Genealogy Chat

My great-grandfather was a Band-Sergeant in the Royal Dragoons in 1888 (I've got the photo of the whole band with all their names on it to prove it!). I've also got him positively pinned down in Brentwood in 1901, when he's the only George Doughty born Lambeth aged 42 in the census. There also is only one George Doughty born Lambeth aged 22 in the 1881 census - so that ought to be him - except that this George Doughty is described as a "Floorcloth Priner" (presumably "Printer"). Is it plausible that a 22 year-old civilian in 1881 could by 1888 have become a Sergeant in the Band of the Royal Dragoons? Or should I be checking the rest of the household to see if some of their professions have got mixed up? (He was married and is listed as both a Boarder & Head of Household)

Dont suppose this helps much but my hubbies G.Grandpa was in the R.A it took him 12 years to get to Sergeant and was a Battery Sgt.Mjr after 24 years service. It might be worth double checking the professions. Sue.

Hello Gillian. What was the occupation shown for the 1901 George Doughty. It is possible that the real GD, ie the Band Sergeant, was out of the country on both occasions, and the one you've found is a red herring. Good Luck Keith

In 1901 he was "Bandmaster, Hackney" (might have been dealing with school/cadet/reservist bands by that stage - there are photos in the family album of Hackney Schools Band marching down Ongar High St in the early 1900s). And his (2nd) wife and younger son are living at the same address. Daughter is visiting grandad & Aunt in Hampshire. So unless there are 2 completely parallel families, the 1901 George is the right one.

Someone has just searched the 1881 address for me - the other family there are in the floorcloth business too. So I am beginning to wonder if this is a GD who had died (or changed his age or birthplace) by 1901 and if mine was, as you suggest, out of the country. Does anyone know a way of finding out where a particular Regiment was on census day 1881?

Hi Gillian Royal Dragoons - deployments 1885 Dundalk 1888 Aldershot 1891 York 1893 Dublin 1896 Dundalk 1898 Hounslo 1899/1900 South Africa 1902 Shorncliffe Full information on the Dragoons and all other British regiments can be found at www dot regiments dot org Terry on the Rock

oops - that addy should read: www(.)regiments(.)org Terry on the Rock

Also are regiments based in the same place, I have a rellie based at Shorncliffe Camp, have serarched google etc but cannot find what regiment that would be it doesnt say on the census either?

Thanks very much for pointers Terry - this explains a lot! 1880-82 the Regt. was in Dublin - so he won't be on 1881 census. Poss in Egypt 1884 - presumably "det" means a detachment rather than the whole Regiment. Back in Ireland (Dundalk) 1885-88. Irish episodes explain presence in the family photo collection of photos from studios in Dublin. During the years before 1889, gt-grandfather married, had a son & was widowed - but Regt's movements make it clear any or all of these events could have happened in Ireland (or conceiveably Egypt). This explains why wife 1 & eldest son are elusive too. And deployment in Aldershot 1888 suggests how he met wife no 2 (gt-grandmother), whom he married in 1889 - she & her family lived near there in Farnborough: her dad was a cab-driver - perhaps Gt-grandfather was one of his fares. . . you could write a whole novel about it, couldn't you. . . .