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I am looking for the possible death of William Henry WESTCOTT b abt 1845 in Bridford, Devon. He was in the 2nd Btn Coldstream Guards. I believe he died between 1871 and 1877. On the 1871 census he was at the Chelsea Barracks and in 1877 his wife remarried although she did not call herself a widow. As I can't find a death in the GRO indexes I wonder if anybody could access the military deaths abroad to see if he is there....or help me solve this.

Beverley, What name did the wife use to marry? Maiden or married? If she didnt marry as widow of, What did she use? Maybe he didnt die? I have found people remarrying bigamously. Pat

The 2nd Battalion, Coldstream Guards come back from Canada in 1842 and remained in England until going to Egypt in 1882 so his death would not be on the military deaths abroad list. There is a William Henry Westcott on Ancestry about the same age Name: William Henry Westcott Estimated birth year: abt 1846 Year of Registration: 1907 Quarter of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep Age at Death: 61 DISTRICT: East Stonehouse County: Devon Volume: 5b Page: 167 Keith

Hi, thanks for the replies, his wife/widow Matilda married under her married name of Westcott, but gave that as her maiden name on the marr cert ie she said her father was Wm H Westcott and she was a Spinster. I have all the documentation to prove this wasn'r so. I had wondered about bigamy. It all seems rather odd. They hadn't been living together either and the 2 children were living with grandparents. When W H Westcotts son married in 1896 he gave his father as a Blacksmith deceased. Maybe he had left the Army. I wonder if he had done a runner and not died? Matilda married my paternal gr grandfather and they produced my grandfather, so I am quite keen to sort it all out. I will have to get that death cert from 1907 and see if anything ties in. But if that is him I still can't find him on 1891 or 1901 censuses. Keith, when Wm married in 1865 his duty was at the Tower of London, so that fits.

The William I've shown is on Ancestry as a Widower in 1891. He's living with his son Thomas aged 12 which should help eliminate him if not your William. Keith

Hi Keith, I don't think that can be 'mine' as this one seems to have been born in Tiverton and mine is definitely from Bridford where his parents stayed until death. The only children William and Matilda had were another Wm Henry 1865-1939 and Mary Jane Ann b 1869 both born in Pebmarsh Essex which was Matilda's (and grt grandfather's) home village. Mary is another mystery as I can find no reference to her after 1881 when she was being called Jane BUTCHER (my gr grandfather's surname) and living with mother and stepfather in Hackney.

Would going to Kew to look up is Service Records tell me anything to solve this mystery? I know he was in 8th Company. I suppose it also possible that he may have emigrated.

His records, if he was discharged to pension, would give the date he left the Army. If records not there, the musters could be searched to establish when he left the Army. If he died in service, the musters should state this.

Thanks for the info Ann. How easy/difficult is it to do this searching? Are there staff who can help you??

As you know his regiment,that really helps!!! The staff will point you to the right records, but really you just have to get on with it yourself! Send me a pm if you need explanation of what to look at!

Ann, thank you - have sent you a pm

Hi Beverley As he was in a Guards regiment, I think you will find that they hold there service records them self. My G Grandfather was in the Grenadier Guards about the same time 1870's and I obtained his service record from Wellington Barracks in London. The address is :- The Archive Clerk, Coldstream Guards Guards Museum Wellington Barracks Birdcage Walk London SW1E 6HQ Keith

Keith, yes I have just been researching this. It says you have to send proof of identity and connection etc - not really possible!!