
Inferred County: Hampshire
Volume Number: 2b
Page Number: 246

First child

England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
about Frances R Bignell
Name: Frances R Bignell
Mother's Maiden Name: Haffenden
Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1914
Registration district: Newhaven
Inferred County: Sussex
Volume: 2b
Page: 274

1901 England Census
about Frances B Haffenden
Name: Frances B Haffenden
Age: 14
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1887
Relation: Servant
Gender: Female
Where born: Little Horsted, Sussex, England

Civil parish: Cliffe
Ecclesiastical parish: St Thomas a Beckett
County/Island: Sussex
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status: View image

Registration district: Lewes
Sub-registration district: Lewes
ED, institution, or vessel: 14
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 84
Piece: 917
Folio: 69
Page Number: 12
Household Members: Name Age
Edith E Smith 37
James A Smith 11
Florence E Smith 9
Hubert L Smith 4
Walter C Knight 22
Mark Ellis 22
Frances B Haffenden 14 **********************

Second marriage for Frances.

England & Wales, Marriage Index, 1916-2005
about Frances B Bignell
Name: Frances B Bignell
[Frances Beatrice Haffenden]
Spouse Surname: Piper
Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1919
Registration district: Lewes
Inferred County: Sussex
Volume Number: 2b
Page Number: 547

Henry A Piper Bignell Apr-May-Jun 1919 Lewes Sussex

???????

1891 England Census
about Frances Haffenden
Name: Frances Haffenden
Age: 4
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1887
Relation: Daughter
Father's Name: Mark Haffenden
Mother's Name: Harriett Haffenden
Gender: Female
Where born: Little Horsted, Sussex, England

Civil parish: South Malling
Ecclesiastical parish: South Malling
County/Island: Sussex
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Registration district: Lewes
Sub-registration district: Lewes
ED, institution, or vessel: 12
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 798
Folio: 84
Page Number: 18
Household Members: Name Age
Mark Haffenden 38
Harriett Haffenden 28
Nathaniel Haffenden 8
Frances Haffenden 4
Mark Haffenden 1

You really do need to buy the marriage cert for Frances and William as there are two Frances Haffenden. One born 1891 and this one born 1886.


England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
about Frances Beatrice Haffenden
Name: Frances Beatrice Haffenden
Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1886
Registration district: Uckfield
Inferred County: Sussex
Volume: 2b
Page: 126

I wonder if this is your William John as it is transcribed as William F but it reads William J definately. He is a sheppherd.

1911 England Census
about William F Bignell
Name: William F Bignell
Age in 1911: 19
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1892
Relation to Head: Boarder
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Patcham, Sussex
Civil parish: Eastbourne
County/Island: Sussex
Country: England
Street Address: Halfway House Beachy Head Road Beachy Head Eastbourne
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: shepherd
Registration district: Eastbourne
Registration District Number: 71
Sub-registration district: Eastbourne
ED, institution, or vessel: 31
Household schedule number: 267
Piece: 4843
Household Members: Name Age
Freidick Boys 58
Dorcas Boys 57
Frank Boys 27
Willie Boys 3/12
William F Bignell 19 *******************************