Kings Own Scottish Borderers, 25th regiment foot

[softieh]

Hi everyone

I was wondering if anyone could give me any advice. A while ago i posted a photo in another topic of a man in uniform which was identified as the uniform of the 25th regiment (foot) Kings Own Scottish Borderers. Since then i have discovered an ancestor who is likely to be this gentleman, named Gavin Scott.

I have found Gavin on the 1861 census in Aldershot, Surrey with the rest of the regiment. I then have him on his marriage certificate in 1878 listed as 'private soldier 25th regiment foot'. The next time i am able to find him mentioned is on his daughters birth certificate in 1884, where he is now described as 'engineers timekeeper'. Therefore it looks like he left the army between 1878-1884.

I would love to find out more details about Gavin and his time with the Kings Own Scottish Borderers, so I wonder if anyone could point me in the right direction? On his death certificate in 1892 he is described as 'confectioner, army pensioner'- would there be any chance of me finding his pension records? I had a look on the KOSB website but wasnt entirely sure from this where i would head to first.

Many thanks for your help

Sophie

[km1971]

Hi Sophie

If you read this thread from last week - http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,296665.0.html - you can see my interest in the 25th Foot. I will look in a few Muster and Pay Lists for you next time I am in Kew. I am hoping to catalogue the whole of the 25th Foot using WO12 and it doesn't really matter where I start. Given that he must have served at least 17 years it would take a few days to search WO12 completely. But I will try and find when he was discharged as this may give the date of his enlistment.

It would help if you could say where he was married, as their 2nd Battalion was embodied again in 1860, so knowing where he was in 1878 will cut the search time in half. Also where did he settle?

My GG parents were married in Co Cork in 1873 when my GGF was a Corporal. so they may have served together.

BTW...they did not become the KOSB until 1887. In Gavin Scott’s day they would have been known as the 25th Regiment, or 25th Foot. Even though they had the title “King’s Own Borderers” in the 1870s, they probably hadn’t been anywhere near Scotland since the ’45.

They were a cosmopolitan regiment with men from all over the British Isles. Even when the depot was in Chatham (Kent) in the 1840s they had recruiting sergeants out in Glasgow and Manchester, and they spent a lot of time in Ireland.

Ken

[softieh]

Wow, thank you so much for that kind offer Ken, thats wonderful. I would be absolutely thrilled with anything you could turn up for me.

Gavin married in the Calton district of Glasgow in 1878, and his residence was listed as 103 Cubie Street Glasgow.They settled in Glasgow, and this is where he died in 1892.

Thanks for all the background information too, I am extremely grateful.

[softieh]

I should also add that he was born around 1845 incase that helps.

[neil1821]

From the LSGC medal roll:

1123 Corpl Gavin Scott, 2/25th Regt
Recommended for LSGC medal (long service & good conduct) on 1 Oct 1880
So he was still with the regiment in 1880

18 years service necessary for the medal which fits with 1861 (ish) as an enlistment date.

 

[softieh]

Fantastic, thanks Neil!

[softieh]

This is the thread where i posted a photo of the person I am now sure is Gavin:

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,187666.0.html

Today I have obtained a copy of the will of an aunt of Gavin's , who describes Gavin as 'bandsman in the Kings Own Borderers', which fits with what people said in the above thread when i was trying to identify the uniform- i am so pleased as you can imagine! The will was proved 26th Aug 1881, and it also mentions that Gavin was in India at some stage.

[neil1821]

The will was proved 26th Aug 1881, and it also mentions that Gavin was in India at some stage.

Sounds resonable.
2/25th Regt were in Ceylon from 1863-68, then India 1868-75, then Aden 1875-79.

[km1971]

Hi Sophie/Neil

1123 Corporal Gavin Scott, 2nd Battalion 25th Regt KOB, was discharged on 17 January 1882 at Fermoy. He enlisted in Londonderry, and this was also his intended place of residence. It does not give his date of enlistment nor his parish of birth, or occupation. He was given a £1 2s 11d travel warrant (as far as Belfast only) and £1 advancement on his pension.

I tracked him over a few Muster and Pay Lists:

= April to June 1877 – a Private based in Shorncliffe (Kent) then Aldershot – 10 days furlough (1 to 10 May 1877)

= July to Sept 1877 – Private – Aldershot

= Oct 1877 to March 1878 – Private – Aldershot – good conduct pay increased from 2d to 3d – furlough 1 Dec ’77 to 14 Jan ‘78

= April to Sept 1878 – Private – Aldershot then Plymouth

= Oct 1878 to March 1879 – Private – Plymouth then Devonport – 46 days furlough (15 Dec ’78 to 31 Jan ’79)

= April to Sep 1880 – Devonport – promoted to L/Cpl 31 May – 4d GC pay from 28 August – promoted to Corporal 17 Sept 1880.

= Oct 1880 to March 1881 – Corporal - Devonport then Fermoy (from Dec 1880)

= April to Sep 1881 – Corporal – Devonport – Corporal’s pay increased from 1s 4d to 1s 8d per day on 1st July 1881. He would have also received his 4d a day GC pay. A note says “ This NCO draws pay at 1s 9d a day under provision of Rl Wt (Royal Warrant?) 25 June 1881” It also has ‘Band’ written in red ink. This is the only reference to him being in the band.

I will try and find his enlistment sometime.


Ken