Genealogy Chat

Surviving discharge papers for those discharged from the Army 1872-1900 are on the findmypast site. You could see if he is listed there. If not, there are other records at the National Archives which can be searched but as there were so many units of the Royal Horse Artillery you need to know which one he was in really.

1881
John THORNDIKE Head M Male 70 Strubby, Lincoln, England General Lab
Sabina THORNDIKE Wife M Female 65 Louth, Lincoln, England
Louisa S. HUMBERSTONE Grand Daur Female 2 Strubby, Lincoln, England


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Source Information:
Census Place Strubby, Lincoln, England
Family History Library Film 1341777
Public Records Office Reference RG11
Piece / Folio 3260 / 79
Page Number 5

DAVID HUMBERSTON Pedigree
Male
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Event(s):
Birth:
Christening: 25 APR 1860 Ashby By Partney, Lincoln, England
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Parents:
Father: JOHN HUMBERSTON Family
Mother: LOUISA
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Messages:
Extracted birth or christening record for the locality listed in the record. The source records are usually arranged chronologically by the birth or christening date.

for the record - 18George HOLLANDS Other U Male 29 Higham, Kent, England Gunner R H A
John HEARD Other U Male 22 Gower, Devon, England Driver R H A
Fredrick HOWLETTS Other U Male 22 London Hackney, London, Middlesex, England Gunner R H A
David HUMBERSTONE Other U Male 21 Ashby Lincoln Gunner R H A
John HORST Other U Male 22 St Austle, Cornwall, England Gunner R H A
Christopher HIBBERT Other U Male 21 Christchurch, Hampshire, England Driver R H A


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Source Information:
Institution "Royal Artillery Barracks "
Census Place Exeter Heavitree, Devon, England
Family History Library Film 1341517
Public Records Office Reference RG11
Piece / Folio 2143 / 173
Page Number 4
81

I did try a little while ago but I will have another look as sites are being updated all the time.
thanks for your reply

On the 1881 census my great uncle is listed as a Gunner with the Royal Horse Artillery. I can find no trace of him after this date. There is a marriage in 1878 of David Humberstone to a Sabina Thorndike but she remarried about 1884 so I am assuming that her David died. Family anecdotes (unfortunately all the people are now deceased) indicate that he went to India and returned with gifts for my great grandmother (his sister) and was still around well after 1884.
Does anyone know how I can find out about his life in the Royal Horse Artillery which may lead me to find out what happened to him
Many thanks