1911 Professional Footballer

[Lisa Skeels]

Hello all and thank you in anticipation of all your responses and help.

My query is regarding Sidney Robert Bly listed as a Footballer Professional on the 1911 Census. Sidney was the son of Mary Ann Palmer who married my great uncle Robert Bly in 1892. Robert Bly appears on the 1871 and 1881 census living with his parents Robert Snr. and Susan but I cannot find any trace of him on the 1891 Census but it could be that he was in the military as he occupation at the time of his marriage is given as Army Reservist.

Sidney Robert was christened in 1888 as Sidney Robert Palmer. The family appear to move to Nottingham and appear on the 1901 Census as Bligh and on 1911 as Bly. I cannot find any further records for Sidney Robert under Palmer/Bly/Bligh/Blyth or Blythe (all of which spellings seem to be interchangeable and used). I would be interested to find out about Sidney's career and/or what happened to him.

I believe Robert died in Nottingham and Mary Ann in Norfolk.

Thanks once again for any advice anyone may be able to give on areas of research and/or places to look.

[kiterunner]

Welcome to the forum, Lisa.

I know you already have this, but for reference, in case it helps people to search for him, Sidney's birthplace on the 1911 census is Swaffham, Norfolk and he was baptised 16 Sep 1888 at St Mary, Houghton on the Hill, Norfolk, son of Mary Ann Palmer, abode North Pickenham. His birth was registered Jul-Sep 1888 Swaffham, name is Sydney Robert Palmer on the GRO index.

[kiterunner]

Lisa, have you searched for him on the English National Football Archive? It is a pay site but you can search without paying:
http://www.enfa.co.uk/

I can't find him on there using the free search though.

[Shona]

There is a JR Blythe - Jim - who played for Nottingham Forest in the 1911-12 season. He was a centre forward. I can't him with any other clubs.

On 14 Saturday 1911, Chelsea were home to Nottingham Forest. The score was 2-0.

The Nottingham Forest players on that day were: Hanna, Gibson, Maltby, Fisher, Mercer, G Needham, Firth, Derrick, Blythe, Armstrong and Banks.

[Shona]

If the Blythe is the correct player, then you may want to search match reports in local newspapers to see if he is mentioned.

The link details who Nottingham Forest played in the 1911-12 season:
http://www.bounder.friardale.co.uk/Ops%20Results/1911/Nottingham%20Forest.htm

[kiterunner]

The GRO index has the death of Sydney Robert Palmer Jul-Sep 1970 at Nottingham, date of birth 7 Aug 1888 (found on FreeBMD).

[kiterunner]

Deceased Online shows that Sydney Robert Palmer was cremated 21 Sep 1970 at Wilford Hill Crematorium, Nottingham, date of death 17 Sep 1970. There may be more information if you pay to view the record:
https://www.deceasedonline.com/servlet/GSDOSearch

[kiterunner]

I believe Robert died in Nottingham and Mary Ann in Norfolk.


I think this is Mary Ann's death:
Oct-Dec 1953 BLY Mary A 87 Nottingham 3c 320.

Deceased Online has Robert Bly's burial 3 Sep 1928 at Wilford Hill Cemetery (date of death 30 Aug 1928) and Mary Ann Bly's burial 18 Nov 1953 also at Wilford Hill Cemetery (date of death 15 Nov 1953.)

[Lisa Skeels]

Thank you so much for all of your research and for sharing the information. I too had found the other footballing Blythe and the Nottingham death for Palmer oh, how I wish people stuck with one name!

Thanks again.

[kiterunner]

If only the Nottinghamshire Archives weren't closed for building works, I could go and look for him in the electoral registers etc. The Archives are supposed to be reopening in "Spring 2015" but I don't know exactly when.

[Lisa Skeels]

Thank you Kiterunner - your message came through as I was typing. It does seem that Mary Ann is also buried in Nottingham. So many of my ancestors were called Robert and married Mary Anns!

[Lisa Skeels]

... and again Kiterunner, what a very generous offer.

[kiterunner]

The WW1 medal rolls show a Sidney Robert Palmer, rank Private, regimental no 121729, served in the Machine Gun Corps. Some of the other men on the same page are listed as "Notts & Derby R" so it could be him:

Medal Roll on ancestry (http://interactive.ancestry.com/5119/41629_625537_9774-00203/5165162?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.com%2 f%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fMS_AdvCB%3d1%26rank%3d1%26new%3d1% 26MSAV%3d2%26msT%3d1%26gss%3dangs-c%26gsfn%3ds%253fdn*%2brob*%26gsfn_x%3dXO%26gsln%3 dpalmer%26gsln_x%3dXO%26cpxt%3d1%26uidh%3dvm5%26cp %3d11%26pcat%3d39%26h%3d5165162%26recoff%3d5%2b6%2 b7%26db%3dIWOServiceMedalAwardRolls%26indiv%3d1%26 ml_rpos%3d4&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnRecord)

The medal index card shows he was on the SWB list, i.e. sick or injured. I'll see if I can find out more:
Medal Index Card on ancestry (http://interactive.ancestry.com/1262/30850_A001191-02424/1625332?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.com%2 f%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fMS_AdvCB%3d1%26rank%3d1%26new%3d1% 26MSAV%3d2%26msT%3d1%26gss%3dangs-c%26gsfn%3ds%253fdn*%2brob*%26gsfn_x%3dXO%26gsln%3 dpalmer%26gsln_x%3dXO%26cpxt%3d1%26uidh%3dvm5%26cp %3d11%26pcat%3d39%26h%3d1625332%26recoff%3d9%2b10% 2b11%26db%3dMedalRolls%26indiv%3d1%26ml_rpos%3d5&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnRecord)

[kiterunner]

Here he is on the Silver War Badge medal roll:
SWB Roll on ancestry (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/2456/wo329_3181-00099/681628?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk% 2f%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3findiv%3d1%26MS_AdvCB%3d1%26db%3dSi lverWarBadgeMedals%26rank%3d1%26new%3d1%26MSAV%3d2 %26msT%3d1%26gss%3dangs-d%26gsfn_x%3dXO%26gsln_x%3dXO%26_F8007A65%3d121729 %26dbOnly%3d_F8007A65%257c_F8007A65_x%252c_F00061C 3%257c_F00061C3_x%252c_F000678D%257c_F000678D_x%25 2c_F8006879%257c_F8006879_x%26_F8007A65_x%3d1%26ui dh%3dvm5%26pcat%3d39%26fh%3d0%26h%3d681628%26recof f%3d41%2b42%26ml_rpos%3d1&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnRecord)

Date of enlistment 1 Dec 1915, date of discharge 5 Mar 1919. Age shown as 30 years 7 months. There is a W which I think means wounded although in the wrong column.

[kiterunner]

There is a record on Findmypast showing his wound was a GSW (gunshot wound) in the chest which penetrated his lung:

WW1 record on FMP (http://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=gbm%2fwo363-4%2f007328113%2f00068&parentid=gbm%2fwo363-4%2fsupp%2f263920&highlights="")

The date is hard to make out but I think it is 9 Feb 1918 as that is the date of most of the other records on the page. It looks as though he was at Dannes-Camiers military hospital.

[Shona]

Camiers is near Etaples on the Channel coast of the Pas de Calais.

From Wiki:

During the First World War the flat lands were the site of the huge base depôt of the British army in France. It is usually known nowadays as Étaples camp. Through most of the war, close to it and part of the same complex, Camiers camp was the base depôt, in France, of the Machine Gun Corps. Its home base depôt was at Belton Park, near Grantham.

[kiterunner]

Looking through the street directories on ancestry, the first one I can find him in is Kelly's Directory of Nottinghamshire for 1925: Palmer Sydney Robert, clerk, 32 Beauvale road. The next (and last) directory that they have on there is the 1941 Kelly's which lists him as Palmer Sidney Rt., costing clerk, 33 Bonnington cres Sh[erwood].

[Lisa Skeels]

Oh my goodness - I am overwhelmed. From what you have seen and read, would you assume, like I have, that Sidney Robert Palmer and Sidney Robert Bly/Bligh are one and the same person?

Thank you so much, once again

[kiterunner]

From what you have seen and read, would you assume, like I have, that Sidney Robert Palmer and Sidney Robert Bly/Bligh are one and the same person?


Yes, I would. Not sure whether he is Jim R Blythe though.

When Findmypast puts the Nottinghamshire School Registers online maybe you will be able to see what surname he used at school.