St Helena but where? Help identifying an Island please.

[mermaid-nl]

Hello everyone,

Does anyone know where St Helena is?  On FamilySearch an ancestor is listed as being born in St Helena and the only referience as to where this is from the system-origin 'Atlantic_Islands-ODM'  I am guessing this is somewhere near India as other siblings were born in Madras, India.

Hopefully I have included a direct link to the entry in question.

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.2/9SC3-82T/p1

Thank you in advance.

[TomRees]

It is indeed in the Southa Atlantic, a few weeks sailing from India   

http://www.worldlicenseplates.com/maps/StHelena-Ascension.gif


http://www.sthelena.se/

[mermaid-nl]

TomRees, thank you very much!  I've been floating all around the atlantic (on google maps) and couldn't find it!  Brilliant! :-)

[ShaunJ]

Findmypast has 15 images from the discharge papers of Private Isaac Dodd of 20th Foot, born around 1786 in Hadfield Essex, who served in many battles in the Napoleonic wars and was "in St Helena and East Indies from 12th June 1819 to 28th April 1837"

[mermaid-nl]

Hi ShaunJ,

Sounds interesting but not sure if it is 'my' Isaac Dodd, as mine was born in Halstead...I think.  Right I'm going to check it out    Thanks for the info!

[mermaid-nl]

Hi again ShaunJ,

It is my 3rd Gr Grandfather!  I'd forgotten all about it but I ordered his daugher Emma birth certificate years ago from India and he was stated as being in the 20th Foot Regiment.  She and her older brother James William (my 2nd Gr Grandfather) were both born in Cannanore India.  Oh thank you so much!  loving this 

[Redroger]

Volcanic island situated in the South Atlantic between South America and South Africa. Well known as the exile place of Napoleon Bonaparte after his defeat at Waterloo. Access is still only by sea, but the British Government has now agreed to build an airport there. I don't think it was used as a coaling station when much communication was by steamship, and as a result it has always been an isolated outpost.

[mermaid-nl]

Hi Redroger,

Thank you for the info.  Been reading up on it and it would seem that my 3rd Gr Grandmother was there in 1820 

Fascinating stuff!

[ShaunJ]

Just to confirm that the father was Isaac Dodd of 20th Regiment of Foot:
 http://indiafamily.bl.uk/UI/FullDisplay.aspx?RecordId=014-000075322