November 2022 update

 Hi

You will have noticed I've not been adding to this website for some time. I've been concentrating on another project since 2018 which is still a long way from being finished, so updates on this site are a long way off. However, my database has a huge amount of information on many of the servicemen listed which I have yet to write up. If you see a name you want to know more about, please do get in touch and I'll be happy to share any information I have.

October 2017

I've just begun writing up entries on the thirty three servicemen belonging to the extended Crane family. This going to take awhile, to put it mildly. I've also been adding more people to the database - it's startling how many new names turn up. Then there are always newly released sources of information to investigate to discover possible new details for existing entries. So please don't think I've got bored with the project because the website isn't updated very often - it's just very time consuming work.

Serendipity is a wonderful thing. We visited Highgate Cemetery in July and by sheer chance came across the gravestone of Alfred Aldwinckle on our way out. He was father to a couple of the Aldwinckles with entries on the website, and I'd no idea that's where he was buried. 

2017 update

It's been a while since I wrote a blog, but that's not to say I've not been doing research. Since all the Aldwinckle information was uploaded, I've been adding many more names to my soldiers database. Mostly they are descendants of Cottingham families already identified, and are thus scattered across the UK and in several cases a long way outside it, mainly in Australia and Canada. It takes a lot of time to write up each entry for the website, so if you recognise a name on the list with no link yet to further information, please feel free to contact me. I will probably be able to tell you more.

Nine more histories have been added,  all relating to the Lines family. They are:
Frederick A Lines
Henry W Lines
Owen Lines
William G Scott
Ernest  R V Cowley
Albert Bazeley
Edwin W Bazeley
Walter Frank Bazeley
Arthur Bazeley

As always, the experiences of each serviceman vary more than you might expect and each has his own story. This group includes an underage marine and a prisoner of war who died four days before the war ended.  I have also been adding information onto my database on several men who were born in Cottingham but moved away well before 1914. One of them emigrated to Australia and may be the oldest serviceman so far found, enlisting one month short of his forty fifth birthday.

So many servicemen, so little time to write them up!

Binleys et al

I unintentionally deleted my two previous 2015 blogs - never answer the phone while keyboarding. For anyone interested, they referred to an expansion of last year's entries for the Dunkley brothers, and new entries for the Beadsworth family. All but one of the the Beadsworth soldiers who died in the War descended from the same couple in Drayton;  to discover which of them briefly played for Manchester United, have a look at their histories.

The most recent additions to the website concern the Binley family. I am indebted to Janice Binley of Cottingham (strangely enough Janice now lives in the house once occupied by my grandparents) who has generously shared her information with me. I have done further research into relatives and descendants of the Cottingham Binleys so in all there are thirteen new histories to read. Janice has also written an account of her family's antecedents which is published at www.craxfordfamily.co.uk. This fascinating website has a wealth of information on local families including an account of Barrack Yard co-written by Janice. 

I continue to research the individuals and families with Cottingham connections and enter the information onto my database, which is becoming positively gargantuan as a result. New  people keep turning up,  and new online sources of information appearing;  at this rate I will still be compiling entries ten years from now. In the meantime, you will find that the listing of each serviceman  now contains details of the regiment / battalion / unit in which he served, which should help anyone who wants to start his/her own research.  Please contact me if I can help you, or if you can help me. I am currently working on the West and Lines families.

July

I unintentionally deleted my two previous 2015 blogs - never answer the phone while keyboarding. They referred to an expansion of last year's entries for the Dunkley brothers, and new entries for the Beadsworth family. All but one of the the Beadsworth soldiers who died in the War descended from the same couple in Drayton;  to discover which of them briefly played for Manchester United, have a look at their histories.

The most recent additions to the website concern the Binley family. I am indebted to Janice Binley of Cottingham (strangely enough Janice now lives in the house once occupied by my grandparents) who has generously shared her information with me. I have done further research into relatives and descendants of the Cottingham Binleys so in all there are thirteen new histories to read. Janice has also written an account of her family's antecedents which is published at www.craxfordfamily.co.uk. This fascinating website has a wealth of information on local families including an account of Barrack Yard co-written by Janice.

I continue to research individuals and families with Cottingham connections and enter the information onto my database, which is becoming positively gargantuan as a result. New  people will keep turning up,  and new online sources of information keep appearing;  at this rate I will still be compiling entries ten years from now. In the meantime, you will find that the listing of each serviceman  now contains details of the regiment / battalion / unit in which he served, where known, which should help anyone who wants to start his/her own research.  Please contact me if I can help you, or if you can help me. .I'm currently working on the Lines and West families.

Chris

2015 is going to be a busy year. I've been busy adding information on several newly identified servicemen with Cottingham connections onto my database but the priority for January is adding to and amending information on servicemen  already uploaded onto the website. In particular a lot of new information on the military career of William Coles has recently been published on findmypast - my thanks to Amanda Taylor for notifying me.

Pual Goult of Corby Borough Council points out that the Core Theatre based in the Core, Corby is screening the film of the Battle of Coronel and Falklands mentioned in an earlier blog. It will be shown on Friday 16^th January  at 7:00 pm as part of the Centenary commemorations. At least two local seamen died at Coronel.