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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: kena on Sunday 28 August 05 12:39 BST (UK)
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Hi, I have read on a marriage entry that one of my five times greatgrandfathers was a soldier when he got married in 1809. I am guessing that he was involved in the Napoleonic Wars but am not really sure and have looked on the National Archives catalogue but can't find his name at all. He lived in Leek, Staffordshire and his name was Joseph Bowyer. He also didn't die as a soldier as he is down on the 1841 census for Leek as being 65. Please can anybody tell me where to turn to next.
Thanks
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Only soldiers who completed full service (or were wounded and invalided out) and consequently received a pension are down on The National Archives database. Many soldiers served just a few years and left the army.
You could probably tell whether your Joseph continued to serve long after his marriage by where his children were born and when if you know that information.
If you know what regiment Joseph served in you could follow his army career at The national Archives through the regimental quarterly muster books - the pay lists, but you would need to know his regiment to find him in these records.
Regards
Valda
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I am trying to trace a Joseph Bowyer born c 1806 in Onecote, Staffordshire. His parents were Joseph Bowyer/Boyer and Ann. Could his father be your Joseph?
Thanks Caimein
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Hi Caimein
Kena states her Joseph Bowyer married in 1809 and you state your Joseph Bowyer was born three years before.
The Onecoat family - the IGI only has coverage of Oncecoat baptisms
Joseph Boyer
Christening: 27 APR 1806 Onecote, Stafford,
Father: Joseph Boyer
Mother: Anne
ELLEN BOYER
Christening: 17 APR 1808 Onecote, Stafford
Father: JOSEPH BOYER
Mother: ANNE
HARRIOT BOYER
Christening: 03 JUN 1810 Onecote, Stafford
Father: JOSEPH BOYER
Mother: ANN
Burial
31st May 1825 St Luke Onecoat
Joseph Bowyer aged 55
Regards
Valda
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Hi Valda and Caimein, it looks like this Joseph Bowyer may be a different one to mine but they may be related somewhere along the line, you never know
Anna
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I have borrowed the Onecote Church register and found the details of Joseph's birth. I cannot find his parent's marriage and was hoping Joseph may be a family name and he could be related to the Bowyer's at Leek.
My Joseph was sent to Australia as a convict. He was convicted of Highway robbery. His convict record says he was born c 1806 in Staffordshire. The Onecote Joseph is the only one that matches. His first two children were named Joseph and Ann.
Regards Caimein
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Hi, the best of luck with your research and merry christmas. I don't suppose you came across any Cordon's/Corden's on your travels through the register did you please?, I am back to a James Cordon born about 1770's at latest (married 1792)
Thanks
Anna
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Sorry, I only registered the Bowyer/Boyers I could find.
Merry Christmas
Caimein
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Only soldiers who completed full service (or were wounded and invalided out) and consequently received a pension are down on The National Archives database.
If you know what regiment Joseph served in you could follow his army career at The national Archives through the regimental quarterly muster books - the pay lists, but you would need to know his regiment to find him in these records.
Regards
Valda
Hi,
So unless they had a pension, there's no way of finding any details about their home location?
I have an ancestor who served in Malta around 1801-1804 and have his regiment, but I find the National Archives website really hard to fathom out and none of the searches I've done match his regiment..surely his regiment would be recorded?
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I think the NA Catalogue is down today. Try tomorrow. You should enter their name in the Catalogue and look for entries in Series WO97. These are surviving records in Kew for men discharged up to 1854, and is the only information available online before WW1. If you get a hit you can send off for copies from the microfilm.
If you have his regiment you should always be able to find him in the Muster Books and Pay Lists (WO12). But these are original documents so you will have to visit Kew. His visit entry may tell you where he was born. If not you should start with the parish records for where he enlisted. But you should also look at the Sergeants and see where they were, as they may have been out recruiting.
If you are lucky the Succession and Description Book may survive (in WO25). This gives a physical description and parish of birth, age and trade on enlistment. It was recorded in case they deserted.
Ken
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Ken,
Thank you for all this information. When I get on the NA site I end up going round in circles.
Elaine
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Hi Elaine
What exactly are you looking for?
ken
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I am looking for a John Benn born in Ireland 1842.
I have him with the 26th Reg in the Channel Islands in 1851 census
But he had a child born in Wales in Dec 1851 and the certificate was signed by the Depot 54 Reg of Foot
I have not yet tried the muster books. But I live in Maine USA so it is proving difficult.
Elaine
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Hi Elaine
Can you look at your dates. He could not have a child born in 1851 if he was born in 1842.
Ken
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Hi Elaine
The National Archives has nearly a thousand years of records stored on over 50 miles of shelving. The online catlogue
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/search.asp
has an electronic catalogue which covers about 10 million records where you can search by name. In relative terms this is a drop in the ocean as far as the total amount of TNA records is concerned. It is necessary to visit or employ a researcher for most TNA records. To understand how the surviving deposited government records 'work' the most useful section of TNA website is the research guides.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/researchguidesindex.asp
e.g.
British Army: Useful Sources for Tracing Soldiers
British Army: Muster Rolls and Pay Lists, c1730-1898
British Army: Soldiers' Discharge Papers, 1760-1913
British Army: Soldiers' Pensions, 1702-1913
The John Benn born Ireland on the Channel Islands 1851 census was aged 27. He was in 26 regiment of foot - the Cameronian regiment. The 54th regiment was the West Norfolk regiment. How do you know this was the same man?
Regards
Valda
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Kim1971 , Valda
Kim , sorry a typo, he was born in 1824.
Valda, In the 1851 census in the Channel Islands, his wife Mary and 2 eldest children were also in the Channel Islands, but you have a good point, I did assume that the John in the census was my John, but I could be wrong.
I do not know why the children had birth certificates from the 54th. It looks as though they were all made out at the same time, after the 1851 birth of Catherine in Wales, they have the same page # and the certificate #s are sequential. But I can't find John with the 54th.
I have Mary and her two eldest children in Dalgety Fife in 1861, but no trace of John until the 1871 census.
I have been grasping at straws with this, and could be way of base.
Thank you for all the information. This is certainly a learning experience.
Elaine
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I have the attestation papers for a Joseph Bowyer(born Onecote c1797). He joined the Royal Marines in 1811. The papers were signed in Macclesfield.
My Joseph was also from Onecote , however, I don't know how this Joseph is related.