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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: GrahamPC on Thursday 09 November 23 15:39 GMT (UK)
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John and Sophia Wilson christened their son John at Kirkby Moorside, Yorkshire, on 7 June 1814.
John is recorded as "Private in the Scots Royals" and a "casual traveller". Does this suggest he was at that point still in the regiment and if so what was he doing as a casual traveller there in Yorkshire? Does anyone have any suggestions?
I have a John Wilson (1779-1834) and Sophia Longhurst (1788-1853), my 3x gt grandparents. I have not found a marriage. Between the birth of their first child, William, in Bexhill in 1810 and the second, Eliza in 1818 in Brighton there is a gap of 8 years. Both Bexhill and Brighton were barracks towns and I wonder if my John Wilson had an army connection? Unfortunately he has a name which was common in the muster lists of numerous regiments.
Any clues or suggestions would be very welcome. Thanks
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The "casual traveller" bit is in the Abode column, and "Private in the Scots Royals" is in the "Quality, trade or profession" column. So it looks like he was a serving soldier, and just temporarily in Kirbymoorside.
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/discoveryui-content/view/1173761:62236
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I am slightly intrigued by the unit title 'Scots Royals'. As far as I know there has never been a regiment with this title. Royal Scots (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Scots), possibly. They were the 1st Regiment of Foot, known in Army circles as Pontius Pilate's Bodyguard, and more disparagingly as the 'First and Worst'. Another infantry regiment was the Royal Scots Fusiliers (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Scots_Fusiliers). Perhaps it was the cavalry regiment, the Royal Scots Greys (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Scots_Greys).
It seems an odd mistake for a soldier to make unless perhaps he told the vicar the correct title, and the vicar later wrote down what he (mis-)remembered.
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This from 1833. "Scots Royals"still used colloquially for the Royal Scots:
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I also have John Wilson and Sophia Longhurst in my ancestry (descended from Eliza Wilson and William Colebrook). This is amazing information and connects to the Scottish Wilson dna connection that I have via 23 and me
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I also have John Wilson and Sophia Longhurst in my ancestry (descended from Eliza Wilson and William Colebrook). This is amazing information and connects to the Scottish Wilson dna connection that I have via 23 and me
Hi Lia Fen, I have only just read your post. I would be very interested to know more of your connection with John Wilson and the Scottish dna link. Happy to share my information on John Wilson.