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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: smoug on Sunday 19 May 13 11:37 BST (UK)
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Can someone give me some advice please, I am looking for a Harry Hurst who was mean't to have served in the 18th regiment of foot, during its time in india I have been told his son my gt grandfather also Harry Hurst was born in India at Futyghur Furcurabad (think thats the spelling ) on the 1 july 1866, Harry Hurst senior was from Dublin and definately a soldier in the Irish army at this time , I have been to the British Library and found no trace of Harry Hurst jnr in their overseas births. i have looked at the reigments history and found that the regiment didn't seem to be in india at this time. I have a feeling that perhaps Harry Hurst jnr was half Asian, going by my families skin colour and the fact my gr grandfather never talked much about his parentage apart from stating who his father was on his marriage certificate and his occupation Can anyone give me any clues where to look next, any help would be appreciated
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I've split your post from another topic in Ireland-General and moved it to Armed Forces since it's more a military query.
Repeating what was on the other thread- there was no Irish Army and any units stationed in Ireland would have been in the British Army.
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Can we backtrack a little here just to confirm details?
Can you tell us the exact details on Harry's marriage certificate regarding his father and how you know that Harry senior was born in Dublin?
Am I correct in thinking that Harry junior and wife Alice didn't marry until 1912 (some 16 years after they said they had)?
I can find Alice and 2 children as visitors in Newcastle upon Lyme, Staffs. in 1901, and elder son with his maternal grandparents in Sussex - do you know where Harry was?
Have you found Harry on any census before 1911?
Sorry to ask so many questions but when you can't clearly see the solution to the question you post, it helps greatly to have some background details.
Welcome to Rootschat, by the way.
Annette
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Thankyou for your interest any help is good help, Harry Hurst snr was found by my cousin at the national archives Kew they had a notice of him being dsicharged from the regiment due to a hand injury, yes you have the right Harry jnr and Alice and yes they didn't marry till 1912 after most of their children were born, they were tavelling actors, as for the the 1901 census I have looked and looked and looked for Hary Hurst jnr and never been able to find him, I am wondering if he was in Ireland at the time, I have been told by older members of the family he was very eluvsive he died in 1932 I have never been able to find Harry jnr on any other census there is one who was training to be a teacher but thats not him I have traced that one and hes not mine. I really want to find out his origins being born in India and who his mother was. During the 1920's my grandfather Stanley Harry jnr's son wrote to his father asking details of his family when Harry replied he gave Stanley all the details of his siblings and his birth date and place along with Alices birth date and place but no details of his parents (Stanley's grandparents ) so you can see my problem, If you do happen to come across anything thankyou best wishes Tessa
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Annette, Also have lots of family in Suffolk if you needany help with that as I live in Suffolk
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Hi Tessa
Whilst your offer of Suffolk help is appreciated, I actually live in Suffolk myself!
First, can you let me know the full details given for Harry's father on his marriage certificate in 1912? Full name and occupation.
Secondly, I cannot believe from the service record of the Henry Hurst bc.1830 Dublin, who was in the 2/18th Regiment, that this could be the father of Harry born in India. I have access to the record and he was only in the army from 15/2/1859 to 19/4/1864 and only service abroad was in New Zealand! He was discharged at Netley (Hampshire) and his intended place of residence was Dublin. Why was it believed that this person was Harry's father? Is there a known Dublin connection?. Other than stating his own birthdate/place of birth you say Harry gave Stanley no details of his own parents (I'm assuming the details of siblings were Stanley's siblings rather than his fathers) so I find it hard to understand why your cousin believed this Dublin man was Harry's father.
I note that birthplace in India (1911) given as Furricabad, India but there does not seem to be such a place. One can understand Harry not knowing precisely how it was spelt but wonder if it was actually Farrukhabad (in Uttar Pradesh) which would sound the same. The other word you mention is Futyghur but can't find that as a valid place either - possibly Fatehpur (also Uttar Pradesh).
Annette
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Thanks Annette, Harry Hurst (full name) married Alice Mortimer 13.1.1912 at the church of the sacred heart hove (Catholic) sussex Harry Hurst was an insurance agent. His father was listed on the certificate also as Harry Hurst occupation a soldier. the reason they got married was that whilst walking as a family in Brighton Harry bumped into a catholic priest he knew from Dublin Ireland who persuaded them that they should get married they married shortly after this obviously were put under some pressure, after they married when they came home from the wedding Alice took off her wedding ring put it on a ribbon and hung it on the dresser never to be worn again. i am going by what my cousin said wasn't able to go and check out the records myself !
its Fatehgarh Farrukhabad (see google maps) Fategarh seems to be a district of Farrukhabad, there is an old british fort there used during the 1860's, so am "assuming" Harry was posted there
I have just emailed the Catholic church there enquiring about birth records waiting to see if they come up with anything. Also Harry snr did tell his family he had connections to Dublin, unfortunately never let on who his parents were, he seems to be a bit as a mystery man as his father was !!!. yes they were Stanleys siblings not Harry jnrs, thanks for your help Tessa
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ps Harry snr was deceased when they got married
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Familysearch seem to have listed Fatehgarh as Bengal!! Checking the records there seems to be a gap from 1856 to 1874 which could be why Harry's baptism not found.
Annette
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that seems to be the way it goes one step forward two steps back, I don't have alot of faith in family search over the years I've found so many mistakes, I'm hoping that the catholic church there will come up with something, my mother and my uncles on that side all have jet black hair and olive skin so have most of my cousins on that side I have the "non sunburning " skin and my nephew and mother have been told by different dentists they have asian teeth by their dentist said its something to do with the roots growing a different way to european ones, so I suspect my gt gt grandmother was asian, just love to find out if she was and what where the circumstances of my gt gt grandparents lives in India, bet its a fascinating story. hope to to a dna test one day thanks again Tessa
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I don’t know if it’s still relevant but the 1st Battalion of the 18th Foot was in India for many years until February 1866. Almost half of the regiment elected to stay longer in India and volunteered into other corps. http://archive.org/stream/campaignshistory00gret#page/224/mode/2up
Rex
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Thankyou for that I am pretty sure it had think I had read something a little while ago, so thankyou for reminding me. Any help is most welcome thanks Tessa
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I don’t know if it’s still relevant but the 1st Battalion of the 18th Foot was in India for many years until February 1866. Almost half of the regiment elected to stay longer in India and volunteered into other corps. http://archive.org/stream/campaignshistory00gret#page/224/mode/2up
Rex
A bit more about them here - http://www.theoriginalrecord.com/database/search/decade/187
Malcolm
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Looks like there was a Henry Hurst in India much earlier. - http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/b/i/r/Kevin-W-Bird-CAMBRIDGE/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0009.html
This one married in Meerut in 1845 so could be the grandfather of Harry.