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Hi, can someone with more family tree experience help me with these matters.
John Kingdon was mentioned in the 2.8.1918 London gazette on page 9243 but I can't find the London gazette in the genes papers section.
Also I hit a dead end with my 2xgreat granddad john Wilson born in Scotland in 1842 who moved to Wolverhampton and died in 1870 aged 28 his wife was esther brotherton and he listed his father as james on his marriage licence but I can't find any reliable info on Johns location of birth or his parents.
Was Bruce Kingdons war records lost/destroyed over the years? He was born Barnstaple 1888 and though I've found he was killed in action, I can't find his record or his brother Johns.
Finally, if anyones close to st peters church in Swansea, could they please email me if they're planning a visit as I live 100's miles away and though I've phoned them, I always get the voicemails unanswered. I would appreciate some pictures taken of my descendents graves emailed to me in case they hold additional info. Thanks for any help you may give me.

The London gazette has been merged with the other editions and is now just "The Gazette" and is not on Genes. The link to John Kingdon's entry is below

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30830/supplement/9243

For people born in Scotland you need Scotland's People website. It is very good but there are lots of other members who can tell you more about it than I can.

Some war records can be viewed on Ancestry and I am sure that someone on here with a subscription will help, if you don't have one yourself.

Name: Bruce Kingdon
Birth Date: 21 Apr 1888
Death Date: 25 Oct 1916
Cemetery: Vimy Memorial
Burial or Cremation Place: Vimy, Departement du Pas-de-Calais, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France
Has Bio?: Y
URL: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-.

Birth: Apr. 21, 1888
Death: Oct. 25, 1916

Private, #622376, 44th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (New Brunswick Regiment), who died age 27 on 25th October 1916 in the Area of the Somme.
Son of John E. Kingdon & Elizabeth Limebeer of Barnstaple, England. Husband of Rela Viola Kingdon (nee Drennar), of 249, Kilbride Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Burial:
Vimy Memorial
Vimy
Departement du Pas-de-Calais
Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France
Plot: Final resting place unknown. Name listed on the Vimy Memorial.

Name: Bruce Kingdon
Gender: Male
Age: 22
Birth Year: abt 1888
Date of Arrival: 21 Jul 1910
Vessel: Empress of Britain
Search Ship Database: Search for the Empress of Britain in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Port of Arrival: Quebec, Canada
Port of Departure: Liverpool, England

did rela / reta marry again
Name: Reta Viola Kingdon
Gender: Female
Spouse: William Arnold Drenner
Marriage Date: 1 Apr 1918
Marriage Place: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
URL: http://vitalstats.gov.mb.ca/Qu...

Staffordshire marriages Transcription

First name(s) John
Last name Wilson
Age 19
Birth year 1843
Marriage year 1862
Marriage date 21 Jan 1862
Marriage place Wolverhampton, St John
Denomination Anglican
Residence Paradise Street
Father's first name(s) James
Father's last name Wilson
Spouse's first name(s) Esther
Spouse's last name Brotherton
Spouse's age 18
Spouse's residence Dudley Road
Spouse's father's first name(s) Edward
Spouse's father's last name Brotherton
County Staffordshire
Country England
Archive reference D3785/1/6
Page 206

1901 census

is John = Jack

Name: John Kingdon
Age: 46
Estimated birth year: abt 1855
Relation to Head: Head
Gender: Male
Spouse: Elizabeth Kingdon
Birth Place: Barnstaple, Devon, England
Civil Parish: Barnstaple
Search Photos: Search for 'Barnstaple' in the UK City, Town and Village Photos collection
Ecclesiastical parish: Harracott and Tawstock St Andrew
County/Island: Devon
Country: England
Street address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status:

View image
Registration district: Barnstaple
Sub-registration district: Bishops Tawton
ED, institution, or vessel: 16
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 2153
Folio: 49
Page Number: 15
Household schedule number: 91
Household Members:
Name Age
John Kingdon 46
Elizabeth Kingdon 48
Sydney Kingdon 19
Brace Kingdon 13
George Kingdon 11
Jack Kingdon 10
Save

Hopefully this is John, as it's only 9 months until his marriage - time for a spot of courting! Address Paradise Street as per marriage transcription
Unfortunately, the census says no more than Scotland for his place of birth - sometimes you get lucky and an actual place has been written down

1861 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
11, Paradise Street, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
John Wilson Lodger Unmarried Male 19 1842 Iron And Tin Plate Worker Scotland

If you have the marriage certificate, does it give James Wilson's occupation?

http://www.britishmedals.us/files/KINGDONjm.pdf

(google brings above for John Kingdon, with mention of Bruce, George and Sydney John)

Chris :)

Bruce Kingdon's attestation papers on this link:

http://goo.gl/zGYxhu

Libraries Archives Canada are undertaking the long, slow process of digitising the full service records so always worth checking every few months to see if the additional information has been added to his record.

http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/first-world-war-1914-1918-cef/Pages/search.aspx

This has some extra information from the Canadian Virtual War memorial:

http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/1570115?Bruce%20Kingdon

On Bruce's arrival in Canada in 1910 he was going to join his sister in Manitoba but I can't make out the name of the city.

Field Value
County Staffordshire
Place Wolverhampton
Church name St John
Register type
Register entry number 30412
Marriage date 21 Jan 1862
Groom forename John
Groom surname WILSON
Groom age 19
Groom condition Bachelor
Groom abode Paradise Street
Groom occupation Tinman
Bride forename Esther
Bride surname BROTHERTON
Bride age 18
Bride condition Spinster
Bride abode Dudley Road
Groom father forename James
Groom father surname WILSON
Groom father occupation Tinman
Bride father forename Edward
Bride father surname BROTHERTON
Bride father occupation Gas tube fitter
Witness1 forename George
Witness1 surname LEA
Witness2 forename Mary Ann
Witness2 surname BROTHERTON
Notes Banns; Recorded by Edward PIZEY

Matthew, were you aware that the mention of John Kingdon in the London Gazette was as a recipient of the Military Medal?

Royal Artillery Military Medal awards

First name(s) J
Last name Kingdon
Service number 49756
Rank Sergeant
Unit or regiment -
Service Royal Field Artillery
Award Military Medal
Award year 1918
Gazette date 06.08.1918
Residence High Wycombe
Dataset Royal Artillery Military Medal awards 1916-1995
Record set Royal Artillery honours & awards

It does look as though John's service records were amongst the 70% or so of British WW1 records that were destroyed during WW2. (The same fate didn't apply to Canadian Forces records)

ADDED:

Here's John's medal card

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/keepsafe/asset/details/19536561

Bruce in 1911 (we Canadians mis-spell names too)

Bruce Kingdom

in the 1911 Census of Canada

Name: Bruce Kingdom
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Single
Age: 24
Birth Date: Apr 1887
Birth Place: England
Relation to Head of House: Roomer
Immigration Year: 1906
Race or Tribe: English
Province: Manitoba
District: Winnipeg City
District Number: 24
Sub-District: 60 - Winnipeg
Sub-District Number: 60
Place of Habitation: 724 Elgin
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
McFadden 24
Francis McFadden 21
Bruce Kingdom 24
David Robinson 23

List all Matches...
MARRIAGES: 1 to 1 of 1
GROOM'S LAST NAME: KINGDON
GROOM'S GIVEN NAMES: BRUCE
BRIDE'S LAST NAME: WILSON
BRIDE'S GIVEN NAMES: RETA VIOLA DATE OF MARRIAGE: 02/11/1911
PLACE OF MARRIAGE: WPG
REGISTRATION NUMBER: 1911,003435
REGISTRATION DATE:

A child of that marriage:

Last Name: KINGDON
Given Names: DORAS EVELINE
Sex: FEMALE Date of Birth: 22/11/1913
PLACE OF BIRTH DETAILS Name of Hospital:
Place of Birth: WINNIPEG
USUAL RESIDENCE OF MOTHER Address:
City, Town, Village, Rural:
Province: Country:
MAILING ADDRESS OF MOTHER (IF DIFFERENT FROM RESIDENCE OF MOTHER) Address:
City, Town, Village, Rural:
Province: Country:
OTHER PARTICULARS Duration of Pregnancy: wks Number Liveborn Including This Birth: Number Stillbirths:
Birth Weight: grams Parents Married: YES Mother's Marital Status: MARRIED
FATHER'S DETAILS Last Name: Given Names:
Place of Birth: Date of Birth: Age:
MOTHER'S DETAILS Maiden Last Name: WILSON Given Names: RETTA VIOLA
Place of Birth: Date of Birth: Age:
Date of Registration:

Reta Viola's remarriage:

LAST NAME: DRENNER
GROOM'S GIVEN NAMES: WILLIAM ARNOLD
BRIDE'S LAST NAME: KINGDON
BRIDE'S GIVEN NAMES: RETA VIOLA DATE OF MARRIAGE: 01/04/1918
PLACE OF MARRIAGE: WPG
REGISTRATION NUMBER: 1918,021027
REGISTRATION DATE:

Reta in 1921?

Reta Drennan

in the 1921 Census of Canada
Record Image View

Name: Reta Drennan
Gender: Female
Marital Status: Married
Age: 26
Birth Year: abt 1895
Birth Place: Ontario
Relation to Head of House: Wife
Spouse's Name: William Drennan
Father Birth Place: Ontario
Mother Birth Place: Ontario
Racial or Tribal Origin: Irish
Province or Territory: Manitoba
District: Winnipeg North
District Number: 39
Sub-District: Winnipeg (City)
Sub-District Number: 20
City, Town or Village: Ward 3 Winnipeg
Section Number: 477 Aikens St
Municipality: Ward 3
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
William Drennan 28
Reta Drennan 26
Edith Drennan 9
Doris Drennan 7
Betty Finley 21
Maria Finley 23
Pearl Finley 16
Verna Winley 17

Another Kingdon child but mis-spelled as Kingdom:

CHILD'S DETAILS Last Name: KINGDOM
Given Names: EDITH MILDRED
Sex: FEMALE Date of Birth: 15/08/1912
PLACE OF BIRTH DETAILS Name of Hospital:
Place of Birth: WINNIPEG
USUAL RESIDENCE OF MOTHER Address:
City, Town, Village, Rural:
Province: Country:
MAILING ADDRESS OF MOTHER (IF DIFFERENT FROM RESIDENCE OF MOTHER) Address:
City, Town, Village, Rural:
Province: Country:
OTHER PARTICULARS Duration of Pregnancy: wks Number Liveborn Including This Birth: Number Stillbirths:
Birth Weight: grams Parents Married: YES Mother's Marital Status: MARRIED
FATHER'S DETAILS Last Name: Given Names:
Place of Birth: Date of Birth: Age:
MOTHER'S DETAILS Maiden Last Name: WILSON Given Names: NETTA VIOLA
Place of Birth: Date of Birth: Age:
Date of Registration: