Civilian 1843-1863 DateCommentsSource April-June 1843Birth of a William Franklin in the Brackley area who may be the future Colour Franklin.GRO Statutory Births June quarter 1843 Brackley XV 214 4th June 1843William James Franklin, the son of William and Ann Franklin and probably the future Colour Franklin, is christened in Helmdon.FamilySearch 30th March 1851A James Franklin, born in Helmdon, eight-year-old son of William and Ann, who is probably the future Colour Franklin, is working as a farm boy and living in Helmdon along with his parents and his siblings Frederick, six, also a farm boy; Jane, four; Elizabeth, two; and Richard, four months old.Census for England & Wales 1851: RG n° HO107; Piece 1735; Folio 466; Page 4; Registration District Brackley; Sub-District Sulgrave 1857-1863Some time during this period the future Colour Franklin is married, and his wife later dies. We know this because the certificate for his future marriage to Caroline Ellen Walsh 1873 will show him as a widower, but he was single when he joined the army and no other wife is listed in his army records.WF Enlistment; Gibraltar Chaplain's Returns 1873-74 page 303; WF Military History summary as at 1884 Army 1863-1884 DateCommentsSource 21st July 1863William Franklin begins the enlistment process at 6pm in Chatham.WF Attestation 22nd July 1863William is examined by an army medic in Chatham prior to enlistment. He is said to be nineteen, a labourer born in Helmdon, Northamptonshire, 5'7"or 5'7½", with a 36" chest, blue eyes, light brown hair and a fresh complexion, good muscular development and no injuries, marks or disabilities.WF Enlistment; WF Medical History form; Wiki 24th July 1863He enlists at Chatham "for a Bounty of £1.00 and a Free Kit" for a period of ten years as a Private with the 31st (Huntingdonshire) Regiment of Foot, a.k.a. the Young Buffs, who were to become 1st Battalion The East Surrey Regiment in July 1881. He formally attests at Rochester, about two miles from Chatham.WF Enlistment; WF Attestation; WF Record of Service; Wiki 25th July 1863William is re-examined and passed as fit to serve. His regimental number is 945. He is based at Chatham.WF Attestation; WF Medical History form 27th July 1863Vaccinated.WF Medical History form 1st December 1863Arrives at Plymouth.WF Medical History form 1st October 1864Arrives at Aldershot.WF Medical History form 1st December 1864Arrives at Plymouth.WF Medical History form 1st February 1865Promoted to Corporal.WF Record of Service; WF Medical History form 6th March 1866Arrives in Portsmouth.WF medical history table 24th July 1866Awarded Good Conduct Pay at 1d a day.WF Record of Service 1st August 1866Arrives in the Curragh of Kildare, southern Ireland.WF medical history table 1st February 1867Arrives in the Templemore area of southern Ireland.WF medical history table 11th June 1867This is when his Military History summary places him in Malta but it's eleven days out from his medical history table: this must be when he embarked on a ship.WF Military History summary as at 1884; WF medical history table 22nd June 1867Arrives in Malta.WF medical history table 3rd June 1868Promoted to Sergeant.WF Record of Service; WF Medical History form 14th July 1868Admitted to hospital with diarrhoea and treated with astringent and tonic. The cause is said to be climatic exposure.WF medical history table 29th July 1868Discharged from hospital.WF medical history table 7th August 1868Admitted to hospital suffering from anaemia, treated with alternating cod liver oil and tonics. Cause said to be "Unknown probably mental"WF medical history table 26th August 1868"To Sanitorium Citta Vecchia." Citta Vecchia is another name for Mdina, the old capital of Malta.WF medical history table 9th September 1868Discharged from hospital.WF medical history table 3rd March 1870"Examined by Surgeon Tucker and Passed fit for re-engagement"WF Medical History form 30th March 1870Re-engages as a Sergeant with the 31st Regiment of Foot at Valetta, Malta until he shall have completed twenty-one years of service.WF Record of Service 2nd June 1870Entitled to Good Conduct Pay @ 2d per day.WF Record of Service 16th March 1872This is when his Military History summary places him in Gibraltar but it's five days out from his medical history table: this must be when he embarked on a ship.WF Military History summary as at 1884; WF medical history table 21st March 1872Arrives in Gibraltar.WF medical history table 5th March 1873Appointed as Colour Sergeant.WF Record of Service; WF Medical History form 15th May 1873Admitted to hospital with inflammation followed by something in curly brackets that looks like "C & issue", due to vaccination. Treated with living fomenta.WF medical history table 19th May 1873Discharged from hospital.WF medical history table 9th June 1873Marries in Gibraltar to Caroline Ellen Walsh, an Irishwoman born in County Cork.WF Military History summary as at 1884; 1881 census; 1911 census Circa June 1873 - April 1874Birth of William and Caroline's son William J E Franklin - the same boy listed as one of his father's next-of-kin under the name W G Elliot Franklin. His full name was William George Elliot Franklin and he was generally known as George.1881 census for Hougham, Kent; WF Military History summary as at 1884; information from Jenny Franklin Circa April 1875 - April 1876Birth of William and Caroline's daughter Florence Blanche Franklin.1881 census for Hougham, Kent 24th July 1875Entitled to Good Conduct Pay @ 3d per day.WF Record of Service 27th December 1875Admitted to hospital suffering from an ulcer, treated with cold water. Illness caused by injury.WF medical history table 1st January 1876Discharged from hospital.WF medical history table 3rd May 1876Arrives in Portland, off the south coast of England.WF medical history table 24th July 1877Arrives in Aldershot.WF medical history table Circa July 1877 - April 1878Birth of William and Caroline's daughter Lillian Edith Franklin, after the family arrive in Aldershot.1881 census for Hougham, Kent 29th June 1878Arrives in Fleetwood.WF medical history table 9th March 1879Re-vaccinated, result perfect.WF medical history table 4th April 1879Arrives in Chatham.WF medical history table Circa April 1879 - April 1880Birth of William and Caroline's daughter Ethel Maud Franklin, after the family arrive in Chatham.1881 census for Hougham, Kent 24th July 1879Entitled to Good Conduct Pay @ 4d per day.WF Record of Service 30th October 1880Arrives in Dover.WF medical history table 21st February 1881Death at Poplar Place, Watery Lane, Aston of a William Franklin, a coal carter aged fifty-nine, who is probably the William who was married to Ann Brum and probably the father of Colour Franklin. The informant was his daughter Ruth Case of St Andrews Road, Aston, who was present at the death.GRO death certificate for the sub-district of Deritend, Warwickshire, Registration District Aston, seen by Jenny Franklin 3rd April 1881Colour Franklin is at the School of Musketry in Hythe, near Elham, Kent (where his age is wrongly recorded as thirty-nine), while his family are at the Grand Shaft Barracks, Hougham, Kent, on the cliffs above Dover.1881 census 1st July 1881The 31st Regiment of Foot become the 1st East Surrey Regiment, and William Franklin's Record of Service shows him being "reopened" as Colour Sergeant with the new regiment.WF Record of Service Circa 1881At some point after the birth of his son, and probably after 1st July 1881 when the 31st Regiment of Foot became the 1st East Surrey Regiment, William lists his next of kin as "Wife Caroline Ellen, Son W.G. Eliott, 1st E.S. Regt, father William & mother Jane [???] Birmingham, Warwickshire". His son was much too young to be a soldier, even by Victorian standards, so the reference to the regiment must be because his wife and son live in barracks. The area marked [???] is covered by brown sticky-tape which may or may not conceal the word "Betts".WF Military History summary as at 1884 15th November 1881Transferred to 2nd (South) Middlesex Rifle Volunteers (formed 1859, HQ at Fulham).WF Record of Service; Gommecourt commemorative web-page 1st June 1882Transferred as a Colour Sergeant to 1st Volunteer Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps. This seems to be the same outfit as Queen Victoria's Rifles, a famous and long-lived volunteer unit of sharpshooters based near Berkeley Square.WF Record of Service; The Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum 24th July 1884Entitled to Good Conduct Pay @ 5d per day.WF Record of Service 25th September 1884Date on Record of Service indicating some unspecified discontinuity probably relating to his pay, because there is a Staff Paymaster's stamp and signed confirmation that the records are correct as at that point. His Military History summary also shows a discontinuity on that date, so that he has two lots of Home service, from 3rd May 1876 to 25th September 1884 and then from 26th September 1884 to 14th October 1884. It looks as if possibly he was going to be discharged on 25th September 1884 and then changed his mind.WF Record of Service; WF Military History summary as at 1884 26th September 1884Continued as Colour Sergeant.WF Record of Service 14th October 1884Discharged at Winchester, the location of the Rifle Depot, the home base of the Rifle Corps since 1858. At some point on or prior to his discharge William is awarded the Good Conduct Medal, and his character and conduct on discharge are said to be "very good" and his habits temperate. His education is described but the layout of the form is ambiguous - it's not clear whether he has a "Hythe Certificate 2nd Class", or a Hythe Certificate and a 2nd Class Certificate of Education, although he would probably have to have been at least at 2nd Class Certificate level to make Sergeant.At the bottom of his Military History form an address is given on the line where the printed text begins "Died ..." - it's not clear whether this is indeed the address at which he died (which happened long after he left the army), or whether it's his home address when he was discharged, but I would expect the latter - if he had died, you'd expect there to be a date. The handwriting says "Address N° 6 Cassidy Road Fulham Rd London SW." and then a couple of letters one of which is partially torn away - possibly "UK".WF Record of Service; WF Military History summary as at 1884; WF Medical History form; Wiki: King's Royal Rifle Corps Civilian 1884-1922 DateCommentsSource 6th April 1889Birth in Gibraltar of William and Caroline's son Francis Arthur Franklin, known as Frank.information from Jenny Franklin Circa 1890William's son William George Elliot joins the East Surrey Regiment.Surmise based on the information that he was a Company Sergeant Major in 1922 and his brothers joined up when they were about sixteen. 5th April 1891As at the date of the census, an Ann Franklin who is probably the former Ann Brum, aged seventy-two and born in Radstone, is living as a pauper at the Aston Union Workhouse in Erdington.`891 census Piece: RG12/2427 Place: Aston -Warwickshire Enumeration District: 03 Civil Parish: Aston Ecclesiastical Parish: St Barnabas Folio: 87 Page: 1 Schedule: 0 Address: Aston Union Workhouse 10th February 1892William and Caroline's daughter Florence Blanche Franklin marries George Shirran, a Sergeant in 1st Battalion The Black Watch, in Gibraltar. They are living at South Barracks, Windmill Hill. On his daughter's registry entry, William Franklin's current occupation is given as "prison warder".GROS Statutory Marriages 1892 055/AF 0063; Military History summary as at 1905 12th November 1893Birth in Gibraltar of William and Caroline's son Ernest Albert Franklin (for some reason apparently known as George). William's occupation is given as a warden in the military prison of the Gibraltar garrison.information from Jenny Franklin 27th October 1897 (or thereabouts)Birth in Cork of William and Caroline's son Lancelot Thomas Franklin.1911 census for Reading; middle name from his army records, seen by Jenny Franklin 31st March 1901William J Franklin, aged fifty-four, born in England, a warder at the military prison in North East Ward, Cork City, is living at House 4 in the warders' quarters of the military prison along with his wife Caroline E Franklin, aged forty-four, born in Cork City, and their children Lillian E Franklin, aged twenty-three, born in England, single; Francis E Franklin, aged eleven, born in Gibraltar; George E A Franklin, aged seven, born in Gibraltar; and Lancelot Franklin, three, born in Cork City. All are members of the Church of England; all can read and write except for Lancelot, who can only read.Irish census of 1901, North East Ward, Cork City October - December 1904Marriage in Eltham of what is probably William's son William George E Franklin, his partner being either Rose Chester or Clara Louisa Willmore.GRO Statutory Marriages, December quarter, Elham 2a 2420 1894 - 1906Some time in this period William's daughter Lillian Edith marries Thomas Stone, a soldier or former soldier. Their marriage does not seem to be listed in the UK and they may well have married in either Gibraltar or Cork. That they were married can be seen from the appearance of this couple, with a five-year-old child, in the 1911 census, and the fact that Colour Franklin's death was reported by Lillian E Stone.1911 census RG14PN6255 RG78PN297 RD109 SD2 ED5 SN130; GRO death certificate for the sub-district of Aldershot, seen by Jenny Franklin 28th February 1905William's son Francis Arthur Franklin, a servant, joins the 9th Battalion The King's Royal Rifles at Cork.information from Jenny Franklin 3rd January 1906William's son Francis Arthur Franklin is discharged by purchase from the 9th Battalion The King's Royal Rifles at Mallow.information from Jenny Franklin 4th November 1907William's son Francis Arthur Franklin enlists in the East Surrey Regiment.information from Jenny Franklin 11th June 1908William's son Ernest Albert Franklin joins the East Surrey Regiment.information from Jenny Franklin 2nd April 1911The census shows William Franklin, an army pensioner aged sixty-nine (which is probably wrong) and born in Helmdon, Northamptonshire; Caroline Franklin, aged fifty-five, born in Cork but resident in England; their son Lancelot J or T Franklin, aged thirteen, born in Cork but resident in England; and Caroline's mother Caroline Walsh, a widow and old-age pensioner aged eighty-five, born in Southsea, Portsmouth; all living at 4 St George's Terrace, Reading. The couple are said to have had eleven live-born children, of whom seven are still living at this point.1911 census for Reading 2nd February 1912William's son Lancelot Thomas Franklin joins the East Surrey Regiment. He was to prove an ill-fitted and uncooperative soldier.information from Jenny Franklin 9th December 1915William's ninety-year-old mother-in-law Caroline Walsh dies of old age at the family home in Reading.GRO Statutory Deaths December quarter 1915, Reading 2c 471 Early May 1917William's son Ernest Albert Franklin becomes a prisoner of war.information from Jenny Franklin 31st March 1918According to the CWGC William's son Lancelot Thomas Franklin dies on this day. Lancelot went missing, presumed dead, but his death wasn't definitely confirmed until after the war.information from Jenny Franklin 9th December 1918William's son Ernest Albert Franklin returns from being a prisoner of war.information from Jenny Franklin December 1919The identity disc of William's son Lancelot Thomas Franklin is returned to his family, with a note saying he gets no stars or medals, although he would alter be granted the British War Medal 1914-19 and the Victory Medal.information from Jenny Franklin 30th December 1919William and Caroline's nineteen-year-old grandson William John George Shirran, son of their daughter Florence Blanche, dies of rheumatic fever.CWGC records; GROS Statutory Deaths 1919 685/04 1668 March 1920William and Caroline are informed as to the burial place (the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetary in France) of their son Lancelot Thomas Franklin.information from Jenny Franklin July - September 1920Death of Colour Franklin's son-in-law Thomas Stone, the husband of his daughter Lillian.GRO Statutory Deaths September quarter 1920, Hartley Wintney 2c 195 15th September 1920William's son Ernest Albert Franklin marries Ada Thirza Hinkley at Mitcham, Surrey.information from Jenny Franklin July - September 1922Marriage of William's son Francis Arthur Franklin to Mildred Martha Johnson.GRO Statutory Marriages September quarter 1922 Reading 2c 965 21st August 1922William James Franklin, an army pensioner aged eighty years, died of senile decay at 58 Park Road, Aldershot. The informant was Lilian E Stone, who was present at the death.GRO death certificate for the sub-district of Aldershot, seen by Jenny Franklin
Civilian 1884-1922 DateCommentsSource 6th April 1889Birth in Gibraltar of William and Caroline's son Francis Arthur Franklin, known as Frank.information from Jenny Franklin Circa 1890William's son William George Elliot joins the East Surrey Regiment.Surmise based on the information that he was a Company Sergeant Major in 1922 and his brothers joined up when they were about sixteen. 5th April 1891As at the date of the census, an Ann Franklin who is probably the former Ann Brum, aged seventy-two and born in Radstone, is living as a pauper at the Aston Union Workhouse in Erdington.`891 census Piece: RG12/2427 Place: Aston -Warwickshire Enumeration District: 03 Civil Parish: Aston Ecclesiastical Parish: St Barnabas Folio: 87 Page: 1 Schedule: 0 Address: Aston Union Workhouse 10th February 1892William and Caroline's daughter Florence Blanche Franklin marries George Shirran, a Sergeant in 1st Battalion The Black Watch, in Gibraltar. They are living at South Barracks, Windmill Hill. On his daughter's registry entry, William Franklin's current occupation is given as "prison warder".GROS Statutory Marriages 1892 055/AF 0063; Military History summary as at 1905 12th November 1893Birth in Gibraltar of William and Caroline's son Ernest Albert Franklin (for some reason apparently known as George). William's occupation is given as a warden in the military prison of the Gibraltar garrison.information from Jenny Franklin 27th October 1897 (or thereabouts)Birth in Cork of William and Caroline's son Lancelot Thomas Franklin.1911 census for Reading; middle name from his army records, seen by Jenny Franklin 31st March 1901William J Franklin, aged fifty-four, born in England, a warder at the military prison in North East Ward, Cork City, is living at House 4 in the warders' quarters of the military prison along with his wife Caroline E Franklin, aged forty-four, born in Cork City, and their children Lillian E Franklin, aged twenty-three, born in England, single; Francis E Franklin, aged eleven, born in Gibraltar; George E A Franklin, aged seven, born in Gibraltar; and Lancelot Franklin, three, born in Cork City. All are members of the Church of England; all can read and write except for Lancelot, who can only read.Irish census of 1901, North East Ward, Cork City October - December 1904Marriage in Eltham of what is probably William's son William George E Franklin, his partner being either Rose Chester or Clara Louisa Willmore.GRO Statutory Marriages, December quarter, Elham 2a 2420 1894 - 1906Some time in this period William's daughter Lillian Edith marries Thomas Stone, a soldier or former soldier. Their marriage does not seem to be listed in the UK and they may well have married in either Gibraltar or Cork. That they were married can be seen from the appearance of this couple, with a five-year-old child, in the 1911 census, and the fact that Colour Franklin's death was reported by Lillian E Stone.1911 census RG14PN6255 RG78PN297 RD109 SD2 ED5 SN130; GRO death certificate for the sub-district of Aldershot, seen by Jenny Franklin 28th February 1905William's son Francis Arthur Franklin, a servant, joins the 9th Battalion The King's Royal Rifles at Cork.information from Jenny Franklin 3rd January 1906William's son Francis Arthur Franklin is discharged by purchase from the 9th Battalion The King's Royal Rifles at Mallow.information from Jenny Franklin 4th November 1907William's son Francis Arthur Franklin enlists in the East Surrey Regiment.information from Jenny Franklin 11th June 1908William's son Ernest Albert Franklin joins the East Surrey Regiment.information from Jenny Franklin 2nd April 1911The census shows William Franklin, an army pensioner aged sixty-nine (which is probably wrong) and born in Helmdon, Northamptonshire; Caroline Franklin, aged fifty-five, born in Cork but resident in England; their son Lancelot J or T Franklin, aged thirteen, born in Cork but resident in England; and Caroline's mother Caroline Walsh, a widow and old-age pensioner aged eighty-five, born in Southsea, Portsmouth; all living at 4 St George's Terrace, Reading. The couple are said to have had eleven live-born children, of whom seven are still living at this point.1911 census for Reading 2nd February 1912William's son Lancelot Thomas Franklin joins the East Surrey Regiment. He was to prove an ill-fitted and uncooperative soldier.information from Jenny Franklin 9th December 1915William's ninety-year-old mother-in-law Caroline Walsh dies of old age at the family home in Reading.GRO Statutory Deaths December quarter 1915, Reading 2c 471 Early May 1917William's son Ernest Albert Franklin becomes a prisoner of war.information from Jenny Franklin 31st March 1918According to the CWGC William's son Lancelot Thomas Franklin dies on this day. Lancelot went missing, presumed dead, but his death wasn't definitely confirmed until after the war.information from Jenny Franklin 9th December 1918William's son Ernest Albert Franklin returns from being a prisoner of war.information from Jenny Franklin December 1919The identity disc of William's son Lancelot Thomas Franklin is returned to his family, with a note saying he gets no stars or medals, although he would alter be granted the British War Medal 1914-19 and the Victory Medal.information from Jenny Franklin 30th December 1919William and Caroline's nineteen-year-old grandson William John George Shirran, son of their daughter Florence Blanche, dies of rheumatic fever.CWGC records; GROS Statutory Deaths 1919 685/04 1668 March 1920William and Caroline are informed as to the burial place (the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetary in France) of their son Lancelot Thomas Franklin.information from Jenny Franklin July - September 1920Death of Colour Franklin's son-in-law Thomas Stone, the husband of his daughter Lillian.GRO Statutory Deaths September quarter 1920, Hartley Wintney 2c 195 15th September 1920William's son Ernest Albert Franklin marries Ada Thirza Hinkley at Mitcham, Surrey.information from Jenny Franklin July - September 1922Marriage of William's son Francis Arthur Franklin to Mildred Martha Johnson.GRO Statutory Marriages September quarter 1922 Reading 2c 965 21st August 1922William James Franklin, an army pensioner aged eighty years, died of senile decay at 58 Park Road, Aldershot. The informant was Lilian E Stone, who was present at the death.GRO death certificate for the sub-district of Aldershot, seen by Jenny Franklin
