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Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 1:38 pm

Hi, Doing a little research into Samuel Wassall, second of our local AZW VCs (other being Sgt Booth) . Hit a bit of a snag which I hope someone can help overcome. According to AZWHS - Robert Hope, Samuel was born 07/04/1856 at Moor Lane Kingswinford & his birth was registered in the district of Stourbridge, Sub District Kingswinford on 18/04/1856 Certificate No 229.
Should be simple, off goes my request for a copy birth certificate so I can find where about he lived (no Moor Lane now in Kingswinford). Back comes the cheque with a note saying no entry relating to Samuel Wassall anywhere around that date! Oh dear....

Any help gratefully received.

Cheers

Steve

Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 1:47 pm

Steve

My family records shows Samuel Wassall being born in the December quarter of 1857 - Reference 6C 217 at Stourbridge.
Could this be your man ?

Graham

Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:36 pm

Steve
I wasn't aware that he was born only a mere stones throw away from us both. Thought he was from over the border at Aston, Birmingham?

Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 7:15 am

Hi thanks for replies, sorry for delay in posting, been stuck in wet West Wales.
I'm getting really bemused with this & am going to sit in a dark room, drink red and do some more checking, as his grave photograph from the much missed KLH site, shows him born 1856 & AZHHS shows 07/04/1856 at Moor Lane Kingswinford (which interestingly dosnt exist on modern maps, but there is a reasonably close Moor Street in Brierly Hill, AGHH!).
Havent got book with me, getting old & forgot, but think I Knights "Whos Who", says Samuel was born near Dudley, Staffordshire (which to further confuse things was Worcs in those days??) Look tonight.
Will check out Grahams advice on the 1857 date.
Mel, you,ve hit the nail on the head!! Is Samuel a Black Country lad like us, or one of those Brummies from across the border?

Cheers
Steve

Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 6:20 pm

Steve
Tim Day in "But Burdens Shouldered" states that he was born in Aston 28th July 1856. The photo of his headstone shows 1856.
Btw, Moor St. connects directly with William St. where Sgt. Booth VC lived.

Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 7:32 am

Hi Mel,
Going to dig deeper on this one. Seems much confusion, as usual, depending on which book you read. I need to check Brum births me thinks.
Got it in my head Moor St (which as you rightly say connects with William St where Sgt Booth VC lived and which featured in a very good Doco, in which you got rather wet!!) was Moor Lane in the 1850s.
Work keeps getting in the way of pleasure at the moment, but a trip to Dudley Library to check the old maps looks essential.

Cheers

Steve