Find Ancestors

Wondering if anyone has any info or advice as to how I can find my great grandfathers military record? I can't find anything on 'Find My Past'-although I have a full subscription.William was in the Border Regiment with a Service No. ending in 96167.I believe he would have served from around 1925 ? He was still in the army in 1939 (on records in 1939 in Barrow-in-Furness),& in 1940 on his marriage certificate to my grandmother-who is also believed to have served?,he is listed as a General Labourer. This appears to be true due to photos we have,but again,can't find any records.She was called Lilian Townson,born 1902 in Barrow-in-Furness) Any help much appreciated.

If he was still in the army in 1939 his records will still be with the MOD, you can apply via

https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records

just for ref

Marriages Mar 1939 (>99%)
Dacre William Townson Barrow F. 8e 1026
Townson Lilian Dacre Barrow F. 8e 1026

1939

88 Salthouse Road, Barrow-In-Furness C.B., Lancashire, England

Dacre household

Lilian Dacre 23 Mar 1902 Female Unpaid Domestic Duties Married 71 1
M Lilian (Mary) Mason (Jones,Townson) 28 Aug 1924 Female At School Single 71 2
Eva L Mason 30 Nov 1925 Female At School Single 71 3
William Dacre 05 Apr 1910 Male Membership Military Married 71 4

Yes,that's him. I'd like to find out where they both were based between 1925 & 1939.After that date,I've got all the info I require.

Lillian in the 1911 census with her grandparents:-

1E Ramsden Dock Road Barrow-In-Furness, Barrow in Furness, Lancashire, England

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Age Birth year Occupation Birth place

John Shuttleworth Head Widower Male 77 1834 General Dock Labourer Middleton Nr Lancaster Lancashire
Mary Jane Shuttleworth Daughter Single Female 39 1872 House Keeping For Her Father Heysham Nr Lancaster Lancashire
Mary Elizabeth Shuttleworth Granddaughter - Female 14 1897 - Barrow in Fur Lancashire
John Townson Grandson - Male 11 1900 School Bentham Lancaster Lancashire
Lillian Townson Granddaughter - Female 9 1902 School Barrow in Furness Lancashire<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The service records (as posted by Rambling) will cost £30 and may take several months to arrive.

Kath. x

Looks to be 7 digits on that 1939 image (3596167)

(google brings up below)

Chris :)

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/a-soldiers-life-1914-1918/new-british-army-numbers-issued-in-1920/

(If your soldier has a seven-digit number (not including any prefixes) he was serving ... date for records and that his service record is still held by the Ministry of Defence. ... Up to 1920 there was no such thing as an “army number”. men had numbers issued by their regiment or Corps. ... 3589001, 3644000, Border Regiment.)

Just a bit of background info on Lilian, in case it helps:-

Name: Lilian Townson
Gender: Female
Baptism Date: 23 Apr 1902
Baptism Place: St. John, Barrow, Lancashire, England
Father: Frank Townson
Mother: Elizabeth
FHL Film Number: 1472012
...............................................
Name: Frank Townson
Gender: Male
Age: 20
Birth Date: 1876
Marriage Date: 23 May 1896
Marriage Place: St. John Evangelist, Barrow, Lancashire, England
Father: John Townson
**** Spouse: Elizabeth Shuttleworth
Father: John Shuttleworth
FHL Film Number: 1472012
Reference ID: item 5
.............................................................
siblings:-

TOWNSON, JOHN SHUTTLEWORTH
GRO Reference: 1899 D Quarter in SETTLE Volume 09A Page 8

TOWNSON, HAROLD SHUTTLEWORTH
GRO Reference: 1905 S Quarter in THE BURNLEY UNION Volume 08E Page 275
TOWNSON, HAROLD 0
GRO Reference: 1905 S Quarter in THE BURNLEY UNION Volume 08E Page 142
...................................

On John's military record:-

Name: John Townson
Gender: Male
Birth Date: abt 1899
Birth Place: Bentham, Yorkshire, England
Enlistment Age: 20
Document Year: 1919
Regimental Number: 207295
Regiment Name: Royal Army Medical Corps
Number of Images: 88
Form Title: Short Service Attestation
Other Records: Search for 'John Townson' in other WWI collections
Family Members:
Name Relation to Soldier
John Townson Self (Head)
F Townson Father

he gives his next of kin as:-

Mr F. Townson
Address:- Halfpenny Bridge Cottage, Preston, Lancashire

...........so possible that Lilian was also living there at the time.

For location INFO

Dacres in 1939

Name: Thos M Dacre
Gender: Male
Marital status: Married
Birth Date: 21 Jun 1881
Residence Year: 1939
Address: 31 Ramsden St
Residence Place: Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire, England
Occupation: Dock Labourer HEavy Worker
Schedule Number: 61
Sub Schedule Number: 1
Enumeration District: NAAJ
Registration district: 55 482-1
Inferred Spouse: Alice Dacre
Household Members:
Name
Thos M Dacre
Alice Dacre
Horace Dacre
This record is officially closed.
Alice Lyle
This record is officially closed.
William Muray

and in 1911

Name: Thos M Dacre
Age in 1911: 29
Estimated birth year: abt 1882
Relation to Head: Head
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Barrow, Lancashire, England
Civil Parish: Barrow in Furness
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England
Street address: 38 Paradise St Barrow In Furness
Marital status: Married
Occupation: Labourer Brass Foundry
Registration district: Barrow in Furness
Registration District Number: 482
Sub-registration district: Barrow in Furness
ED, institution, or vessel: 7
Piece: 25657
Household Members:
Name Age
Thos M Dacre 29
Alice Dacre 26
Horace Dacre 4
William Dacre 11/12
Jack Harrison 57

The Lilian M (Mary) Townson born 1924 from 1939 record, looks to be the illegitimate daughter of Lilian Townson:-

Name: Lilian M Townson
Registration Date: Jul 1924
[Aug 1924]
[Sep 1924]
Registration Quarter: Jul-Aug-Sep
Registration district: Barrow in Furness
Inferred County: Cumbria

Mother's Maiden Name: Townson

Volume Number: 8e
Page Number: 1143

...................so Lilian must have been in the area at the time of her daughter's birth.

Paul, you say

" & in 1940 on his marriage certificate to my grandmother "

but William and LIlian married in 1939, so could you explain the 1940 certificate or is that just a typo?

This ancestry member:- jonbev39
has a photo of William Dacre
Name William Dacre
Birth 05 Apr 1910
Death 1986
............can't view with it being private but you could maybe contact him to see if he has any other info.

Lilian (Junior) was illegitimate.Lilian (Senior) also had another illegitimate daughter-Eva Lucy in 1925-also in Barrow-in-Furness.The 1940 date for the marriage is my mistake..

Catherine-how would I contact an ancestry member?

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/pt/RequestTreeAccess.aspx?tid=84199068&pid=160060475608

follow the link above and it will take you to the page you need.
Just click on - Contact jonbev39
..........and you can send a message.

Hope it helps.

Tried it Catherine,had no response as yet.