Muster Rolls at TNA

[edalmun]

Dear Tony,

Thank you ever so much for your kind offer, I would be extremely grateful if you could take a look at the 52nd Muster Rolls, even if it just rules out this other William out it would still move me forward.

My William Aldous was born 1836 in Colchester (although I have no baptism). He had three older brothers (Thomas, Alexander and Charles) and his parents were Thomas and Susannah Aldous. Thomas was a whitesmith, and a tailor at various times. Thomas disappeared around 1839, shortly followed by Susannah disappearing from the records as well. The four boys grew up in Colchester Workhouse, and William is there in both the 1841 and 1851 censuses.

On 16 June 1856 William married Lydia Barron at St Leonard's, Lexden, Colchester. He was a labourer at the time. On 12 February 1857 their son Charles William was born in Lexden. Birth certificates and baptisms differ on William's occupation at this time, between a baker and a labourer.

William then disappears. In 1861 Lydia says she is a widow, and Charles William later claims his father was an army corporal. I believe he might have joined the army, and possibly died abroad. Although I have checked the obvious sources I have found no record of his death, but from what I gather it is possible it was missed.

Which brings me to William Aldous, Pte in 52nd Oxfordshire Light Infantry. He qualified for the Indian Mutiny medal and was apparently wounded 27th August at Delhi. I have no proof he is connected to my William, but I can't find a service record or any other records about him to rule him out, so I believe the muster rolls are the only place to find out more about him. As we know he was wounded in August I'd suggest that the 2nd or 3rd quarter of muster rolls for 1857 would be the place to look.

I can't tell you how grateful I am for your offer of help, William is the biggest mystery on my tree, and anything that moves me closer to working out what happened would be wonderful.

Many thanks,
Elissa

[anpefa1]

hi elissa
i will also check the british library india army records (just in case) (if necessary) but later.

tony

[anpefa1]

hello roomar

i will add your request to my list but provide me with some more info about your chap (as per what i asked from elissa) and leave it with me.

ps, i understand your connecting to a relevant post but it would have been better to post afresh so that there would be separate communication from elissa's post, never mind, its not a big problem.

as a matter of course it helps if you state where you are (country or county) its not obligatory but it adds to the regional/national/international comradeship of this site.

tony   

[roomar]

Hi Tony,Sorry I didn't do the posting right.
Thank you for your offer.
I am from Australia(Brisbane)
This is all the information I have on William Thompson.His wife's name was Sarah. They had a child in Meerut India 15/12/1854.(William J.)
William (Snr) was A Staff Serjeant.
It seems that  the 52nd Foot regiment and 14th Dragoons were the only european regiments in Meerut at that time.
So I'm taking a punt and hoping it was the 52nd.
The family moved to New Zealand sometime in the 1870/1880s
roomar/Dorothy

[edalmun]

Thank you ever so much Tony. I have just realised you helped me a while ago with an enquiry at the NMM so I am even more grateful for you sparing you time to help me with this.

[anpefa1]

hello elissa

i have been checking wo12 which deals with the 52nd foot and so far i have found two references that appear to contradict each other.

in 1853 one w.a. regt. number 2374 goes thru to 1856 where it is stated "in hospital" which might fit in with him being wounded presumably about that period but does not fit with your dates.

then another w.a appears in 1856 regt number 2074, as i did not get beyond that date i have no further info yet.

i will try the next set of musters beyond 1856 next time i go to tna and in the meantime i will check out the british library as the 52nd was in india at some time.

tony

[anpefa1]

hello dorothy

in wo12, as with elissa, i have found two w.t,s both serving at the same time.

1st regt number 2180, 1853 to 1856 (so far) and 2nd regt number 2956.

one of them ended up in hospital but it does not seem to add up. both seem to have been posted to (probably to india, its not easy to make out). i have photographed the relevant passages that i will
e-mail to you (assuming its ok with you to furnish me with your e-mail).

i will go back in time to check the enlistment records to see if they throw up any personal info which the muster rolls fail to do.

i will also check out the records at the british library as the india military info and bmd there is quite comprehensive.

tony

[edalmun]

Dear Tony,

Thank you ever so much for looking up that information for me. First of all what information is given about the soldier, is it just name, number and enlistment date or does it give age/birth place etc? I just wondered if there was anything else that might rule them either in or out.

As you said the first man doesn't seem to fit my dates. As for the second I wonder whether his record starts after the first man is sent to hospital? As I understand it there was no centralised numbering system for soldiers at the time and I wonder whether the second man is actual the first, returning from his stay in hospital and given a new number.

Whatever I am so pleased you've been able to have a look at this for me and moved me on in my quest to find my William Aldous!

[anpefa1]

hello deb,d

in short, officers are listed in the muster rolls, need help?

tony