TOPIC:

A mystery man indeed! Your original post stated that you believe that J W Elliott to be your G Grandfather and that he was killed on the date you suggest? If you have doubts that it isn't your G Grandfather then the information pertaining to 517 JW Elliott may be misleading. Can I ask what lead you to thinking that this was your man? My research is based solely on the Imperial Light Infantry Elliot. I did mention the 24th regiment of foot may not be linked. Although the same surname and number does match and he could still be a contender but not a certainty. If your G G married in Australia circca 1880 is there any documentation on where he lived, worked, family etc? You mentioned you have information on his wife? If the J W Elliott is the casualty who served in the Imperial Light Infantry and turns out to be your G Grandfather he must have left Australia to return to South Africa.
Without further information from the family ie date of birth and possible birth location your mystery man, may indeed remain a mystery.

I went digging and discovered I may know more than I thought. These are what may be true from my research. Joseph William was born in Iscoyd, Cheshire. Dates vary a little from 1850-1852. He was christened on 25th July 1852 @ Malpas Cheshire. Father Joseph. Mother Elizabeth. Father died 12 Feb. 1861 in Leftwich Cheshire. Nothing known about mother.
Joseph William appears to have come to Australia landing in Brisbane 31st August 1873. He then came to Sydney on board Steamship Blackball December 1st 1876.
A reference that may apply to him is UK Military Campaign Medal and Awards Rolls 1793 - 1949 for J W Elliott
Africa -> South Africa -> Infantry of the Line -> Leicestershire and Royal Irish Regiments.
In a family history I have reread, it says Joseph enlisted in England where he happened to be when the Boer War broke out. He rose to be a lance corporal in the British Army before he was killed. The date given for his death has always been given as 1901.This information would probably have been supplied to the family tree book by either my father or Uncle. Surely notification would have been sent to his family. He had a son and daughter. Hope that is helpful. Regards
Elizabeth

Hello Elizabeth
Thanks for the additional information. How confident are you with the data you have which has been passed down through the generations?

Firstly, Iscoyd is in Wrexham Flintshire North Wales. He was baptised in Cheshire. If he was born in Iscoyd? in 1861 aged 8 he was living with his Mother Elizabeth and his sister Sarah and brother John. Location Whitchurch Chester. 1881 aged 27 he is recorded in Wolverhampton lodging and working on the railway.1891 aged 37 has him lodging with a Anne Fairhurst occupation millwright in Crewe Cheshire. 1901 aged 47 still lodging in Crewe Cheshire, 1911 aged 57 still lodging at Crewe and working as a railway engineer. So, if this is your G Grandfather he was alive and well after the Boer War. Interestingly, I couldn't find a census for 1871 ref Iscoyd for J W Elliott, so perhaps he went off to Oz and then returned. As for his military history, I personally think he is not the man who was in the Imperial Light Infantry, he died in 1900, your family believe your J W Elliott was killed in 1901 and serving in a British regiment? Ref the Leicestershire connection, there was a Joseph William Elliot who served in Natal 1879 but he was born and bred in Leicester so again, I don't think it's relevant.....I will keep searching for a military connection ? and will of course let you know if I find anything relevant.
Best wishes.
Dave........

I have investigated where Iscoyd is and it does appear to be bordered by Wales, Shropshire and Cheshire so it doesn't seem to be such a leap to feel that this may well be him. If as you seem to have been able to ascertain he was living in all those other places, then I think we can put him aside as my G grandfather and I guess I start again. The one piece of information I do have that I think must be authoritative concerns his father. My brother sent me a photo of Joseph William's father. On the back it says Joseph Elliott. Died Feb. 12 1861 aged 30. Master Watchmaker Spring Bank Leftwich Cheshire. Is this a reasonable starting point?

Hi Dave,
The following information I was able to locate on New South Wales Births, Deaths and Marriages here in Australia and I was wondering if it may be able to assist you further in finding relevant information on Joseph William Elliott. The information from ElizabethRLove was correct about the marriage in Sydney in 1880 of Joseph W. Elliott to a Louisa Masey Bucknell -




Also located from a period paper a marriage announcement -




Also located on NSW BDM, the birth in 1881 of a son by the name of William Joseph B. Elliott -



I was unsuccessful in finding any other children registered on Births, Deaths and Marriages for NSW, but there is always a chance that other children may have been born in either a different State or Country.

Unfortunately, time is getting away from here this evening and I'll be up early for work. I not going to get a chance of looking on Ancestry until tomorrow night and I'm hoping this might be another lead that we need to gain some fruitful information on this mystery man.

Trev

Hello Elizabeth / Trev
I have found a Joseph Elliot who died in the 1st Quarter of 1861 aged 41. recorded in Nantwich Cheshire. No mention of occupation , will try and find more details on him later.


J W Elliott's mother was a Shropshire lass and was born in 1820 at Whixall Shropshire. The 1881 census has her living on her own in a cottage with 3 acres at Iscoyd Flintshire. 1891 She is at the same location aged 71 and living with her son John Elliot.

I guess the question still remains about our mystery man J W Elliott?
As this forum is dedicated to the Boer War I guess we should try and solve the enigma either way if at all possible.

He makes his way to Brisbane 1873. (Where does he go?)
Onto Sydney 1876 (Where does he live / work? )
He marries Miss Louisa Bucknall.1880 (Where do they live?)
He is believed to have fathered 2 children? 1881?( Are they with the mother)
Does he return to England to join up?
Does he make his way from Australia to South Africa?
Does he disappear and return to England and not serve in the Boer War?

I have a question regarding the family's conception regarding his death..... Is it 1900 or 1901?

If it transpires it's 1901 we are back to the drawing board.
If it is 1900 our man in the Imperial Light Infantry could be back in the frame?

As for the information I found on the J Elliot who was born in Iscoyd, it may be our man if he decided to do a runner and leave his wife and family. Returning to England 1881, moving from boarding house to boarding house, having never served in the Army during the Anglo Boer war?
I'm hoping the Australian archives may help in some way regarding immigration records? Or any additional info regarding his time in Australia.

Best regards


Dave......