I am trying to trace two men father and son both of whom served with HM Service according to the son's marriage record and wondered if anyone can tell me what might be meant by HM Service in 1874.
Edward Hope (Late Captain HM Service) married Phoebe Ann Popple in 1874 in Trinity Church Marylebone. Their marriage records state that his father, James Hope, was a Colonel HM Service (Deceased).
Her father, George Popple, was a Master Bootmaker and judging by the places his children were born, (Chatham, Woolwich, Kent and Aldershot) wondered if this might be for the Armed forces.
Somewhere I picked up that Edward Hope might have been with the RMLI but can't now find the source! This Hope family group do not appear on any censuses that I can see, and I wonder if perhaps they were overseas.
Phoebe remarried in 1879 and I did wonder if Edward had died between 1874-1879. I have found an Edward Major Hope born 1841 son of John and Susannah Hope and who died in 1876 but can't find them on the censuses either.
Sorry, I'm feeling very frustrated by this ... all I am asking is if anyone has any idea what HM Service is or is it just a general term for Armed forces / Civilian work?
Thank you
Sue
