Victor Saunders, Lydney Tinplaters, WW1 Soldiers. (General)

by Jefff , West London, Middlesex, Tuesday, February 06, 2018, 20:20 (2269 days ago) @ pauline anne

Dear Pauline,
thanks so much for your kind words, it was my pleasure trying to help, especially given the WW1 background. And no you've not been a long time replying, far from it.
I'm not sure why I didn't think to focus more on Victor, hopefully we can put that right !.

I see he is also on the Lydney Memorial, which helpfully tells us;

"Victor John SAUNDERS, Cpl 201167 13th Gloucestershire Regt. 29 year old youngest son of Victor & Helen Saunders of 7 Hill Street, Lydney. Tinplate worker 1911. Enlisted Bristol 27 January 1915. Died 22/3/1918. Buried near Peronne Communal Cemetery Extension."
http://www.deanweb.info/war.html

Here's his entry in this site's WW1 Soldiers database;

Record_ID: 4794
Year: _
Surname: SAUNDERS
Forename: Victor John
Rank: Private (A/corporal)
Regiment: 4th (Reserve) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment 13th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment
Service_Number: 201167 3844 (CWGC No)
Residence: Lydney
Notes_1: Enlisted 27 January 1915 KIA 22 March_1918 Remembered or Buried in PERONNE COMMUNAL Cemetery EXTENSION (IV H 19) 'Buried near this spot'
Notes_2: Wounded, May_1916
Newspaper: _
Date_Published: _
Image: _
Soundex: S536

I now see you mentioned Victor and his immediate family in this prior post from a few years back, and their Census records etc were covered by Slowhands, so I won't repost that info except to say that according to FamilySearch both Victor and his older brother Hubert were also tinplate workers, no real surprise there of course.
http://forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=30508

Slowhands' posted the full Census info for their parents John & Helen/Ellen right back until the 1881, unluckily for us they married just a few weeks after the 1871.
He also gave John's prior Census records etc showing he was born abt March 1846 to Charles & Hannah Saunders, both of Lydney. The marriage record shows John's wife Helen/Ellen was born abt 1852 to parents William & possibly? Elizabeth Mallard, again of Lydney area. Searching this FoD site's PRs database gives;

Record_ID: 291954
Entry_Number: 646
Year: 1852
Month: Apr
Day: 12
Parents_Surname: MALLARD
Child_Forenames: Ellen
Fathers_Forenames: William
Mothers_Forenames: Mary
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Primrose Lane
Occupation: Hammerman
Officiating_Minister: Charles Taylor
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P209 IN 1/4
Page_Number: 81
Parish_Chapel: Lydney
Soundex: M463

So it looks like the witness Elizabeth Mallard at Ellen's wedding was maybe her sister ?

Record_ID: 291827
Entry_Number: 518
Year: 1850
Month: Aug
Day: 4
Parents_Surname: MALLARD
Child_Forenames: Elizabeth
Fathers_Forenames: William
Mothers_Forenames: Mary
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Newherne
Occupation: Forgeman
Officiating_Minister: Charles Taylor
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P209 IN 1/4
Page_Number: 65
Parish_Chapel: Lydney
Soundex: M463

And yet again this forum sees a lady who may have been Baptised Helen, or Ellen, but hard to tell which was her parent's preference given the usual Dean dialect problem of dropped "h"s.

See database to find PRs for their siblings Mary Ann and Charles.

Can also find;

Record_ID: 125114
Entry_Number: 134
Year: 1848
Month: Oct
Day: 7
Grooms_Surname: MALLARD
Grooms_Forenames: William
Grooms_Age: Of full age
Groom_Condition: Bachelor
Grooms_Occupation: Forgeman
Grooms_Residence: Newherne
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: MALLARD
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: William
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Labourer
Brides_Surname: ROBERTS
Brides_Forenames: Mary
Brides_Age: Of full age
Brides_Condition: Spinster
Brides_Occupation: Servant
Brides_Residence: Lidney Vicarage
Brides_Fathers_Surname: ROBERTS
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: James
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: Labourer
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns: [not stated]
Signature_or_Mark: Both sign
Witness_1: Charles Henry Wooles
Witness_2: Lucy Yaff[?]
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: Charles Taylor
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P209 IN 1/15
Page_Number: 67
Parish_Chapel: Lydney
Soundex_Groom: M463
Soundex_Bride: R163

1851 Lydney, Monmouthshire, Wales
Household Role Sex Age Birthplace
William Mallard Head M 22 Iron forge man. Lydney, Gloucestershire
Mary Mallard Wife F 32 Foundhope, Herefordshire
Mary Ann Mallard Daughter F 1 Lydney, Gloucestershire
Elizabeth Mallard Daughter F 0 Lydney, Gloucestershire
James Williams Visitor M 23 Sawyer. Lydney, Gloucestershire

1861 Albert Street, Lydney, Monmouthshire, Wales
Household Role Sex Age Birthplace
William Mallard Head M 35 Forgeman. Lydney, Gloucestershire
Mary Mallard Wife F 42 Fownhope, Herefordshire
Mary Ann Mallard Daughter F 11 Lydney, Gloucestershire
Elizabeth Mallard Daughter F 10 Lydney, Gloucestershire
Hellen Mallard Daughter F 8 Lydney, Gloucestershire
Charles Mallard Son M 5 Lydney, Gloucestershire

1871 Lydney, Monmouthshire, Wales
Household Role Sex Age Birthplace
William Mallard Head M 43 Innkeeper. Lydney, Gloucestershire
Mary Mallard Wife F 52 Foundhope, Herefordshire
Mary A Mallard Daughter F 21 Barmaid. Lydney, Gloucestershire
Elizbeth Mallard Daughter F 20 Barmaid. Lydney, Gloucestershire
Helen Mallard Daughter F 20 Barmaid. Lydney, Gloucestershire
Charles Mallard Son M 15 Lydney, Gloucestershire
Albert W Mallard Son M 0 Lydney, Gloucestershire
William Diamond Lodger M 30 Birmingham, Warwickshire
Maria Diamond Wife F 25 Crediton, Devonshire
Henry Diamond Son M 5 Crediton, Devonshire
Clara Diamond Daughter F Chalford, Gloucestershire
Thomas Long Lodger M 45 Ne?

William Mallard is listed as being at the Swan in the 1879 Kelly's Directory for Lydney.
http://www.forest-of-dean.net/joomla/index.php/resources/kelly-s-directory-1879/63-lydn...

This pub/hotel in Newerne Street is one of Lydney's oldest, this detailed history includes mention of William; http://www.gloucestershirepubs.co.uk/AllGlosPubsDatabase/RAIGConnection.php?pubid1=1421
https://www.sungreen.co.uk/Lydney/Newerne_St_3_views.html

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SO that was the easy bit, now to try and find the link, if any, between Victor and the other brave Saunders boys.

More to follow .....