Genealogy Chat

I have a William Male c1784 Barrington, Somerset – who married Elizabeth Currie c1799 Scotland or Ireland. As luck would have it, there were 2 Williams baptised in Barrington in 1784 to different parents.

William was in the army and I am guessing it was during his travels that he met Elizabeth and we believe they had 1 or 2 children before settling back in Barrington round about 1829. In the 1841 Census his occupation is given as Army Pensioner. Elizabeth’s place of birth is transcribed on Ancestry as Ireland – though the original could be an S for Scotland? I havent managed to find a marriage for them – which might have been about 1820-1822.

I am wondering if it is possible to get army records for that time – and what sort of information they would give that might give a clue to his parentage.

Sue

You would need to check the records at Kew - or get a researcher to look him up for you.

Afraid amount of info varies but hopefully you would get his signing up papers which normally gives fathers name and the soldiers previous occupation. If you are really fortunate you get a lot more detail including physical description, the places he was barracked and any accidents etc.

The kids places of birth may be an indication of his regiment.
Have a look at National Archives website to see what they have there.

There's this chap on Ancestry but he was a London resident when he enlisted in the Middlesex Regimnet. Intriguingly he also served in the Royal Irish Regiment. Unfortunately i can't see his birthplace but his Next of Kin is given as his father living in Hoxton Lon so probably not your man. Funnily enough he was discharged as 'he was unlikely to become an efficient soldier', lucky him as it was about 1915. .
Name: William Male
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1894
Age at enlistment: 21
Residence: 13 Norris St, Hyde Rd Haxton London
Document Year: 1915
Regimental Number: 11525
Number of Images: 10

Hi Roy,

Thanks for that info - tho this one is out by about 100 years. lol Still, I shall keep a note of it on file as it may refer to one of my later Males.

Susan

All surviving attestation papers for soldiers dicharged to pension up to about 1854 are indexed on the National Archives catalogue. There is a William Males, born Bedfordshire who was discharged aged 49 in 1827, but this can't be your man. To find any other records on him at Kew, you would HAVE to know his regiment.

Indexes to Regimental Marriages and Baptisms go back to about 1780ish and used to be in books at the FRC. These indexes can now be found in the overseas section on Findmypast for which you will have to pay to do a search. These will often realise a bap/marriage somewhere like Ireland or elsewhere and will usually give you the regiment when you find these "certs." If 1841 Census says she is from Ireland then there is a good chance this is Ireland and not Scotland. There were more problems for a soldier to do duty in Ireland than in Scotland, chasing my Irish lot around!!

Are they dead by 1851 or have you thought to search 1851 Census to see if you get more info than just Ireland? I am surprised you got Ireland for 1841 Census as the question asked in the 1841 Census is usually were they born in county and a yes or a no is the usual reply.

Are the children at home in 1851 or have you found them in the 1851 Census to see where they may have been born?.

Have you his death cert? One of mine died in his 80's and on the death cert was not only Army Pensioner but also his regiment with son in law giving all the details, I got so many ideas from that Death Cert, his regiment and his daughter's married name. Worth a try.

You will need to know the regiment to search for early soldiers at Kew.

I have not researched soldiers that early, so I do not know what you will get on attestation papers, but my 1854 soldier's papers just gives his place and date of birth, age and personal description as well as places and years of army service but no father or next of kin. I also have muster records which give a lot more detailed information on actual places he served as well as exact ages of children However, if you find the marriage in the Regimental Indexes you may get more info with both fathers' names on that.

Janet North London Borders

Ann and Janet - many thanks for your input, all very interesting.

Re the 1841 Census - there are 2 columns for place of birth. One asks if born in county or not. The other asks if born in Scotland, Ireland or Foreign Parts. I think Elizabeth has an S.... but it could be an I and is transcribed as such.

The had 6 children - the last 4 baptised in Barrington. According to the 1841 Census, the other 2 were born in Somerset but I havent found a baptism for them yet.

In 1851 William is down as an Ag Lab and married - but Elizabeth is not in the house, nor have can I find her elsewhere.

I havent found a definite sighting of William in 1851 - and it is not easy finding the correct death registration or burial as there were so many Williams (and Elizabeths) around that time.

Sue