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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: Moonstar36 on Friday 19 April 19 22:45 BST (UK)
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Am not sure where to post this so hopefully it will be moved to the appropriate place if needed ..thanks in advance :)
It concerns my paternal great grandfather. Charles Deacon born around 1854 in Northampton. (He cant decide if it was 1853, 1854 or 1855 from census, nor whether it was St Giles or St Andrews)
Anyway he married Margaret Mercy Redshaw in South Africa, in 1883. They came back to this country. He was already in the army with Northamptonshire regiment at that time as a Sargeant 2nd Northamptonshire ..the m/c shows. Think he joined in 1873.
They are in Aldershot in 1891 and move to Chatham Military road in time for 1901 census and stay there till he died in Sept 1911. He was by then a Staff Quartermaster?
What I am not sure of is what is his role?
Would there be anywhere that would have his records and thus his date of birth?
What is the actual regiment?? he is with..are there any records to show what he would have been doing during his time from 1873 to his death in service in 1911.
Why would he have been in South Africa around 1883? (interestingly one of his sons was named Theophilus Shepstone..and I do know that was the name of the 'statesman' of the area he was in at the time
Where can I go to find any of this?
Thanks very much
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Findmypast have service records, it shows date of death in Chatham 1 Sep. 1911, cause of death as Exophthalmic Goitre (Graves disease) so it looks like your man.
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There is a baptism in Northampton St Giles could this be him.....
Charles Alfred Deacon born 11 June 1853 baptised 17 July 1853.
Father Frederick mother Martha father a wheelwright address Cow Lane .
Twin brother William Harris born same day baptised at same time.
Or St Edmunds 1855
Charles Deacon son of William & Elizabeth baptised April 12th 1855 private baptism of Union House father a soldier. No birth date included.
Tazzie
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Checking the births of the twins sadly there are burial for both later in the year William in October on 6th and Charles on 13th age 15 weeks.
So that leaves the st Edmunds baptism at the moment.
Tazzie
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Ancestry has his rather battered record of service in the Northamptonshire Regiment which needs time spent on it to interpret it all. He did serve from June 1873 when he was 20 (the date of birth is not given) until his death on 11 Sep 1911. He was an infantryman, serving first in 48th Regiment of Foot which (with the 58th Foot) became the Northamptonshire Regiment in 1881. At the end of his service he was the Garrison Staff Quartermaster Sergeant at the barracks at Chatham which means he was still in the Northamptonshire Regiment but was on the staff of the garrison looking after the stores for all the regiments in that garrison. He was already Quartermaster Sergeant in 1901 at Chatham.
the later part of his career is typical of an "old soldiers" career in that having served around the world with his regiment, the army retains his experience beyond the normal 21 years by moving him to a static job in a UK garrison. The dates of his movements are on his record but you need to look very closely at them. Shout if you need help.
You ask what was he doing in S Africa and elsewhere - garrisoning the British Empire and keeping the peace with about half the British Army of the period. He went to S Africa in 1879.
Much more on his record.
MaxD
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thanks everyone....
Yes I am inclined to believe that St Edmunds Charles is the one and it sort of follows him being a soldier with his father being one. For a number of years I thought it could be the Charles Alfred but then a year ago I found the death of Charles Alfred as a baby...I think Charles of St Edmunds has a brother called John and he is a couple of years older than Charles..I found them both in Union Workhouse, Charles is aged 6... but you know what its like always a niggling doubt unless you find a DOB which has eluded me continuously :) :)
Anyway back to Army, I didnt know anything about his army career other than what I saw on Census...so that is interesting about the old soldier bit ... sad in a way too...but I guess at those times very useful else how would he house and feed his family.
I shall have a look at Ancestry and may well be back Max.... if its hard to read or follow..I know some of the records we find in all these sites havent always been scanned too well... so thank you for that offer.
Is there some sort of Army museum relating to the regiment that holds any records... I know with the Lancers and my maternal great grandfather (same era) he was in 17 Lancers and they have a resource I went to and got loads of info about him which was fascinating.
Right off to find this record...thank you so much people ...just so you can see him I am attaching a picture of him with part of the family
(http://)
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What a gorgeous photo.
Incidentally the brother John also appears on Ancestry with military details I think I saw Manchester regiment.
Tazzie
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https://northamptonmuseums.wordpress.com/2011/09/28/the-northamptonshire-regiment-collection/
I wouldn't say sad, a fine career with valuable service right to the end. Few men were allowed to stay on as long as he did, the army recognised and made use of the experience such a man had.
Happy to help with the record.
MaxD
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Thanks Tazzie...didnt know that ... fabulous find I shall now go and search that :) :) Glad you liked the photo there's another one which shows all of them together when they are grown up. Theophilus is back left and Charles J Is on right..apparently he lost both his legs in WW1. my grandmother is back left..and of course Charles is in middle...
AAww Thank you Max..am glad thats how its seen rather than sad... and so pleased to hear his record is a good one! I was proud of him before but now I can stand taller... I am a great admirer of the armed forces and dont feel they get the recognition they deserve...sorry for my political statement on here but I am proud of them.
Hope you enjoy this one too Tazzie!
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I wished I'd taken up my great Aunts offer all those years ago. I sat at her dining table with a huge box of photos and she said help yourself, take whatever you want. Oh if only.....
Ancestry has both the boys war records..... Charles had gun shot wounds to both legs.
Yes like this one too. ;D
Tazzie
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I just wanted to say a very big thank you to Tazzie and MaxD, you have both helped me enormously. Tazzie in linking my Great Uncle to me so that I have now got another branch of the family. MaxD for his fabulous help with military details and a better understanding as well as info.
Thank you both of you
<3 <3 <3
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That's very kind, thank you, glad to help.
MaxD
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Thank you moonstar.
I think our little hobby is very addictive but so rewarding.
The photos are wonderful but nice to put names places and stories to them is the flesh on the bones.
Best wishes Tazzie