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Armed Forces / Royal Marines in 1830s South America
« on: Friday 29 May 20 19:28 BST (UK) »
I'm trying to find out some info about my ancestor George SMITH (1811-1873) who enlisted as a Private in the Portsmouth Division of the Royal Marines at Reading in Nov 1831, but was back home in his village in Buckinghamshire at the time of his marriage in May 1836.
George was incarcerated for debt in October 1839, where his details in the London Gazette include him being "formerly Private in Portsmouth Division of Royal Marines, stationed some time at Portsmouth, and some time in South America".
A few years later in October 1844, George was sentenced to Transportation to Australia for stealing a horse. Upon sentencing, he turned to the Judge and said "Thank you, sir; I have been there before, and shall be glad to get out of the country".
I have George's Attestation Papers, but unfortunately his Service Record is blank and there are no details as to his date of discharge. I don't know which ships he served on and its unlikely that I'll be able to find out. What I would be interested to learn though is what a Royal Marine might be doing being stationed in South America in the early 1830s. I know we had involvement in British Guiana and there was naval action to re-claim the Falklands in 1833, but would we have been involved militarily anywhere else on the Continent when it was mostly governed by the Spanish & Portuguese?
Any pointers welcome!
George was incarcerated for debt in October 1839, where his details in the London Gazette include him being "formerly Private in Portsmouth Division of Royal Marines, stationed some time at Portsmouth, and some time in South America".
A few years later in October 1844, George was sentenced to Transportation to Australia for stealing a horse. Upon sentencing, he turned to the Judge and said "Thank you, sir; I have been there before, and shall be glad to get out of the country".
I have George's Attestation Papers, but unfortunately his Service Record is blank and there are no details as to his date of discharge. I don't know which ships he served on and its unlikely that I'll be able to find out. What I would be interested to learn though is what a Royal Marine might be doing being stationed in South America in the early 1830s. I know we had involvement in British Guiana and there was naval action to re-claim the Falklands in 1833, but would we have been involved militarily anywhere else on the Continent when it was mostly governed by the Spanish & Portuguese?
Any pointers welcome!
