RootsChat.Com
General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: DAO on Tuesday 14 February 12 19:05 GMT (UK)
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My g g grandfather Andrew William Wilkie was born in ireland c 1837 and served in the 25th regiment of infantry. I have found records on find my past for his discharge, does anyone know how i can find his registration documents or any information at all. He is proving to be a difficult 'character' to trace. I would love to see a photo or any documents that would help with my search for his parents etc in Ireland.
This is my first post on Roots so any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks
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Did you look at the actual images on Findmypast?
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I did, i found papers relating to his discharge. I was hoping to find papers relating to him joining as i hoped they would have some detials of his parents and confirmation of his birth place. Every census i have found shows he was irish but it is so difficult to trace his family. Every time i find a website relating to irish searches i never come across the surname of Wilkie. I have wondered if indeed he was from Ireland but why would every census state this if it wasnt true. He is begining to frustrate the life out of me!!!
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Ah, so you saw what his birthplace was then?
He was very young when he joined up. :-\
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Yeh he was very young, is that the norm for those times? I dont know, just new to this sort of thing??
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Wilkie is a name found in Ireland - see here (https://www.familysearch.org/search/records/index#count=20&query=%2Bsurname%3Awilkie~&collection_id=1408347) - but civil registration of births didn't start until 1864 and many church records pre-1850 do not survive.
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As far as I can discover they did not use attestation forms in this period. So what you have found is usually the full extent of an individual record. Even when attestation forms were used they only record next of kin from circa the 1880s. The only records I have seen from this period naming a parent is when the soldier remits part of his pay to them, or when they dispose of his outstanding money if he dies in service. Both are very rare as they were paid so very little.
I am surprised his discharge papers do not include his parish of birth.
Ken
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Cashel, Tipperary.
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Many thanks to all who have posted their thoughts and help. Ken's post indicates that it may prove difficult/impossible to search further back due to the lack of records being available. Any suggestions on websites which could be of help or is it a case of point my efforts to searching another strand of the family.