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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Topic started by: possum_pie on Monday 16 May 05 21:01 BST (UK)
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My GGG grandfather was married in 1799 in Perth and was described as a private in the 72nd regiment of the foot. Can anyone tell me anything about this regiment and/or suggest where he might have come from as although he was married in Perth we're not sure he came from there.
Helpfully enough, his name was John Frazer (or Fraser) so I'm currently drawing a blank on this one!!
I'm guessing he was about 20 when he got married to Catherine Sword and although I know he outlived her (she died in 1829) I've been unable to find a record of his death.
Any help here would be most welcome!!
Many thanks!!
Possum
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Hi
I put '72nd of foot ' in the address bar and came across this site, it may be of help!
http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/072-786.htm
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The link given by RuthT is a good one as it provides the history of the regiment several other links however may muddy the waters regarding his origins as they refer to the regiment as
72nd Regiment of Foot (Royal Manchester Volunteers/Duke of Albany's Own Regiment of Foot)
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The link by RuthT is the correct one .. I was confused by the manchester link so dug a little deeper.
The original 72nd Regiment of Foot was the manchester volunteers until 1786 when changes were made and the Scottish 78th Regiment were renumbered to become the 72nd
Seaforth Highlanders
1778 78th Regiment of Foot
1786 Renumbered 72nd Highland Regiment of Foot
1881 Linked with 78th Regiment of Foot to become Seaforth Highlanders
1961 Amalgamated with Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders to become Queen Own Highlanders
The Seaforth Highlanders had a territorial district that included the counties of Ross & Cromarty, Sutherland, Caithness, the Orkney Islands and Moray. They also had a Regimental Depot at Fort George, by Inverness, making their recruiting area one of the largest in the British Army!
The regiments own web site and history is at http://www.qohldrs.co.uk/html/seaforth_history.htm
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Thanks for this info!! I shall check out the sites now!! I'm guessing they won't hold records fro that far back though.... but at least I can get some info.
Thanks again
Possum
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Possum, have you tried searching the catalogue at the National Archives. War series comes under WO. Type in John Fraser and then WO. Who knows, you might be lucky!!
Regards, Dorothy
http://www.catalogue.nationalarchives.gov.uk/default.asp
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Dorothy.... thank you so much!! I have found him at last.... isn't this just the best site in the world??
Now I face the task of trying to track a John Fraser being born in Inverness.... that's a bit like a John Smith in England!!
Thank you so much again....
Possum
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I know this thread is very old, but here's a story about one of my wife's ancestors that helps fill out some information about the 72nd:
Walter Ferguson of Old Cumnock, Ayrshire:
Walter joined the Lord Elgin Fencibles on 1 November 1799 at Cumnock in Ayrshire and became a private in 72nd Regiment of Foot on 4 July 1800 at Newry, County Down, Ireland. The fencibles were local militia who were recruited for home service, but not overseas service. These Highland militia groups were generally disbanded around 1799, and the Lord Elgin Fencibles were mostly recruited into the 72nd. Walter enlisted while aged 24 and was discharged with the rank of serjeant (the way foot regiments spelled ‘sergeant’) on 9 November 1819 when he was closer to 46 than the 43 recorded on his service record.
Walter’s wife, Anne Phillips (born in Cork, Ireland), also travelled with the regiment throughout his service. While we have no record of their marriage, it is likely they married while he was on active service in Ireland with the regiment in 1798–1806. While in Ireland, his first four children were born: Catherine in 1798/9; James in 1800/1; Margaret 1801/2; and Elizabeth 1803/4 – all of these died at two years or younger.
Walter and Anne went with the regiment when it captured the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) from the Dutch in 1806. It was during this campaign that his first two children to survive to adulthood were born: Janet in 1806, and William in 1808 (Janet died in 1829 in Cumnock aged 23). Walter was made corporal on Christmas Day 1807, but was further promoted to serjeant on 25 June 1809.
The 72nd was next in action against the French during the Napoleonic Wars. The regiment helped capture Mauritius (Île de France) in November 1810, and the 72nd remained on as garrison troops in Port Louis until around June 1814. We know that his children Catherine (1811) and Walter (1815) were both born in Mauritius. The army registered this as service in the East Indies.
The regiment was known to have moved to Calcutta, India in 1815, and this is probably where he was during the period September 1815 and February 1816. His whereabouts from June 1814 to September 1815 are unknown, but the 72nd had returned to the Cape of Good Hope by 1816 as part of the Cape Province Garrison, and was soon involved in the Kaffir Wars of 1818–1819. During this period, his daughter Elizabeth (1816) and last child Thomas (1818) were born.
Walter, whose service was described as “very good”, was discharged from the army on 9 November 1819 after becoming a “supernumerary”. He incurred a disabling injury to his right hand while working with the Engineers. He returned to Cumnock in Ayrshire – along with Anne, Janet, William, Walter, Elizabeth and Thomas. Walter had 20 years service with the 72nd and, with his injury on duty, he was entitled to an army stipend as a Chelsea Out-Pensioner.
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Here you go people
click on the link to download the offical book for the regiment by Richard Cannon
http://www.archive.org/stream/historicalrecor06canngoog#page/n5/mode/1up (http://www.archive.org/stream/historicalrecor06canngoog#page/n5/mode/1up)
Hope it helps,
James
PS: Karl Craig - i'm also related to Walter - send me an email: (*) and i'll fill you in!
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