Find Ancestors

If, as you say, the man decamped when his son was a toddler, the child wouldn’t have known much about him. He would only have known what he was told by his mother and perhaps her parents, with whom they lived, so it may not have made much difference.

ArgyllGran
Thankyou for all the information you have found. I agree he is a very tricky character and I wish Grandad would of talked about him a little when he was alive, which could of provided some answers.

It's impossible to know what is the truth about him.

He was discharged from the army on 17 July1918, when he claimed to be 34 years and 169 days old.

That would make his birthday 29 January 1886 - different from other age calculations.
He joined up on 6th May 1918, saying he was 32 years and 1 month - therefore born in April 1886.

Ancestry (for what it's worth) suggests that he was Irish, born in Co Longford, with parents James and Anne.
Birth varying from 1894 (per 1901 census) to 1889 (per 1911 census).

IF he was Irish, and IF he was born in 1886 - there were a number of James McKennas born in Ireland in 1886 , and several of those had fathers named James (if that really was his father's name).

Robert Mckenna wife Agnes (my grandma)

Who told you about the ‘daughter’? There are NO records to support the suggestion……as you have found.

Thankyou ErikaH

He is definitely a mystery which is why I have asked for help with finding information about him.

He also apparently had a daughter with Ann called Marion that dies very young but I've been unable to find a birth/death record for her.

Son's birth for INFO

MCKENNA Robert Leo BATTERSBY 1921 Alston Preston ALST/28/89

The father would have been unlikely to 'go back in the army' He was discharged as medically unfit due to epilepsy

Have you looked for a death record?

He may well have lied in 1921 about his birthplace. He declared when he enlisted that he was a British subject.............again, who knows if even that was the truth?

Another military record for him (same number) - gives his address as Butterlands Farm, Fishwick, Preston.
That was the Battersby family's address in 1911.


James McKenney
in the UK, World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923
Name James McKenney [James McKemery]
Record Type Military
Residence Place Fishwick Preston Lancs
Discharge Date 6 Jul 1918
Service Number 82939
Corps, Regiment or Unit K. L''pool
Title WWI Pension Record Cards and Ledgers
Description Other Ranks Survived
Next of Kin (Name)
James McKenney

Do you think he just went back in the army and left his family?

Rebecca - :-D :-D

In 1921, he's said to be 35 years and 3 months old.
That would make his birth approx March 1886, and would agree with the army record posted by Maddie.


James McKenney
in the 1921 England Census
Name James McKenney
Gender Male
Marital Status Married
Age 35 Years 3 Months
Relation to Head Son-in-law
Estimated Birth Year 1886
Birth Place Chicago, Illinois, USA
Residence Date 1921
Residence Street Address Church House Farm, Grinsargh, Preston
Residence Place Grimsargh with Brockholes, Lancashire, England
Occupation Oliver Man, Out of Work
Occupation Code 190/8
Employer Woods & Littler, Onward Eng, Com Dock St, Fleetwood
Employer Code 193
Place of Work Cook Street, Fleetwood
Number of Children Under 16 1
Inhabited Y
Parliamentary Division Lancashire Pc, Fylde Div.
Registration District Preston
Registration District Number 476
Sub registration district Alston
Sub Registration District Number 5
Respondent Mr Robert Battersby
Enumeration District Name Preston Rd
Enumeration District 10
Schedule 103
Schedule Type Code E
Household Members (Name) Age Relationship
Robert Battersby 55 Years 6 Months Head
Sarah Ann Battersby 54 Years 11 Months Wife
Johnnly Battersby 25 Years 5 Months Son
Marion Battersby 19 Years 5 Months Daughter
James McKenney 35 Years 3 Months Son-in-law
Ann McKenney 25 Years 7 Months Daughter
Robert Lea McKenney 6 Grandson


An oliverman was a blacksmith who operated an "oliver," which was a foot-operated mechanical hammer or trip hammer used for heavy forging work.

Apologies all

The date on the wedding certificate is 26th February 1919. He was 31 years old and Anne was 23 years.

No I have not managed to find him as a child. Has I have only recently found out from thw 1921 census that he was born in Chicago

1999! Then James was over 100 years old.

Have you found James as a child on any census?

The marriage was registered in the first quarter of 1919 in Preston. Spelling of the surname is Mckenney.

Thankyou this could be him.

Rebecca, welcome to the boards.

You have a bit if a problem with your dates. If 1999 is a typo for 1899 then James could not have been born in 1888. If 1888 is correct then the marriage must have been in 1919.

Check for the marriage on www.freebmd.org.uk

?:???
Name James McKinney
Gender Male
Residence Age 32
Birth Date abt 1886
Document Year 1918
Residence Place 1 Stanleyfield Road, Preston
Regiment Name The King's (Liverpool) Regiment
Regimental Number 82939
Number of Images 7
Table of Contents Table of Contents
Household membersName
James McKinney
Miss Annie Battersby Wife

Hi everyone I am.hoping someone can help me find some information about my Great Grandfather James Mckenna born about 1888.

James married Ann Battersby on 26th Feb 1999 in Preston Lancashire. At the age of 31 years. His name is spelled McKenney on the certificate and his father is also a James McKinney (deceased farmer)

On the 1921 Cenus it says he was born in Chicago. We always thought he was Irish.

My grandad was born in my 1921. When he was a toddler is father left and no one knows what happened to him, as grandad wouldn't speak about him.
Thankyou for reading and I hope someone can help.
Becky