Pretty early on in my family history search I found a whole new branch to my family, which I had never heard of. My great grandfather Henry Gibson (b. 1848 in Blackburn, living in Bolton by 1901) had two families, one with 5 children, and a later one with only my grandfather. Until last year I thought that my grandather was an only child, and that my father had no uncles or aunts, whereas in fact he had 5!
However, it is possible that they were all dead by the time my father was born. Lilian (b. 1885) died in 1901, and the two boys (Walter, b. 1884, Harry b. 1890, both in Blackburn) could easily have died in WW1. By 1901 Annie (b. 1880, Blackburn) was in Blackpool trying to make a living as an artist. I don't know any more about her yet. Emmeline (b. 1888, Blackburn) later married a Gordon Aitken (b. 1885, Leeds). He doesn't seem to have served (no medal card), but then I can't find him listed in the bmd index on ancestry, so maybe he died abroad. The one Aitken descendant I have found on genes reunited knows nothing about him, which may or may not be indicative.
Looking on the CWGC website, I have found a large number of W. Gibsons, and rather fewer H. Gibsons. I have narrowed the 'potential Walters' down to 16, and the 'potential Harrys' to 8. None of the casualties from the obvious local regiments seemed to be my men.
Can anyone advise me on what to do next? I would ask for look-ups in the 'Soldiers who died in the Great War' database, but I don't know much about it, it's probably expensive and 25 is a lot to ask. If anyone is willing to help, please pm me and I'll send you the list, if not, gentle redirection would be appreciated!
However, it is possible that they were all dead by the time my father was born. Lilian (b. 1885) died in 1901, and the two boys (Walter, b. 1884, Harry b. 1890, both in Blackburn) could easily have died in WW1. By 1901 Annie (b. 1880, Blackburn) was in Blackpool trying to make a living as an artist. I don't know any more about her yet. Emmeline (b. 1888, Blackburn) later married a Gordon Aitken (b. 1885, Leeds). He doesn't seem to have served (no medal card), but then I can't find him listed in the bmd index on ancestry, so maybe he died abroad. The one Aitken descendant I have found on genes reunited knows nothing about him, which may or may not be indicative.
Looking on the CWGC website, I have found a large number of W. Gibsons, and rather fewer H. Gibsons. I have narrowed the 'potential Walters' down to 16, and the 'potential Harrys' to 8. None of the casualties from the obvious local regiments seemed to be my men.
Can anyone advise me on what to do next? I would ask for look-ups in the 'Soldiers who died in the Great War' database, but I don't know much about it, it's probably expensive and 25 is a lot to ask. If anyone is willing to help, please pm me and I'll send you the list, if not, gentle redirection would be appreciated!
Presumably if they did serve, they didn't die, and didn't get injured, so no pension. Flippin' bullet dodgers 
