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Looking for occupational records of a Walter Cowin, born circa 1910. He can be found on the 1939 register living at 6 Mill Street Chester, as a "public works labourer".

He was between the age of 18 and 41, and I don't see that as a reserved occupation so I assume he was conscripted into the army. Where can I look for more records about his occupation? I've tried British Newspaper Archive but it costs money to use.

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    As written this is a duplicate of the finding WWII service record question, but I think could be reopened into a useful question - does the 1939 register entry suggest he likely was conscripted? It is very expensive to apply to MoD every time for service records not having a clue whether there are any records to produce. Active service members were not included on the 1939 Register, but of course that does not mean he was not enlisted after that date. Depending on the nature of the "public works" he may have had a reserved occupation.
    – Harry V. ♦
    Commented Sep 4, 2017 at 20:49
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    @HarryVervet I'm not sure if he was conscripted or not, but I would highly suspect so as I don't think it is a reserved occupation. However, £30 is an awful lot to pay. If he was conscripted it was after the 1939 register
    – Charlie
    Commented Sep 4, 2017 at 21:01
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    Am I correct in thinking that you have a 1939 Register entry and nothing more? Can you find out more about his occupation from other sources (e.g. newspapers)? See genealogy.stackexchange.com/help/how-to-ask
    – Jan Murphy ♦
    Commented Sep 4, 2017 at 22:08
  • @JanMurphy the 1939 register is all I have. The 1921 census would have been a Godsend. I'll try looking in papers
    – Charlie
    Commented Sep 4, 2017 at 23:07
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    @Charlie There are other avenues of research I would turn to before jumping to service records in the case of WWII, which is why I think it would be useful to edit and reopen this question. For example, if you know his local church, many have rolls of honour that list congregation members who served in each World War.
    – Harry V. ♦
    Commented Sep 5, 2017 at 1:11

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If I am correct, I think that this is family of Cowin as required by you living at 137 Market Street, Hoylake on the 1911 Census. However the surname is misread and mis-transcribed as Crown. Walter Cowell Cowin or as it is correctly listed on Ancestry listed as Walter Cowell Crown. Walter Cowell Coin was born in Chester in 1910 and is Seven months old on the 1911 Census. His birth certificate was issued Oct-Nov-Dec Wirral,Cheshire, 8a,403. He married in 1947 to either Ann Williams or Ann Poole, 10a, 1358 and died Sept. 1959. If I am correct at that stage he was listed as an Electrical Engineer, all in the Wirral Cheshire. From this and details on his father John James Cowin of 137 Market St., Hoylake Cum West Kirby. It should now be possible thanks to the correction of the reading of the surname, to extend back your coverage of this family and establish his occupation and that of his father from as you do so.

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    I suspect this was downvoted because it does not answer the question. A record about Walter as an infant, however useful, does not answer the question about occupational information. Following up alternate leads is best done either in comments (if brief) or in chat.
    – Harry V. ♦
    Commented Mar 15, 2018 at 2:17

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