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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: BOYTEN on Monday 01 March 10 15:00 GMT (UK)
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Hi i have been trying to find my ancestor George Fitch who was a colonel in spanish army but served in the carlist war. Apparently according to british library there is a list of volunteers in the british legion who would have volunteered for the carlist war. I know my ancestor died in Madrid in 1882 active in Spanish Army but think he may have started here as not on the Military list in spain- checked on sat at british library. many thanks for any help anita
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Its proper name would be the British Auxiliary Legion, there were a few books published in 1800s, One of them being the Army List of the British Auxiliary Legion in Spain (1835-37) this should be one of the ones I would be looking for if I were you.
I also think that naval and military publishing, republished a history of the British Auxiliary Legion and the war in Spain (London 1839) Alexander Somerville.
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hi thank you yes it is the British legion auxillary list i need - they have one at the british library but have to order it and takes a couple of days - working full time so no time till on holiday next
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I was at my local Lib, & they had two books on the Carlist War;
The British Auxiliary Legion in the First Carlist War 1835-38. by Edward M.Brett published 2005 ISBN 1-85182-915-6
The Carlist Wars in Spain, by Edgar Holt, 1967.
You should be able to get the books on loan for your own Lib
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Thank you will try at my one - did you notice if they had names of the soldiers in them?
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Hello! I've been carrying out some research into Colonel George Fitch and found your enquiry while doing a general search. Are you still looking for details? I have quite a nice piece about him and an aspect of his life in Madrid.
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Hi Yes we are still interested in him please whatever you have would be very interested Thank you
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As an orphaned boy he was adopted by his theatrical impresario uncle, John Ebers, friend of Dickens and Cruickshank. When grown up, went to Portugal for the war of dynastic succession there, then moved on to Spain for their wars of dynastic succession and was by then in the Spanish Army.
Was instrumental in setting up the British Cemetery in Madrid where he is buried. He died in 1880.
I'm including a piece on the British Cemetery (as it is now known) which I hope will be of interest. It would be handy to find a list of British soldiers who served in the Carlist Wars, but with the Legion as well as regular units, and taking into account that many of the soldiers were released felons, given the opportunity to serve rather than complete their sentences, it's needle in a haystack territory!
The following is from a contemporary news report. My English isn't that flowery!!
"The English Cemetery at Madrid is one of those quiet, lovely spots where one might wish to be laid when life's battles are over, and the body seeks rest in a foreign land. It is a 'God's Acre' in reality, not only in the sense of the sacredness of the city of the dead, but also because it covers exactly that space of ground, neither more nor less. Previous to 1854, the few English who died here were buried beneath the stalls of the horses in the Gas Works, such was the intolerance of the Catholic Government as to the interment of heretics. By the great exertions of Colonel George Fitch, permission was at last granted for the purchase of this little spot, and the British Government found the necessary funds. Since its opening, some 70 or 80 have been buried there, including a few Jews and Greeks, for whom special corners have been set apart. Under the fatherly care of the worthy Colonel, the little cemetery has assumed a pleasant appearance, and the cypress trees afford a quiet shade. On Saturday last, one of countrymen was buried there, almost all the English residents here attending, and a few Spaniards. The latter afterwards expressed themselves pleased with our simple but beautiful Church of England service which was read impressively by the Rev. J. R. Whyte, the resident chaplain to our embassy. Poor Higginson will be remembered with fond recollection by all who knew him. His death has cast a gloom over us all. He was an engineer, one of those men who carry their country's glories into peaceful fields and undertake industrial works for Spain which she cannot do for herself. Colonel Fitch has the satisfaction of seeing his success in respect of the cemetery, and has also the proud satisfaction of having lately received permission to erect a Protestant church in Madrid."
Hope this is of use and interest. Let me know, please!
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Hi Thank you for this- we have a little info on this but this is much more detailed- George was adopted by John Ebers my gt gt gt gt grandfather who run the opera house in Haymarket in 1800`s and wrote a book called seven years in the kings theatre by john ebers - we have that book its brilliant has photos and everything. George and his sister were both adopted by John although we cant really find that much about their parents except that they died in 1814 and 1819 his sister Amelia or Emily Sarah as she was baptised were adopted by John. Thank you for this information Anita
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Oh and both their siblings died in 1815 and 1816 maybe an epidemic?
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Glad the info. was of interest. If I find anything more I'll post again. I'm going back to Madrid next year to do more research so you never know what I might turn up!
If you come up up with any more about his life in Spain, I'd like to see it.
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Thank you so much for this i am truely grateful and certainly will. Anita
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Just out of interest what is your interest in George Fitch? Anita
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Hi, sorry to jump in on this thread but like BOYTEN, work full time and being in the NE, getting to the British Library is not easy until next holidays are due!
If anyone happens to be checking any of the army lists, I would be grateful if half an eye can be kept out for my enquiry: I have an old portrait miniature of an ancestor John Raby. The back of the portrait is inscribed "John Raby Took his Departure for Spain March 20 1836". Presently I have no other reference for him but there is a sensible chance the only reason a young man (looks early twenties) would go to Spain at that time might be as part of the Carlist war campaign. Of course it might have been a hopping off point for a grand tour!
Regards
Kevin
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Hi Kevin: Could you supply a little more information? Date of birth if you have it, place of birth, where he lived, anything at all about his parents/life etc., etc.
Tall order, if you only have a portrait!
Would be good to see his portrait, too.
I'll see what I can come up with.
Regards
Adrian
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Hi Adrian,
many thanks for taking the time. the images are attached. Playing around with a scan of the back of the portrait the signature reads "By Miller" (though "Mill??" variants may be possible). I was hoping that i might find more information, perhaps a full name of the artist or something to help narrow down the geography but have not come up with anything.
Unfortunately I have nothing more tangible than this to go on. The portrait comes from my late Aunt without much provenance other than a story 'perhaps' that the family was rich and he was travelling Europe. Certainly the dress is good quality. However, my own research into the Raby line we are connected to does not provide for a huge amount of wealth as far as I can see. The Raby's in my line are from Leicestershire but also Manchester. I can provide some background information to this but so far I haven't made links to any John Raby's.
Best regards
Kevin
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Hi
Fine looking chap! It looks like a hand coloured daguerreotype to me. By his dress and the fact that he had what was, at that time, a relatively pricey process for his portrait, he probably was quite well off.
If your aunt hinted at wealth and 'connections', do you have Wentworth in your family line anywhere? Or a connection with Strafford?
I'm aware that I don't want to hijack Boyten's thread so if I come up with anything I'll send you a personal message - unless you have another thread somewhere on the Forum?
Brief update: I cannot find John in any army lists, English or Spanish. I'm looking in old directories for Miller, to see if he was a photographer or jobbing portrait painter - sometimes the two disciplines went together as artists experimented with new techniques etc.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards
Adrian
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Hello Boyten . We are London based Antiquarian Booksellers and we have just bought for stock the original manuscript diary/ commonplace book of Colonel G. W Fitch for the period 1832-36 . Its a bit of a battered relic and is probably incomplete but could be rebound and repaired .8vo .approx. 50pp of manuscript with some printed material and newspaper cuttings . . Leather bound with "G. W. F Diary 1832" in gilt on cover. Consists mainly of copy letters about Carlist Wars I assume in Fitch's hand where he is described as Lieutenant Commanding Marines .He later seems to have become a Lt Colonel . It is an item that needs research but is pretty readable and will have information on Fitch which won't be elsewhere . Ring me on 02089942258 if of interest. We are doing most of the main London Bookfairs over the next couple of weeks and could perhaps meet at one of those ?
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Sorry meant to add my name -John Martin . Our business is Mayfly Books and Ephemera
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Hi again thank you for this I am very interested and would like to see what you have - do you have an e mail address I can e mail you as I work during the day and its hard to use the phone at work. I also do not live in London so may not be able to get to your bookfairs there are you anywhere else? Look forward to hearing from you regards Anita
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our email is mayflyephemera@msn.com. I can send u some images if you send me an email
regards John Martin , Mayfly
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Can anyone tell me if the book "Army List of the British Auxiliary in Spain - 1835-1837" contains a list of the non-commissioned soldiers?
I live in New Zealand and am not able to visit London to look it up for myself. My Great grandfather Thomas Robertson who was born in Scotland about 1818 told his family that he went to fight in Spain as a mercenary. We cannot find any proof of this so any help someone could give me would be most appreciated.
Regards, Lynette Scott
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Hello Lynette
I think that you're going to be hard put to it to find a list of 'ordinary' soldiers serving with the British Auxiliary Legion, I'm afraid.There are some fragmented lists of officers and a few non-comms who are mentioned for particular reasons. The Legion was a vast organisation, fighting in the First Carlist Wars on different fronts. The first war was dated 1835 - 1838. There is an excellent book by Edward M. Brett 'The British Auxiliary Legion in the First Carlist War 1835-1838'. You may find this useful.
I have a number of research documents relating to this conflict and will continue to look through them for you and get back to you with what I can find. If you would like any further help with your research, times, dates, places, units involved etc, don't hesitate to get in touch. No charge!! I just enjoy it.
Kind regards. Adrian
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Thanks for that Adrian, any scraps would be gratefully received.
When Thomas returned to UK he joined the British Army in 1841 and served in Gibraltar for 6 and a bit years. Do you know what the British Army was doing in Gibraltar at that time? I cannot find any conflict going on in the area at the time. Kind regards, Lynette.
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Thanks for the documents you sent me. In the History of the Sappers and Miners they mentioned the Fuerist Forces. In Ancestry I found a family of Fuerist's who now live in America but ancestors came from Spain.
I now I am drawing a long bow but I'm wondering if he could perhaps have drawn some of his forces from mercanaries from The UK.
In your email to me you mentioned many mercanaries were men fleeing from poverty or convictions. I doubt that it was poverty apparently as many years later a Solicitor had traced him to New Zealand and wanted him to sign documentation to claim an inheritance. He refused!
Thanks