The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

oldbaldy · Joined: 06 Nov 2012 Posts: 23

I'm researching the role of the Association (SSFA) in WW1.
On the outbreak of war the machinery of the state could not cope with looking after the families of those who volunteered and so SSFA was asked to assists with the the distribrution of funds from those donated to the National Relief Fund and assisting families claim Separation Allowance.
In the first five months of the war the Eastern Scottish Branch assisted 16,047 wives, 41,751 children and 8,391 other dependents. In the West of Scotland the figures were 30,457 wives, 71,975 children and 22,030 other dependents. The amount of money distributed in those 5 months was £195,683. 3s.3d. Which in today's money would be just over £19 million.
I'm looking for stories of anyone who was assisted at that time.

DelBoy · Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2014 4:00 pm Post subject:

do these records still exist anywhere? they would be a good source of info if they do.

oldbaldy · Joined: 06 Nov 2012 Posts: 23

Unfortunately there is no central record of people assisted. SSAFA Central Office (Airmen's was added in 1919) only have the bare numbers. Each Branch was semi-autonomous and some lists were lodged with Record Offices and some look as if they were destroyed. Searching newspapers only really gives details of what the work was and I haven't discovered any names by that route yet.

oldbaldy · Joined: 06 Nov 2012 Posts: 23

The 1914 'Flag Book' can be searched here:
http://1914.ssafa.org.uk/

Adam Brown · Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2014 10:14 am Post subject:

Presumably people had to apply for funds on forms, and you'd think there would have been ledgers as well, detailing who got what and when. What happened to the Soldiers' and Sailors' Families Association branches, because that would be where the forms and ledgers were at the time.

It's probably unlikely that that sort of documentation has survived for nearly 100 years. The first data protection act came into force in 1984 and although it related to electronic data it may have led to a clearout of older paperwork containing personal details. An updated version of the act came into force in 1998 which did extend to paperwork.

Have you seen this book?

http://www.abebooks.co.uk/Work-Soldiers-Sailors-Families-Association-Edinburgh/256736210/bd

It may contain the very information you need.

Thanks

Adam

oldbaldy · Joined: 06 Nov 2012 Posts: 23

Late reply, missed this. Very few Branch records survive, what I have been able to gather is the numbers helped by Branches. AGM records, again, only give numbers. My own branch only have records back to the 1950s, again without names of those assisted.