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Research in Other Countries => New Zealand => New Zealand Completed Requests => Topic started by: Jeff Guyett on Tuesday 08 February 22 18:45 GMT (UK)
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hi
I have been researching the 70th Foot and about the time they where in New Zealand during 1861 -1865 , are there in sources which I may be able to find out more in New Zealand?
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Hi, morning from down under.
Our newspapers digital archive has some 80 mentions up to 1870.
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers?phrase=2&snippet=true&query=70th+Foot&start_date=01-01-1839&end_date=31-12-1870
Will see if this link works.
Others who support this board are more familiar with the Militia campaigns, and I have no doubt that they will assist.
Alan
PS. Did you check out the NZ historic births?
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Hi Jeff,
The seminal reference for men of the Imperial regiments took their discharge in New Zealand is
Discharged in New Zealand. Soldiers of the Imperial Foot Regiments who took their discharge in New Zealand 1840-1870 by H & L Hughes. (1988).
This extract refers to the 70th Foot:
page 110:
70th (SURREY) REGIMENT
Known as the "Glasgow Greys", after the place where the Regiment was first
raised and from the fact that they later adopted grey facings to their uniforms,
the 70th was summoned from Calcutta in 1861 to join the forces in New Zealand.
Stationed originally at Otahuhu, with a detachment as far away as Dunedin during
1861-3, soldiers of the regiment saw action in Taranaki in 1863 and in the
Waikato during 1863-4, returning to Taranaki and then across to Napier in 1865.
They left Auckland in January 1866 for England.
Unfortunately for the genealogist very few of those who took their discharge
in NZ had their particulars entered in full in the Muster Rolls.
If you are looking for a particular individual I can search my copy of this title.
Spades
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hi
William Oakley - 7Oth Foot Sergeant (band master) no 2453
Sarah Oakley his wife - they had at least on child in New Zealand
Sarah Matilda OAKLEY was born 1864 in Otalmlin & poss/prob
Anne OAKLEY was born 1862 in Otalmlin, New Zealand.(may have died on the return to the uk)
found 2 Newspaper articles- aconcert in Napier in 1865 & saving a drowning boy/men also in Napier
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Hi Jeff.
The place name will be "Otahuhu" not text recognition Otalmlin.
No registrations for a child born to William OAKLEY - have not tried for varient spellings.
Alan.
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Hi Jeff,
I have searched my copy but no 'OAKLEY' appears in any regimental list, let alone the 70th. I also looked for the spelling variant OKLEY.
Assuming that William OAKLEY did take his discharge in New Zealand, he is likely to be among a number of apparent omissions from Hughes' Discharged in New Zealand.
An article in The New Zealand Genealogist (December 2020 Vol. 51 No. 386) discusses this issue. It includes a list of men whose names appear in a collection held at Puke Ariki Museum and Library in New Plymouth titled, 'Imperial Regiment Army Discharges'. Cross-referencing with Discharged in New Zealand revealed eighteen men omitted from Hughes' book.
William OAKLEY does not appear in this list either.
Spades
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Hi Jeff,
Can you please tell us what you know of William OAKLEY? I don't think we have enough data.
You mention above that the family returned to the UK. When was this?
Might he have returned to the UK with his regiment and taken his discharge there?
Spades
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Hello.
.... EDITED with 2nd attempt below, to get links posted correctly, so that they might take you directly to the press clipping of interest.
Alan,
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Hello.
For the family heritage archive, press articles, re post #3
Prevented a drowning. Various press reports:-
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HBH18651028.2.10?end_date=31-12-1865&items_per_page=100&query=Oakley&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA&start_date=01-10-1865
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZ18651103.2.12?end_date=31-12-1865&items_per_page=100&query=Oakley&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA&start_date=01-10-1865
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DSC18651103.2.31?end_date=31-12-1865&items_per_page=100&query=Oakley&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA&start_date=01-10-1865
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WI18651111.2.31.23?end_date=31-12-1865&items_per_page=100&query=Oakley&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA&start_date=01-10-1865
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WC18651111.2.11?end_date=31-12-1865&items_per_page=100&query=Oakley&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA&start_date=01-10-1865
THE LATE CONCERT Serjeant Oakley, band director.
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HBH18651128.2.14.1?end_date=31-12-1865&items_per_page=100&query=Oakley&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA&start_date=01-10-1865
Alan.
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Hi Alan,
I saw some of those. The final one reveals that William OAKLEY was still serving in the 70th Foot in November 1865.
With no record of him taking his discharge in New Zealand, and knowing from a post above that he returned to England, I suspect that he left with his regiment and subsequently took his discharge.
Forces War Records list three record for 2453 Sergeant William OAKLEY.
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/
Also try National Archives UK:
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/
Spades
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Hi Spades.
Just provided the links for others to evaluate.
Alan.
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Hi Alan,
Absolutely! :)
I was just drawing a (tentative) assumption from what you'd posted.
Spades
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hi William Oakley did return to the Uk (and had 10 child born and my Great Grandfather was born in Kinsale in Ireland) he left the Army - 09 Apr 1872 after 21years (But was a Sergeant 3rd Royal Surrey Militia in 1891) He also was a Temperance Band leader ( he should have 2 Medals Indian Mutiny & New Zealand would love to find them!) thanks for all the help I had not seen all the newspaper cuttings...
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Excellent, thanks Jeff.
Don't know if you've seen these links, but to respond to the question you originally posed:
https://collection.pukeariki.com/persons/8047/70th-surrey-regiment
https://ellott-postalhistorian.com/articles/70th-Regiment-In-NZ.pdf
https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/news/2020/06/the-southern-adventures-of-the-70th-regiment
http://www.soldiersofempire.nz/
https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22365176
https://www.queensroyalsurreys.org.uk/1661to1966/new-zealand/new-zealand-maori-war.shtml
https://www.queensroyalsurreys.org.uk/troopships/ts006.shtml
http://www.queensredoubt.co.nz/download_file.cfm/December_2017_newsletter.pdf?id=14,d
https://www.otago.ac.nz/library/hocken/otago758360.pdf
https://mro.massey.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10179/1993/02_whole.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
Spades
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I found a picture of him!! in the Uxbridge & Hillingdon Band 1886 - he is the only one wearing 2 medals (India & New Zealand) www.ibew.org.uk - lots of pictures
not two band after 2 years searching (never give up!)
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FindMyPast has a record (pension?) - admitted 9 Apr 1872, So. London.
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Greetings again.
Pleased you found the NZ records of interest.
Alan.
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Congratulations Jeff :)
Earlier in the topic I mentioned that he might have taken his discharge after leaving New Zealand as theere no record of him doing so while he was here.
Have you found out where he took his discharge?
Regards,
Spades
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he return to the UK with his wife (and 1st child- who may have died at sea) then to IRELAND and left in 1871 and moved to Kingston Upon Thames. close to the new barracks
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Thanks Jeff. :)
Spades